Photo: Imagine Festival
ATLANTA, GEORGIA — Imagine Festival is returning for its 3rd year in Atlanta, GA and there’s no doubt that it’s going to be a banger. With such a varied lineup full of EDM legends like Adventure Club all the way to up and coming acts such as Liquid Stranger, the festival offers music for all tastes within the world of dance music.
In this article I am going to highlight some of the artists you won’t want to miss at Imagine Festival 2016. However, I’m not going to highlight the well-known headliners, because chances are you already have listened to them or at least heard of them. I am going to highlight the more eclectic sounds that you may have never heard of, but may just be you new favorite artist after attending Imagine this year.
1. Levitation Jones
A DJ Set with Brian Levitation Jones, New England bass music extraordinaire, is always a good time. Levitation Jones throws down and tears it up at every set I’ve seen him perform. With his unique sounds that don’t follow any rules, to his trembling bass lines, he is definitive a must-see festival favorite.
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Two absolute undeground heaters from 2015. Put these together a while back and decided to just share it out there for y’all.
Original tracks are Eprom – Center of the Sun VIP and Korby – Termination
No production is mine, just the arrangement of the two tracks with each other.
Artwork by Mia Vertudez
facebook.com/levitationjones
twitter.com/levitationjones
2. Spankalicious
Spankalicious offers the trippiest and funkiest bass music you’ll ever hear. There’s not much more I can do to describe it in words. Just give it a listen, you won’t be disappointed.
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Wakaan and Space Jesus present MEANWHILE…
Epic Adventures – @yheti @toadface & @spankalicious
Available in both high-quality Mp3 and WAV for Free on 9/1.
Mp3 Download: www.hive.co/l/29nqx
WAV Download: www.hive.co/l/29nr6
TRACK LISTING:
1. Freddy Todd & NOTE – The InspEYErator
2. Conrank – Monkey King
3. Yheti, Toadface & Spankalicious – Epic Adventures
4. Liquid Stranger & Space Jesus – SPACE BOSS
5. Bleep Bloop – Obsidian
6. Shlump – FUNK (Beat-Box)
7. PROKO – Turn My Music High
8. Sayer – Graverobber
9. Toadface – Glands
10. Esseks – JANK
11. Pipus ft. Baghdaddy – 2strong
12. Jade Cicada – Grunty’s Bundt Cake
13. Zebbler Encanti Experience & Halfred – Grade A
14. Of The Trees – The Chrome Knight
15. Djank Yucca – Jungle Beast
16. Mr. Bill & Tha Fruitbat – Trill Clinton
17. Supersillyus – Raging Semi
3. iLL.GATES vs. KJ SAWKA
It took me a while to realize that theiLL.GATES name is more than just a play on words about the Microsoft billionaire. iLL.GATES is an electronic music producer and uses gate effects in Ableton like a pro. He even helped Bassnectar figure out his set-up in Ableton. KJ Sawka is the drummer for Pendulum, the legendary Drum N’ Bass band who is also having a DJ Set at the festival. Together, they create a bass-heavy experience worth seeing.
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4. Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs (DJ Set)
To be completely honest, this is the artist I am most excited to see at Imagine this year. Their upbeat indie pop style is captivating and incredibly uplifting. Their music just makes me so happy. This one is for the all the indie hipsters at heart.
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5. Ott & The All-Seeing I
Ott offers psychedelic sound-scapes with goa and psytrance roots mixed with ambient, chill and reggae elements. If you like artists like Shpongle, Astrix, or Hallucinogen, you will love Ott, which incorporates Naked Nick, Chris Umberloid, Matt White, and Ott for a full-band live experience. This is the type of music you can meditate to.
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6. Opiuo
And if you like Ott, you will probably like Opiuo, too. They’re kind of similar, but Opiuo is faster tempo, and incorporates way more heavy bass while still keeping those elements of psytrance or psydub. They offer sounds that you go on a shamanic journey to. The type of music to get down to.
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7. The Polish Ambassador
The Polish Ambassador is a pioneer in electronic music, creating everything new that dance music needs right now. This funky producer’s older music is much more psychedelic, while his newer stuff is instrumental, whimsical, and packs a good message, too. Not only is his music all about spreading good vibes, but in the past he hosted a Permaculture Action Tour, where the proceeds from his concerts went to benefit planting community gardens. It’s pretty awesome when you can party with a purpose.
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All music is Name Your Price at http://thepolishambassador.bandcamp.com
8. DJ Knowledge
DJ Knowledge is another New England favorite. His music not only offers original and remixed Trap and Big Room bangers, but there is a great community surrounding his music, too. DJ Knowledge has a rich community of promoters, music enthusiasts, and producers called Columns of Knowledge. So you’ll always see good people and familiar faces at his shows.
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On Sunday August 9th I performed at Moonrise Festival in Baltimore, Maryland for Steez Promo & Glow. The people were amazing, the energy was fantastic! Thanks to everyone involved who made this possible.
#watchthemoonrise #mr2015
Playlist:
1) David Tort & Bass Kleph – Lemonade
2) Makj & Thomas Newson – Black
3) Jauz & Ephword – Rock the Party
4) GTA & TJR – Mic Check
5) Bingo Players – NTS (DJ Knowledge & Myadd Remix)
6) Ookay & Scott Sinjin – Echo (DJ Knowledge & Myadd Remix)
7) Henry Fong – Wine Dem
8) Tiesto & Dallask – Show Me
9) Sander Van Doorn – Ori Tali Ma (Atom Pushers bootleg)
10) Mercer & 4B – Bounce
11) Flosstradamus & Valentino Khan – MFU
12) Jayceeoh & Riot Ten – Hold It Down
13) Nostalgia – Gun Demo VIP
14) Party Thieves & Atliens – Chief
15) Jantsen & Dirt Monkey – Freaks
16) Apashe – I’m A Dragon (Snavs Remix)
17) Jayceeoh & Made Monster – Hydraulics
18) Nghtmre – Street
19) Snails – Murda Sound
20) Andromulus – Dominions
9. FYER
FYER is some of the most epic genre-blending and bending amazingness I’ve ever heard. It’s a real surprise that they are at the bottom of the lineup. Imagine the guitars of Dragon Force mixed with the live-band electronic sounds of Savoy, mixed with some GRiZ future-funk, and some trap snares. And then when you thought you had it all, the drop comes on with some liquid Drum N Bass. Woah, amazeballs. That’s how I would describe FYER. Listen for yourself:
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10. Beats Antique
Beats Antique is actually pretty well known, but I think they needed to be added to this list because their genre fills such unique niche within dance music. Beats Antique is special not only because of their unique gypsy sound, but because every show is a fantastic piece of performance art. Whether they bring in their full live band or are just performing a DJ Set, they always have instruments, dancers, costumes, performers, and drummers on stage.
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General Admission + VIP on sale now! Visit the official Imagine Festival website (link) for more information.
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Written by: Colin Eldridge
