Image: Giles Smith
Beacons Festival, taking place from the 7th – 10th August, is back for another year in the rural town of Skipton, North Yorkshire. It may be a relatively young festival, but that’s not to say it hasn’t been picking up traction, and, with a line-up leaning towards the underground, it’s easy to see why.
Here at The Noise Gate we were impressed, to say the least, by the amount of electronic acts on offer. And so, being the kind folk we are, we decided to give you the low-down on which ones are not to be missed…
DARKSIDE
In case you don’t already know, DARKSIDE is the collaborative duo of guitarist Dave Harrington and renowned electronic producer Nicolas Jaar. Despite having vastly different backgrounds, the twosome has found a common ground in their production of electronic music and psychedelic rock combined. While some ‘live’ electronic performances can seem overly staged, the same can’t be said for DARKSIDE. Described in a recent review of their stint at Fabric as an “extended jam session”, their sets are said to bring diversity and intrigue.
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JON HOPKINS
London-based electronic composer, producer and remixer, Jon Hopkins, has made quite a name for himself over the past few years. His music can be described as powerfully emotive and instrumental. It consistently crosses genres, alternating from solo acoustic piano to explosive, bass-heavy electro. A long-term collaborator of Brian Eno, his career has remained unpredictable, taking in collaborations with the likes of Wayne MacGregor, and remixing for such varied artists as Wild Beasts and Four Tet. Expect from him a hyper-energetic show which has been seen all over the world at some of the most iconic venues, including the infamous Sydney Opera House.
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GREG WILSON
Some say you should never go back, but Greg Wilson didn’t listen. After a decade of rocking the house across North-West England before I was even born, Greg hung up his headphones in 1983 only to return 20 years later to do it all again. Considered by many as the Godfather of electro-funk, this guy is certain to have you moving non-stop.
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DUSKY
London based duo Alfie Granger-Howell and Nick Harriman, better known as Dusky, are as at home writing sophisticated orchestral pieces or rousing piano motifs as they are jackin’ house and techno grooves. It’s this diverse sound that makes them so special. Their sets are packed full of electronic music with depth, soul and originality. Influenced by everything from classical and jazz to avant-garde electronica, the duo’s emphasis is on musical depth rather than genre restrictions – definitely worth a watch!
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HUXLEY
Raised on a diet of house, garage and early rave music, Huxley has firmly cemented himself on the UK house scene with his own distinctive style. Having seen Huxley a fair few times, I think I can be justified in saying that his set won’t disappoint. His trademark house garage combination is always a crowd pleaser.
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MAX GRAEF
Born and raised in Berlin, Max Graef is a prime example of the new generation of young producers emerging at the moment. His output is mature and diverse and ranges from house, to hip-hop & bass, and everything in-between.
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ROMAN FLUGEL
Possibly one of the biggest names in the German electronic music scene, Roman Flugel can only be described as a chameleon. Emerging from the early 90’s, he’s covered everything from ambient/idm, to house, techno, electro and leftfield.
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TRISTAN DA CUNHA
With over 15 years’ experience in the game, Tristan da Cunha has established himself firmly on the underground scene. Hailing from Leeds and holding residency at legendary house institute Back To Basics, Tristan performed alongside the latest and the greatest DJs for over a decade. His reputation and style on the decks has taken him far and wide, performing sets at clubs such as Fabric, Panorama Bar & Below and DC10.
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RALPH LAWSON
There are not many people on the planet who come close to the role Lawson has played in underground dance music. Widely considered to be one of the very best DJs in the world, Lawson has always been a bit of an enigma, a secret weapon for promoters in the know. He currently holds residencies at Back To Basics Leeds, We Love Space Ibiza and Barcelona’s The Loft, as well as regular appearances at Berlin’s Watergate and London’s Fabric. His sets are best served long, as his superb technical skills make him able to span a wide range of music under the banner of house.
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SPECIAL REQUEST
Leeds’ own techno legend Paul Woolford has a new alias and it’s earning him a whole new heap of praise. Special Request is a serious departure in sound for Woolford. Moving from his techno roots, he explores a more jungle, hardcore sound.
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For more information and tickets click here
