Sol Music & Arts Festival 2024, or Sol Fest, provided electronic fans with a well-saturated gamut of top-tier electronic acts throughout the weekend, ranging from up-and-coming bass phenoms to long-standing dubstep legends. The Heard It Here First team was lucky enough to be on-site to experience these one-of-a-kind sets firsthand including unexpected back-to-backs, like Big Gigantic b2b Levity, to intimate VIP sets from HIHF favorite, Of The Trees. Check out our breakdown of our favorite acts from Sol Fest 2024 weekend below!

Big Gigantic

Big Gigantic was a major topic of discussion of the weekend after their colorful, funk-infused set at the main Sol Stage that showcased fan-favorite tunes of Big G’s past and present, including their recent Always Wanna Talk EP with Smoakland and their behemoth GIGANTIC NGHTMRE EP with NGHTMRE. With a balanced ensemble of sax-savvy house, earth-shattering dubstep, and infectious funk breakdowns, the crowd could not get enough of Big Gigantic’s awe-inspiring performances that have withstood the test of time. Our Heard It Here First team had the immense honor of sitting down with Big Gigantic prior to their Friday night headline set to discuss Sol Fest, collaborating with rising acts, and their upcoming Rowdytown 12 at Red Rocks! You can check out our exclusive two-part interview below:

Of The Trees

Any given Of The Trees set is a must-see for bass music aficionados and his two sets at Sol Fest were no exception. From start to finish, Of The Trees kept the crowd grooving by delivering a mesmerizing sonic journey filled with filthy original beats and heart-pounding flips. New and long-time fans were treated to some of the hottest selections from his discography such as “The Owl Song”, “Hieroglyph (Of The Trees Remix),” and “Everglades March (VIP)”, which based on the crowd reactions, all played perfectly into his hour-plus set time. Even if you weren’t familiar with Of The Trees’ tracks, the Maine-native producer made sure to rinse in a fair amount of bass bangers, even mixing EAZYBAKED’s “Certified” with Distinct Motive’s “Mellow Man” to everyone’s immense pleasure. Whenever we thought Of The Trees might give us a moment to catch our breath, we were thrown right back into the fire of another impending banger. If his original set wasn’t enough for fans, VIP guests were blessed with a late-night, UKG-heavy secret set at the Debussy Stage.

Levity (aka “Leverybody” b2b)

Arguably the best set of the weekend, Levity’s impromptu Thursday set at the Body Stage had festivalgoers kicking off the festival strong. After demolishing their solo set, the “future of bass music” joined Levity for the ultimate “Leverybody” back to back with eight separate acts taking turns on the decks, including ALLEYCVT, Lumasi, Super Future, Meduso, Raaket, OkayJake, and STVSH. It was truly a sonic spectacle, as you could hear each producer’s signature sound in each track they transitioned into. These rising dubstep and bass phenoms curated a seamless synergy between one another, with ALLEYCVT throwing down filthy dubstep, Super Future ripping tantalizing trap, Lumasi spinning his freeform fire and OkayJake pushing the limits of the subwoofers with his signature low-end bass. The “Leverybody” back-to-back was truly history in the making, and we are so fortunate to have experienced it. Check out this clip from the mega b2b below!

Dirt Monkey b2b Smoakland

Dirt Monkey and Smoakland are both individually known for their unique cutting-edge approach to sound design, but together, the trio is a force to be reckoned with. Their b2b was a high-intensity rollercoaster ride illustrating their deadly musical arsenals in perfect unison. Utilizing infectious tracks from each of their discographies, SmoakMonkey turned Sol Fest into a late-night non-stop wonky dance party. The grounds were practically shaking underneath the weight of the crowd’s feet and the booming bass. Their set was jam-packed with both released and unreleased collaborations from both parties. Of course, Dirt Monkey and Smoakland both highlighted their collaborations with the bass queen, Sippy, while also teasing an unreleased SmoakMonkey collab that fans will now be eagerly awaiting the release of. In honor of May 4th, Star Wars fans were gifted a very special present, as the Dirt Monkey and Smoakland played a walloping rendition of the Star Wars Imperial March filled with wobbling bass and screeching synths. Whether you caught the SmoakMonkey b2b or Smoakland’s Liquid Smoak set at the Body Stage on Sunday, these production powerhouses delivered infectious performances that none of us will soon forget. 

LSDREAM

LSDREAM is well-regarded for his mind-blowing shows that are complete with top-tier production and finely tuned sound systems, and his Sol Fest headline set Sunday night was a testament to that. Opening with a ferocious collaborative ID between himself and HIHF Guest Mix alum, Raaket, LSDREAM had the crowd blasting off from the jump. He supplied Sol Fest with a sneak peek of his forthcoming LSZEE project with CloZee, another artist who acted as a staple to Sol Fest weekend. It was many fans’ first time getting to hear his recent HEARTWAVE EP, and we can confirm that “OPERATE”  goes just as hard live. LSDREAM was the ideal act to close out the weekend full of master-class electronic acts, especially after holding one of his consecrated meditative LIGHTCODE sets earlier the same day.

NGHTMRE

Thursday night’s headlining slot laid in the skilled hands of NGHTMRE. NGHTMRE delivered a genre-defying display of neck-breaking hits and upcoming releases alike. If there is one thing we can be sure of during an NGHTMRE set, it’s that he is always sure to bring the energy. With his upcoming EP, UNSOUND PART 2 on the way, NGHTMRE had an unending supply of unreleased music to get the Sol Fest crowd’s blood pumping. For many fans, it was their first time hearing his newest collaborations with Jon Casey and Liquid Stranger rinsed live, and each track combined with Sol Fest’s impeccable sound system did them all justice. We couldn’t imagine a better way to end night two of the five-day Sol Fest weekend.

These are just a few of our favorite acts from a weekend of back-to-back profound displays of electronic music mastery. From day partying at the springs in the sunlight to late-night feral activities accompanied by some of the best in the electronic music scene, Sol Fest 2024 was an all-around smash. Sol Fest is undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with after this year’s incredulous lineup, thundering performances, and immaculate vibes. Stay tuned to Heard It Here First’s Instagram for more Sol Fest footage from this one-of-a-kind experience!

Which sets from Sol Fest 2024 can you not stop thinking about? Let us know in the comments below and we hope to see you next Summer at Sol Fest 2025, we can’t wait to see what that lineup has in store for us!

Photos courtesy of Sol Fest media and @robflagg

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Posted on 0 By Ty Orloski Festival Posted in Festival, News Tagged #, , , , ,

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