WWD are counting down the days to the new and evermore intriguing Houghton Festival. A lot of exciting news has trickled in since we last reported on the Wilderness Unknown, one of them being an additional day. Yes, we will be treated with more music and art starting from 6pm on Thursday. Great times, but that’s not all…
More acts have been added to what is already a tasty jam-packed lineup full of all the best Techno and House DJs that Craig Richards has to offer. Howie B will be performing live alongside Borgar Magnaso recreating his 1997 album Turn The Dark Off. He has been coined by biographer Bill Brewster as “one of the creators of trip hop”, has written for Björk and produced for U2. Another exciting and rather apt addition to the lineup is Calibre; a mysterious figure who has never made a remix, has no online profile and carefully selects his performances. What we do know is that he provides some of the best underground d’n’b tunes while still providing a mix of jazz, dub, techno and soul. It’s no surprise Craig Richards chose this enigmatic artist since they performed a techno and liquid d’n’b set together in The Lab LDN. Another addition, Mathew Jonson, will not only be playing as part of Cobblestone Jazz, but also will be performing individually as he presents his new record label Freedom Engine. Just in July was its first release, The Decompression Remixes. Now there will be a chance to see this exciting new venture being showcased.
It’s evermore clear from the new acts announced that there is a huge emphasis on music quality at this Gottwood festival. But there is still one missing ingredient that will ensure an optimal music experience- the sound system- and the signs are looking good. The festival have announced very recently a new performance area, GIANT STEPS, hosted by Brilliant Corners in collaboration with The Analogue Foundation. Brilliant Corners are a Japanese restaurant based in London, but what sets them apart from the rest is their world class audiophile sound system. Every day this high tech speaker system is showcased by DJs on the SL1210 Technics. This high-end music experience will be transported from the restaurant to Houghton. Among the system are extremely rare Japanese TAD bass speakers mounted in custom cabinets made by Tom Smith of Cosmic Slop. These were originally made for Floating Points and, as luck would have it, he will be playing at this new music spot. With a tranquil yoga tent build, palm trees and a wooden floor, it seems that the design also comes into play in creating a perfect music experience.
Lest we forget another aspect that is held importantly by the festival, the art. During these last few months the site has begun to take form and artists such as the Turner Prize winner, Richard Long, will be giving Houghton Festival his biggest exhibition since his work at the Tate Modern in 2009. He has already been commissioned on the sight for his permanent Long sculpture, Full Moon Circle, in 2003. Jump forward 14 years to his new work… Earth Sky. Have a read on how his experiences as a nature walker across the world has inspired him to create his landscape art. It seems things are coming together nicely…
Last but not least… Houghton Festival, after selling out, have released a final handful of tickets! It’s now clear that the festival hype is very much real. For any of you reading this without a ticket, get one while you can. For those of you with one, we’ll see you in 10 days…