Contributing Writer
The fourth Epizode Festival is now a very fond memory for those who attended.
This year once again it went down on the island of Phu Quoc in Vietnam, with quaint art structures such as a trippy Dali style elegant all round the site, sunsets and sunrises soundtracked by world class DJs and a new and improved yoga and mediation area all making it an unforgettable experience.
There was also an important focus on environmental concerns this year. A big beach clean saw people pick up all manner of rubbish as a happy collective, while there was also a no plastic rule. Cup-sharing systems in all the bars meant cups from recyclable material were used, and all the disposable tableware was made from recycled sugarcane.
Epizode truly is an underground favourite by now, somewhere to soak up culture, music and art with likeminded people. There can be few better ways to end one year and start the next, and here are some of the best tunes we heard while there.
Ricardo Villalobos b2b Raresh
These two minimalists are cult favourites at Epizode and they always get the most head and hardcore crowds. But its not always super underground tunes they play – when they dropped this stone cold classic, people went wild.
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Ricardo Villalobos b2b Raresh
This was another curveball tune from the pair that raised energy levels and got people engaged and ready to head in a new direction. Well timed, and well played.
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Deniz Kacnacheev
Serbia born Nervmusic records co-founder Deniz Kacnacheev served up a slick stripped back set of electronic funk that peaked when he dropped the loopy percussive energy of this one from VBX main man Ferro.
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Patrick Topping b2b Eats Everything
Patrick Topping b2b Eats Everything is always going to be a big set full of big tunes, hard hitting bass and plenty of humour. So it proved at 7am when this big vocal number got the crowd punching the air.
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Apollonia
These threesome of French house masters made for an unforgettable lunch time when they played to the crowd by dropping this timeless old school classic as the sun beat down.