"Best of" world music at the 25th Sziget Festival
On the occasion of celebrating the 25th Sziget the World Music Stage is bringing a "best of" program, which presents the greatest successes of the stage, but is also consistent with the aim to show the latest productions of world music. Day 0 starts with a Hungarian wave, and then the best's of world music are coming from the past and future. The full program of Sziget’s World Music Stage is available.
Over the past thirty years, ever since the collective term: world music widespread for the ethnic-based music it has become one of the most popular music trends. Bands and performers became well-known from countries of which you don’t hear about too often, and where - as the Cape Verde Islands and Madagascar - record industry did not exist.
Sziget World Music Stage takes the part in the world music movement since 2000 and at its current site it serves approximately fifteen thousand people. Over the past seventeen years, the stage has gained outstanding international ranking, since all the bests of the genre have performed on it, and because it constantly reacted sensitively to the new trends and waves of world music. More than two hundred artists have accepted the invitation, the world's biggest stars from England to Guinea from Belgium to Senegal.
The world music venue providing carefree, fun "party music" pays special attention to the popular Balkan- and ska-based dance music performers, in addition to the world music stars, of course, presents the recently appeared fresh performers as well. In spite of the dance music dominance – without losing of the quality, professionalism or the ethnic features – it does not rule out the sensitive or experimental productions either.
From the returning performers might be highlighted: the Serbian Goran Bregovic– whose evergreens are spreading for decades as the anthems of the Balkans – as the front man of the inevitable Wedding and Funeral Band; the world's only Grammy-winning klezmer band, the legendary Klezmatics; the elementary Russian ska classic, celebrating the twentieth year of its existence: Leningrad; the Moroccan Gnawa revolutionizing Orchestre National de Barbés; the king of Latin ska from Sicilí: Roy Paci & Aretuska; with its cathartic "ethno-chaos" the Ukrainian DakhaBrakha, the Malian Tamikrest who are changing desert blues into desert rock; and with its overwhelming Pan-African dance music the Mokoomba from Zimbabwe.
The series of novelties is consisted of the stars of the near future, with the Gaye Su Akyol who is mixing Turkish folk music with psychedelic rock; the creator of Brazilian afrobeat: Bixiga 70; the leader of the re-blooming Latin psychedelia from Tucson, the Orkestra Mendoza; with satirical punk klezmer, the Israeli Jewish Monkeys; but here is the irresistible Chilean Chico Trujillo as well. Finally the Mongol Hanggai presents its rock based throat singing; it turns out why Magnifico is the "Balkan charlatan"; and why the young Portuguese Marta Rent is cited among the biggest American soul singers of the sixties. From the very popular multicultural French bands this year Zoufris Maracas and La Gapette will entertain the audience, and then we have not talked about the line-up of Roma music every night...
However, the site will also pamper the gypsy music lovers. John Langan Band from Glasgow will have its first debut in Hungary, with its Celtic-punk, Balkan, flamenco mixture. The Balkan and Latin music will take a hold of the audience at the multi-ethnic concert of the Barcelona-based Electrorumbaiao, while the French La Caravane Passe will bring the world of jazz.
As we mentioned above, there will be several Hungarian productions as well. And the same stylistic richness, variety and "party spirit" will be presented at their concerts as at the international performer’s concerts.
After all, who could resist the crushing-jumping "speed-freak-folk-punk" madness of Betyars Bohemian; the internationally also well-known ska band; the Romengo bringing all the charm of traditional Roma music; or the Besh o droM mixing Eastern European and Balkan music with crazy energy?
In 2017, for the first time, there will be a special Day 0 program focusing on the Hungarian world music performers, featuring the following six bands: Zoord, Parno Graszt, Kerekes Band, Söndörgő, Lajkó Félix and Óperentzia.
Contact
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk
Swiss Artists Take Centre Stage as the Focus Country at The Great Escape
The country maybe small, but it’s music scene is mighty with 9 acts ready to make their mark at The Great Escape as Switzerland takes centre stage as the focus country. This is a music scene worth delving deeper into as some of the artists may just surprise you.
We are also excited to announce that the Swiss artist Debrah Scarlett will perform at the TGE Presents event on Tuesday 25th April. We hope you can join us to get a taster of some of the talent you can expect to see from Switzerland.
Tuesday 25 April 2017: TGE presents
With (amongst others) Debrah Scarlett with band
Venue: Old Blue Last in Shoreditch - 38 Great Eastern St, London EC2A 3ES
www.theoldbluelast.com
Find out more about Debrah Scarlett and all the Swiss artists performing at this years Great Escape below. If you’d like an interview or to attend any of the showcase events please let us know.
Baba Shrimps
Three musicians with their stunning and heartwarming interpretation of contemporary popmusic. Shortly before the release of their debut album NEON (2014) the band was discovered and signed worldwide by SONY Music. The album was a huge hit and quickly rose to prominence in the swiss charts. The band played gigs in over 200 clubs and festivals and Baba Shrimps supported „Kings of Leon“ and „Kodaline“ for several shows. Currently the trio is based in London finishing their upcoming album with producer David Kosten (e.g. Everything Everything, Bat for Lashes, Marina and the Diamonds). The album is scheduled for 2017.
Website: http://babashrimps.ch/
Music: http://soundcloud.com/babashrimps
Buvette
Buvette bathes in vast urban landscapes, mingling with thousands of souls lost in their dreams and craving for a life elsewhere as he continues on his rhythmic journey under the influence(s). His music draws on the discoveries he makes during his solitary investigations. In his concrete jungle, people gather eagerly, packed tightly together, sweating and dancing to mesmerizing beats in genuine acts of godless religious communion. Buvette’s songs are doors that open onto the secret and the shared; onto the past and the present. They are the subtle, primarily rhythmic constructions of a drummer who deploys startling structures that suggest chromatic geometries in psychedelic forms. His lyrics conjure up a succession of portraits, landscapes and slices of life like infinitely elastic recurrent dreams. Buvette’s imagination connects reality and memories so closely that the border between them blurs. Burette wears his encounters like jewels and shares then with a vital energy.
Website: http://facebook.com/BUVETTE-106025589450783
Music: http://soundcloud.com/buvette
Debrah Scarlett
Debrah Scarlett is the 23-year-old Swiss born singer crafting an entire musical world from a sleepy Norwegian town. Taking the experience of a childhood spent traveling, Debrah makes the kind of life affirming pop music that speaks to the human condition - with all the memories, nightmares, dreams and stories that come with it. “I think a lot of people get very confused when they ask where and when I’ve lived here and there. I’ve kind of been like a yo-yo, moving back and forth,” she says of a youth that saw her born in Switzerland in the summer of ’93, move to Norway at the turn of the millennium, back to Switzerland for her teenage years and back again to the town of Nittedal, Norway in 2014. Daughter to a Norwegian mother and a Swiss-Italian father, Debrah felt, as she puts it, “like an alien, different from those around me,” and although she spoke several languages from a young age, never seemed to perfect any of them. “Music became my language,” she says of the time. “It enabled me to truly express myself.”
Website: http://debrahscarlett.com/
Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/debrah-scarlett
Hyperculte
Hyperculte is a minimalist transpop prekraut postdisco duo band. Hyperculte was formed in 2014 in Geneva, Switzerland.Melancholic and nostalgic danse for a poetic trans. or the contrary. Hyperculte is continuously trying to open hearts at all costs.
Website: http://facebook.com/hyperculte
Music: http://hyperculte.bandcamp.com/
Me+Marie
ME + MARIE: With their stunning combination of Indie Rock, Folk and Blues, ME + MARIE have gathered a dedicated following in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and Italy. Their debut album One Eyed Lovereceived high praise from critics and fans alike, with many reviewers mentioning the unique sound of Maria deVal´s and Roland Scandella's voices blended together to create an intense, dark and fascinating atmosphere.
Website: http://meandmarie.com/
Music: https://soundcloud.com/memarieofficial
Odd Beholder
Odd Beholder combine introvert song writing with an abstracted and yet almost restrained, stark sound. As exalted as an empty car park in early morning light. Whereas pop is the finish line, not the starting point. „We develop our songs out of the experiment into simplicity." With the release of their debut EP „Lighting“, the secret hit „Landscape Escape“ and the corresponding video shot in Azerbaijan Daniela Weinmann and James Varghese have already created quite a stir and were featured on illustrious outlets like NOWNESS, i-D, ZEIT and Clash. After invitations to Reeperbahn, Great Escape and m4music Festival, touring as support act of Hundreds, Odd Beholder will release their new EP „Atlas“ in April on Sinnbus and Mouthwatering Records. Odd Beholder’s second EP „Atlas“ will be released in spring of 2017 as well as playing their first headline tour.
Website: https://www.musicglue.com/oddbeholder/
Music: http://soundcloud.com/oddbeholder
One Sentence. Supervisor
Formed in Baden (ch) in 2012, one sen- tence. supervisor recall the phantoms of the eighties with their catchy, misty krautpop, unencumbered by too many references. a universe that is hard to categorize, in which omnipresent syn- thetic sounds meet tense repetitive rhythms without ever becoming tedious. As for their obsessive melodies play- ing between shadow and light, they are tinged with psychedelic colours that unfold like some celestial stairway to- wards the imaginary.
http://onesentencesupervisor.ch/
http://soundcloud.com/one-sentence-supervisor
Sophie Hunger
Sophie Hunger is a Swiss singer-songwriter who grew up in England, Switzerland and Germany, where she lives. She debuted in 2008 with the album Monday's Ghost, which entered the Swiss Album Charts on ♯1 and sent her touring throughout Europe/U.S. Her debut album, the following records 1983 (2010) and The Danger of Light (2012) as well as her live performances were received with critical acclaim by the European press, e.g. The Guardian, The Sunday Times. In 2010 Hunger became the first Swiss artist to ever play at the Glastonbury Festival. She went on to win the Swiss Award and the Prix de la Création Musicale of France in 2012, and released a live album The Rules of Fire in 2015, which has since sold over 250'000 albums worldwide. In 2015 she released of her fourth studio album called SUPERMOON on Caroline Records. The album was recorded in Brussels and San Francisco and produced by Sophie Hunger in collaboration with John Vanderslice and mixed by Mark Lawson.
Website: http://sophiehunger.com/
Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/sophiehungerofficial
Zeal & Ardor
Summon the children, for tonight He rises...Emancipation. Damnation. Blasphemy. Ecstasy. Vengeance. Deliverance. Rebellion. Liberation. Consider this your invitation to the transcendent, transfiguring Satanic Spirituals of «Devil Is Fine». «Nothing released this year is as strange, inscrutable or wonderful than Zeal & Ardor's «Devil Is Fine»» extols US Rolling Stone, hailing the debut album as «a dream world of infinite possibilities.» The creation of Swiss-American songwriter/soundscaper Manuel Gagneux, «Devil Is Fine» is an artistic artefact like no other, a meld of black metal, field recordings, Delta blues, jazz, ring shouts, music box melodies, glitchy hip-hop beats, soul and gospel, brought together in the service of The One With Horns. It is the most provocative, challenging, innovative and utterly individual album of the year, a recording which obliterates genre boundaries and creates a dark, diabolical universe all its own.
Website: http://zealandardor.com/
Music: https://soundcloud.com/zealandardor
Presented by Swiss Music Export, Pro Helvetia, Fondation Suisa, Embassy of Switzerland, m4music
Contact:
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk
Seven Dutch Artists Not To Miss At The Great Escape
The Dutch have been building their reputation as a nation worth taking notice of when it comes to the new emerging artists and you can expect more of the same at this years Great Escape.
CUT_, Dakota, Jameszoo, Kovacs, Klangstof, Kim Janssen and Thomas Azier will take to the stage at The Great Escape bringing you everything from rainbow-hued synths to psychedelic guitar riffs, and huge orchestral arrangements with something for everyone’s musical taste buds.
These acts have already built solid foundations and are at the forefront of the Dutch music scene. If their growing fan base is anything to go by, these bands have exciting musical careers ahead of them and are the ones to keep on your radar in 2017.
Find out more about the bands below and if you’d like an interview or guestlist to the showcase please let us know.
About the artists
CUT_
Electronic duo CUT_ took off rapidly after their rendition of Stromae’s ‘Papaoutai’ went viral. CUT_ has since then played numerous shows, including performances at Lowlands, PITCH, ADE, Eurosonic and various appearances on Dutch national television. CUT_ released their first single on [PIAS] “Tune In Tune Out” (mixed and co-produced by Leo Abrahams), which was released late last year. Focusing on encompassing the full spectrum of artistry, CUT_ have made video and visuals an important part of their image, as well as trying to excel in their live shows. “We find that live shows are a way to really distinguish yourself as an artist nowadays, especially when, like in our case, the music is focused on electronic production. We make a point of doing everything live.” (Sebastiaan Dutilh: production & songwriting)
Website: www.cutunderscore.com
Music: https://play.spotify.com/
Dakota
Do you know that feeling? That feeling of wanting to lay back on the couch, close your eyes and drift away to dreamy and hazy music? The Netherlands’ Dakota do just that. Dakota’s new project titled “Leda” blends Psychedelic guitar riffs with indie-pop roots, coming together into a neatly packaged 6 track EP. But don’t let this lo fi charm fool you, the live show of this four piece band gets you to the edge of your seat.They seamlessly blend California feels with Garage Rock and Dream Pop. Look out for Dakota as they make their way in the underground pop scene.
Website: http://www.dakotamusic.nl/
Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zie2UuwmjwU
Jameszoo
The word ‘naive’ comes from the Latin ‘nativus’, meaning native, or natural. Today, to be naive is often seen as pejorative, a lack of experience or judgement, but in the art world the word retained some of its original meaning: a quality acquired through birth, a childlike innocence and wonder that produces spontaneous, unaffected art. For Mitchel Van Dinther, the Dutch producer known as Jameszoo, it is this quality that lies at the heart of his debut album released last year, Fool, which he calls “naive, computer jazz.” Van Dinther emerged from the small town of Den Bosch in the southern Netherlands in the late 2000s. First as a DJ – with wide-ranging crates of avant-garde jazz, prog and kraut rock, electronic experiments, and beat oddities – and then as a producer capable of impressive sonic and rhythmic incongruities. This spring, Van Dinther joins Brainfeeder with an album that fits right into the label’s expanding take on the modern evolution of jazz music.
Website: http://jameszoo.com/
Music: https://soundcloud.com/jameszoo
Kim Janssen
Kim Janssen was born in The Netherlands but raised in Bangkok, Phnom Penh and Kathmandu. His music could be categorized as pop, and it's swinging in tone from dark to blinding technicolor, with glossy synths, huge orchestral arrangements and Kim's vocal - at times a Bill Callahan-esque croon, at times a soaring falsetto. His latest album, 'Cousins', was recorded across three years and several studios. The album features contributions from Marla Hansen (Sufjan Stevens, The National) and Eiríkur Orri Ólafsson (Sigur Rós) and was mixed by Chris Coady (Beach house, Future Islands) and mastered by Greg Calbi (Graceland).
Website: https://www.kimjanssen.net/
Music: https://kimjanssen.bandcamp.com/
Klangstof
There’s a patience at play in Klangstof’s aural creations: the musician is a craftsman when constructing the chilling sound that comprises his stunning debut album, Close Eyes to Exit. It’s there in the crisp, slow-building single “Hostage,” electric guitars gently strummed, electronic beats like a rising heartbeat, all giving way to full-throated release: “I ran for shelter/But I got there,” he intones. Or in the way “Sleaze” shifts from whispered confession (“Nintendo is the only thing that makes me smile”) to propulsive, rainbow-hued synths at a moment’s notice.
Website: http://www.klangstof.com/
Music: https://soundcloud.com/klangstof
Kovacs
Kovacs music has soul. Her dark voice and her passion are what makes her music different from all the rest. Her radical emotionalism and the abyss-deep soul that she brings to her songs seems to turn her innermost self inside out and her raw style and her dark voice lead to comparisons with Portishead or Amy Winehouse. She is 24-years-old, but you perceive that she has already lived a whole life: KOVACS! With the release of her album KOVACS stands at the beginning of her great adventure and she can hardly wait for it to begin.
Website: http://www.kovacsmusic.com/
Music: https://soundcloud.com/kovacs_music
Thomas Azier
Thomas Azier grew up in a small town in the Netherlands and moved to Berlin when he was 19, in a bold attempt to find his artistic voice. After almost a decade living in Berlin, the 29-year-old Dutchman relocated to Paris in the wake of the Gallic success of his acclaimed debut album, ‘Hylas’, released in 2014. Azier refers to ‘Hylas’ as his “Berlin album”, influenced by the electronic scene in Germany’s vibrant city. Its lead single ‘Red Eyes’ was chosen for an international TV campaign for “Yves Saint Laurent Beauté”. After an extensive tour with more than 120 concerts in 2013 and 2014 (including shows with Stromae and Woodkid) he started working on his sophomore album. During his time in Paris, Azier bought a 1920s upright piano, and songs started immediately hitting him like waves
The result is a composite of piano and laptop, bound together by a 'fil rouge' that is his voice, in an amalgamation of passed influences and future ones. Azier will release his anticipated second album “Rouge” on May, 12th (Virgin/Mercury Music Group).
Website: http://www.thomasazier.com
Music: https://soundcloud.com/thomasazier
More info on bands here: http://www.dutch-impact.nl/category/festivals/the-great-escape
Brought to you by the Dutch Music Export. Powered by Eurosonic Eurosonci, Dutch Performing Arts and Buma Cultuur, with the kind support of the embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands
Contact
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk
OFF Festival Katowice 2017: Bringing the US and the UK back together again
Legendary singer-songwriters from across the pond meet rising stars from across the channel. Conor Oberst, Arab Strap, Thee Oh Sees, Sheer Mag, Ulrika Spacek, Anna Meredith, and LVL UP: check out the latest additions to this year’s lineup.
Conor Oberst
It’s been well on twenty years since he started singing and playing, and we’ve listened and admired him every step of the way, from Bright Eyes and Desaparecidos to The Mystic Valley Band, Monsters of Folk, and of course his solo recordings. There are precious few storytellers on the music scene today that are as captivating as Conor Oberst and who can deliver their tales in such an engrossing format, combining folk, country, and rock, and prepending the “alt-” prefix to all of the above. The singing poet just came out with another excellent solo album titled Salutations before setting off on tour with his live band. He’ll be stopping by Katowice one August night to tell us something important and beautiful.
Arab Strap
There’s no better way to put this than one reviewer at The Guardian did: “The demise of Arab Strap leaves the rock world a rather more wholesome place, but a slightly less profound one.” This Scottish duo delivered emotions that,though real — perhaps painfully so – were hard to swallow. But once they were gone, we all understood just how important and unique of a phenomenon Arab Strap were in British music at the turn of the centuries. In 2016 their fans’ prayers were answered: Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton once again took to the stage to celebrate the band’s 20th birthday. We’re thrilled that the party’s gone on long enough to bring Arab Strap to Katowice.
Thee Oh Sees
We’ve featured Thee Oh Sees at the OFF Festival before, but we’re not just repeating ourselves here. The band has managed to release a full four albums since their last visit to Katowice: Drop, Mutilator Defeated at Last, A Weird Exits, and An Odd Entrances, all while changing their lineup and basically reinventing themselves. But one crucial aspect remains the same: there’s no greater expert on genre-agnostic psychedelic garage rock than this California act.
LVL UP
Return to Love, LVL UP’s third album and Sub Pop debut, is the quintessence of guitar-driven energy and sets the standard for American indie rock. It’s clear that Pavement, Neutral Milk Hotel, and Dinosaur Jr. have some talented students. The New York quarter has also earned a reputation as an excellent live band, a title they defended most recently at this year’s SXSW Festival in Austin.
Anna Meredith
She may this season’s great sensation, but she’s going to be with us for a while. Her enthusiastically received debut album Varmint and her electrifying shows at industry festivals like Eurosonic Noorderslag and SXSW leave little room for doubt: we’re witnessing the birth of a star, one whose charismatic stage presence is matched by the bold vision of her compositions. Critics have compared her to the likes of Björk and Moderat, but that hardly does her justice. A graduate of the Royal College of Music, Meredith was until recently a regular performer at the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Sinfonia ViVA, before going on to redefine the boundaries of new pop with her own musical vocabulary.
Ulrika Spacek
Though they hail from London, this quintet’s sound includes few of the features you’d expect to hear from members of the British rock scene. In fact, reviewers of their debut album The Album Paranoia suggested influences ranging from trancey Krautrock to American noise rock. The band’s sophomore record, titled Modern English Decoration, is slated for release ahead of this year’s festival, so anything could still happen.
Sheer Mag
Take one listen to this Philadelphia band’s EPs and you won’t have any doubt in your mind: you’re dealing with a band that could have easily opened for MC5, Stooges, or New York Dolls if they had only made it big in time. The fact that Sheer Mag wasn’t founded until 2014 changes nothing. This great a blend of early punk and hard rock that makes nods to Led Zeppelin and Thin Lizzy is something you can’t come up with. You just have to live it.
About OFF
OFF is a festival for the discerning music fan and the place to discover the best alternative acts from around the world. A truly unique boutique music festival, OFF Festival takes place in ‘Three Lake Valley’, Katowice – a beautiful green oasis in the heart of industrial Silesia. OFF is a way of life, one that flies in the face of current trends and stays true to itself, and the ethos of organiser Artur Rojek is firmly aimed at supporting art and music with the festival bringing many acts to Poland for the first time. OFF Festival’s reputation is growing year on year driven by the festivals forward–thinking, eclectic music policy and it’s bold and eclectic lineups. From the greatest alternative music stars from around the world to the increasingly strong Polish scene, OFF festival has inspiring music in abundance and the organisers and crowd have one serious finger on the pulse when it comes to music.
OFF Festival takes place from 4-6 August 2017. 3-day tickets from £52 available at [off-festival.pl](http://off-festival.pl).
Dave Clarke The Wolf / Way Of Life with Octave One and Marcel Fengler Remixes
Ahead of the timely re-release of Dave Clarke’s vital Devil’s Advocate album later in the year, two key tracks from it get remixed and will be release on Record Store Day. Stepping up on this EP are IMF boss Marcel Fengler and long running Detroit dons Octave One,
The first track tackled is ‘The Wolf’, and it is Marcel Fengler who does so. Over the course of many EPs and a full length on Ostgut Ton, Marcel has proved he has a take on techno that is gritty and austere and focussed on visceral rhythms. Leaning on house, garage and electro, he colours his grooves in refreshing ways and this remix is no different. It is six and a half minutes of surging techno with bleepy sci-fi melodies up top and fluttering percussion in the mid range. Racing along and taking you with it, it never lets up and is an urgent peak time cut that cannot fail to make a mark.
Then come Octave One, the veteran Detroit brothers who have defined and redefined techno many times over. Lovers of real hardware and peerless live performers, their sound is always forward looking. In remixing ‘Way of Life’ they show off their knack for cooking up brain frying synth modulations that burrow deep. The buoyant drums carry you along in energetic style and some wild acid lines add more texture to an already enthralling cut.
Both remixes bring interesting new perspectives to two already essential tracks. More info on the Devil's Advocate album re-release to follow.
Tracklisting
A.The Wolf - Marcel Fengler remix
B.Way Of Life - Octave One remix
Cat Number: SKINT354LP
Release Date: 22nd April 2017
Contact
To listen to the tracks or for more info on Devil's Advocate please contact Nikki McNeill at Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk
Fatboy Slim to headline Sea Dance Beach Festival
One of the world's greatest producers and DJs of all time Fatboy Slim is coming to the stunning Jaz Beach to headline the award winning Sea Dance Festival in Montenegro on Friday, July 14. Get your beach party fix at this up and coming Ibiza alternative, recently listed by Skyscanner as the number 1 cheapest holiday destination for 2017.
The wave of global mega-hits like "The Rockafeller Skank", "Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat", "Right Here, Right Now ',' Praise You' and many others will splash the shores of the turquoise cove near the historic town of Budva. The festival punters will have the opportunity to enjoy the journey through the music vortex of funk, house, techno, electro, hip-hop and rock and roll fused into a single, energetic performance brought by the Brighton's finest. Legendary showman, the winner of Grammy award, three Brits and 10 MTV awards, whom the "Q" magazine listed in "50 Bands to See Before You Die" list, comes at Sea Dance Festival as one the headliners of leading world festivals. Also hailing from EXIT, the iconic No Sleep stage will debut its Adriatic edition at Sea Dance, with billing led by some of the most exciting names in the underground scene Amelie Lens, Denis Horvat, South London Ordnance, Space Dimension Controller, joined by some of the finest regional and loacal artists.
Fatboy Slim to headline Sea Dance Festival 2017: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlkDb8VidgU&feature=youtu.be
For the past three decades Norman Cook is considered as one of the world's best DJs. He is the only music star that managed to reach No.1 with three singles from different musical endeavors. As guitarist in “The Housemartins”, he charmed the global audience with hit "Caravan of Love" (1986), and did the same as a member of Beats International with song "Dub Be Good to Me" (1990). As a solo artist, he made music breakthrough with the song "Praise You" (1999). With his debut album "Better Living Through Chemistry”, he made a real boom, and the hit single "Everybody Needs a 303" won the hearts of music fans all around the world. His second album "You've Come a Long Way" went platinum, with "The Rockafeller Skank" and "Praise You" - his first hit sigle wich ruled the charts in Britain and America. Track "Weapon of Choice" and the video spot with the legendary actor Christopher Walken marked the third album "Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars" from 2000. Ten years later, he released an album and rock musical "Here Lies Love " in collaboration with David Byrne Joins, as a kind of homage to the first lady of the Philippines Imelda Marcos.
No Sleep stage at Sea Dance will present several exciting acts of the electronic underground scene. On the same day as Fatboy Slim, also hailing from UK is Space Dimension Controller whose legendary Boiler Room performances (Dekmantel and Ava Fest) masterfully connects Detroit and Chicago with his native Belfast. Irish-alien controls the dimensions for the prestigious labels like Ninja Tune, R & S and Clone! On the same night, Denis Horvat, the "secret weapon" from Dixon’s Innervision label will debut at Sea Dance! Denis' gems "Cedevita" and "Momak" are praised by the likes of Maceo Plex and Dixon. The next day will welcome the new Belgian techno star Amelie Lens who exploded after a series of brilliant sets at major events and a debut for the Italian Lyase Recordings. She is the resident at the Labyrinth club, and often plays at the Fuse as a guest of the other great Belge star Charlotte de Witte who is also playing at EXIT's edition of No Sleep stage. On the same night, Sea Dance Festival will also welcome the English techno producer South London Ordnance who quickly picked up the support of giants such as Sven Vath, Surgeon, Marcel Dettmann and Adam Beyer. His sound is very unusual because it combines European retro sound, such as "cold-wave" or early "Italo-disco" with carefully designed and very modern techno sound.
Sleepless nights on the coast will host a multitude of Croatian, Serbian, and Montenegrin artist such as Insolate, Filip Xavi, TKNO, Millok, M-Tech, P.S, Rayo, Proximus, Gav, Raven, Dino R, Buba, Jan De R, Bodzie, Soft 85, Iks-Oks, and Darko Milosevic.
This year connects four regional festival in a unique EXIT Summer of Love 2017. First in line is Sea Star which is held on May 26th and 27th in Umag, followed by the Revolution Festival in Timisoara, on June 2nd and 3rd, and right after the EXIT Festival, held between July 5th and 9th, the fourth edition of the Sea Dance Festival is waiting, from July 13th to 15th!
Tickets are available at http://www.seadancefestival.me/en
Accommodation and travel arrangements for Sea Dance can be found at Exit’s official travel agency, ExitTrip https://www.exittrip.org/en
Contact:
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk
Positivus Festival announce Maximo Park, The Lumineers, Pixies, Ellie Goulding, Alt-J and more!
The Baltic’s biggest popular music and art festival, Positivus are excited to announce the first announced acts for the 2017 edition. Taking place picturesque coastal town of Salacgriva for the 11th time this year - from July 14 – 16, Positivus transports chart-topping headliners, underground emerging talent and exciting art and dance stages to their unspoiled atmospheric coastal setting amid stunning woodland.
The first acts to be announced include;
Maximo Park, The Lumineers, The Pixies, Ellie Goulding, Alt-J, Rae Sremmurd, Kamasi Washington, L.A. Salami, José González, Mew, Austra, JP Cooper, Cigarettes After Sex, Dagamba, Dzelzs Vilks, Pienvedēja Piedzīvojumi. Ray Blk, Eska, Nothing but Thieves, Julia Jacklin, Margaret Glaspy, Bandmaster.
The festival’s main stage - Lattelecom stage will be hosting living legends Pixies on Friday - July 14 alongside formidable rockers Maximo Park who will perform an energising party music for grown ups. Famed British singer Ellie Goulding will wrap up the musical programme on Saturday, July 15, with the festival ending on a spectacular high-note with folk rock melodies from The Lumineers and with the excellent indie alt-rockers Alt-J on Sunday, July 16.
Friday’s Nordea stage is set to feature one of Britain’s most prominent up-and-coming singers JP Cooper, who is currently selling out shows like wildfire and whose recent track has been featured on the Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack. Canadian electronic new-wave project Austra, with a lead singer of Latvian origin, will conclude Saturday’s line-up, with Danish alternative rockers Mew wrapping up Sunday’s repertoire.
Tickets
Tickets for the eleventh Positivus Festival are available at www.positivusfestival.com, in all Biļešu Serviss box offices and Norde ATMs. Tickets can be purchased in the following categories: One day ticket (35 €), Two day ticket (50 €), Three day ticket (75 €), Three day ticket with camping (83 €) and VIP ticket (250 €). Youth from 11 - 16 years old can now purchase the Youth ticket with 50% discount only on www.positivusfestival.com. Ticket prices are set to increase.
About Positvus
Taking place in the picturesque coastal town of Salacgriva in Latvia, Positivus is the largest music and arts festival in the Baltic States, transporting chart-topping headliners, underground emerging talent and exciting art and dance stages to their unspoiled atmospheric coastal setting amid stunning woodland. Festival goers can dip their toes in the baltic sea or take in the atmosphere in a hammock beneath the trees while enjoying a rich diversity of international chart toppers and underground emerging talent in this idyllic holiday location. Positivus also offers art and dance stages giving festival goers a variety of activities and stalls selling locally made designer clothing and accessories, giving festival goers plenty to see and do during the 3 day event. Positivus was also recognised in the 2013, 2015 and 2016 European Festival Awards being a finalist in the ‘Best Medium Sized Festival’ category and also for ‘Best Festival Line Up’ in 2013. Be Positivus.
Contact:
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk
P!NK at Sziget Festival
Sziget Festival is very excited to host P!NK once again at the Island of Freedom. She will open the headline slot of the 7-day party, 9 August, 2017.
Since her debut in 2000, P!nk (Alecia Moore) has released seven records, sold over 60 million albums, over 130 million singles, over 2.4 million DVDs worldwide and has had 14 singles in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (four at #1). In addition, she is the recipient of three GRAMMY(r) Awards, three Billboard Music Awards, six MTV Video Music Awards, two MTV Europe Awards, two People's Choice Awards and was named Billboard's "Woman of the Year" in 2013. Her The Truth About Love World Tour played 142 shows in 13 countries. P!nk's August 9th show at Sziget marks a big return to the concert stage!
Sziget Festival takes place on the 'Island of Freedom' a beautiful green island in the middle of Budapest, where more than 500,000 Szitizens unite from more than 100 countries to celebrate. Sziget has received the award for ‘Best Major European Festival’ twice, while last year it was awarded for the festival with the ‘Best Line-Up’. The program of Sziget breaks down to more than 50 venues, where one can not only plan to see top headline acts on the Main Stage, but can experience arts, circus, theatre, dance, yoga and much more with a 24/7 program. Hundreds of acts and programs will take place at the event, representing different genres, keeping the music line-up as colorful as always. Among the line-up one can already find Kasabian, Major Lazer, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Flume, PJ Harvey, Alt-J and many more. This time Wiz Khalifa was announced for the Dan Panaitescu Main Stage as well as Rita Ora. To the endless program of the huge A38 Tent Alex Clare, Dimension, The Courteeners, The Vaccines and Her were confirmed. The gigantic tent of the Arena will welcome Paul Van Dyk and Bassjackers among the already announced other names.
Tickets
Passes are still available for Sziget Festival, both 7-day and 5-day passes. The first 2 days, 9-10 August are not included in the 5-day passes. Day tickets are available for all 7 days. Tickets for a discounted price are available until 31 May. Ticket link: www.szigetfestival.com/tickets
All names announced so far in alphabetical order:
Alex Clare, Alt-J, Andy C, Anne-Marie, Bad Religion, Bassjackers, Bear's Den, Billy Talent, Cashmere Cat, Charli XCX, Chef'Special, Clean Bandit, Crystal Fighters, Danny Brown, De Staat, Dimension, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, DJ Shadow, Dubioza Kolektiv, Flume, Fritz Kalkbrenner, George Ezra, GTA, GusGus, Her, Interpol, Jagwar Ma, Jamie Cullum, Kasabian, Kensington, Leningrad, León, Mac Demarco, Major Lazer, Mando Diao, Maurice West, Metronomy, Nervo, Nothing but Thieves, OH Wonder, Oliver Heldens, Paul van Dyk, P!NK, PJ Harvey, Rita Ora, Rone, Rudimental live, Steve Aoki, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, The Couteeners, The Kills, The Naked and Famous, The Pretty Reckless, The Strypes, The Vaccines, Tom Odell, Two Door Cinema Club, Valentino Khan, Vince Staples, W&W, Watsky, Weval, White Lies, Wiz Khalifa
What: Sziget Festival
Where: Óbuda Island, Budapest, Hungary
When: 9-16 August, 2017
Website: www.szigetfestival.com
Contact
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk
Festival Friday - The Best City Festivals
This #festivalfriday is all about #cityfestivals. Check out our guide to the best city festivals to get the best of both worlds and combine a festival experience with a city break.
Love music and festivals? Love travel and exploring new places? Why not take an extended trip and get your fix of culture, gastronomy, sightseeing, art and music. Forget camping and opt for a few creature comforts. Check in to a hotel or make like a local with airbnb. Heat it up in the heart of Morocco or check out what Amsterdam has to offer this festival season, the choice is yours!
MIX MUSIC AND GASTRONOMY IN BILBAO FOR BILBAO BBK LIVE
Set atop the Kobetamendi Hill with breathtaking views across culture-rich Bilbao, Bilbao BBK Live 2017 will showcase acts including Depeche Mode, The Killers, Die Antwoord, Justice, Phoenix, Two Door Cinema Club, Fleet Foxes, The 1975, Sundara Karma, Cabbage and a whole host of Spanish musical talent. Basoa, the festivals carefully curated dance music space will also play host to uninterrupted party sessions from many of the most-respected names in electronic music including Dixon, The Black Madonna, Andrew Weatherall, Daphni, Job Jobse, DJ Tennis and Motor City Drum Ensemble. With many more acts still to be announced, it’s the perfect excuse for a long weekend in Bilbao, home to the Guggenheim Museum, a vast cultural hub, and the world-famous Basque gastronomic scene.
Line Up: Depeche Mode, The killers, Die Antwoord, Justice, Phoenix, Two Door Cinema Club, Fleet Foxes, Royal Blood, The 1975, Andrew Weatherall, Bawrut, The Black Madonna, Daphni, Dixon and DJ Tennis.
Bilbao BBK Live takes place from 6-8 July 2017. To book tickets visit bilbaobbklive.com
DISCOVER THE BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC AT OFF FESTIVAL IN KATOWICE
OFF is a festival for the discerning music fan and the place to discover the best alternative acts from around the world. A truly unique boutique music festival, OFF Festival takes place in ‘Three Lake Valley’, Katowice – a beautiful green oasis in the heart of industrial Silesia. OFF is a way of life, one that flies in the face of current trends and stays true to itself, and the ethos of organiser Artur Rojek is firmly aimed at supporting art and music with the festival bringing many acts to Poland for the first time. OFF Festival’s reputation is growing year on year driven by the festivals forward–thinking, eclectic music policy and it’s bold and eclectic lineups. From the greatest alternative music stars from around the world to the increasingly strong Polish scene, OFF festival has inspiring music in abundance and the organisers and crowd have one serious finger on the pulse when it comes to music.
Line Up: Line Up: Anna Von Hausswolff, BEAK>, Carla Bozulich, Circuit des Yeux, Daniel Johnston, Duzy Jack, Feist, Group A, Helando Negro, Jessy Lanza, Kikagaku Moyo, Kwadrofonik I Artur Rojek, Made in Poland “Martwy Kabaret”, Moor Mother, PJ Harvey, Preoccupations, PRO8L3M, Royal Trux, Shame, Shellac, SIKSA, Silver Apples, Spoiwo, Swans, Taleb Kweli, The Black Madonna, Wolves in the Throne Room with more to be announced.
OFF Festival takes place from 4-6 August 2017. 3-day tickets from £52 available at off-festival.pl
A WEEK LONG FESTIVAL HOLIDAY ON THE ISLAND OF FREEDOM AT SZIGET IN BUDAPEST
Proud winner of the ‘Best Major European Festival’ award in 2015 and 2011, and ‘Best Festival Line Up’ in 2016, Sziget Festival is one of the biggest multicultural events of Europe. Taking place on the picturesque Óbuda Island in Budapest, Sziget welcomes over 490,000 visitors from over 100 countries to express themselves on their self-proclaimed Island of Freedom. Sziget is not just about music, with more than 50 program venues offering festival goers the chance to experience many different things including; circus, theatre and dance, art and installations, yoga and sports and a huge variety of food. There is also has a beach area where fans can truly enjoy the summer and the Danube. With so much on offer in the heart of Budapest, Sziget provides a complete festival-holiday experience with a week long party, great live concerts and all the attractions the city has to offer such as beautiful historic buildings, thermal spas and special ’ruin pubs’.
Line up: Alex Clare, Alt-J, Andy C, Anne-Marie, Bad Religion, Bassjackers, Bear's Den, Billy Talent, Cashmere Cat, Charli XCX, Chef'Special, Clean Bandit, Crystal Fighters, Danny Brown, De Staat, Dimension, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, DJ Shadow, Dubioza Kolektiv, Flume, Fritz Kalkbrenner, George Ezra, GTA, GusGus, Interpol, Jagwar Ma, Jamie Cullum, Kasabian, Kensington, Leningrad, León, Mac Demarco, Major Lazer, Mando Diao, Maurice West, Metronomy, Nervo, Nothing but Thieves, OH Wonder, Oliver Heldens, Paul van Dyk, PJ Harvey, Rita Ora, Rone, Rudimental live, Steve Aoki, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, The Couteeners, The Kills, The Naked and Famous, The Pretty Reckless, The Strypes, The Vaccines, Tom Odell, Two Door Cinema Club, Valentino Khan, Vince Staples, W&W, Watsky, Weval, White Lies, Wiz Khalifa
Sziget takes place from 9-16 August 2017. 7-day tickets from £175 available at szigetfestival.com.
DANCE BENEATH THE STARS AT OASIS FESTIVAL ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF MARRAKECH
Nestled on the outskirts of the bustling city of Marrakech in the luxurious surroundings of the Source music resort, Oasis brings a slice of festival paradise to Morocco, shining the light on North Africa as the latest must-visit festival destination. In addition to the cutting-edge music programme, there is ample opportunity to nourish the mind, body and soul with daily yoga, massage and reflexology. Guests can also experience Moroccan culture on-site with authentic local street food, a wide selection of locally produced and organic products, market vendors, henna artists and more. With the ‘Red City’ of Marrakech just 10 minutes from the festival it’s also the perfect opportunity to explore the rich Berber, Arabic and Moorish culture, historic sights, desert landscapes, souks, spas and aromatic cuisine.
Line Up: Amine K, Auntie Flo, Charlotte De Witte, Chloe, Jeremy Underground, Karenn live, Karmon, Kenny Glasgow B2B My Favourite Robot, KiNK live, Maceo Plex, Marcel dettmann, Mike Servito, Moodymann, Polyswitch, Solomun, Thris Tian, Young Marco with more to be announced.
Oasis takes place from 15-17 September 2017. To book tickets visit theoasisfest.com.
IMMERSE YOURSELF IN ELECTRONIC MUSIC CULTURE AT THE AMSTERDAM DANCE EVENT
Amsterdam’s thriving club and nightlife scene is well documented and for 5 days a year the city becomes the centre of the electronic music world as over 375,000 visitors flock to the city for the Amsterdam Dance Event. The ultimate music festival for fans of electronic music takes place from 18-22 October in 2017, featuring more than 2,200 international artists performing in more than 100 of Amsterdam’s most celebrated venues including Melkweg, Closure, Gashouder, Claire, Shelter, Paradiso, the NDSM Docklands and De School. In addition to the extensive line-up of the ADE Festival, ADE also offers music enthusiasts a large and varied daytime program featuring a wealth of dance music-related exhibitions, films, documentaries, DJ showcases, gear master classes and artist Q&A’s, taking place across Amsterdam’s five main districts, utilising historical locations and unique venues across the city.
ADE takes place from 18-22 October 2017. To book tickets visit amsterdam-dance-event.nl.
PR CONTACT
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk
EXIT Festival reveals Club Partners for No Sleep Novi Sad Stage
The famous No Sleep Novi Sad stage at EXIT Festival will once more invite their audience into a different world-acclaimed club on each of the four nights at the colossal Petrovaradin Fortress! The magic of certain legendary venues does not come from the bricks and mortar, but from their specific spirit, rich history and the program which has been in carefully selected since the previous edition. Last summer, this infallible formula was proven in practice by the three-decade old symbol of Barcelona, the Nitsa club, Berlin techno institution Tresor, and Concrete, the famous Parisian club, whose night was the antics right before the grand finale jointly put by Vienna’s Grelle Forelle and Belgrade techno cathedral Drugstore. This year, in the very well-known trench, from July 6 to 9, we are on the list for another four sleepless nights!
No Sleep Novi Sad pres. Club-Partners at EXIT 2017: https://youtu.be/jMdau0s8AoU
At the very start we are in for a huge celebration of 30 years since the uncompromising music got spun at the iconic Sub Club in Glasgow! “The greatest small club in the world”, as some popularly call it, was chosen among the 12 best clubs in the world by Resident Advisor, who threw a month of parties at 22 Jamaica St where the "Subbie" is at bay! Known for the exceptionally warm and intimate atmosphere boosted by the specially projected sound where the bass kicks you from the floor upwards, Sub Club has always been at the centre of the Glaswegian music scene which was first to acknowledge the likes of Daft Punk, Slam, Jackmaster and so many more. It would all be impossible without the resident DJs such as the legendary duet Harri & Domenic whose “Sub Culture” has been taking place every Saturday for the last 25 years, making it the longest residency in the world! The Scottish submarine prepared a special crew for this opportunity that will soon be announced, emerging into the fortress on Thursday, July 6. This night will be the part of “30 Years of Sub Club” tour which will also head to London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Athens, Oslo and other destinations.
After Berlin’s Tresor introduced the techno's present and past on last year’s Friday night, we are in for a visit from another monolith of the global techno culture, the club that has been opened for the last two and a half decades – Fuse from Brussels! Back in the mid-90's the club was spot-on to host the likes of Carl Cox, Laurent Garnier, Sven Väth and Richie Hawtin, while today they seem to pick all the next-gen stars like Psyk, Antigone, Francois X and Bjarki. Fuse's future is secure with the resident whose fame is rising at a dazzling rate, Charlotte De Witte, who is following the legacy of the legendary Pierre, the symbol of this Belgium club. From the same lab, a year later came the famous “I Love Techno” festival, whose first performers were Daft Punk, Dave Clarke and Jeff Mills. At the turn of the century, the notorious mix CDs came under the Fuse banner, which has recently started off as record label hosting some of the most sought-after techno producers like Henning Baer and Goldffinch.
Another anniversary will be marked at #NSNS when the favourite London hip place Corsica Studios opens its doors on Saturday! The epicentre of British capital's art life is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, and the hosts of their party will be the impeccable London promoter and a venerated club-night Avant Garde, that so far presented only super-exciting artists such as Pantha Du Prince, Royksopp, Modeselektor, Function, Pachanga Boys, and numerous others. Team behind Avant Garde are hosting many of their events at Corsica Studios which is far more than a club, having one of the best sound installations in UK. At the same time, it is also a cultural centre, a gallery, a creative hub and a place where the artistic core of the city comes together. This place and its DIY philosophy have grown into quite a phenomenon and you can see Thom Yorke, Jamie xx, Hot Chip, James Murphy or Little Dragon playing there. Just the other night, Bjork did a surprise DJ set and the Radiohead is launching their albums at Corsica. Techno icon himself Jeff Mills wanted to mark the 20 years of his record label Axis for 200 invitees witnessing a nine-hour set which, according to Pitchfork, left “grown men in tears”!
The finale at EXIT will also get super-emotional, since the family reunites: Concrete is coming back HOME! After the Parisians sent their "vanguard" quartet last year, the fully-fledged Gallic expedition is coming in twice the number, with the desire to turn the whole trench in front of them into the most famous boat on the Seine! When Resident Advisor placed Concrete among the 12 best clubs in the world last summer, their very unique story was dubbed “How Paris got its groove back”. The club was a spontaneous creation arising from barely-legal rave parties at various location. After a police raid, the final location became a sizeable three-deck barge, anchored in the centre of Paris. At the start, five years ago, the parties would begin at 7 am on a Sunday and last until 2 am next day. Later, other days were also introduced, with following all-night sessions, but on the 8th of March this year, it was the mayor of Paris that personally supported Concrete's new 24-hour licence, which meant that the club officially became an important institution of culture for the City of Lights! Unstoppable in their plans since the day 1, Concrete have since launched the revered Weather festival, along with their own record label while their residents are now well-established artists with busy schedules and rave reviews from the fans and media alike.
The list of performers for each club will be revealed in the following days, and after Belgrade, Barcelona and Vienna, the next No Sleep events will soon be announced, while a completely new, beach edition of the No Sleep stage will appear at this year’s Sea Dance Festival at the turquoise Adriatic coast in Montenegro!
Contact:
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk