A shared Frequency.&nbsp;
Raised on the island, connected by music. DJ duo Mali &amp; Yass reflect on their Ibiza upbringing, the freedom of the dance floor and a friendship that finds its rhythm behind the decks.

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/__maali__/">Mali</a> was born in the UK and moved to Ibiza at five; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/clyassica/">Yass</a>, of Moroccan heritage, arrived on the island as a baby. Friends since their teens, they grew up immersed in Ibiza’s music and club culture before finding their own language behind the decks. Today, the DJ duo carries that shared upbringing into a sound influenced as much by the island they call home as by the scenes, dance floors and communities they continue to discover beyond it.
“Ibiza is a huge part of who we are. Growing up surrounded by different nationalities, cultures and ways of life gave us a certain openness from an early age. There’s a particular mentality that comes with being an Ibiza kid that’s difficult to describe unless you’ve lived it. The freedom, the nature, the music and the people you meet along the way shape you. We feel incredibly lucky to have grown up here. It’s home, and somewhere we could both imagine raising our own families one day.
Ibiza is so small that you somehow end up meeting everyone, and we met through mutual friends. We started going out very young, sometimes with fake IDs, and those nights became a big part of our friendship. We fell in love with Amnesia and DC10, with Paradise and, later, Underground. Music was what really connected us. We noticed that we reacted to the same tracks in the same way and, long before we thought about DJing, we were constantly sharing what we were listening to. At 17, we were already looking at the booth and saying, ‘One day, we’ll be up there.’&nbsp;
DJing together came later, but the connection was already there. Our chemistry behind the decks is difficult to explain; it just clicks. We rarely practise or plan a set beforehand. We have similar tastes and naturally follow the same highs and lows, while each bringing something different. Having been friends for so long, there’s a real sense of trust between us. We don’t overthink it. We find the flow and follow it.
For us, the best dance floors are the ones where people are open enough to let themselves be taken somewhere. It doesn’t need to be one drop after another. We love taking a crowd through different energies and seeing people completely in the moment, sweating, screaming or whistling because of a track we’ve played. You don’t need to know exactly what you’re listening to. It’s about being open to it and letting yourself go. We feel the same when we’re dancing. Music can be almost therapeutic: you can arrive after the worst day, lose yourself for a few hours and leave feeling as though something has shifted.
Growing up here has inevitably informed the way we see club culture. Music, nightlife and freedom have always been part of Ibiza’s DNA, but for us it has never simply been a party destination. It’s the place where we grew up. Ironically, we don’t go out that much when we’re here anymore. We love finding scenes in Amsterdam, Berlin and the UK, where smaller clubs can offer a different sense of intimacy and discovery. &nbsp;
Ibiza’s mega-club culture is extraordinary in its own way, but sometimes we miss the feeling of encountering something completely unexpected. There are still places keeping that spirit alive, from Tomodachi and Rhythm Point to Nocturna. Underground was particularly important to us. It was one of the places that showed us what this world could be. Wherever we go, that’s what we’re looking for: a night with a reason behind it, where the music still has the power to surprise you.

“Music, nightlife and freedom have always been part of Ibiza’s DNA, but for us it has never simply been a party destination.”

Social media has inevitably changed that experience. There’s nothing wrong with capturing a moment or filming a track you love. We’ve done it ourselves, and we’ve discovered great music online. But when an entire dance floor has its phones out, the atmosphere shifts. It becomes harder to lose yourself when you’re conscious of being watched or filmed. What makes it online also tends to be the biggest drops and most immediate moments, which can create a distorted idea of what a night, or even a DJ set, should be.
We love playing parties where phones aren’t allowed. We want people to step into our bubble of music and be completely present. Looking out from the booth and seeing hardly anyone filming is always a green flag. It means people are immersed in what’s happening, and that’s when a party feels real.
SlapFunk in Amsterdam completely changed our understanding of club culture. Ibiza had been our introduction, but when we first went to a SlapFunk afterparty at around 17, we discovered a sound and a kind of dance floor that felt completely new. We kept going back, became close to the crew and slowly became part of the family. Back then, we went to discover music and be inspired. Now, being invited back to share our own music feels like coming full circle, and their parties are still some of our favourite gigs.
What excites us about electronic music now is that it never really stands still. There’s plenty of nostalgia around club culture and, of course, things change. Electronic music is more mainstream than ever, but there are still incredible pockets of underground culture if you know where to look. We’re fascinated by the new DJs, producers and sounds emerging from those communities. Getting hold of an unreleased track can feel like having a little jewel hidden on your USB, something you’ve discovered before everyone else. At the same time, seeing people return to vinyl and preserve that culture feels equally important. That coexistence between what is emerging and what endures is part of what keeps it exciting.
Much of our inspiration comes from getting out into the world and experiencing things first-hand. Travelling, going to festivals and hearing artists we’ve never encountered before keeps us curious. Waking Life in Portugal was a perfect example. It sold out before the line-up was announced and, when it eventually came out, we barely knew any of the artists. We went with no expectations and came home having heard some incredible music. Houghton and Dimensions have given us that feeling too.
It reminds us how much there is still to discover. Wherever we go, we somehow cross paths with people who share that same connection to music. We may come from completely different places, but there’s a language in it that we all seem to understand. And, of course, we carry Ibiza with us wherever we play. We’re Ibiza kids. It would be difficult not to.”&nbsp;

People of Ibiza: Mali & Yass

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