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Electric Paradise may still be in its infancy, but the second-year festival has the swagger of a massive festival like Ultra or EDC already. Most festivals spend their first few editions working out the kinks, making sure lineups are booked properly, artists are happy, and everything is running smoothly, but not Electric Paradise, which celebrated its inaugural running last year as a resounding success. Now, as the Caribbean-based festival is gearing up for its second edition, they’ve already claimed the title of the region’s biggest festival, and they’re keeping their foot to the gas on the way to becoming the Caribbean’s premier festival destination by delivering on nearly all counts across the board – most notably, an impressive lineup that is unrivaled in its space.
One glance through Electric Paradise’s lineup, and the first thing that will catch your eye is the number of big name headliners that are peppered throughout the twenty artists slated to play. International superstars like Skrillex, Major Lazer, Martin Garrix and Steve Angello are balanced with underground heavyweights like Nicolas Jaar, Hot Since 82, Gorgon City and Mathew Jonson. The festival will even feature a number of live acts like Chromeo and Matador, while Porter Robinson is slated to bring his Worlds tour to the shores of Punta Cana.
While the heavyweights and A-listers are undoubtedly the gem of the lineup, Electric Paradise has done a phenomenal job of rounding out the rest of its musical programming nicely with exciting up-and-comers that are positioning themselves as the next wave of dance music stars. If you’re planning on making the trek down to the Dominican Republic for Electric Paradise, keep an eye on these 5 under-the-radar artists.
Lash
Lash is comprised of two Internet friends turned producers, Omar Andino and Kelvin Beat. They’ve been making some serious moves lately with their trademark brand of deep house, most notably their remix of Galantis’ “Runaway (U & I).” Both members of Lash hail from the Dominican Republic, so you best believe that their home country will celebrate the achievements of these two fast risers.
Moon Boots
It’s hard to call an artist signed to Above & Beyond’s Anjunadeep imprint “under the radar,” but somehow, Moon Boots has managed to deliver quality music while still staying relatively unknown to the mainstream. They’ve quickly become the renowned record label’s most promising star, as he expertly blends underground disco with R&B undertones for a unique brand of deep house that is firmly his own.
Mathew Jonson
Mathew Jonson isn’t “under the radar” like many of these other artists, as he’s developed one of the most distinctive sounds in house and techno. He’s not only a member of Cobblestone Jazz, but also Modern Deep Left Quartet, and he’s founded his own Wagon Repair label alongside the likes of Jesse Fisk and Konrad Black, amongst others. He’s bringing his live set up to Electric Paradise for some underground goodness you don’t want to miss.
Magdalena
If you aren’t firmly ingrained in Hamburg’s dance scene, it’s no surprise Magdalena is under the radar. The Diynamic artist ran the renowned EGO club in her hometown, where she was a resident DJ. She may not produce, but she’s played clubs all around the world like Pacha in Ibiza, so she has a firm grasp on what tune to drop at the perfect moment.
Zen Freeman
Unlike the rest of these artists, Zen Freeman is truly “under the radar.” He’s only got a handful of followers on his SoundCloud (83 to be exact), but he’s played everywhere from the Toronto Film Festival to Burning Man to the SoHo House in New York. The emerging star has started to make waves with official remixes of Calvin Harris, Phoenix, and Paul Oakenfold, and he was the man behind “Dance Bitch,” the collaboration with Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul that made the rounds a few months ago.