The Sound of Summer: The Music of Ibiza

It's that time of year again. The shops are packed with bright bikinis, the young and the beautiful are buying their supplies of suncream and the travel agents are showing off their last-minute cancellations as if they were a big shiny badge.

Yep, it's holiday time and while there's something to be said for pretty much every destination that possesses a white sandy beach and crystal clear waters, there's one that makes people go back for more: Ibiza.

Needless to say the party island has had its fair share of publicity over the years and not all of it good (anyone out there remember Ibiza Uncovered? And I don't want to even think about The Vengaboys so the less said about that the better!). But for the thousands that return year after year, there is something magical about this Balearic gem.

From the restless dance fiends among us to the laid back hippies, the White Isle has had an irresistable draw for holidaymakers for over forty years and with summer 2008 shaping up to be bigger and better than ever, the music scene out there is seeping into clubs around the UK, from Ministry of Sound in London to the unbreakable relationship between Ibiza's Space and Liverpool's Society nightclub.

For one former UK resident, the island has given him the life he has always wanted. Having fallen in love with Ibiza as a teenager, DJ and Space music man Jon sa Trinxa has now made his mark on the party island through determination and sheer luck. The former Cheltenham boy is now fast approaching his fifteenth year as an Ibiza patriot, and his music is set to take on a life of its own this summer when he launches a new album series called Balearic Beach Sessions.

Like some secluded bubble, the island attracts everyone from the glamorous to the downright irritating (we mean you, James Blunt!). Even Jon has found himself next to the rich and famous - even if he didn't know it at the time. He says, 'I once was introduced to Kate Moss on Salinas Beach and had no idea who she was. I even asked what she did for a day job!'

Ibiza life really is like being part of another world. Bring your friends for a laugh and bring your family to make them see the quieter side of the island. Whatever person you want to be, Ibiza is definitely something that will have a personality to fit.

Go on, you might even like it. Whether you're celeb-spotting, dancing til dawn or just soaking up some culture in the beautiful Old Town, there really is something for everyone. You don't have to be a dance head, you don't have to know your hard house from your happy trance, but you do have to buy that bright bikini!