For seekers of music, beyond the ordinary, and an experience innately quixotic, the 2015 edition of Magnetic Fields Festival is here, and there is much to expect.
This weekend, the confines of Alsisar Mahal in Shekhawati, Rajasthan, will play host to an urban curation of art as we know it. From diverse sounds coming in with eclectic artists, and a utopian landscape of cultural expression and indulgence, the upcoming Magnetic Fields Festival is all set to be an arcadian show of inventiveness.
From genre-spanning styles of music to eponymous celebrations, there is much fun to be had. Hereβs everything awaiting you this weekend, and more!
The elemental 2015 theme
In an attempt to re-infuse an idea that bemoans profundity, the 2015 edition of Magnetic Fields Festivals bears elemental truth. With a theme that celebrates the elements – jal (water), prithvi (earth), aag (fire), vaayu (air) and akasha (aether), the festivalβs aesthetics are designed to offer reverence to this theme. From the stages whose productions match up to the themeβs design elements to art installations carefully curated as an extension to the thematic mysticism.
(Credit: Meesha Holley)
Letβs talk music
This yearβs Magnetic Fields lineup features diverse acts of music that stretch across the spectrum. From American electronica duo Ratatat, nu funk duo Soul Clap, jazztronic artist Shigeto and indietronic trio Garden City Movement, to homegrown acts such as Blot, Peter Cat Recording Co., MMat and Nicholson, thereβs a performance in tandem to each audience memberβs taste. Multifarious styles of music will be waiting to be discovered in a curation that is as bold as experimental.
In addition to a lineup that is as assorted, this yearβs music at Magnetic Fields will kick the proverbial border goodbye with a first ever combined showcase of Indian and Pakistani electronic producers, featuring Bangalore based alternative-electronic artist Consolidate and Karachi based collective Forever South.
With Magnetic Fields also scoring its first ever collaboration with the famed Red Bull Music Academy, attendees will have a taste of a fine range of acts such as DJ Koze, Objekt, Palms Trax, Perfect Timing and Aqua Dominatrix.
(Credit: Nishant Shukla)
The frantic treasure hunt
Magnetic Fieldβs treasure hunts are not elaborate in their scheming but also lead up to a booty worth looking for. This yearβs treasure hunt, collaborated with luxury leather design brand Nappa Dori, will have attendees spend the three days of the festival chalking detailed clues which will lead them to a custom-made Nappa Dori trunk filled with goodies specialised for the festival. With the festivalβs arena being a desert, the treasure hunt will take you to nooks and corner hitherto undiscovered.
(Credit: Meesha Holley)
Secret parties in the palace dungeons
While palace dungeons were historically meant for sinister functions of the ruling prince, at Magnetic Fields Festival, some of the coolest festivals will take you to the dark abysses of the royal fort. In an unparalleled experience, members of the audience can hit the dungeons for a range of secret parties where they will be played to, featuring disco duo Soul Clap and Delhi based producer Soulspace, in collaboration with respected online music mag, Resident Advisor.
(Credit: Nishant Shukla)
Taste that chocolate
While foodies will be treated, amply so, at Magnetic Fields Festivals, lovers of chocolate, that is everybody at the festival, will be exclusive to chocolate tasting sessions organised by Marou Faiseurs de Chocolat, the proprietors of Vietnamese-origin chocolate. Palace stay? Check. Luxury? Check? Chocolate? Just that much better.
The yogi-retreat
For wanton seekers of mind-body wellness, Magnetic Fields Festival might seem an unlikely place to seek conscientious health. But the festivalβs yoga sessions are documentedly popular. You can award your limbs that much needed recourse at the morning yoga exercises at the festival, giving your body the holistic experience it deserves. These will be hosted by yoga expert Namrata Sudhindra from Nikaya Yoga.
Gaze into the starry night
For earthy cosmonauts, the festival is a great opportunity to kick back and explore the space from the confines of the ground. Assemble on the Mahal decks to have a go at the telescope so you can gaze long at the starry night. Itβs not a luxury we can afford in the cityscape, anyway. Treat your inner space wanderer with the exclusive experience.
(Credit: Meesha Holley)
Colour me kitsch
The Alsisar Mahal is a remodelled, refurbished palace, now a luxurious hotel. The elegance of traditional Rajasthani architecture notwithstanding, there is much to be discovered in the region of Shekhawati which, like most quarters in Rajasthan, has historically kitschy motifs packed into its quaint nature. The Mahal, which acts as a ground for the festival, is itself a vast, expansive package of history waiting to be unravelled and experienced in true Rajasthani glory.
( Credit: Nishant Shukla)
For the hoarders
This yearβs Magnetic Fields experience is replete with memorabilia and souvenirs worth taking home. From custom-made Nappa Dori Magnetic Fields bags, to artistically designed Festival guide maps, to name a few, there are a bunch of relics to be bought at this yearβs edition.
(Credit: Meesha Holley)
Magnetic Fields in Goa?
This yearβs Magnetic Fieldβs experience does not stop at the dessert. In the weekend after, an alternative Magnetic Fields can be witnessed at 2015βs Magnetic Fields Boat Party in Goa, on December 26, featuring artists the likes of Reso, Palmistry, Dutch producer Thee J Johanz, M.Mat, EZ Riser, Eng. and Moniker. For fans missing the Rajasthan edition, or for those in need of more, the Goan extension will prove the perfect distension to the experience.