Loveland Festival 2022 | 25 YEARS: Ones To Watch

Written by Jonno Coll

Amsterdam techno institution Loveland Festival celebrates its 25th year this summer, and first since 2019 after the pandemic caused a quiet hush to fall over Sloterplas.

The festival has earned rave reviews for over two decades owing to its diverse programming and utilisation of its beautiful surroundings. Amongst a congested festival circuit and within a techno hotbed like Holland, it's no mean feat to remain on top for as long as they have done.

This year they’re making up for lost time with a truly preposterous line-up of DJs and live performances from techno upstarts and icons alike.

As per usual they’ll take place against a backdrop of green foliage and tranquil waters, but if admiring the wildlife isn’t really your sort of thing then we’ve picked out six electronic artists that may be more worthy of your attention.

La Fleur

Before the festival kicks into full gear on the Saturday afternoon, there’s an opportunity to enjoy a poolside session with Berlin’s Watergate resident La Fleur. She did an outstanding job of bringing the festival to life in the previous 2019 edition, and this year she’ll similarly be setting the tone for the festival from the outset.

The pool party itself is a special tribute to Amsterdam party Swim & Dance, which started the journey that led to Loveland Festival as we know it now. La Fleur’s elegant brand of house and techno is the ideal way to continue this tradition.

Rødhåd

Another of the lineup that calls the German capital their home, Rødhåd has been making waves with his powerful brand of techno since he established his party-turned-label Dystopian in 2009. Though he has a series of tracks and remixes to his name, including the uniquely banging soundscape that is 2017 album Anxious, DJ'ing is his forte.

He’s renowned for playing obscenely long sets in Berlin’s underground hideaways, and his predictably punishing set is not one to be missed.

Dixon

It’s difficult to compile any sort of list of contemporary DJs without including the Innervisions boss at some point, so established has he become in rundowns of the best on the planet. It’s with good reason, too: Dixon is one of the most diverse selectors in the business, equally at home playing big-room techno in festival headline slots as he is playing more choice cuts as the soundtrack to a sunrise.

His Lost In A Moment parties are legendary, and though he’s rarely released any of his own music, his DJ sets are the most transcendental and genre-defining you’re likely to hear.

Eric Prydz

If you like your dance tunes to be slightly less cerebral, Eric Prydz has you covered. Having an extensive back catalogue of his own records under his original moniker as well as the darker, more melodic Cirez D, his live shows are something to behold. Often an avalanche of strobe-lights and pyrotechnics, the spectacle of an Eric Prydz performance is often the highlight of any weekend.

Commercial bangers such as 'Call On Me' and the always atmospheric 'Opus' will be mixed alongside some of the more trance-heavy sounds you’ll hear across the festival.

Nick Warren

The festival has UK representation in the form of electronic music icon Nick Warren. His illustrious career stretches back to 1988, playing reggae and indie tunes in his native Bristol before going on to DJ for Massive Attack. While becoming a resident at Liverpool club Cream in the mid 90s, he would also form part of Way Out West, with which he would go on to commercial and critical success.

His journey to the top differs from many others on the Loveland lineup, but it means a fresh, exciting perspective for his DJ sets. Expect smooth transitions between bass drops, tinges of acid house, and a flurry of synthesisers. 

Stephan Bodzin

Another of the festival’s stellar list of live performances, Stephan Bodzin has been supremely influential across the German techno scene for decades. He cut his teeth composing music for several prestigious European theatres, and he’s carried that love of melody into his own productions.

He’s released some truly iconic records in the shape of 'Zulu' and 'Singularity', and the way he builds these tracks with an extensive array of live musical equipment is simply spellbinding. His sets create multiple, mesmerising soundtracks which mark him out as one of the most innovative techno artists out there.

Loveland Festival 2022 | 25 YRS takes place in Amsterdam, Netherlands on 13-14th August. Book your tickets here.