The full line-up of Electric Castle 9 is here! The Chemical Brothers, Iggy Pop, George Ezra and Pendulum are joined by new worldwide known artists, talented producers, legendary names and many surprises from different genres. Good times ahead!
For all those going to thrift shops with empty pockets, but a heart full of hope – MACKLEMORE comes to Romania for the first time! The artist is especially known for his collab with Ryan Lewis that gave us hits like “Thrift Shop” or “Same Love”. He will promote his first album after a 6-year break that let him reconsider the expectations about the music industry. The old times when he would sing about funny and not-so-serious stuff are gone.
Now he focuses on authenticity and real problems, such as social media obsession and toxic addictions. “Ben” showcases one of the most popular white rappers in the world becoming an adult. It will be promoted at Electric Castle, but do not worry, you’ll also get to hear the super-optimistic songs that are representative of his pop era, such as “Can’t Hold Us”.
While you are getting ready to see Romy at Electric Castle, you can also prepare for his colleague, JAMIE XX. Not many bands managed to have the impact The xx had on the indie music scene and part of this is thanks to Jamie’s melancholic beats. But, same as for Romy, his solo project is different. Three revolutionary albums with The xx were not enough for Jamie, so he released a powerful house and experimental dance material.
The critics find his album “In Color” a masterpiece. It’s hard to find another producer who can switch from house to electronic to trip hop so naturally as Jamie does. In 2022, he released two singles, “Kill Dem” and “Let’s Do It Again”, aligned to the sound of “In Color”. Talking about this album, “There’s gonna be good times” can easily be the official song of Electric Castle. Just put it on repeat until the festival begins.
Their history goes back more than 30 years, and ORBITAL deserves a spot among the best electronic bands. The British duo started at the end of the 80s, when rave was the hottest thing in the UK. At that time, everyone was fascinated by acid house, a genre they explored as well. However, you can’t stay at the top for more than three decades unless you change a few things from time to time. ORBITAL went to many changes and, luckily, all of them turned out to be great.
They were among the first to bring impros in the live sets, and also one of the first techno bands to headline the biggest European festivals. They made techno a “main ingredient” at every major event. Their show at Glastonbury, from 1994, is considered to be one of the best moments in the history of the festival, and chances are they’ll make history at Electric Castle 9 too.
An artist frequently using this spontaneous technique is the German producer and multi-instrumentalist Steffen Linck, aka MONOLINK. His hybrid approach includes pre-recorded songs and improvisation, making every show unique. He’s looking for the right rhythms in the eyes and moves of the public. With good emotional reading skills, he transforms them into non-verbal communication, so the whole show becomes a collaboration, not a one-way performance. At Electric Castle, the stage won’t be the limit.
MORCHEEBA returns to Electric Castle after headlining the festival’s first edition. It’s been a long time and we missed them and their special mix of trip-hop and alternative rock. Songs like “Rome wasn’t built in a day” or “Enjoy the Ride” sound very familiar now, but when they started, people were not quite sure how to figure it out. Decades ago, NME reviewed their “Big Calm” album, describing their sound as “scratch-hop-country-reggae-trance-pop” and defined Morcheeba as “different” from Portishead, another important trip-hop band, as they embrace the joy of life. And we also embrace it along with them.
You Will also see YOUNGR at Electric Castle 9, a youngster known for winning the internet with covers of famous songs of different genres, from Muse to Limp Bizkit, Dua Lipa or Linkin Park. BOY HARSHER, the American darkwave band inspired by David Lynch’s movies and EMMA RUTH RUNDLE, one of the most talented singer-songwriters from the American underground, make the perfect pair for those who want to explore the dark side of music.
James Lavelle, the founder of UNKLE, will mix at Bonțida, same as HUEY MORGAN, the ex-member of Fun Loving Criminals and current DJ at BBC Radio. Both are must-see sets, same as the BOOKA SHADE duo or TIGA.
Continuing the tradition, Electric Castle brings many local artists as well. VIȚA DE VIE will have a special show with THE TRANSYLVANIA STATE PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA and the rock genre is also represented by COMA, SARMALELE RECI and IMPLANT PENTRU REFUZ. Along with Ian and Oscar, DRIP FACTORY will also welcome ȘATRA BENZ, SPECII and BITZĂ, while NANE, RAVA and MACANACHE will rejoin the festival.
