There are so many places I can go and things I can do with the time and money I spend on Electric Forest. I could tour the rainforest in South America, take a road trip through the Cascades, fly to Paris, or just buy a literal mountain of cookies and take a week off work to slowly eat my way through it. That’s nothing to say about other festivals, but I’ve covered that before.

So what is it? What keeps pulling me back to the Forest? Is it the stacked lineup? Is it the magical light-painted, art-filled pines of the Forest itself? Is it the four days of camping with my friends? What could possibly be better than a cookie mountain?

It’s funny, there are a lot of questions posed at Electric Forest, some of them utilitarian, “Was I supposed to pack the baby wipes?” to strategic, “Who are you going to see today?” to…miscellaneous, “What’s that smell?” But as time goes by in the Forest, those questions melt away, either answered or forgotten or both. You can’t smell, anyway, on account of all the dust in your sinuses. In their place, new and bigger questions arise. Questions you ask your group, “Have I told you guys that I love you?” to the ones you keep inside, “How do I take this with me?”

I experienced a significant personal tragedy since last year’s Electric Forest, and I learned a lot about life and a fair deal about myself in the process.

Mainly, that whole “life is a journey, not a destination” thing holds true not only for life but also for things like love and grief and experiences. I thought grief was an obstacle, like a climbing a mountain. That once I got past the difficult parts, life would settle back down to normal and I could enjoy life as the mountain grew smaller and disappeared in my rear view. If anything, I’m the mountain, and the grief is what passes over me. I came to understand that I needed to allow grief time and space, and not to push it away. Grief shaped me, and that was unavoidable, but I would not let it define me.

The same principle very much applies to the Forest. If you want to capture those moments and that experience, then you need only open yourself up to it. Spend time talking to the people around you in camping, at the shows, explore the Forest itself, find a few hours in the schedule to plan specifically nothing. Smile, give that guy on the ground some of your water, hug a tree, nap in a hammock, buy somebody a slice of Spicy Pie.

Last year, a few of us (link) spent an afternoon perched on the upper deck of the Observatory and did just that, observed all the people. We explored the Forest afterward, and that afternoon wound up as my favorite time at EF in my past five years of attendance.

Of course, there is the music component of the festival. The lineup is solid as usual, and we’ll run through a list of suggestions of acts to hit up.

Bonobo

The last time I saw Bonobo, it was after he played First Ave in Minneapolis (shout out to Prince). My partner likes hanging out after shows to meet people, and on my way back from a bathroom break, I spotted Simon shaking hands and talking to people by the merch table. I began working my way back to where she was standing, but I couldn’t find her, so I decided to head outside and wait for her. I turned around on my heel and almost ran headlong right into Simon Green. By the look of his face, he was just as surprised I was. Then a complicated dance ensued where we attempted to guess which direction the other was going to pass on, where we continually chose the same direction something like seven times.

That interaction represents the absolute opposite feelings and tone of a Bonobo DJ set. You’ll feel like the coolest kid in the room, like you are exactly where you should be, like you’ve been transported to another, hipper dimension, and you will feel like dancing. (Edit: Erm. I was wrong, the last time I saw Bonobo was at his surprise appearance closing out Coachella 2015 on the DoLab stage. In my own words, ” I had some personal stuff going on leading up to the festival, and it hung over me like a cloud all weekend. Simon’s set in that setting was one of the few times that made it feel like it was okay that the cloud was there, and was one of the few times I felt respite. Everything felt like it was falling into place, and it felt like a moment of healing, however brief.”)

Go based on this song alone

Anna Lunoe

I saw Anna Lunoe open for Flume, along with Duke Dumont, at a Lolla after party two years ago. I’d only heard a couple songs and it hadn’t really clicked yet. She came out, all smiles, and sang a verse into the mic, then looped it and built her song up around it. I was floored, and she dances so hard and so well. She totally overshadowed Duke and Flume and that was alright with me.

Not only will you be treated to an hour of some of the best house and DJ skills at the Forest, but you’ll also get to see a b2b with Mija at Tripolee on Saturday evening. Be there or be ever regretful and doubting of all future life decisions.

Go based on this song alone

Gorgon City

GC is the feeling of fullness and happiness in your chest, that makes it a little hard to breathe, but impossible to stand still. In a matter of a few years, the London-based house/UK garage duo rocketed into the limelight with an incredible series of singles.

Their music is comprised almost entirely of collaborations, which suits them perfectly, and imparts this feeling that you’re in that overcoming obstacle and life is good wrap-up montage in a movie. Now imagine feeling that at the same time thousands of other people are feeling it. Goosebumps.

Go based on this track alone

Dusky

I was going to lead with “Dusky is crack and I’m the world’s biggest crackhead,” but it felt too cliche. Pick an addiction, any addiction, and apply the same logic/format. The London duo released a single a couple months back called, “Ingrid is a Hybrid” and I haven’t gotten sick of back to back plays yet. The vocals are not complex, but they are the powerful driving force behind the whole thing.

Their music shifts between and blends house and techno deftly, and they seem to improve with each subsequent release. Their most recent is a compilation album titled, “17 Steps” named after their own record label, featuring some of the best house talent around. Not only do they make great music, but they also curate great music. Expect to be impressed.

Go based on this track alone

Lane 8

Last year, Lane 8 released his debut album, ‘Rise,’ and if I was only given a single word to sum it up, that word would be “gorgeous.” You tell he put a lot of love and care into writing and producing those ten songs. ‘Rise’ is basically warm sunshine and flowers, so I was a little surprised when I heard his “Midnight” EP released nine months later.

Where ‘Rise’ was open and inviting and soul-baring, ‘Midnight’ is introspective and dark and moody. Every time I listen, I feel like Daniel Goldstein lays open some dark and painful piece of me and slowly works it out in much the same way a masseuse works at a knot. I love all three songs, but the powerful and mesmerizing “Frau” (German for ‘married woman’ if you’re curious) is my favorite. It also sounds quite a bit like his former labelmates and fellow Foresters, Dusky. Never a bad thing.

Go based on this track alone

RUFUS DU SOL

I could give you a hundred reasons why you should make it to RUFUS DU SOL’s set on Sunday, but I won’t subject either of us to that. Instead, we’ll just go over the broad strokes. Like the fact that the same thing that is or will draw you to them is also working its magic on everybody else. They’re about to blow up, so it would be a good idea to get up close and person with the guys while you still can. Sing along with them, smile back at them, and dance your ass off to their (genre cringe) electronic-indie-house hybrid type music. That may sound like a lot, but it isn’t. Their music is simple and sublime, but emotionally gripping and full of moments that’ll make you feel like the prettiest girl in the room.

I was lucky enough to catch both of Rufus’ sets at Coachella in April, one as a full band and a second as a DJ set. I’m hoping as hard as I can possibly hope that we’re afforded the same luxury at the Forest.

Go based on this track alone

More Information:

Official Electric Forest Guide

Reddit Festival Guide

ElectroJams’ Electric Forest 2016 SoundCloud Playlist:

ElectroJams’ Electric Forest 2016 Spotify Playlist:

I’ll hand it over to Mickey Hart by way of EF HQ for the timely final words. See y’all out there, fam.

I work, live and play in Minneapolis. I try to tell the story of the people that create music and experiences through pictures as well as through words. benallen.photos