10 Artists You Need To Check Out At The Next Music Festival

The Sherp puts together a list of some sensational artists that you need to lend an ear to at a music festival near you.

The sheer abundance and scale of music festivals around the world exposes audiences to a wide range of music that you wouldn’t previously find at a single music festival. The competition in the space has driven artists to step out of their comfort zone and dive into new territory and some of the results are fantastic. Norway, Australia, UK and Europe have been coming through with some of the most innovative artists in the electronic music world, and if you happen to catch some of the artists mentioned below at a music festival near you, sacrifice the headliner you’ve been waiting for and head over to watch them immediately.

1. Naderi  

Shawn Naderi was previously part of Australian producer duo ‘The Only’

It’s been a great year for Australian music. Quickly cementing itself as the birthplace of some of the most forward thinking electronic producers of today, Naderi is another fine export whose sound features a tantalizing uniqueness of its own. Having worked closely with the likes of What So Not and ex-member Flume, Naderi’s productions are smooth and infectious.

Performing at: N/A

2. Cashmere Cat 

Image Courtesy: Laneway Festival Facebook

Cashmere Cat’s take on seductive R&B, futuristic hip-hop and bass music has gained support from major electronic music artists from around the world. Norwegian by birth, his latest Ariana Grande production has received more than 3 million hits and Cat is currently working on production for the forthcoming Kanye West album, ‘So Help Me God’. Constantly fiddling with melodies supported by thick basslines, you can’t visit his Soundcloud page without sticking around for a while.

Performing at: Best Kept Secret Festival, Netherlands (June 19 – 21), Mamby On The Beach, Chicago, USA (July 11 – 12)

3. Tchami

(Image Courtesy: SvenJ Photography)

One of the driving forces behind the Future House movement, Parisian powerhouse Tchami’s brand of music bridges the lines between deep, techno and progressive. Forging good music has always been at the forefront of the Frenchman’s  aspirations, and with Future House becoming the new go-to genre for clubs and festivals, don’t be surprised to see his name flying around as headliner in the coming years.

Performing at: The Nest, London (July 24)

4. J.Cole

(Image Courtesy: J.Cole Facebook)

One of the few rappers in the industry who doesn’t believe in composing lyrics describing the hardships of growing up, Jermaine Cole was born in Germany and received a college education out of North Carolina. Jay – Z picked up his scent in 2007, and since then J.Cole has been widely touted as the future of the genre.

Performing at: Pemberton Music Festival, Canada (July 16)

5. Manila Killa

(Image Courtesy: Manila Killa Facebook)

One half of tropical house outfit Hotel Garuda, Manila Killa has some fantastic solo projects of his own. Signed on to Skrillex’ OWSLA imprint, the Philippine- American believes in making music that makes us ‘feel things’. With melodic house slowly but surely gathering a vast army of fans from all around the globe, Manila Killa shall be a name you won’t easily forget.

Performing at: Firefly Music Festival, Dover, USA (June 18)

6. Lane 8

Anjunadeep star Daniel Goldstein’s rise to fame in less than 12 months is a story that would inspire many emerging producers out there. His music consists of a fine arrangement of rich melody and dark, deep basslines. His music is ultra catchy, and his mixtape for the TomorrowWorld: Artists Of Tomorrow series is him at his best. Tune in.

Performing at: Verboten, New York, USA (October 16, 2015) 

7. RL Grime

Arguably one of the most talented music producers of today, LA man RL Grime has been around the scene for quite some time now. After he shut the lid on masquerading as ‘Clockwork’, RL Grime has been busting some of the catchiest trap music out there and also performed at most of the top music festivals on the globe. His versatility as a DJ and producer is what makes his performances so special, so if you come across an RL Grime flyer across your city, and pin it on your wall so you remember where he’s going to be.

Performing at: Forecastle Festival, Louisville, USA (July 17)

8. Jai Wolf 

The struggle to find your own unique sound and have people admire the same is a daunting task. New York producer Jai Wolf has found his own signature perfection by creating a genre bending sound consisting of pop and hip hop elements. Yet another artist scooped up by one of the finest ears in music – Skrillex, Jai Wolf has had his passport stamped in countries around the world and has already bagged performances at Coachella and HARD Summer.

Performing at: HARD Summer USA (August 1 – 2)

9. Sub Focus 

Cemented at the top of Britain’s rich Drum n Bass culture, Sub Focus’ innovation has played an important role in the overall nurturing of talent in the UK. His music has propelled him to the top of many Beatport lists and spends an extraordinary amount of time in the studio, perfecting his masterpieces. Listen to one of them below:

Performing at: Electric Castle Festival, Romania (June 27), High Definition Festival,UK (July 4)

10. SNAILS 

Defying the conventional ‘banger’ status that most dubstep/trapstep artists love to associate with, this Canadian producer has conjured up an exclusive sub-genre that can be best described as Vomitstep.  Although not everybody’s cup of tea, his music does possess a dance-floor friendly vibe.

Performing at: Electric Forest, Michigan, USA (June 25), Camp Bisco (July 16)