Extremely Music Competition 2023 got here and went and did so in spectacular trend. The a long time previous, family identify in EDM festivals has all the time felt just like the New 12 months of the music pageant circuit. It’s largest declare to fame is that it’s the place most producers and DJs within the scene showcase a plethora of unreleased content material which everybody finally ends up listening to all 12 months spherical. And this 12 months didn’t disappoint with some key, contributive components together with off-the-wall particular company, inclusion of extra numerous genres within the EDM pantheon, and revolutionizing one the pageant’s underground locations: Resistance.
The particular company at Extremely have all the time been aside of the mystique of Extremely Music Competition. Previous years included iconic moments from Madonna, Kodak Black, Slash, and even Will Smith. Nonetheless, this 12 months’s particular company felt extra in-tuned with newer music and artists than years prior. These included artists that felt like essentially the most acceptable for an outing in Miami whereas others felt so out-of-pocket in the easiest way. Within the first class, Marshmello headlined the principle stage together with his personal mixture of bass music rage and nostalgia callbacks (see Benny Benassi’s Satisfaction vs Occasion Favor’s WAWA [Lights Out Jersey Remix]). However out of nowhere, he’s joined by one surprising artist after one other. Marshmello cemented Extremely Music Competition as the one place to correctly spring break with GloRilla and Roddy Wealthy taking part in their largest hits. However everybody in attendance can agree that the power peaked that night when Farruko got here on stage to carry out “Pepas” in entrance of hundreds of ravers. The collab they previewed collectively proper after may need helped keep that power just a bit longer.
Within the second class, Zedd pulled out Ice Spice… Yeah, let that sink in for a second. Apparently sufficient, it was a fairly intelligent, albeit out-there look. The rapper got here as much as sing her track “No Readability” proper as Zedd had teased considered one of his largest tracks of all time “Readability”. Regardless of each artists feeling like their from full totally different eras and backgrounds, they had been an ideal slot in unifying one another’s audiences into one crowd. However I’m positive that didn’t cease followers watching the livestream to mouth out, “What the…” In the meantime, David Guetta had the same second bringing out Coi Leray, however at the least Guetta has a remix of Leray’s track “Gamers” that simply launched to tie the 2 artists collectively.
NEW MUSIC @DavidGuetta brings out @coi_leray at @extremely to play his remix of “Gamers” for the primary time! #umflive
Watch stay right here ⤵https://t.co/yFbnOb3CoT pic.twitter.com/5JtFckLhad
— Your EDM (@YourEDM) March 27, 2023
One other side to that made this 12 months’s UMF so particular was the inclusion of newer scene artists from genres that don’t usually see quite a lot of love in Miami historical past. Sometimes, regardless of being the place to listen to a few of the latest music of the 12 months, Extremely’s historical past exhibits quite a lot of favoritism in direction of home music. However this 12 months, the phases had been shared with artists from extra musical actions inside the EDM panorama.
At first, the most important shock was Charlotte De Witte on the most important stage. It might have been earlier within the day, and perhaps it was a shorter set than most individuals are used to listening to from an artist of her caliber. However the truth that a TECHNO artist was performing on the MAIN STAGE at a MAJOR MUSIC FESTIVAL is next-to unparalleled. However Extremely took an opportunity and the set couldn’t have been extra good for getting Miami out of its consolation zone. In the meantime, the Worldwide stage hosted drum n’ bass rising star Dimension who obliterated followers together with his repertoire of 2-step grooves and anthemic cuts. It was additionally a giant 12 months to see stars of bass music basically at Extremely Music Competition from Subtronic’s bass-laced wonderland to Lil Texas and his rage-induced, happy-hardcore utopia.
Lastly, the most important factor to speak about was was the foremost improve to the RESISTANCE. To these out-of-the-know, Resistance is the identify of one of many largest manufacturers that may take over a stage at Extremely Music Competition. After they’re in cost, they tout the final word artists taking part in home, techno, and up to now it was the host for A State of Trance (this 12 months hosted by the Worldwide Stage). Resistance normally takes refuge within the Megastructure, however most individuals realize it as the house for one of many largest names within the dance music house: Carl Cox. His presence on the Megastructure yearly is a continuing in life like demise and taxes. However the artists who get to share that stage get to see one of the vital bold and intimidating views any artist might have in entrance of them. Have a look for your self!
Main as much as the legend had been dazzling units from Enrico Sangiuliano, Ilario Alicante, and Anfisa Letgayo. However the immaculate assist didn’t cease there. Buzz continues to flow into round units from Story of Us, Maceo Plex b2b Michael Bibi, Adam Beyer b2b Cirez D, and lest we overlook the Testpilot b2b HI-LO takeover. For Friday-goers, they might have caught a glimpse at a legendary Swede closing the stage together with his must-see HOLO set. The one and solely Eric Prydz returned to UMF with a brand new set of eye-candy visuals laced together with his progressive home prowess. Even with my greatest penmanship, phrases fail to explain how encapsulating it was to be below that tent.
However for these on the lookout for a extra intimate sense of techno and home music that commerce glitz and glamour for pure sonic escapism, there was one other RESISTANCE stage known as The Cove. In earlier years, the Cove was generally known as Arcadia the place it touted their depth-defying Spider stage, the place the DJs would grasp above the gang for a 360° expertise hardly ever delivered at music festivals. However when Arcadia and Extremely parted methods, it gave the pageant organizers and alternative to see simply how a lot greater they might take the Cove. And this 12 months, they delivered. It began with every day being taken over by totally different labels. On Friday, Nicole Moudaber‘s IN THE MOOD collective reigned supreme. From Juliet Fox proudly owning the daytime to Ida Engberg and Maya Jane Coles merely hypnotizing the Friday crowd. However should you weren’t there for Moudaber b2b with frequent partner-in-crime Chris Liebing, I can solely describe it as audio-heaven.
Saturday’s lineup shifted right into a extra progressive and deep home course with Joris Voorn presenting SPECTRUM on the helm and assist from Thoughts Towards and Franky Wah. In the meantime, Sunday had all of the campers out with Dirtybird internet hosting. Units from label boss Claude VonStroke and his horde of tech home gamers like VNSSA, Walker & Royce, and Shiba San even had the backstage crews shuffling.
Briefly, Extremely Music Competition 2023 has kicked off the brand new 12 months for the music pageant panorama and did so in typical, but iconic trend. The particular company turned heads, extra artists from lesser explored subgenres received to share the highlight, and RESISTANCE is taking a proactive method at being extra than simply an annual vacation spot on the present. All this has me questioning…how lengthy till I must be reserving my subsequent flight and keep at Miami for 2024.
Picture credit: Alive Protection, Rukes, Rudgr.com