After more than 25,000 clubbers entered dozens of No Sleep Festival’s parties last year, all spread on various locations across the city in a continuous 48-hour run, this year has already seen countless ravers booking flights to Serbia’s hedonistic capital city.
Friday 8th and Saturday 9th November is when the action unfolds and now the final line-up is revealed to include fabric London and Bicep, Mind Against, Terry Francis, Anna Wall and Anastasia Kristiansen joining Amelie Lens and more in Serbia.
One of the world’s leading clubs and a symbol of London’s nightlife, fabric celebrates its 20th anniversary in Belgrade with a programme is led by Bicep, the Belfast-born duo, whose eponymous LP from 2017 found acclaim from all corners of the electronic music world.
Tickets and more info can be found online at Nosleepfestival.com.
With tickets on the verge of selling out for a sixth year running, Hideout Festival has now have announced the programme for their infamous boat parties. Taking place between 26th and 30th June, some of the biggest names and nights in clubland will be bringing their parties to the high seas. Taking a turn at the helm this year with their specially curated parties will be Bicep, Mu Nu Leng, Darius Syrossian, Eton Messy, Dusky, Hannah Wants, Eats Everything, Preditah, Danny Howard, Monki, Gorgon City, B.Traits, Jackmaster and Midland, and the now infamous Welcome to Hideout Sunday parties.
With two already sold out pre festival boats, followed by daily boat parties every day the festival takes place, there are sure to be many highlights with an outrageous amount of talent and special surprises set to play. The specially curated parties from the best nights and artists in clubland include Do Not Sleep, Feel My Bicep, Metropolis, Notion, Nothing Else Matters, Eton Messy, What Hannah Wants, Edible, Monki & Friends, Gorgon City Kingdom, Mu Nu Leng & M8's x Thump, Future Sound, Dusky Presents and not forgetting Numbers x Graded. An unmissable part of the festival experience, Mixmag will be jumping on board to film three very special sets from the seas.
Those who prefer to stick to dry land will not miss out, as Hideout Festival boasts one of its most eclectic line ups to date with artists spanning the breadth of the electronic music spectrum. Over 150 artists are set to perform across the five stages along Zrce Beach including Skepta, Jamie xx, John Talabot, Hot Since 82, Andy C, The Martinez Brothers and many more.
Day to night parties span across sea and land from the 26th – 30th June promising round the clock unforgettable entertainment. The daily pool parties kick off every day from 3pm – 8pm hosted by good friends of Hideout including BBC Radio 1, Paradise, Jackathon and Elrow.
“To celebrate this year’s epic festival season, Smirnoff, the world’s most popular vodka brand, is proud to be the official vodka and partner with the biggest festivals across Europe including Hideout; teaming up great music and great drinks to make the week one to remember." – Nicholas Cornbleet – Brand Manager Smirnoff Europe / Diageo
What do you get if you throw 50 of the biggest names in house, techno, garage and grime into Butlins with thousands of other party hungry ravers from across the country that are beyond fed up of the January blues? The biggest party this side of winter, that’s what. Who ever thought up the idea of getting DJ's to play at what is usually a relaxed, child-friendly family holiday resort is, unquestionably, a genius. Because it works unbelievably well…
After resurrecting Floorfillers Club Classics from a dusty glovebox early on during our Friday afternoon journey, it proves the perfect soundtrack to get us in the mood for a weekend at Butlins.
As soon as we've checked in we head to Spar for some essentials. Though, instead of the usual mum-friendly songs on its radio, it's a Bugged Out Weekender takeover as Skream's ‘Midnight Request Line' subtly makes itself heard. And it's not just the corner shop with an unusual soundtrack. The lifts, too, reject their usual music as Artwork preaches, "What comes up must come down" and "don't forget to eat before the pool party" as just two of the cheeky remarks to guide everyone along…
Heading into the main pavilion we’ve no idea what to expect. Greeted by a man in full Star Wars attire, we zoom past retro arcade games to check out DJ Barely Legal's grime and bass-heavy set. Not much later and we’re running into Reds – 'the home of the Redcoats' – as B Traits drops Barnt's face-melting techno thumper, 'Chappell' … everyone’s practically forgotten we're in Butlins by now.
Instead, we could be at any of the country's best clubs. With an unexpectedly strong sound-system, a good-sized stage, expansive dance-floor and incredibly on-point strobe lighting set up – Reds is where we spend most of our nighttimes…
Groove Armada put in a set full of euphoria, dropping 'You've Got The Love' to arms-in-the-air effect. There's almost a Bestival vibe to the night so far; one group of lads sport homemade ‘to dare is to disco’ printed t-shirts. Everyone’s just high on happiness.
Meanwhile, in the more intimate Escape setting Erol Alkan is delivering the perfect electro set, and DJ EZ takes a packed Centre Stage crowd on a one-hour journey of past, present and future hits.
Grime, house, pop and garage – you name it EZ's playing it. From Bieber ('Where R U Now') to Stormzy ('Shut Up') to AJ Tracey ('Naila') to Chase & Status ('Hypest Hype') and even a weird-but-it-works edit of The Clash ('Should I Stay Or Should I Go?') …it's a bit like being at Oceana on a Saturday night.
Saturday afternoon rolls round too quickly and before we know it it's time to start drinking again – plans to explore Bognor’s beauty are fast disappearing…
Armand Van Helden, following Eats Everything’s energetic house and techno, plays a 90's throwback set – attracting one of the Weekender's biggest crowds and a whole lot of confetti. It’s all about unashamed fun as Mouse T’s ‘Horny’ is met with two guys waving their half-eaten carrot and cucumber in the air like glow-sticks. Completely ridiculous, it seems we are at Butlins after all.
This is all going on whilst Mumdance takes a smaller but focused crowd through a hard-hittIng ear-punishing soundscape of electronic bleeps and bass in The Escape; whilst back on the Centre Stage, Skream and Jackmaster are preparing for Bigger Than JESuS with Armand and Eats, who see us through the rest of the night perfectly.
With Jackmaster behind the decks, Skream adds a new string to his bow, acting as a sort of hype-man by coming crowd level to encourage a clap along; at Bugged Out Weekender the fun never stops…
With it being the last day at Butlins, it’d be shameful not to check out a pool party. Inflatable’s, slides, wave machines, a lazy river, hot tub and dozens of dinghy's are just the tip of the iceberg – because it’s soundtracked by house and disco purveyors Bicep, a duo who’s 2015 was nothing short of amazing. As Sunday afternoon's go, this one takes the crown.
Come midnight we're straight down the front for Glaswegian star-in-the-making Jasper James's brilliant house and techno set. There’s not one track that misfires throughout Jackmaster’s housemate’s 90-minute set. We even watch man on his own, at least 70-years-old, throwing some crazy shapes; whilst a group of guys physically bow down in front of Jasper.
With the whole crowd applauding and having the time of there lives, there's an energy from the constantly on-point track selection – highlights: Emmanuel Jal ‘Kuar’ (Henrik Schwarz Remix) and Lil Louis and the World ‘I Called U (The Conversation)’ – that's been, so far, unmatched…
That is the case … until The Black Madonna puts in an effortlessly show-stealing performance. Most artists would struggle to follow a great set like Jasper’s, but Marea Stamper takes the pressure completely in her stride. Having played a show in Istanbul on Friday, it wouldn’t be wrong to expect she’d be just a bit tired, but no. Contrastingly, it’s rare to see a DJ getting as involved as The Black Madonna does. She looks completely at home behind the decks, putting in the most eclectic – and easily the best – set of the weekend.
From driving, vocal house to heavy, relentless techno, via personal highlights: Green Velvet and Harvard Bass’s sonically blinding 'Laser Beams' and Jimmy Edgar's ground-shattering 'Let Me Tell You' – The Black Madonna keeps the audience dancing like it’s their final night on earth.
It's clear from her hand claps, hair flicks and exuberant moves that she's up for a proper party. I could carry on with how great it was – especially the tribute to Bowie near the end – but The Black Madonna summed it up perfectly on Twitter: “I was maniac raving out here! … I literally don't know if I've ever danced as hard as I did on these last two shoes”. We couldn't have put it better…
Closing out Reds for another year, Bicep take the reigns for a set that ends up extended by an hour – because it was so good. Opting for Hubie Davison's brilliant 'Sanctified' to open, they don’t put a foot wrong from thereon. House music legend Kerri Chandler, meanwhile, provides the perfect send off at Centre Stage with a New York classics set full of soul and piano chords aplenty. Veering from a rapturously received ‘You’re In My System’ to ‘Lost In Music’, there’s no age limit.
“I’ve been raving since 1986,” explains a middle-aged man dressed in a flowing metallic cape with a neon pink flashing cupcake attached to his head. “It’s real music,” he gushes. “I do struggle to keep up these days, but I manage … somehow!” And that’s what the Bugged Out Weekender is all about. Offering fun for everyone, it doesn’t matter who you are or how old you are, when you get to Butlins all your inhibitions are forgotten. As the banner inside Reds reads …
In 2016 Love International continues the legacy left by The Garden Festival in Croatia, the region’s founding event and the one which inspired the now burgeoning scene of electronic music along the country’s stunning coast.
Harnessing a unique sense of intimacy and inspiration, Love International launches this summer in the picture-postcard town of Tisno, surrounded by verdant pine forests and the glittering waters of the Adriatic Sea, hidden away with its own secluded beach and bay. By day a beatific chill-out under the sizzling sun, then as the evenings gather pace the stars come out and the enchanting site transforms; as night closes in it becomes a pulsating festival which looks out across the sea, the action culminating at the stunning fully outdoor club, Barbarella’s, to see the sun’s rise. This tiny strip of true paradise draws music lovers and adventure seekers from across the world to Croatia for a mesmerising holiday and festival odyssey.
Making its debut on June 29th, Love International’s ethos might already feel a little familiar, curated by Dave Harvey and Tom Paine who have many years of experience working with The Garden Festival’s crew and shaping its artist bookings. Now they are realising their full vision, bringing back some old friends who have graced Tisno over the years and also introducing many of the world’s most revered DJs and producers for the first time to Tisno.
Five of the just revealed names are all amazing artists in their own right, each bringing something different to Love International. Eats Everything is quite simply one of the world’s biggest DJs and for the last three years he has blown Tisno away; for pure electric party vibes it doesn’t get any better. Bicep had a huge 2015 and the duo are all set to make this year even bigger, sculpting sublime sets across disco, house and techno, whilst Jackmaster played arguably one of the defining sets of last year with Armand Van Helden, their Boiler Room show skipping between French touch to garage and everything good inbetween. Roman Flugel is a Teutonic legend from the early 1990s crossing ambient, house, techno, electro and leftfield, and prime Swedish export Axel Boman is a bit of a young legend already; his Studio Barnhus label is a source of great material, and he has released and remixed on Permanent Vacation, Moodmusic and Hypercolour. The guys are joined by the already announced Dixon, Motor City Drum Ensemble, Ben UFO, Gerd Janson, Craig Richards, Joy Orbison, Midland, Horse Meat Disco, Prosumer, Hunee and Job Jobse.
Further guests announced include Young Marco and his gleefully genre-seguing sets which have brought him great acclaim; the Dutch DJ is one of the scene’s most creative minds, and Tisno faves Crazy P Soundsystem make their annual pilgrimage to the region. Felix Dickinson continues to add to his sublime career, from Burning Man to Glastonbury to Bad Passion resident, and to being a pivotal part of the UK house music scene, whilst Tisno regulars PBR Streetgang bring back their epic party music. Subclub duo Harri & Domenic make their debut, fresh from DJ Mag awarding them Best Small Club of 2015, and re-Rex club resident and frequent Panorama Bar guest Jennifer Cardini also joins the festival and makes her debut. Metro Area’s Darshan Jesrani is another welcome face, fusing disco and house to seamless effect, and the esteemed Maxxi Soundsystem has released on Futureboogie, Ellum Audio, Hypercolour, Wolf Music and makes a welcome return. Classic statesman and long-time DLC collaborator Luke Solomon takes to the decks too, and Dalston Superstore’s Dan Beaumont returns after last year’s boat mayhem.
Across a sublime week of music, the guys are joined by Adam Shelton, Alex From Tokyo, Apiento, Bad Passion, Bradley Zero, Begin, Christophe, Damiano Von Erckert, Dave Harvey, Discodromo, Dreems, Eric Duncan, Ess O Ess, Fantastic Man, Fort Romeau, Francis Inferno Orchestra, Gatto Fritto, Gideon Block 9, Hodge, Ilija Rudman, Jay L, Jex Opolis, Jonny Nash, Jonny Rock, Jozif, Justin Vandervolgen, Khruangbin, Lakuti, Last Waltz, Lexx, Lord Of The Isles, Lukas, Man Power, Mark Seven, Medlar, Moonboots, Moscoman, Mount Liberation Unlimited, Mudd, Otologic, Paramida, Peak & Swift, Pender Street Steppers, Phil Mison, Red Axes, Ron & Neil, Ruf Dug, Shanti Celeste, Shmlss, Solar, Steve Cobby, Subb-An, Suzanne Kraft, Tama Sumo, Telephones, Thomas Von Party, Tiago, Tornado Wallace, Tristan Da Cunha, Waifs & Strays and Wolf Music.
Love International Weds 29th June – Weds 6th July 2016 @ The Garden Tisno, Petrica Glava 34, 22240, Tisno, Croatia £120 for 7 days and 7 nights (club and boat parties extra) www.loveinternationalfestival.com / @LoveIntFestival (All names listed alphabetically) Axel Boman, Ben UFO, Bicep, Craig Richards, Dixon, Eats Everything, Gerd Janson, Horse Meat Disco, Hunee, Jackmaster, Job Jobse, Joy Orbison, Midland, Motor City Drum Ensemble, Prosumer and Roman Flugel.
Adam Shelton, Alex From Tokyo, Apiento, Bad Passion, Bradley Zero, Begin, Christophe, Crazy P Soundsystem, Damiano Von Erckert, Dan Beaumont, Darshan Jesrani – Metro Area, Dave Harvey, Discodromo, Dreems, Eric Duncan, Ess O Ess, Fantastic Man, Felix Dickinson, Fort Romeau, Francis Inferno Orchestra, Gatto Fritto, Gideon Block 9, Harri & Domenic, Hodge, Ilija Rudman, Jay L, Jennifer Cardini, Jex Opolis, Jonny Nash, Jonny Rock, Jozif, Justin Vandervolgen, Khruangbin, Lakuti, Last Waltz, Lexx, Lord Of The Isles, Lukas, Luke Solomon, Man Power, Mark Seven, Maxxi Soundsystem, Medlar, Moonboots, Moscoman, Mount Liberation Unlimited, Mudd, Otologic, Paramida, PBR Streetgang, Peak & Swift, Pender Street Steppers, Phil Mison, Red Axes, Ron & Neil, Ruf Dug, Shanti Celeste, Shmlss, Solar, Steve Cobby, Subb-An, Suzanne Kraft, Tama Sumo, Telephones, Thomas Von Party, Tiago, Tornado Wallace, Tristan Da Cunha, Waifs & Strays, Wolf Music and Young Marco.
Ali Tillet, Anthony Mansfield, Asaf Samuel, Banoffee Pies, Belfast Music Club DJs, Ben Price, Bobby Beige, Cedric Maison, Chris Farrell, Craig Christon, Cut N Shut Disco, Dan Wild, Dea Brandana, Deano Ferrino, Dirtytalk DJs, Galen, Harahoney, House Of Disco DJs, Jake Manders, James Holroyd, Jenny Jen, Jess Farley, Joe Lye, Jukes Of Hazard, Katie Barber, Katzele, Krywald & Farrer, M3, Melting Pot DJs, Miles Simpson, Mr Paul, Mr Solid Gold, Myles Mears, Nick Bennett, No Fakin’, Orkun Bozdemir, Paddy Freeform, Pardon My French, Park Ranger, Peter Leung, Phil Cooper, Sebastian Spring, Shiny Objects, Shapes DJs, Stevie Wonderland DJs, Tayo, That Inkfolk Lot, Tom Rio, Tosh Ohta, Wayne Holland and Wild Sirenda.
The Garden Party is a two-day inner city festival in Leeds, set within the grounds of the Tetley Brewery. Taking place over the august bank holiday weekend the event showcased some of the finest music, food and art. Celebrating its 10th birthday (previously known as the Faversham Garden Party) the organisers teamed up with promoters Canal Mills, Chibuku, Warehouse Project, Now Wave and East Year Own Ears to curate this special edition.
Appealing to a broader spectrum of music fans the line up covered dance, electronica, disco, funk, garage and bass. Live acts included Roisin Murphy, Little Dragon, Todd Terje and Soul II Soul, alongside DJ sets from Bicep, Kerri Chandler, Heidi, Julio Bashmore, Black Coffee, Patrick Topping, Joy Orbison, B-Traits, Redlight, Preditah and the legendary Craig Charles.
There were five stages set across the Tetley site and each a stone’s throw from one another. Brightly covered bales of hay provided areas in which to socialise and soak up the atmosphere at the heat of the site. Food and drink was hosted by Leeds Indie Food Fest and offered punters an exceptionally high standard of delicious street food, craft ales and cocktails. Affordable and tasty local treats were provided by from Chicken Bang Bang, Boozy BBQ, Bánh Mì Booth, Pizza Fella, Rola Wala and the ice-cream from the coolest looking van around Northern BloC. Much to my delight it was a very mixed crowd with a range of ages, proving that the lure of good grub and without the muddy fields seems to be the way that many people want to spend their weekend. Complimenting the food and music bill was colourful temporary art installations and live drawing by local artists throughout the weekend.
Here are some of my highlights from the weekend:
Black Coffee
Black Coffee seemed to be the hot tip on every ones lips, so we headed over to The Fact stage to see what all the hype was about. Black Coffee (known as Nathi to his friends) is a multi award winning producer and superstar DJ hailing from Durban. He’s been active on the South African music scene for over a decade now, but it’s only been recently that his meteoric rise has seen him play at some of the top clubs and festivals globally.
His set was laced with tantalising tribal beats and flavoursome house, mixing up a smooth set of expertly blended tunes like Ian Pooley – Compurhythm, Mr.V – Jus Dance, Culoe De Song – Y.O.U.D and ending on the epic Chew Fu’s Purple Rain (Mousse T mix). I don’t usually hang around for a full DJ set but we couldn’t pull ourselves away for the full two hours, it was completely mesmerising and he certainly lived up the hype.
Craig Charles
On Sunday afternoon Craig Charles brought his funk soul sound to the Just A Little stage. Such a high profile DJ was always bound to draw a big crowd and once again the tent was packed to the rafters with everyone ready to groove and shake. There were a whole host of familiar classics from rare groove and snippets of funk and soul packed into his energetic set. He doesn’t do dj’ing by halves; the man was completely going for it, working up a sweat and working the crowd like a dream. My feet were aching from bouncing up and down at the side of the stage with the hugest of grins – the good vibes were totally infectious and everyone there was fully in on this blissful groovefest.
Preditah
Saturday afternoon saw Birmingham’s finest Preditah play to hyped crowd that spilled outside the Metropolis tent. His grimy and bassy set featured his hits Selecta, Circles, Supernaturally as well dropping 90’s and garage-influenced set of songs. We caught up with Jordan & Jamie from Leeds “Preditah was absolutely nuts, especially the first hour. It was so up-tempo and bassy and he really knows how to play the crowd.”
Todd Terje
As Sunday evening fell the main stage numbers started to swell and Norwegian disco deity Todd Terje took to the stage. His continuous live instrumental set featured his well-known songs Dolorean Dynamite, Strandbar, Swing Star and Svensk Sås. It was clear that most people in the crowd were eagerly awaiting Inspector Norse, which rightly the crowd went berserk to when he went into the extended intro. My only disappointment was that he had got rid of his amazing beard. Please Todd grow it back or at the very least breakout the sequins.
All in all this was a beautifully crafted metropolitan festival, offering an array of music, feasts and culture, making it a perfect way to spend a bank holiday weekend – well done Garden Party Leeds, you definitely know how to throw a party.
As the flagship event of the Croatian festival scene, Hideout's commitment to delivering paramount line-ups remains strong with 2015 being no exception. Artists unveiled today include Darius Syrossian, hugely respected Huxley, co-founder of the Dirtybird co-founder Justin Martin, Berlin based Oliver Dollar, One Record creator Subb-An, Radio One's Toddla T, plus over 30 more exciting talents.
THIRD ARTIST ANNOUNCEMENT:
MACEO PLEX
AMÊ / APOLLONIA / BICEP / DARIUS SYROSSIAN / HUXLEY / JUSTIN MARTIN / OLIVER DOLLAR / SUBB-AN / TODDLA T
ANDREA OLIVIA / ARKIVE / ARTWORK / CERA ALBA / CHRIS LORENZO / DEATH ON THE BALCONY / GOT SOME / GRAIN / JAYMO AND ANDY GEORGE / JAX JONES / KARMA KID / KOVE / LANE 8 / LAST MAGPIE / LUKAS / MEDIATE / MY NU LENG / NICOLA BEAR / SHALL OCIN / STE ROBERTS / TOM TRAGO / WAYWARD
FULL LINE-UP
DUKE DUMONT / EATS EVERYTHING GORGON CITY / JAMIE JONES / LOCO DICE MACEO PLEX / MK / NINA KRAVIZ / SETH TROXLER / SIGMA / TEN WALLS LIVE / WILKINSON
AME / AMINE EDGE & DANCE / APOLLONIA / BICEP / BONDAX / B-TRAITS / CAJMERE / CATZ N DOGZ / CHEZ DAMIER / DARIUS SYROSSIAN / DAVID RODIGAN MBE / DERRICK CARTER / DENSE & PIKA / DJ SNEAK / DUSKY / EJECA / FRICTION / GEORGE FITZGERALD / GREEN VELVET / HANNAH WANTS / HEIDI / HUXLEY / JOY ORBISON / JUSTIN MARTIN / KINK LIVE / MISTAJAM / OLIVER DOLLAR / PATRICK TOPPING / PAUL WOOLFORD / REDLIGHT / RICHY AHMED / ROUTE 94 / SECONDCITY / SCUBA / SHY FX / SKREAM / STEVE LAWLER / SUBB-AN / THE MAGICIAN / TODDLA T / WAZE & ODYSSEY
ANDREA OLIVA / ARKIVE / ARTWORK / BLONDE / CERA ALBA / CHRIS LORENZO / CITIZENN / DEATH ON THE BALCONY / DJ HYPE / DJ EZ / DOORLY DUNGEON MEAT / ETON MESSY DJS / FRIEND WITHIN / GEDDES / GOTSOME / GRAIN / GRAINGER / ISAAC TICHAUER / JAYMO AND ANDY GEORGE / JAX JONES / JONAS RATHSMAN / JUST KIDDIN / KARMA KID / KOVE / LANE 8 / LAST MAGPIE / LUKAS / MAK & PASTEMAN / MATTHEW STYLES / MEDIATE / MIKE JONES / MJ COLE / MONKI / MY NU LENG / NICOLA BEAR / NORTH BASE / PBR STREETGANG / PEOPLE GET REAL RALPH LAWSON / RONI SIZE / SHADOW CHILD / SIMON BAKER / SPECIAL REQUEST / STAR SLINGER / STE ROBERTS / TCTS / THE SONIC EMPORIUM / TOM TRAGO / WAFF / WAYWARD
FOUND Festival is pleased to reveal their class of 2014, a mammoth line-up that celebrates the very best in world-class electronic music, delivered by a string of artists renowned for outstanding contributions to forging and developing the strands of house, techno and disco that dominate around the globe today. This set of DJs will converge from across London, the UK, Europe and the United States, all carefully chosen for a relentless commitment and dedication to their craft. FOUND has placed genuine pioneers with some of the most hot-tipped up-and-comers on the circuit today, delivering a 360 degree selection that looks to the clubs and to the clubbers for inspiration. Introducing a line-up for the true lovers of the very best in underground electronic music…
Found’s open-air Main Stage will be headlined by one the industry’s most respected figures, in the form of Crosstown Rebels’ commander in chief, Damian Lazarus. As well as running one of the most influential imprints currently dominating the scene, he also scooped no. 35 in Resident Advisor’s ‘Top 100 DJs’ poll last December. Lazarus has been a central driving force in the world domination of second-wave house thanks to a truly exceptional ear for the sound, prevalent in his skills as Crosstown’s chief A&R and the stellar line-ups that assemble at his highly acclaimed Day Zero festival in Mexico. Ever evolving, unsurpassed in his feel for the depth of the music, Damian is a headliner set to surprise. There aren’t many DJs who’ve received a sitting ovation on the dancefloor but Damian Lazarus is definitely one of them. Another veteran, for over ten years Cassy has developed her craft through an outstanding body of work, releasing on seminal labels such as Ostgut Ton, Perlon, Playhouse and Cocoon. As well as highly respected residencies at Panorama Bar Berlin, Trouw Amsterdam and the Rex in Paris, Cassy continues to tour the planet delivering house & techno with real soul. Joining Damian & Cassy is self-proclaimed ‘House Gangster’ DJ Sneak. A true pioneer, not only is he one of the scene’s most revered figures but after 30 years at the top of his game, continues to redefine house music with a steady string of releases. Original mistress of the dancefloor and BBC Radio 1 resident Heidi is notorious for her explosive sets, her natural ability to connect with the audience and obvious joy at sharing the music she loves, makes her perfect choice to keep the party pumping. Always looking to the future, Found Festival’s main stage will also showcase some of the most exciting emerging talent in the form of the dexterous Ben Pearce, who burst onto the scene in 2012 with his anthemic deep house debut, ‘What I Might Do’ and has quickly cemented his reputation as a world-class figure on the electronic music circuit. Having recently launched his own label Purp & Soul, 2014 looks tipped to be his biggest year yet. Award-winning Frenchman Noir has been making waves for over a decade. With a keen ear for music, his label of the same name has seen releases from the likes of Solomun, Deetron, Sub-ann, Tiefschwars, Laura Jones and Hot Since 82. Dancefloor pounding sets will also come from Hotflush’s mysterious techno duo Dense & Pika, Ejeca with his trademark vocal driven emotive sound, the sumptuously groovy Josh Butler and Leftwing & Kody – two of the most revered DJs on London’s underground house circuit today.
NoFitState will present a line-up that explores the tension between house and techno with legendary minimal producer Magda and Mobilee’s Anja Schneider both taking headline slots. House music purist Darius Syrossian enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence in 2013 with residencies for infamous party brands Tribal Sessions and Viva Warriors. With further releases set to drop in the coming months he continues to gain momentum as an artist of international repute and summer 2014 will see him rise to the challenge with his own series of events on the White Isle. Adding to the formidably female programme, Crosstown Rebels’ Francesca Lombardo is renowned for her distinctively soulful production style that joins the dots between house and techno, with support from respected NoFitState residents, label founders and London house stalwarts, Geddes and Simon Baker.
Free spirited Love Fever have assembled a dancefloor busting programme of fun-fuelled beats, spearheaded by a man widely recognised as one of the Godfathers of house, Frankie Knuckles. Joining him, the legendary international selector Moodymann who has been a central figure of Detroit’s underground music scene for nearly two decades. Representing the nu-wave are disco-tinged, garage-house production duo Bicep. Having shot to fame with their 2012 smash hit single ‘Vision Of Love’ they have also cemented a reputation as tastemakers through their much loved music blog ‘Feel My Bicep’. Early demos from San Soda inspired the inception of record label We Play House, founded by his peer Red D. Citizen has been attracting much attention in the past two years, with remixes for international superstars such as Adele and Beyoncé already under his belt despite his tender years. Fresh talent from rising label residents Son of Sun and Visions will complete Love Fever’s Found Festival line-up.
Offering a brand new VIP concept, Krankbrother will present ‘The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party’, drawing on their experiences in both restaurants and club nights to curate an afternoon of the best in house music, festival food, cocktails & craft beer. Leftfroom label boss Matt Tolfrey will head the bill in this unique space. Known for his forward-thinking, playful sets he will create a sonic landscape to lose yourself in with further contributions coming from Jay Shepherd, Jack C and the krankbrothers themselves – set to play both solo and back-to-back, as they’re joined by one of the Found Main Stage artists to round off the day with a very special set.
Love System takes place in the never-before-used Punta Radman wood. The shaded, intimate site contains a maze of bars, stages and chill-out areas nestled in between the trees. Venture further into the wood and, without a building in sight, punters spill out onto the coast where the main stage lies floating over the Adriatic. Here, festival-goers will have the opportunity to dance the day and night away to the beat of electronic music’s elite, caressed by the afternoon summer sun or the blissful Croatian night-time. Shonky, Ralph Lawson, Mario Basanov and Finnebassen are just some of the names to grace the floating stage.
In true Croatian style, Love System wouldn’t be complete without a boat party, so we have decided to bring you eight. Hosted by some of the most esteemed labels and party brands in the UK, including Jaunt, Underground, Kumasi and Bad Apple, the Love System fleet sets sail twice daily. Catch George Fitzgerald representing his ManMakeMusic label, roll up for the Tom Demac Live show with Micron, indulge yourself with French house groover Shonky on the 2020Vision cruise, or see UK funky don Ossie smash up the Flux boat.
Further additions to the lineup include:
First up, No Artificial Colours make the trip to the Adriatic, bringing their signature hypnotic melodies and growling basslines. Their recent Boiler Room takeover has continued the duo’s sharp rise in the house music canon, having released on Nurvous and Resonance Records of late.
Scottish/American/London trio WildKats will accompany them, also fresh off a Boiler Room takeover, where they exhibited their Midas touch for house and disco edits. Releases on Hot Creations and OFF Recordings capped off an excellent 2012 for the three producers.
Exploited Records, meanwhile, are sending the all-conquering Adana Twins and Claptone, comfortably the biggest selling deep house acts of 2013. Adana Twins have recently been honoured with a guest mix on Pete Tong’s Radio 1 show, off the back of their exemplary “Everyday” EP. Claptone’s gorgeous reworking of an iconic Charmel’s sample meant his absolute bomb “Cream” tore through Europe’s dancefloors in 2012, whilst recent release “Wrong” suggests a producer in the time of his life. Supporting Ben Pearce on his Purp & Soul takeover will be Harry Wolfman and Jouhl.
Boat Parties
Love System will put on no less than eight boat parties. Hosted by some of the most esteemed labels and party brands in the UK, including Troupe, Jaunt, Underground, Kumasi and Bad Apple, the Love System fleet sets sail twice daily. Catch George Fitzgerald representing his ManMakeMusic label, roll up for the Ben Pearce and Tom Demac Live show with Micron, indulge yourself with French house groover Shonky on the 2020Vision cruise, or see 2013 man-of-the-moment Ejeca smash up the Troupe boat.
Afterparties
There will be a series of afterparties running at the weekend in addition to the main stages and also once they have closed. These will take place in the local Shark club, and be hosted by three esteemed UK party brands, including Magna Carta, with No Artificial Colours, Wildkats, Kreature and more all playing.
Woodland
As a shady counterpoint to the larger, sun-kissed main stage, the Woodland Arena promises to be a more intimate experience. The sound will be intense, the environment unique, the vibes absolutely spot on. Over the weekend, the woodland arena is taken over by some of Europe's most trailblazing house brands – Milan's Take It Easy crew, East London tastemakers Costa Del Wallop, Manchester outfit Purp & Soul and Leeds upstarts Flux.
LINE UP
Shonky | Bicep | Mario Basanov | Finnebassen | Ralph Lawson| Tom Demac (live) | Jay Shepheard | Ben Pearce | wAFF | Ejeca | Lovebirds | HNQO | Midland | George FitzGerald | Adana Twins | Claptone | No Artificial Colours | Shir Khan | WildKats | Sven Weisemann | Paleman | Ossie | Trikk | Kolombo | Dirty Channels | Climbers | JOBE | Klose One | Matt Fear | Kreature | Squarehead | SION | Mike Gill | Markas | Jonny Cade | Lauren Lo Sung | Harry Wolfman | Jouhl | Bugsy | Fabio Alampi
Love System is more than just a festival; it is a holiday as well. There is a range of beautiful apartments and villas just minutes from the site, allowing revellers all the comforts and luxuries they could want. Alternatively, camping is available next to the site for those looking to enjoy the Croatian summer. Travel packages including transfers from Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle to London airports, and coaches to the site, are available to make booking your time at Love System as easy as possible.
Love System is the connoisseur’s festival: forward-thinking music, mindblowing Adriatic coastline setting, bespoke boat parties, branded after parties, luxury accommodation, and the Croatian summer. With tickets limited to just 800, make sure you bag yours now to avoid any disappointment. Early Bird tickets are on sale now priced at only £59. Roll on the Summer of Love!
