ELECTRIC GARDENS SYD ANNOUNCES BRAND NEW STAGE FOR 2018 – SOUTHERN SOUNDS ARENA – FEAT. AN ALL-AUSTRALIAN LINE-UP
[lead]A selection of diverse, contemporary club acts driving the Australian dance scene forward will take to their very own stage at Electric Gardens in Centennial Park this January, as programmed by Sydney tastemakers UNDR Ctrl. Today, comes news that an all-star mix of Southern Hemisphere artists will take to a brand-new stage at Centennial Gardens Sydney, dubbed the “Southern Sounds Arena”. The line-up has been curated by Sydney-based creative music agency UNDR Ctrl (the masterminds behind popular Sydney contemporary event series The Island LIVE, Output Festival and MixMag’s The Lab).[/lead]
Earlier this week, Electric Gardens announced that one of the most sought-after party brands in the world, Circoloco – will premiere its very own arena of international talent, marking the first time ever that the annual Ibiza favourite has teamed up with an Australian music festival. Dubfire, Nicole Moudebar, Apollonia, Art Department, and Clive Henry are set to join the already announced megastars Fatboy Slim, Armand van Helden, Gorgon City (DJ set), and MK.
Each artist on the Southern Sounds arena line-up are not only known here on Australian shores for their thoughtful, pioneering club productions and robust live sets, but have played (or are about to play) a crucial part in advancing the Australian electronic music scene further afield; thanks to their overseas touring endeavours.
MOTEZ
Fresh off the back of a US/Canada tour, and a massive Australian tour, Adelaide superstar Motez takes the reigns at the Southern Sounds Arena headliner. Motez has been in high demand following the release of his lauded EP, The Vibe, last year, and his recent single The Future is already an Australian classic.
The Aston Shuffle
Joining him will be longtime Australian electronic frontrunners The Aston Shuffle, who many will be familiar with from their many Ministry of Sound compilation features, or weekly triple j show The Friday Night Shuffle.
BELLA SARRIS
Sydney-turned-Berlin export Bella Sarris, a DJ and producer who’s a seasoned Ibiza resident for Richie Hawtin at ENTER.
Colour Castle
Sydney’s prolific producer Colour Castle is one to watch and his poolside grooves, late night tech rompers and melodic four to the floor rhythms regularly appear (and have topped) the ARIA charts.
Luke Million
It’s been a solid year for Adelaide producer Luke Million, selling out his own ‘Come Together’ EP headline shows, touring with Client Liaison, and wooing crowds at Splendour in the Grass. Million’s character-rich, vintage-synth-filled productions (Arnold, Stranger Things reworking) are fan favourites.
Kilter
Having amassed 33 million streams online, multiple visits to the Top of Hype Machine charts, triumphed in the triple j Like A Version and been requested to remix ODESZA, Mø, Duke Dumont and London Grammar, Sydney’s Kilter is a sure bet; with a production arsenal only enhanced by his energetic, percussion-filled live set.
Roland Tings
One of the scene’s most pioneering live electronic artists at present, producer Roland Tings has been riding high on the success of his impressive ‘Each Moment A Diamond’ EP; a diverse, au courant offering; spanning a diverse range of styles from euphoric techno, to infectious pop, and hypnotising synthscapes. Tings, a support favourite of RUFUS and Chrome Sparks, delivers flawless, hugely danceable performances, and is set to dazzle at Centennial Park following a huge sold out live tour earlier this year.
Willaris. K
Willaris. K has been one of the most talked-about breakthrough artists of 2017. His stunning, innovative debut single ‘Alchemy’ shows writing beyond his years- the depth of his productions have drawn comparisons to Jon Hopkins.
Young Franco
Future-funk fiend Young Franco is no stranger to getting clubs heaving across Australia on a regular basis – recently bringing down the house at Lost Paradise, Wine Machine and selling out his own show at The Metro Sydney. Franco’s smiling stage persona, epic jam selections and fantastic original productions win him fans and friends wherever he goes.
Curated by UNDR Ctrl
UNDR Ctrl Director and Southern Sounds Arena curator, Paul Stix, says the Electric Gardens team briefed them to create the first-ever, all Australian stage at the event, which has henceforth been predominantly of an international artist make-up, as there were just “too many good Australian acts” not to honour them properly.
Says Stix: “The Australian dance music community is doing big big things around the world at the moment. Artists are topping festivals and clubs and our scene back home is as healthy as it’s been in years. The Southern Sounds Arena gives Electric Gardens the opportunity to dip into the vast amount of home grown talent we have in this country and pull together a line-up that’s almost like a mini-festival within a festival! The chosen acts reflect a perfect mix of raw breaking talent alongside some of the more established names pushing the scene forward not just here in Australia, but on a global scale.”
Those in attendance at the huge Centennial Park event will no doubt find that the Southern Sounds Arena artists’ performances will more than match their European and US counterparts on the day; and this stage should go someways in acknowledging the enormity of Australia’s significant contribution to global dance music culture.
SOUTHERN SOUNDS ARENA ELECTRIC GARDENS
Curated by UNDR Ctrl
2018 ARTIST LINE-UP:
MOTEZ
and (In Alphabetical order):
THE ASTON SHUFFLE (DJ set)
BELLA SARRIS
COLOUR CASTLE
LUKE MILLION
KILTER
ROLAND TINGS (DJ set)
WILLARIS. K
YOUNG FRANCO
Joining already announced artists:
Mainstage:
FATBOY SLIM
ARMAND VAN HELDEN
GORGON CITY
MK
CircoLoco Stage:
DUBFIRE
NICOLE MOUDEBAR
APOLLONIA
ART DEPARTMENT
CLIVE HENRY
Centennial Park, Sydney
Jan 27th, 12pm – 10pm
Sydney – First release tickets sold out, second release tickets onsale now for $130 + booking fee.