Heard It Here First

As we eagerly await the end of the winter weather and the start of the summer festival season, one festival is once again at the forefront of every electronic music lover’s mind, Electric Forest.

Since 2011, Electric Forest has enticed fans from all over the globe with their fusion of the natural beauty of Sherwood Forest, jaw-dropping lineup curation, interactive environmental themes, and magical art installations. But, the main driving force behind the lifeblood of the forest is the inescapable feeling of love and community.

Each year of Electric Forest transports attendees from their occasionally mundane routine and provides an immersive escape into their mystical realm of light and sounds. Last year supplied festival-goers with a heart-pounding musical lineup featuring legends like ODESZA, REZZ, Zeds Dead, Chris Lake, and many more incredible artists from sides of the music spectrum. Beyond the notable big-name headliners, Electric Forest enlisted rising stars such as Levity, Zingara, and EAZYBAKED whose forest performances have propelled their careers to new heights.

This year’s carefully curated ensemble is no exception as once again Rothbury, Michigan prepares to welcome another perfectly blended lineup of fan-favorites and up-and-comers alike. On headline duties, Forest is pulling in Pretty Lights, Subtronics, Gigantic NGHTMRE, Knock2, and loads more. A few favorites HIHF is eager to see grace the Sherwood Forest stages include CASPA, ALLEYCVT, Hamdi, and LYNY. But this is truly only the tip of the iceberg.

Electric Forest is no stranger to bringing a genre-defying variety of talent. Besides just welcoming exhilarating electronic music artists, this year’s fans are blessed with Nelly Furtado, Ludacris, The Disco Biscuits, and no forest experience would be complete without a performance from The String Cheese Incident.

Now, let’s get into the nitty gritty of our compilation of our five must-see headliners as we prepare for our journey into the forest.

PSYREN (LSDream b2b CloZee)

This year’s upcoming festival is blessed with the debut performance of the fusion of the production minds of LSDream and CloZee, PSYREN. Since the official announcement of the duo’s collaborated project back in December, fans have eagerly waited for the super-pair to grace stages with their combined soundscapes. The PSYREN project promises to merge the signature sounds of both artists in a way fans have never experienced.

LSDream ended 2023 with the conclusion of his tour, The Radical Audio Visual Experience, bringing his addictive psychedelic sound design to fans all over the country. Best known for his otherworldly production styles and immersive visuals, LSDream continues to be one of the most entrancing artists on this year’s lineup. Beyond his hypnotic tracks, any LSDream set serves as a safe space for listeners to embody their highest selves and welcome the most important element of all, love.

French producer, CloZee is well-versed in the ethereal world of the Sherwood Forest as this year marks her third return trip to Electric Forest. Best known for her diverse arrangements and rhythmic, natural beats, it is no wonder that she is welcomed back to this festival lineup with open arms. Her talent for incorporating a diverse array of sounds originating from different cultural walks of life is only a small component of what draws electronic music enthusiasts into her sonic aura. CloZee dabbles in every sub-genre of bass under the sun to bring her fans the most lush and vibrant soundscapes bound to please any listener. With these two artists combining forces the PSYREN project is ensured to rock the electronic music scene to its core.

Excision

When it comes to the most influential dubstep artists in the industry, Excision almost immediately comes to mind. Since his debut in 2007, much of the growth and popularity of heavy dubstep can be credited to him. Between his brutal discography and personally curated festivals, Excision is a household name for any dubstep enthusiast. If you ever find yourself in the crowd for one of his sets prepare to get lost in his world of bone-chilling bass drops and intricate light shows guaranteed to be an instant core memory. Given the fact that it has been ten years since Excision last unleashed his unrelenting bass on the masses of the forest and this set signifies the conclusion of his 2024 Nexus Tour, this year’s performance is bound to be one for the record books. We can’t wait to see what he’s got in store and we love that he continues to platform rising star artists with his Lost Lands and Bass Canyon festivals, his Subsidia label, and his live performances, where he is well-known to play music from on-the-rise acts.

Charlotte De Witte

On the opposing side of the electronic spectrum stands the celebrated techno phenom, Charlotte De Witte. Driven by her constant pursuit of continuously evolving past her limitations, Charlotte De Witte has earned her global recognition as one of the most sought-after electronic artists in the industry. Within the realms of techno, the Belgian DJ manages to dabble in incorporating her signature dark atmospheres, driving beats, and industrial elements into each project she creates. Her passion for creating and supporting the techno culture is just one of the many reasons not only her sound but also her persona resonates in the hearts and minds of fans across continents. Electric Forest attendees should count their blessings because Charlotte De Witte is at the top of most electronic music fans’ must-see list and she’s on ours as well.

Subtronics

A man who needs no introduction, Subtronics has held on firm grip on the bass music scene over the past couple of years. Committed to constantly delivering fans electrifying yet playful performances combined with innovative, ear-pleasing releases he embodies his presence as one of the most boundary-pushing artists in the scene. Subtronics’ true talents derive from his genuine love for crafting thick sonic soundscapes and bringing a myriad of elements together to create each of his ground-breaking performances, well-known for using four decks to chop up his favorite riddim tracks.

The Cyclops Records founder has established himself at the forefront of the ever-growing dubstep realms and shows no signs of taking his foot off the gas. With his TESSERACT Tour beginning next month, fans across the country are clamoring to secure the chance to catch the musical wizardry we’ve all come to love. Forest goers in 2022 were treated to an explosive performance from Subtronics and if there’s one thing we know for sure, no two Subtronics sets are ever the same, so we can’t wait to see what tricks he pulls out for this upcoming year.

Everything Always (John Summit b2b Dom Dolla)

Everything Always combines the forces of two of the most high-profile talents in electronic music, Dom Dolla and John Summit. Recently the superstar pairing has unleashed their new joint venture to the few and far between leaving an aura of mystery around their collaborated project. Individually, these two artists are capable of packing out any club or arena, but together, fans everywhere are clamoring to catch the new rhythmic joint sensation wherever they can.

Dom Dolla ended last year with an irrefutable amount of accomplishments under his belt. With a Grammy nomination, an ARIA Award for Best Dance Release, winning GQ Australia’s Solo Artist of the Year, and a collaboration with the legendary Nelly Furtado all before the start of 2024, no one can deny that his astronomical rise to the top is far from over. Dom Dolla’s discography is lined with pulsating beats and groovy basslines that hook listeners within seconds. Though he makes his camp in the tech-house stylings, Dom Dolla has an adept ability for blending infectious melodies into any part of his production, resulting in instant hits bound to get your feet moving.

Despite the fact John Summit’s first release “Deep End” only debuted in 2020, he’s made use of every second establishing himself as one of the most prominent figures in the EDM world. His meteoric rise to the top of the charts in four years is worthy of scientific study. Widely recognized as one of the most exciting artists, John Summit has trailblazed his way to the focal point of electronic lovers’ hearts and minds. Fans have recently dubbed the American artist a new moniker, “Wook Summit”, due to his growingly popular musical alter-ego that leans into exploring the wonky waters of dubstep. John Summit stands tall amongst industry titans such as GRiZ, Subtronics, and Dom Dolla having earned recognition from these legends resulting in collaborated sets and intoxicating remixes. With these two powerhouses fusing their sonic crafts, Everything Always is bound to be one of the biggest super-duos of the upcoming festival year.

And these are only a few of the incredible acts prepared to grace the Sherwood Forest’s stages. Every year, Electric Forest provides festival-goers with 101 reasons why they are a fan favorite and this year stands ready to up the ante. Ask any Electric Forest veteran and they will tell you the same, the best parts of the experience aren’t the star-studded lineup curation, the mesmerizing visual immersion, or even the mystical atmosphere that surrounds you. The most vital component that makes this Electric Forest a magical soon-to-be core memory is the overall aura of community and love that this environment provides. With this year’s fusion of genres, renowned headliners, and fan-favorite rising artists, this year is shaping up to be the best Electic Forest to date.

Let us know in the comments below what artists on this year’s Electric Forest lineup have you emptying the piggy bank!

Tickets and more information can be found on the Electric Forest website.

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