Alex Jukes
Family Piknik is one of Europe’s premier techno festivals and it proved that again this past weekend.
It offered all shades of techno under the sun with another mega line-up featuring Charlotte de Witte, Riche Hawtin, Maceo Plex, Whomadewho, Sébastien Léger and tens more at various spots in Montpellier.
The multiple stages all had spectacular light, sound and visuals and here are some of the best pictures from the event.
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said: “Everyone in Greater Manchester knows the massive global impact this place has had on music and culture, so it’s fitting to see the UK Festival Awards coming to the true home of 24-hour party people.
“After what’s been an exceptionally tough time for festivals and the hospitality industry, it’s really important that we get behind the sector and recognise the many people – from organisers, to caterers, to volunteers – who deliver everything from boutique independent events to some of the biggest shows on earth. We can’t wait to welcome all of this year’s nominees to Manchester and celebrate their achievements with them.”
Sacha Lord, Night Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester said: “The UK Festival Awards is an annual highlight for the industry. Now in its 19th year, I’m absolutely delighted that they have chosen Manchester as this year’s host. A city that’s known for its rich tapestry of festivals, the acknowledgement is testament to everyone behind the scenes that make them happen. I look forward to attending, celebrating and throwing my full support behind it. Manchester is truly open”
Today, Italian multi instrumentalists, singer/songwriters, DJs and label owner duo Giolì and Assia release the new single “Playing Chess” from their forthcoming third studio album, ‘Fire, Hell and Holy Water.’
Following the release of recent singles “Fire Hell and Holy Water,” “Silence,” and “I’ll Be Fine,” the 4th single, “Playing Chess,” brings us closer to the LP, set for release on September 9th on Ultra Records. The single is a piece of Depeche Mode-style electronica that was initially inspired by Florence & the Machine’s track ‘Shake It Out.’ One of the most energetic singles on the album, ‘Playing Chess’ is led by Gioli’s uptempo drums and complemented by her captivating piano chords and Assia’s vocals. The push-pull effect of the instrumentation reflects on the contrastingly intense and introspective nature of the record, all while showcasing the couples’ unending love for one another.
“The lyrics revolve around the metaphor that we are nothing but pawns on a chessboard; part of a game, of a mechanism that is none other than the society in which we live today, which alienates us away from our more human and true form,” Giolì and Assia said in reference to the creative process behind writing the single. “The only escape from this game is the night; only in the night we reveal our true selves, only during the night we can be free, ‘but when it’s dark I know our souls are true, yeah when it’s dark I see the light in your eyes, but when it’s sunshine, you hide,”they added.
Hailing from Palermo, Italy, Giolì and Assia have captured the hearts of fans around the world with their sublime and ethereal soundscapes. The duo create genreless sounds that are entirely their own from start to finish without any outside collaboration. Giolì, a masterful pianist who has been honing her craft since the age of 8, plays the piano, cello, drums, guitar, and handpan, with Assia commanding lead vocals and guitar across the album.
Giolì & Assia will continue touring around the world into the Summer & Fall, returning to North America in September with their biggest headline shows to date at LA’s The Novo and Brooklyn Steel. The duo also have festival slots at Czech festival Colours of Ostrava, Austria’s FM4 Frequency Festival, Chicago’s ARC Music Festival, Las Vegas’s Life is Beautiful, San Francisco’s Portola, and more.
Alongside the single release today, Giolì & Assia have unveiled the live performance video of “Playing Chess” taken from their boundary-pushing video series “#DiesisLive”. The videos have been a cornerstone of development and creative expression for Giolì & Assia as artists, carving out their own aesthetic niche and garnering the band millions of views for each production from across the globe. Started in April 2019, the high-octane productions invite viewers to watch intimate Giolì & Assia live performances filmed in remote and jaw dropping locations. These have included a volcano in the Aeolian Islands, the Andromeda Theater in the Province of Agrigento, Isola Delle Femmine in the duo’s hometown of Palermo, the breathtaking Fjallsarlon Glacier Lagoon in Iceland, and most recently the Krysviksberg Cliffs in Iceland.
Set for release September 9th on Ultra Records, ‘Fire, Hell and Holy Water’ is the band’s biggest body of work to date, a 16-track labor of love. Named after a well known local Sicilian saying, the record documents their turbulent and intense highs and lows as a couple, and the health problems and untimely losses of relatives during the pandemic. Referencing a plethora of major sonic influences, the pair cite London Grammar, Coldplay, Depeche Mode, Labyrinth’s Euphoria score, U2 and Ludovico Eunaudi as just a few of the many formative inspirations on their landmark forthcoming album.
Around the album launch and tour dates, Giolì & Assia recently launched a contest to win a golden custom G&A handpan, vinyl test pressing, merch capsule, 2 tickets to a headline show, meet & greet and more. Enter to win via the link here.
Today, Bershka launch its first collection of wearables in Decentraland with the help of Amnesia Ibiza and Steve Aoki.
This Bershka x Amnesia Ibiza capsule collection will be available in Bershka stores, on bershka.com and here through the Amnesia store in Decentraland.
The ambassador of this collection and DJ of the party is 2x-GRAMMY-nominated music producer, artist, and fashion designer Steve Aoki. To celebrate this collaboration, on 16th August (Wednesday 17th August 3.30am CEST)Bershka will stream live from Amnesia Ibiza Steve Aoki’s HiROQUEST party at Amnesia Decentraland for all its followers! You’ll be able to watch the livestream, buy some of the collection’s pieces and get the exclusive POAP by Steve Aoki. The stream will also be available simultaneously on Amnesia Ibiza’s official YouTube channel and through all A0K1VERSE Sky Pods on oncyber.io, with a special streaming party in Steve’s personal Sky Pod!
The Bershka x AMNESIA capsule is a going out collection inspired by the world of clubbing. It includes a selection of items for girls and boys, among which several oversized T-shirt designs stand out, an asymmetrical rib top with the club logo, a dress, a top and a tulle skirt with photographic prints inspired by the Amnesia parties, among other garments.
Metaverse event participants will be able to get the POAP in Decentranland (or the achievement stamps in Sky Pods) to claim some of the exclusive perks, merchandising items and 250,000 KlubCoin tokens to be shared among the POAP & achievement stamps holders.
“I’m excited to partner with Amnesia and Bershka to bring the spirit of Ibiza to the metaverse. Decentraland fans worldwide can tune in to hear an early sneak peek of my new album HiROQUEST: Genesis.“ said Steve Aoki
“We are very excited to collaborate on the Bershka x Amnesia metaverse wearable collection. It’s been amazing to see the continual interest from established brands to pioneer the open metaverse with us.”“ said Miles Anthony, CEO of DecentralGames
“It’s an absolute pleasure to welcome Steve Aoki in our Amnesia virtual venue in Decentraland and to be the first club brand to launch a phygital capsule collection with a global clothing brand such as Bershka” said Sergi Blaya, brand manager at Amnesia Ibiza.
You can now buy the new Bershka x Amnesia Ibiza collection in your nearest Bershka store, on bershka.com and in the Amnesia store at Decentraland.
More information on https://www.bershka.com/share/pag/amnesia.html
The dance floor is waiting for you!
Deep house duo Walker & Royce have collaborated with Chris Lorenzo and cooked up a complete revitalization of the classic Idris Muhammad track “Could Heaven Ever Be Like This” for Ultra Records.
Having incorporated the original into their sets across various festivals this past year, Walker & Royce know the track inside out, and deep house expert Chris Lorenzo – who currently holds the #4 spot on the Beatport charts with his most recent release “MAMI” – is a perfect addition to the team to make this one really pop. Between them, these creatives have amped up this disco classic and brought it into the modern age with top notch production and measured delivery.
Their version has big, bouncing drums and firing synth work with shooting cosmic lasers. It’s an energetic, textured track with the big vocals the icing on the cake and sure to make this one into a modern classic.
This is a brilliant update on a well known gem.
Club Chinois is the most talked about new venue in Ibiza and it recently launched a brand new residency from Ida Engberg for the second half of the season. The Swedish techno titan kicked off with Laya Benitez and Clint Lee in fine fashion last week, and now the party runs weekly Tuesdays until September 13th. Next up on August 16th, Kolsch and Unders join Ida with more special guests to come each week.
Chinois is located in what was once HEART Ibiza and it has a decadent but underground vibe that recalls the jazz clubs of 1930’s Shanghai. It has been designed by an award winning designer with a world-class sound system and cosy dance floor feel that features a DJ booth close to the action. Already this summer it is hosting residencies from top international talents such as Luciano, Ibiza Global Radio, Pablo Fierro, THEMBA, Satori and more, but now it has added another cutting edge party with this influential techno selector.
Swedish star Ida Engberg is a top tier DJ and record producer who has long been serving up powerful sets and productions from the cutting edge. She has a sound rooted in techno funk and her versatility is infectious, whether playing big room techno at Drumcode nights, festivals like Awakenings, or deeper sounds at clubs and after hours all around the world. She is in the middle of a busy summer of gigs at places like Street Parade in Zurich and Creamfields UK and remixes coming on both Anjunadeep and Crosstown Rebels later this year.
This is another unmissable weekly session at Chinois. Make sure you are part of the best new club on the White Isle.
To celebrate the inaugural ULTRA Beach Costa Del Sol, the event has teamed up with Ultra Records to release a collaborative compilation album. The ULTRA Beach Costa del Sol Compilation Album 2022 continues the long-standing tradition between the two dance music titans, who have repeatedly joined forces to curate the annual Ultra Music Festival Compilation Album.
The 20-track package includes singles from some of Ultra Records’ most talented producers, many of whom have taken center stage at ULTRA Worldwide events. The commemorative ULTRA Beach Costa del Sol Compilation Album 2022 takes listeners on a journey through different corners of the dance music canon, pulling together a tracklist with a diverse sonic palette.
The compilation includes two tracks by ULTRA Beach Costa Del performers – Oliver Heldens’ 90s-inspired remix of Solardo and Paul Woolford’s “Tear It Up,” and ACRAZE’s speaker-rattling collaboration alongside 4B “BANG BANG.”
The compilation also features breezy dance-pop cut “Summer in New York” by two-time Grammy-nominated duo SOFI TUKKER, who have performed at both Ultra Music Festival and ULTRA Europe.
Following his Ultra Music Festival debut last spring, high-tech minimal pioneer Boris Brejcha contributed his track “Never Stop Dancing,” a melodic techno-infused soundscape featuring Ginger.
Other compilation records include “FLOW” from hard-trap pioneers SAYMYNAME and Lit Lords, and “Save Me”from eclectic, innovative producer Party Favor.
The ULTRA Beach Costa del Sol Compilation Album 2022 is the perfect way to get psyched for the event’s first-ever edition. ULTRA Beach Costa del Sol will host two stages at the waterfront event; the ULTRA Beach Stage blasting out high-octane sounds, and the house and techno RESISTANCE Stage located at the Sohail Castle.
ULTRA Beach has welcomed tens of thousands of fans to festivals in exotic coastal locations around the world, from Croatia to Bali, so the picturesque oasis of Costa Del Sol is the natural next step for the worldwide brand’s continued expansion.
Tickets are on sale at https://costadelsol.ultrabeach.com
Following former thrilling visits in Brussels with no less than 30.000 ravers, Kompass Klub launches a new edition of Rave Rebels in the Belgian capital. On Saturday the 8th of October 2022, Brussels Expo will be submerged in an astonishing, almost extraterrestrial atmosphere of thousands of kindred spirits from 19:30 onwards. For the first time in Rave Rebels’ history, the festival takes place in two rooms. The ultimate pinnacle for many dance and techno enthusiasts.
Belgium enjoys a great and profound reputation when it comes down to techno music, partly thanks to its versatile history in electronic music. At Rave Rebels, this reputation gets translated into a mind-blowing 12hour +++ sound, light and visual spectacle. Combine this with a top-notch line-up and there you have the formula for Belgium’s biggest indoor rave festival. Raving redefined, an ode to life.
Globally established and well-respected artists like Solomun (only Belgian show in 2022), Joris Voorn, Paula Templeand Mall Grab will enjoy the company of homegrown talents like The Subs (live), Cherry Moon Trax and Joyhauser B2B Push (world premiere). It’s no news that international hotshots easily and happily set sail towards Belgian soil. Or like Enrico Sangiuliano mentioned at last year’s edition: “I sincerely enjoy playing in Belgium. It’s an insane feeling to be surrounded by passionate people who have techno blood rushing their veins. All driven by the strong techno culture which has been around for many years.”
The organization’s choice for the capital of Europe is thoughtful, to say the least. “Brussels is a gracious and fruitful environment for the development of new events and concepts. Furthermore, Brussels-based ravers are very familiar with electronic music and keen on partying. The central location of the European capital also allows us to attract both nationwide and international audiences. We’re totally ready for the next round”, say the organizers.
LINEUP A-Z
Agents of Time (Live)
Deborah de Luca
Cherry Moon Trax
Dana Montana
Ellen Allien
Gabber Eleganza
Héctor Oaks
Joris Voorn
Joyhauser B2B Push (World Premiere)
Mall Grab
Maxim Lany B2B Nico Morano
Monika Kruse
Paula Temple
Solomun (Only Belgian Show 2022)
The Subs (Live)
TICKETS:
Tickets available via https://bit.ly/RR102022
VENUE:
Brussels Expo – Avenue de Miramar – Brussels – Belgium
MORE INFO:
www.raverebels.com
SOCIALS:
FB Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/575852667383901
FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/raverebelsfestival
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@raverebels
IG: https://www.instagram.com/raverebels
One in the Woods is already a must-visit festival after just one year. It is a great coming together of the music offerings of Liverpool and Manchester and with well designed stages and a well organised production team.
This year as well as over 2000 dancers we got down to standout sets from Fatima Hajji, Dax J, Perc, SPFDJ, Luke Slater, DJ Hazard and plenty more across the house and bass and techno spectrum.
These pictures capture the magic of it all.
https://www.instagram.com/theoneinthewoods
This year’s notoriously unmissable Amnesia Closing Festival is to take place from 6pm on 15th October 2022 with an Ibiza exclusive headline DJ set from The Chemical Brothers. Support will be announced soon and tickets are guaranteed to sell out. They go on sale on Tue Aug 9th at amnesia.es so move fast to secure your place at this historic event.
Amnesia is the perfect setting for a Chemical Brothers’s DJ set thanks to its cutting edge production, world class sound system and cauldron-like dance floor. They are award-winning, chart topping, game-changing pioneers in both the studio and the club and they bring with them the most explosive and electrifying mix of sounds imaginable. On Sat Oct 15th, Tom and Ed will be spinning an array of sonic classics – both old and new.
Hold tight Ibiza!
Amnesia
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The Chemical Brothers