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(02/10/18 8:48pm)
If you’re in need of some dark and ominous electro, look no further: electronic trio Black Tiger Sex Machine is coming to Indianapolis on Thursday, March 8 at the Old National Centre. With support from downtempo mastermind Kai Wachi and electro/bass producers Apashe and LeKtriQue, this show is sure to be a nice addition to the IndyMojo’s heavier EDM repertoire.
The group’s latest track release, “Zombie”, features rap lyricism from artist Panther and a resounding snare slapping in the background. With a vicious grungy electro bass pounding in each drop, this track will enthrall just about anyone. In addition to this brand new track, their 2016 album Welcome To Our Church is a must-have for any EDM-head's repertoire, and still remains a monumental piece of work two years after release.
As labelheads of Kannibalen Records, BTSM has signed esteemed artists in the bass community such as Snails, as well as touring partners Apashe, Kai Wachi, and LeKtriQue. After performing a massive set at bass festival Lost Lands, I personally can’t wait to witness the trio on their Ceremony tour.
Not only do they provide a unique spin on electro and dubstep, but their stage presence is phenomenal. With all three members wearing their iconic black tiger robot helmets, each show is one unlike any other and provides an unparalleled experience. I can’t wait to see BTSM in action, and if you’re a fan of some freaky electro and dirty bass, I hope to see you there!
The concert will be held at the Deluxe at Old National Centre on March 8 at 8 p.m. Tickets are still available, so be sure to grab yours while you can!
(12/24/17 12:09am)
This year was an eventful one to say the very least. In the midst of political turmoil and natural disasters, music in all genres was on the rise, giving birth to creations that’ll go down in history. For EDM in particular, waves were made with the release of several notable albums and EPs hailing from various subgenres. With intense speculation as well as a little surveying the general EDM publics, we’ve finally come down to our list of finalists.
Top 5 Best Albums of 2017
5. Rezz – Mass Manipulation
Rezz’ unique blend of murky bass and alien techno results in the Canadian 22-year-old’s debut album. Despite each track’s somewhat dark and sinister vibe, Mass Manipulation evokes the feeling of traversing through a trippy world wedged between dreams and nightmares. The first track “Relax” is noted for its mesmeric vocal intro and down-shift into intense, resonating frequencies, while “DRUGS!” is a rippling compilation of dripping wet and rugged bass tremors. It’s the perfect soundtrack to an alien invasion, one where you’re unsure whether or not your planet’s extraterrestrial visitors have hostile intentions. Its wobbly bass and liquefied synth make for eight tracks nothing short of mind-warping hypnosis.
4. Liquid Stranger, Space Jesus, Mr. Bill – Weird & Wonderful
Wonky wubmaster label Wakaan is at it again with this EP consisting of six tracks, one of which being one of my favorite songs of 2017: “Spaceboss,” a concoction composed of a snapped and distorted build-up and broken basslines catching your breath and breaking your neck all at the same time. Other notable tracks are “Hotbox” and “Frankenskank,” both of which are infused with Liquid’s signature wobbly reggae-influenced funk. The entirety of this EP was made while the bass powerhouse was on the road, and his nomadism is reflected within each track’s eclectic and rhythmic tempo. It’s the kind of EP that’ll make it difficult to discern between what’s real and what’s entirely out of this world as each track transcends sounds you never even knew existed.
3. Illenium – Awake
While Weird & Wonderful had us preparing for the lasers, Illenium’s album has us preparing for the feels. Strikingly emotional tracks such as “Crawl Outta Love” and “Need You” featuring riveting vocals melting with a silky-smooth crescendo of bass and synth melodies dominate this LP, revealing a style similar to that of Seven Lions’. “Where’d U Go” implements staccato cadence while “Beautiful Creatures” moves at a quicker tempo than we’re used to seeing in Illenium’s work, but still manages to tug at our heartstrings all the same. The entire album weaves a tale of wanting, heartbreak, and resolution, and that’s why we can’t wait to hear more from this artist in 2018.
2. Virtual Self – Virtual Self
This wouldn’t be a complete list of the best works of 2017 if we didn’t include Porter Robinson’s new alias and his stellar EP. After Porter’s Worlds, we didn’t think it was possible for the man to create anything nearly as ethereal and soul-snatching, but we’re happy to be proven wrong. The five-track EP with highlights such as “Ghost Voices” and “EON BREAK” include whiffs of Porter’s anime accompaniment which dominated “Shelter,” as well as upbeat and buoyant tempos contrasting with darker shreds of drum and bass. Though Porter and Virtual Self are worlds apart (pun intended), there’s one thing the two faces have in common: the lineup of tracks weaves a story subjective to each listener, bringing to light deeply rooted sentiment and knocking your emotions into override.
1. Odesza – A Moment Apart
Despite the aforementioned masterpieces, as well as countless others not included in this list, it was relatively easy to come to this conclusion. 2017 was a year of chaos and severe emotional highs and lows, and A Moment Apart captures each and every detailed feeling, leaving you breathless and yearning for more. What we love about Odesza is that they don’t need lyrics to tell their stories; instead they rely purely on their velvety sound production with the occasional vocal sample from a chillingly beautiful monologue in the film Another Earth. There could be a whole separate article made practically making a written shrine of each track on the album, but we’ll just settle including a few favorites and leaving the rest for you to listen to on your own. Very rarely does the intro track of an album make much of a lasting impression, but Odesza’s “Intro” goes against the grain by pairing a supple percussion knock with the Another Earth sample and slipping effortlessly into the second listed track, “A Moment Apart.” “Boy” is a suave blend of trap and a tease of mild dubstep, creating the perfect combination of melodies to sway back and forth to. “Late Night” was one of the first tracks to debut before the full album was released, and it best showcases Odesza’s style diversification with its notorious funky groove, whereas “Corners Of The Earth” and “Thin Floors And Tall Ceilings” will have you crying about a relationship you were never in. The entire album is nothing short of brilliant with each whispered note and chilled transition wrapping you up in a warm embrace and never letting go.
(12/18/17 3:29pm)
Rating: 4/7
EDM trio Cheat Codes recently came out with the music video for “Feels Great” featuring Fetty Wap and CVBZ. It’s an upbeat track with the feel of a summer drive and kicking back with old and new friends alike. The lyrics paint a story of youth and reminiscence, of having fun in the present while remembering the past, and the video is the perfect match. Driving dirtbikes through a California desert landscape, linking arms around friends, skateboarding down makeshift ramps and dancing under the sprinkle of a water hose—the music video perfectly portrays the youthful and wholesome experience of finding happiness in being around those you love.
The tropical house feel of the track is a Cheat Codes staple, and while it may not be the best song to play to wrap up a festival set, its “good vibes” feel, catchy hook, and chorus make for a song just about anyone can get into. Fetty Wap and his signature “yeaaauuhhh” (you know what I’m talking about) and CVBZ make great additions to the track’s composition; occasionally it can be a bit of a challenge for EDM and rap to collaborate, as usually one outshines the other or forces the other to take a different form than it would’ve if it had performed by itself. The result can be a pretty awkward sounding track. An example that comes to mind is Calvin Harris’ “Holiday” with Snoop Dogg, John Legend, and Takeoff, in which Calvin completely altered his production and forced it to take a back seat to the features—but talking about Calvin Harris and his massive decline in production value is for another time. “Feels Great” shares the style of all three artists/groups equally, making for a smooth and effortless-feeling track.
That all being said, I do have to say that it’s pretty much like every summer bop ever made. Before even clicking on the music video, I knew exactly what it was going to be. I don’t expect anything different from Cheat Codes, but it would be cool to see even the slightest deviation from their normal sound in future tracks. Dancing Astronaut said Cheat Codes “continues to be a positive force in the dance space, constantly shifting their sound and breaking into cutting-edge genres,” which I can partially agree with. Cheat Codes does a have a positive influence in what can be a negatively viewed scene; in fact, the first thing I noticed about the music video was the absence of drugs or alcohol, which was refreshing to see since it is a rarity that a song about youth and celebration is without references to using substances. As far as Cheat Codes branching into other genres, I don’t see that happening with this track. Tropical house is a hit for most because of its comfortable blend of pop, EDM, and rap—some of the most popular genres at the moment.
For what it is, it’s not bad. It’s not my cup of tea, but it effectively serves the purpose and elicits the feelings it’s trying for. In the future, I’d like to see Cheat Codes change up their style and the message of their songs in the future. We have enough songs about summer, youth, drive-thrus, remembering the past, and having crushes on our best friends. I hope Cheat Codes can see that soon and tries for something different to their original brand.
(12/18/17 1:26am)
Despite it being around longer than most of us realize, EDM today is considered to be a genre left up to the young folk. A lot of our parents only get a glimpse into EDM through what they happen to hear on your favorite radio station (that is, unless you’re blasting it through your headphones like me), which is all Top 40 pop-synth bullshit that all sounds the same. That being said, most of our parents probably wouldn’t be fans of filthy dubstep if they heard it—it’s definitely an acquired taste.
So how do you convince your parents that you’re not just going through a phase and that what you listen to is actually considered music and not just random noise with the only lyric being “put your hands up?” Below is a list of EDM songs compiled that your parents just might enjoy.
1. “Closer” (Presets Remix) – Kings of Leon
I’m not sure if this is cheating or not because it’s a remix, but we’re going to use it anyway. The mellowed out, somewhat somber feel of this track is perfect for easing your parents into the very expansive and diverse world of EDM. It’s smooth like molasses, it’s mostly centered around the notorious vocals of KoL, and it’s the perfect song to have on repeat without ever getting tired of it.
2. “Thin Floors and Tall Ceilings” – Odesza
Again, the point here is to show that EDM is more than just a “3, 2, 1, jump”—this track, void of any lyrics, seems to tell a story within itself. Your parents are smart individuals—surely they’ll be able to pick up on the beautiful ascension of notes and emotions in this song and make of them what they wish.
3. “Drop The Game” – Flume
A fan favorite, this track is a subtle mixture of Chet Faker’s melodic vocals and Flume’s stunning sound design. There is not a single soul on this planet who can resist Chet Faker, and when you pair him with Flume, you’ve got yourself a glimpse into what heaven must be like.
4. “Afterglow” – Phaeleh
Again. Smoooooth vocals, calming, delicate… these are the elements we need to introduce to our parents. They’re comfortable, they’re mesmerizing, and yet they’re still EDM.
5. “Benjamins” – CVIRO, GXNXVS
I played this over the summer and my mom overheard it and really liked it so that’s why it’s on the list. Let me know if your mom digs it too so our moms can jam together in between commercial breaks on HGTV and Food Network.
6. “Fantastic” – Flume & Dave Bayley (from Glass Animals)
There are few people who can resist the seduction of Dave Bayley’s voice. Your parents will surely fall under his hypnosis. Paired with Flume’s slinky and eccentric beats, it’s definitely a track that’ll make your parents do a double-take (or a double-listen, or triple… they’ll just repeat it for eternity honestly).
7. “I Know Why” – Marian Hill
Marian Hill is borderline electronic, but we’re counting them anyway.
8. “In The Morning” – Junior Boys
I’m pretty sure I first heard this song off of SYTYCD, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s a cool track. I’m personally a huge fan of the breathy vocals and the repetitive background sounds will surely keep your parents at ease and tapping their fingers in tune.
9. “Between Two Points” – The Glitch Mob
It’s just the tiniest bit heavier compared to the other songs in this playlist, but shares the velvety vocals and somewhat muted sound production the other tracks have.
10. “Secret Place” – CloZee
Hailing from France, CloZee draws from her guitar roots and worldly instrumentals to create the organic melodic smoothness that is her music. This specific song is the perfect tune to play in the car with your parents on a road trip. This track feels like a whimsical dreamscape set in a magical forest, and who doesn’t like the sound of that?
11. “Butterfly” – Bassnectar
I know what you’re thinking. Bassnectar?? No way will my parents listen to him. What’s interesting about Nectar is how he can create tracks with lots of depth and wonky bass, but are still songs you can fall asleep to. This is one of them.
12. “Sleepless” – Excision, Savvy
If you thought Bassnectar was too heavy for your parents, Excision might just be the tipping point. Nearly all Excision tracks are enough to melt your brain into mush at half-volume alone. Here is the outlier, where Excision incorporates subtle notes of his notorious heavy sound with a sort of harmony and buttery cohesiveness that is rarely seen in his filthy concoctions. It’s a stretch, but after warming your parents up to the above tracks, don’t be surprised if they end up vibing to this. Be careful with this though: slowly keep building up their Excision tolerance and they’ll be headbanging over their minivans' steering wheels in no time.
(11/27/17 5:56pm)
Excerpt: I turned myself into a totem, Morty! I'm Totem Rick!
I don’t know about you, but I’ve always wanted to know what kind of rave-goers TV characters would be. Steven Hyde from That 70s Show? Ultimate wook. I’m talking full-blown, with harem pants and pashmina on pashmina on pashmina. Louise from Bob’s Burgers would definitely be in a dinosaur onesie and most likely on her third tab of acid before the headliner even came on.
But we’re college students, so with our expanded brain power, we are lucky enough to understand the subtle nuance and deeply ingrained intellectual humor that Rick and Morty possesses. So if the main characters from the show were in the EDM scene, who would they be?
Beth Smith: The Mom
Beth is an essential member to every rave group. She’s the only one who’ll voluntarily carry the camelbak and the backpack full of everyone’s shit. She taps you on the shoulder mid-headbang to give you water and spots you when you’re on top of that guy’s shoulders. She packed sunscreen and bug spray and applies it on you before you’ve left the campsite. She brings at least two portable phone chargers and organizes a meeting spot for all of you if you get split up, but you won’t get split up because Beth keep tracks of everyone like the cool soccer mom she is. Even though she’s given herself the responsibility of taking care of everyone, Beth goes hard as shit when Space Jesus comes on.
Jerry Smith: The Weakling
Jerry swears he’s good to pregame at the campsite and gets blacked after his 7th shot. He gets stressed in large crowds which makes you wonder what he’s doing at this kind of event anyway. Jerry runs in the opposite direction when he sees moshpits and headbanging scares him. He likes Calvin Harris and Martin Garrix because they sound “happy.” Jerry doesn't care that you're running late to your favorite DJ because he's waiting in line for a chili dog. The festival grounds close at 2 am each night but Jerry wants to leave at 10:30 because his feet hurt.
Summer Smith: The Rave Bae
Summer’s favorite part of festivals is buying the clothes for them. It’s 40 degrees outside but dammit she’s going to wear her fishnets and sequin booty shorts regardless. She ordered kandi and cuffs off of Etsy two weeks before going to Spring Awakening. Summer tries to ride rail and doesn’t realize she has to headbang over the rail rather than right above it and hits her head on straight metal. She laughs when this happens and continues to rave despite most likely having a concussion. She may or may not grind to dubstep depending on how many drinks she’s had. Summer will get a shoulder ride from a guy and when she gets off his shoulders, she’ll hug him and ask if he has any molly.
Morty Smith: The Surprise
Morty is shy in real life but the second the bass hits him, he turns into a completely different person. He whips out his LED gloves at every event and wears neon snapbacks and shutter glasses paired with his “Too Turnt” tank top. Morty starts the mosh pits and crowd surfs at Galantis. Everyone swears he’s on something but he’s 100% sober and “just feels the music.” He takes pictures next to girls and their spandex-clad asses but he asks permission first and trades kandi with them after. He compliments everyone on their totems and smiles at strangers next to him. He’ll put his arm around his friends while singing along to Alesso. He’s been practicing shuffling for a few months unbeknownst to his friends and makes room in the pit to break out some sick moves. He starts the “Seven Nation Army” chant in between the opener and headliner
Rick Sanchez: The Seasoned Wook
On his right wrist alone, Rick has about seven wristbands from seven different festivals, three of which no one’s heard of. He wears a hood complete with about 35 pins with at least 17 of them being Bassnectar. Even outside of raves, Rick can be seen in a baja hoodie, pashmina, harem pants and dusty combat boots. He’s somehow completely functional even after taking God knows what. Rick gladly does the swamp womp and doesn’t shower after but goes to bed in the same clothes. Everything Rick owns is tie-dye and he befriends everyone he meets. Rick is tagged in at least seven photos with people he met for the first time at the festival and he can’t remember any of them.
(10/29/17 5:43pm)
First of all… really?
On October 24, a survey was released to the public to vote on which artists they’d like to see perform at Lost Lands 2018. I opened the survey and was relieved to see plenty of names who fell on the 2017 lineup: 12th Planet, Kill The Noise, Downlink, Ganja White Night, and many more. I quickly checked the box next to Adventure Club and Dirtyphonics, rolled my eyes at Skrillex (and yet, he still deserves a place on the list), hovered over selecting Nero for a bit (I didn’t… sorry), and scoffed at Nectar. I’m one of those people who doesn’t ride for Bassnectar, partially because his fanbase stans so hard it’s actually scary, but the guy has talent and I’ll vibe to his Nina Simone remix from time to time. He’s just, you know… no Excision.
Despite how quickly I scrolled through the list, my eyes were unlucky enough to happen to fall on a name that I hoped I would never see. Yes, I know it’s just a list of potential artists who could snag a place on the Prehistoric Paradox or Cave of Souls stages in 2018, but I was annoyed nonetheless. Why the hell was Flosstradamus on the list?
Before I say what I’m going to say, I want to state that there are many names in the wide world of EDM that I do not vibe with. I nearly projectile vomited when I saw the DJ Mag ‘Top 100 DJs’ list announced. With Garrix, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Hardwell, and the Chainsmokers topping the list, I’ve never before felt angrier at the fact that big room EDM has officially become the face for EDM communities in general. Like I’ve said before—I’ve been to Ultra, and I’ve been to Lost Lands. Ultra is where people will body check you to get three steps closer to see Carnage in the flesh. I’m just saying.
On top of all that though, I want to say that I truly do not care who you listen to or what subgenre of EDM fits your fancy. Big room is also where a lot of people who are just getting into EDM find their footing. It’s catchy, it’s pop, it’s familiar enough that you’re not reaching completely outside your comfort zone to get into it. It often features artists we’ve seen before: the infinite collaborations with Calvin Harris and Rihanna, for example. I sure didn’t just start out breaking my neck to Dubloadz. If Marshmello existed back when I first started putting “PLUR” in my social media bios and Google searching how to make kandi, you definitely would’ve seen me ask my mom for money to buy a Mello head.
And I’m not saying me being a self-proclaimed basshead makes me more educated about EDM. Also not saying that my taste in EDM is better. Just wanted to clarify that so I don’t hurt any feelings.
BUT WHY WOULD FLOSSTRADAMUS BE CONSIDERED FOR A HEADBANGER FESTIVAL?!
Flosstradamus began in 2006 and used to be a trap duo made up of Curt Cameruci and Josh Young until 2016, when Young decided to continue his career solo and Cameruci kept the name for himself. If you’re not an EDM head, you may recognize the name ‘Flosstradamus’ from the Little 500 concert that took place in 2016. Little 500 has seemingly tried keeping to the theme of having an EDM artist headline (we’re not going to talk about Jeremih being scheduled for 2017’s concert. We’re just not.), probably because what more do drunk college students who try molly for the first time love more than raving away their sobriety?
It being my first Little 500, I went ahead and bought the ticket to attend. That was also back before you would’ve caught me casually listening to Midnight Tyrannosaurus; I was a young, dumb and broke college student who was itching to attend any EDM event regardless of who was playing. And honestly? It was fun. It really was. I’m not going to say that I didn’t enjoy myself. Given what the event was and who the crowd was, Floss was not a bad choice for the headliner.
Before and after that concert, I never listened to Flosstradamus on my own. I saw the tweets all over my timeline of girls in cropped tank tops with the hazard sign captioned ‘HDYNATION’ on the front, the infamous Flosstradamus logo. And I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard ‘Prison Riot’ and ‘Mosh Pit’ at frat parties. Too many times. Waaaay too many.
And so begins: Reasons Why Flosstradamus Shouldn't Come Within a 50 Mile Radius of Lost Lands
Reason #1: Flosstradamus has taken a top tier spot on my list of what I call ‘hype-up’ DJs, DJs who (by my standards) lack the structural talent and production skills and assembly that is used to create tracks that elicit feelings other than ‘hypeness.’ His music is pump-up music, and that's all it will ever be.
Reason #2: I know, coming from someone who enjoys riding rail to earsplitting bass, Reason #1 may not seem like a sound argument. But even in the buildups before the bass drops, there’s substance. There’s emotion. It’s especially apparent in other EDM subgenres. Go listen to ‘Fellow Feeling’ by Porter Robinson, or ‘Intro/A Moment Apart’ by Odesza and tell me you don’t feel something. Even Illenium and Seven Lions, both of whom performed at Lost Lands despite not being strictly dubstep or riddim, were chockful of pure, heavy emotion. That being said, they still threw the hell down because they knew what festival they were playing at.
Reason #3: He’s. Not. Bass.
Trap and bass can make beautiful tracks. Trap alone is great. Bass alone is great. And if there’s a trap EDM festival, I would hate to see Cookie Monsta on that lineup. It’s a matter of selling what you’re marketing, and appealing directly to that select audience. It’s basic arts management. There are so many EDM festivals that showcase so many different subgenres, festivals where seeing Floss on the lineup would actually make some sort of sense.
Reason #4: When you start merging people of these different sub-communities, you get an entirely different vibe. Like I’ve said, the crowd at a Zedd show is going to be completely different from a crowd at a Dion Timmer show. I’ve witnessed firsthand this shift in crowd energy, and it’s not one that I want to see at Lost Lands 2018. Excision’s festival as of now is not for everyone, and that’s what’s so great about it. There was no one there who shouldn’t have been there.
So Excision: Now is not the time for diversity and inclusivity, now is the time to stick to what you promised, which is a festival catered to headbangers. We ask that you please put some deep thought and consideration into who you let on 2018’s lineup, and hope that everyone you invite to perform delivers nothing short of what we were lucky enough to receive in 2017.
(10/11/17 12:48am)
We knew we weren't ready. We knew there was no way to prepare. Someone call a lawyer because Excision killed this fest.
When Excision first announced that he would be starting up his first and only music festival, bassheads around the world could only fathom what grimy sounds he would bring to the table. And when the lineup was finally posted, stacked with major names in dubstep and filthy bass like Datsik, Snails, Kill the Noise, Space Jesus, and so much more, we scrambled together our funds to buy tickets, headbanging all the way to the purchase confirmation web page.
I ended up arranging to go to the festival with a group of people I barely knew, which seems to be a common theme with me and festivals now. On Thursday, September 28th, I packed my bags and attempted to mentally and physically prepare myself for three days of 500,000 watts of bass.
We left at six in the morning on Friday, caravanning with two other cars behind us. An hour into the car ride, we reached a point where there was construction abruptly slowing down traffic. While the car I was in was able to stop suddenly, the last car in our chain hit our friend in the middle, causing her to spin out behind us. Her bumper fell off completely, and our other friend’s car was totaled. At this point, we were all convinced there was no way we’d be able to go to the festival we had been longing for. Instead of turning around and going home, we ended up buying $40 worth of duct tape and taping the shit out of this bumper, laughing the entire time. We dropped our friend’s totaled van off at the shop, managed to stuff all of our camping gear and all of our people into two cars, and continued our journey.
Day 1
After making it through security with a duct-taped trunk and having a 15-minute panic sesh when one of our group’s members couldn’t find her ID to be admitted into the festival, we made it past the entry gates with no idea what to expect. Upon entering festival grounds, we were met with animatronic dinosaurs with names I couldn’t even attempt to pronounce, as well as people dressed as cavemen and even some people walking on stilts, looming behind trees and surprising those who walked by. Of the two stages, the Prehistoric Paradox stage was the most memorable, with two giant volcanos on either side of it, pillars of fire erupting from their cores in tune with the ground-rippling bass. Two life-size (or maybe extinct-size?) t-rex dinosaurs stood on either side, the lasers and lights reflecting off their scaled skin. Even with the complimentary earbuds, I could still hear the bass pulsing between my ears and behind my chest, vibrating my entire body.
Kill The Noise and 12th Planet murdered Friday night, incorporating snippets of hardcore metal like “Let the Bodies Hit the Floor” and bringing out the angsty 13-year-old in all of us once more. Wooks dressed in onesies, harem pants, or “Anti-Riddim Riddim Club” T-shirts crawled from all over the grounds and flooded the Paradox stage when Excision’s first set of the weekend began. We all smiled in nerve-wracking anticipation when all the stage’s lights shone and he opened with the Jurassic Park theme song. I looked over at my newfound friends and complete strangers, our eyes wide. “Oh shit,” we said. That was all we were able to get out before Excision began. For that entire two hours, everyone in the crowd broke their necks and flung their limbs about in rhythm with the earthshaking bass drops he delivered. There was no “pacing yourself,” there were no rest stops, no intermissions to grab a turkey leg or frozen lemonade to recharge—we kept going despite our vertebrae wanting otherwise, ending the night by popping Tylenol to get us somewhat ready for the next day.
Day 2
On Saturday, Snails and his funky visuals overtook the Paradox stage. His entire set could best be described as dripping, melting, distorted dubstep, not unlike his usual style. It was when Destroid, the Excision and Downlink collective, took the stage that things really started to get lit, for lack of a better word. All weekend, the two volcanos standing on either side of the Paradox stage were completely synced in their animations and explosions of fire. About half an hour through Destroid’s set, we watched as one of the volcanos looked as though it were burning down, completely in awe of the realistic animations Excision was able to come up with. It was only when we looked over at the other volcano and realized it wasn’t doing the same, that there was potentially something wrong. Suddenly, the music stopped and Excision’s gravelly voice took over the microphone, as smoke enveloped the stage and flooded to the sky. “Everyone, please back up a good 20 feet from the stage. Just back the fuck up.” With a fire truck wailing in the background, a giant group of us started to make our own beats, crudely beatboxing and wub-wub-wubbing to keep the party going. I smiled at these strangers next to me, in awe of how a crowd could keep positive even when the main stage had potential to be closed down for the night. Wooks can literally get down to anything at any time.
Eventually, Excision came back on the mic, announcing that the show was not over. Though Destroid literally destroyed the stage, they continued to deliver what we all came for. Zeds Dead, Downlink, and Trollphace and Protohype (who performed at the Cave of Souls stage) were several other memorable sets of the night, and even though temperatures reached 40 degrees at times, their filthy bass and dirty drops kept our bodies warm and our necks perpetually sore.
Day 3
Waking up on Sunday was a mixed feeling of physical relief, overwhelming anticipation, and sadness. The entire weekend had brought us new friends from new places, as well as odd experiences that could only happen at Lost Lands, such as getting 30+ people to headbang around a Pringles, can and witnessing two guys dressed in inflatable t-rex suits to mock fight and break their necks together. Day 3 brought us Excision’s Detox set, which truly tested our necks’ limits. Dion Timmer followed with a mix of dubstep and filthy house, but nothing could prepare us for Space Jesus and Liquid Stranger, who took the stage with their exotic bass concoctions and trippy beats.
Because the majority of our group had seen Rezz previously, we decided to miss her set and head over to the Cave of Souls stage to see Barely Alive B2B Virtual Riot, following that with the one and only Illenium. Illenium brought to the table what none of the others could, and that was pure and utter emotional override. Sure, no one can hold a candle to the grime Excision brings to every live performance, but Illenium put every wook in their feels Sunday night, playing hits such as “Feel Good” and “Crawl Outta Love.” I smiled at strangers, I hugged my new friends and told them how much I loved them, and outstretched my hands to the sky and felt tears stream down my face. This was the moment I live for, the moment when everything is as it should be when music is swimming in my chest and ears and I have nothing but love surrounding me.
We ended the night with Excision B2B Datsik, which we left early from because the dull bodily aches we had ignored for the past two days had finally become too much to set aside. That night, we made it back to our campsite and snuggled under grass stained blankets, headbanging against our pillows to the music that we could still hear and laughing about the memories we made in just a matter of three days.
Final thoughts
I’ve been to Lollapalooza, Ultra Music Festival in Miami, and Bonnaroo, and I can honestly say that none of these festivals hold a candle to the flawless execution Excision brought, or the energy and positive mentality of every single person in the crowd. I can only imagine who or what Excision will bring to Thornville, Ohio next year, but in the meantime, I’m honored and extremely proud to have attended the first ever Lost Lands Music Festival. Now if anyone has a neck brace I can borrow for next year, let me know.