Tag: <span>Mija</span>

Festival Reviews

Favourite Artists Heard At Electric Forest

It is so easy to get lost in the forest with everything it has to offer for attendees to discover. The music from this year’s event though is not something that should be overlooked. Here are my favourite acts that I heard at Electric Forest.

Hayden James

Of course an Aussie producer signed to the Future Classic label is going to throw down a groovy set. Hayden James performed on the Tripolee stage early in the afternoon on the final day of the festival. He played one dance worthy tune after another, including some of his own hits like “Something About You,” before closing out his set with “Praise You” by Fatboy Slim, a classic dance song that got the crowd jumping and dancing around.

Gilligan Moss

Gilligan Moss played a very nifty set for the crowd at The Observatory. With bubbles floating above through the trees and forest creatures dancing amongst the crowd, the acid house sounds of the duo fit perfectly with the atmosphere in the forest. With a huge grin on their faces, the pair appeared to be having a blast as they played original tunes from their Ceremonial EP, before mixing into their trippy remix of “Gooey” by Glass Animals and closing out with an extended version of their hit single “Choreograph.”

Whilk & Misky

It’s hard to describe the sound of Whilk & Misky but it is definitely something unique and beautiful. The two Brits sound better live than they do on their recordings, with Misky’s raspy voice giving a folk layer to the house music being put down in the background by Whilk. Whilk & Misky displayed their unique sound and talents with Whilk keeping the beat moving that carried Misky’s voice, slowing it down for “Love Lost” before picking the energy back up again to perform “Babe I’m Yours.”

Gorgon City

Gorgon City Live showcased the talents of Matt and Kye, with the DJ duo mixing live for the crowd as some of the singers for their various tunes belted out the lyrics for the songs that were being played. The British duo revealed at the end of their live performance that they were scheduled to play the surprise set for that evening at the Forest Stage, which turned out to be one of the most fun shows of the weekend. The Gorgon City DJ set proved to be an awesome dance party that had the singers from earlier in the evening come out to jam with the crowd while Matt and Kye spun some wicked house music.

Kry Wolf

I was fully expecting to see Chris Lorenzo when I hit up the Forest Stage for the end of the Night Bass curated event Saturday night, but the schedule had changed and lo and behold Kry Wolf was closing out the night. Lewis Darvill of the British duo kept a steady beat through the background of the set, overlaying different house music with the underlying bass beat that carried the crowd’s dance moves and kept everyone’s feet moving during the entire late night set. Although I was looking forward to see Chris Lorenzo that evening, I was happy to have discovered a new underground house artist.

Soul Clap

What a treat to see Bamboozle and Lonely C throw down one of their infamous funky sets at the Forest Stage. The talented duo of Soul Clap played groovy tune after groovy tune, expertly keeping the funk flowing over the dancing crowd. Closing out the Forest Stage for the night after a day of curated music, attendees were treated to a full day of fun, dance-worthy sets before the duo took the stage to finish the night with their characteristic funky sound.

Mija

When Mija plays, she gives 110%, throwing down a filthy set every time and keeping the energy levels of the crowd running high as everyone tries to keep up with her. Friday at The Jubilee tent, Mija kept the crowd bouncing and grinding from one genre to the next as she played a set that moved from hip hop to trap to techno to deep house to rock. The energy levels were high that day, the sweat was dripping, and the music was filthy.

DJ Jazzy Jeff

DJ Jazzy Jeff in the house! What a treat to see a 90s legend like Jazz in the flesh in his element. Curating a wicked hip hop set for the forest fam, DJ Jazzy Jeff expertly wove classics with new, leading the crowd on a hip hop journey that kept people singing along.

Festival Reviews

Favourite Artists Heard at Lightning in a Bottle

Lightning in a Bottle provided an experience for attendees that was about more than music. However, the musical lineup was one that can not be overlooked. An array of talented musicians played at this year’s LIB, and headliners of the event included Chet Faker, Grimes, Big Gigantic, Cashmere Cat, Jamie XX, Four Tet and Tokimonsta. The festival saw an eclectic mix of electronic music, from dubstep to techno to deep house to tribal house. There was a little bit of something for everyone.

Here are my favourite LIB acts, listed in chronological order.

Mija

Mija, Mija, Mi hija… Maybe it’s because I have been wanting to see this lady perform since I first heard her B2B sunrise set with Skrillex at Bonnaroo in 2014, but Mija did not disappoint with her set at LIB. She threw down an incredible performance, slaying her 80-minutes on the Thunder Stage and proving to us all her prowess as a DJ. She kept the crowd jumping and dancing the whole time, giving the chills to everyone who was there dropping their dirtiest dubstep dance moves. The highlight of her set came at the end though, when she crawled out into the crowd to share a cigarette with her fans. Thank you Mija, for being so good at what you do, and for sharing that moment with us all.

William Close and the Earth Harp Collective

William Close and the Earth Harp Collective was one of the most unique musical experiences of the weekend. This was my first experience with the Earth Harp which was set up stage left, midway to the back, with the shimmery strings of the harp extending to the top of the front of the stage. The best way to experience the show was to set up under the California stars, grab a seat on the ground and cross your legs to feel the reverberations of the harp through the earth. William Close used his Earth Harp to do a powerful cover of Mozart’s Summer Overture, one that literally gave me goosebumps, before closing out his set with a guest appearance by David Satori of Beats Antique.

Autograf

Autograf appeared to be teasing the crowd with a slow, sensual start to their set… Until they announced that the slow start was really just their soundcheck and it was time to get down! The trio revealed their individual talents through a 90-minute set to a crowd who refused to stop dancing despite the sun’s beating rays. Set up on stage with drums, a keyboard and a mixer to perform live covers of classic dubstep hits, classic house hits, and their own hits, their energetic set was happy and eclectic, and they definitely left their autograph on LIB.

Jamie XX

Oh my God… Did Jamie XX ever kill it! Opening with the song Crystallized by his musical group The XX (can you grace us with a new album yet? Please?) before mixing into one of the most melodic sets of the weekend, Jamie XX took us on a house journey unlike any other. Nothing but a shadow on the stage amidst a constant, mysterious cloud of smoke and lights, the talented producer did not look up once from his set, and barely even noticed when a naked man tried to charge his stage. He just continued to do his thing, keeping the crowd moving and grooving until 2:00 a.m.

HÄANA

If you don’t know who HÄANA is, you need to discover her. She was one of the most talented individuals I came across all weekend. Dressed in a black and gold dress, with a gold cage headpiece, HÄANA sings live, mixes live, and plays the violin live. Her nordic inspired tunes, combined with her ethereal voice and the twang of her violin create a uniquely magical sound. The beauty of her music is something that should not be overlooked and is something that everyone needs to experience at least once.

Lee Burridge Mixing Into Four Tet

Lee Burridge and Four Tet are musical geniuses, each in their own rights, so it was with complete joy that I saw on the schedule Lee Burridge playing the three-hour sunset slot at The Woogie Stage as a precursor to Four Tet’s set there. The legends did not play B2B, or with one another, but Lee Burridge transitioned his three-hour techno set perfectly as the sun went down (amidst cheers) and The Woogie came to light, into an introduction for Four Tet. Lee Burridge’s dynamic three-hour mix kept us dancing and shuffling the night away until, unknowingly, we were listening to Four Tet who took us on a two-hour journey through his unique, artistic beats. Sunday was a phenomenal day of techno at the Woogie Stage, with some of the best sets of the weekend.

Chet Faker

Chet Faker’s energy throughout his closing set at the Lightning Stage was infectious. He could be seen running around the stage, with his black coat flying behind him like a cape. At one point he was belting out his tunes from half way up the scaffolding. The talented musician took a completely different route from his DJ set at the Temple Stage, playing with a four-piece band to play songs old and new. He effortlessly weaved old songs like Drop the Game into new songs like The Trouble With Us, into some of his classics like Gold and his cover of No Diggity. To finish the night, Chet Faker left us with one of the most mind-blowing, stunning visuals of the weekend when he climbed up onto a slightly raised platform to play the piano with a white backdrop, creating a dynamic silhouette of a man and his piano.