Heard It Here First

We are nearing two months away from Sound Haven! We’re excited to return to Tennessee to witness a stacked lineup of bass music take the stage! Sound Haven is once again providing a fantastic curation of sounds from top to bottom, featuring massive headliners Jade Cicada, Rusko, Minnesota, Kursa, and Detox Unit. All information, including tickets, FAQs, and applications, can be found on their website here! Presenting our ten must-see performances at this galactic voyage of a festival!

SOUND HAVEN PHASE 1 🪐

TIX – https://t.co/DxtQs9QacF pic.twitter.com/4IuK6XJ9L2

— Sound Haven (@SoundHavenFest) March 24, 2022

1. Distinct Motive

Kicking off our list is Canadian producer Distinct Motive. Having released with Deep Dark & Dangerous and Navy Cut, Distinct Motive’s combination of both old-school dub and dark vibrations prove how much of a force he is to be reckoned with. Those looking for a proper fix of 140 will love what he brings to the decks this summer. Prepare to enter the deep end as he is sure to unleash nothing but constant heat!

2. Keota

Denver-based Keota is one of the most unique talents on this year’s lineup. The sound design wizard has played some really cool festivals and shows recently, most notably the inaugural Sol Fest in Alabama and the Thanksgiving weekend King’s Theatre show in Brooklyn, which was headlined by Detox Unit as well as Sound Haven’s own headliner Jade Cicada. In the Denver scene, local attendees have been blessed to catch this talent headlining Knew Conscious, and soon they will also be able to catch him as support for Ultrasloth at the legendary Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom. With each release, fans are left wondering “How?” as they listen to new directions for bass music that were once thought impossible. We can’t wait to hear the tasty IDs that Keota will be bringing to Sound Haven!

3. vide

As one of the original Lost Dogz members, the Old Bay lovin’ vide has continued to push an incredible array of sounds for years. Ranging from experimental to halftime, you can feel the immense energy he provides in his music and his DJ sets. Collabs with Eazybaked, Saka, FLY, and Milano have showcased this range that vide offers. He recently unleashed his vide’s vault vol. 1 mix featuring an insane amount of unreleased music, and we’re excited to get rowdy to his set at Sound Haven this summer!

4. Canvas

Atlanta-based Canvas has quietly enjoyed a breakout over the last year. She has described her music as “gut music”, providing epic punches without being bound to one specific subgenre. Her talents have led to her playing as support for artists such as The Widdler, Mr. Carmack, and CloZee. This is a producer you must keep your eyes on over the next year, and one of the sets we will be upfront and center for!

5. Chef Boyarbeatz

With all the hype on his side, LA-based Chef Boyarbeatz is quickly making a name for himself in the underground bass scene. His experience in the Southern California scene combined with his passion for crate digging has led to him playing support slots for notable names such as Mat Zo, The Glitch Mob, and most recently, kLL Bill. Last summer, he made his festival debut at Beyond Wonderland, joining several hot bass acts like UBUR, Ray Volpe, Aweminus, and Control Freak. With releases on labels such as Space Yacht, Bassrush, Wavecraft Collective, Wormhole Music Group, and 40oz Collective, it’s clear that this talented producer has a diverse and entrancing range of sounds. Chef Boyarbeatz will be carrying this great momentum into Sound Haven and we can’t wait to hear what he brings to this summer’s festival.

6. Engix

Engix is one of the hottest up-and-coming producers on this year’s lineup. Attendees who are looking for a unique combination of dubstep and bass will definitely enjoy what he brings to the table. Engix was also a popular act at the inaugural Sol Fest. In addition to Sound Haven, he will also be playing Big Fam fest this coming September. Engix has released some serious heat so far in 2022, including his Downforce EP, in which we premiered his collab with HIHF-favorite illanthropy, titled “Final Order”. Most recently, he released his four-track collab Reppin EP with fellow up-and-coming star BroMosapien. We can’t wait to hear the energy that Engix brings to his set this year.

7. Floret Loret

Few producers in the underground can match the sound design chops of Floret Loret. His soundscapes are divine, combining distorted bass with organic background FX to give his tracks incredible depth. His 2021 EP In Maroon perfectly demonstrates this, as the entire EP makes the listener feel as if they’re underwater. He also makes use of color association, as noted by his association with the color red and its connected emotions for In Maroon. Floret Loret will make an appearance at Shambhala Music Festival, Big Fam, and Kosmic Kingdom this summer along with his performance at Sound Haven.

8. Meduso

Hailing from Los Angeles, Meduso has been on a warpath in the underground bass community. After the release of his debut LP “Yugen” and subsequent remix LP, Meduso caught the attention of Sound Haven Music Festival and was a late addition to the 2021 lineup. In 2022, he makes his return to Sound Haven after several massive opening performances for Illenium in the past calendar year. He also made waves with his “Chop Suey” bootleg which sends both club and festival crowds into a frenzy. We cannot wait to hear his signature massive bass sound blasting through the sound system in Tennessee. Check out Meduso on the HIHF Guest Mix series here!

9. Mythm

Our favorite UK Dubstep producer who isn’t from the UK at all, MYTHM actually hails from Canada. But don’t be fooled, this man’s tunes belong on the streets of London circa 2008. MYTHM’s tunes are dubstep in their purest form; sweet 140bpm goodness with brooding basslines and haunting background FX. He’s received high praise from icons such as J:Kenzo and Alix Perez and is booked for a handful of noteworthy festivals this year including Infrasound, The Untz, and Shambhala, among others. MYTHM’s tunes are made for powerful sound systems, and his Sound Haven set is certain to absolute madness.

10. Zen Selekta

Rounding up our list is HIHF-favorite Zen Selekta, who returns for the second year in a row to Sound Haven. Also based out of Atlanta, Zen Selekta is continuing to gain momentum worldwide. Performances at Sol Fest and Infrasound have garnered crowds quickly. We also hosted her at our inaugural Cabin Fever Festival in 2020, which benefitted The Innocence Project. We’re excited to catch another set of hers as her career continues to blossom!

*contributors to this article were Ryan Hood and Dan Warren*

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