In what is perhaps one of the most majestic man-made environments for entertainment in the world, Dimensions Festival recently announced the lineup for its opening concert at the breath-taking 2000-year old Roman amphitheatre in the coastal city of Pula. The imposing high walls, vast arches and oval of bright blue sky above are a window into the past at the Croatian marvel; here there is a sense of historic grandeur captured as the sun sets behind the vast towering stone blocks in a breath-taking venue lovingly preserved over the centuries. It is one of the region’s true architectural wonders which sets the scene for a thrilling and mesmerising journey led by leaders of the electronic music sphere.
The opening concert is an integral experience as part of the overall Dimensions odyssey, with the evening and night sound-tracked by three incredible headliners who have just been announced: Four Tet Live, Little Dragon and Floating Points Live will all take centre stage on Wednesday 26th August.
Four Tet
Kieran Hebden as Four Tet has been exploring electronic music’s rich spectrum for years, drawing on hip hop, electronica, techno, jazz, grime and folk influences to his newer works inspired around house music. His seventh album, Beautiful Rewind, released in 2013, heralded a dynamic change in direction to more dance-floor aligned sounds, and he has continued to elevate even further as one of the world’s finest performers.
The acclaimed Swedish four-piece Little Dragon have been making waves since their eponymous album dropped in 2007, followed by three further full works including last year’s Nabuma Rubberland. Perfectly poised between exploring the dichotomy between dance music and a downtempo perspective, their richly textured music flows on the edge of the electronic pop mainstream, and promise to beguile everyone at Dimensions.
Classically trained from a young age and with a strong passion for jazz, Floating Points is a neuroscientist by day and a DJ, producer and composer by night. Knowing no boundaries when it comes to creativity and expression, Floating Points has progressed into one of the world’s most exciting producers, as well as one of the club scenes leading DJs. For the opening concert, Floating points will perform a collection of new compositions with a group combining electronic and classical instrumentation.
Little Dragon
Broadcasting the opening concert is the brilliant Boiler Room, whose Gabriel Szatan says: “Last year’s show from Dimensions’ Opening Concert was, quite simply, one of the finest all-round sessions in Boiler Room’s history. Nils Frahm and Darkside were both jaw-dropping bookends, and Caribou’s entire set felt like a coronation for one of the best electronic artists of the era making a thoroughly deserved mainstream breakthrough. It is with enormous pleasure that we’re returning to that gorgeous amphitheatre in Pula for more of the same in 2015.”
At Dimensions Festival itself set across Fort Punta Christo, the legendary Detroit purveyor of all things with a delicious funk sees Moodymann hooking up with Chicago native Lil Louis, who is widely seen as one of the key figures of house music’s birth. Genre-crossers Mount Kimbie’s sound is truly unique, and Berghain resident Ben Klock returns to lay down his indelibly pounding sounds. Fellow techno architect Surgeon bringing his razor-edged craft to the fore, with further bass-heavy rumblings emanate from some of Hessle Audio’s leading lights, the trio of Ben UFO, Pearson Sound and Pangaea all on deck duty. The consistently brilliant Motor City Drum Ensemble’s sublime technical skills match his peerlessly gritty, soul-infused sounds; whilst another Berghain luminary Rodhad also guests with his dub-infused beats, and Audio Injection’s alias Truncate and Anthony Parasole further enforce the heaviness. The enigmatic John Talabot bring his sublime house sounds to Dimensions; the Spanish DJ and producer lets his majestic music do the talking. Osunlade’s enervating, organic, jazzy and delectably deep Afro-Latin beats will keep the funk flowing, through to Daniel Avery, Delano Smith and Horse Meat Disco who each bring a slightly different aural edge to Croatia. Elusive acid-house proponents Paranoid London play live, whilst acclaimed Rex-club resident and Parisian DJ Deep is one of the France’s finest alumni from the country’s house music stable. RA’s esteemed label of the year in 2014 was Giegling, who present Edward and Vril (live) and Dustin and Konstantin; the already well-respected imprint fluxes across house and techno to slo-mo beats and instrumental hip-hop. Many more names have already been announced, with more to come.
Floating Points
Dimensions Festival – Opening Concert
Wednesday 26th August 2015
@ Pula Arena, Scalierova ulica 30, 52100, Pula, Croatia
Four Tet Live, Little Dragon and Floating Points Live
Dimensions DJs TBA
Tickets from: http://www.dimensionsfestival.com/tickets/
Dimensions Festival
Thurs 27th – 30th August 2015
@ Fort Punta Christo, Pula, Croatia
The lineup so far:
Moodymann, Ben Klock, Lil Louis, Mount Kimbie (DJ set), John Talabot, Surgeon, Rodhad, Anthony Parasole, Truncate, Hessle Audio: Ben UFO, Pearson Sound, Pangaea, Motor City Drum Ensemble, Daniel Avery, Horse Meat Disco, Jeremy Underground, DJ Deep, Paranoid London (live), Delano Smith, Franck Roger, Osunlade, Max Graef, Goldie, Doc Scott, Fierce, Dego (4 Hero), Shura, Gabriele Garzon Montano, Flako, Seven Davis Jr, Giegling pres: Edward (live), Vril (live), Dustin, Konstantin, 22a Records pres Tenderlonious, Henry Wu, Al, Dobson Jr, Deadbeat & Tikiman (live), Lee Gamble, Intergalactic Gary, K15, Clap! Clap!, Romare, Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Orchestra, Josey Rebelle, Cosmic Slop DJs, Lexis (Music Is My Sanctuary) and many more to be revealed.
Posted by Senior Staff Writer
Tiffany Wood
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