Renowned for its progressive approach to curation, CRSSD Festival is nestled along the shores of the San Diego Bay, Waterfront Park, which serves as a scenic haven for music fans. Throughout the two day festival (Sept 28 + 29), attendees can revel in the impeccably curated sounds of 3 distinct stages amidst cityscape views and picturesque sunsets. As night falls, CRSSD extends its reach across the city, hosting a variety of after-parties at clubs, venues, and converted spaces. This seamless blend of daytime bliss and nighttime partying makes CRSSD the ultimate destination for Electronic music enthusiasts seeking forward-thinking programming at every turn. With a star-studded lineup, it’s hard to prioritize all the amazing talent, but here’s our top 5 recommendations (in no particular order)!
Gesaffelstein
Still on his Enter The Gamma Tour, Gesaffelstein has been busy this year riding his comeback wave from his new album GAMMA. Dubbed the “Dark Prince of Techno“, this Paris-based DJ-producer reconnects Hard Techno to its Industrial roots. To mainstream audiences Gesa is known for collaborating with Kanye West on two standout tracks on 2013’s stunning Yeezus album – the abrasive ‘Send It Up’ and the astonishing Glam-Punk Rap riot ‘Black Skinhead’, a co-production with Daft Punk and Levy’s friend Brodinski. But Gesaffelstein has been building up a name among Dance fans for decades. Releases on the OD, Zone and Bromance labels showcasing an ever-developing individual style with distinctive ominous undertones. Remixes for Lana del Rey, Justice, The Hacker, Laurent Garnier and heroes Depeche Mode put his unique sound – harsh but beautiful, sometimes brutal but always delicately structured – front and center.
Klangkuenstler
Berliner and provocateur of Hard Techno, Klangkuenstler doesn’t come to the US often, so fans of the genre won’t want to miss out on this set. Growing up in the southernmost corner of Germany’s Allgäu area, it was his first clubbing experiences at Munich’s Harry Klein that infected him with Electronic music. Following his evolving passion for grooves and bass lines, he moved to Berlin in 2012. Driven by the German capital’s music and club variety, Klangkuenstler soon not only emerged as a DJ and live act, but also emphasised his multi-faceted personality by way of his initial singles: while ‘Barfuss auf Wolken’ was released in 2013 by the quality label Stil vor Talent and reached more than one million plays online, ‘Hand in Hand’ (Soundplate) was supported in the BBC Radio 1 show by Rob Da Bank.
Tini Gessler
A relative newcomer, Tini Gessler has risen through the music scene remarkably quickly. Starting out playing small parties in her home town of Sitges, Tini was soon picked up by Pacha Barcelona where she held a three-year residency and it wasn’t long before she found herself playing at iconic clubs including Space and Pacha Ibiza. Since then Tini has cemented herself as part of the Elrow team, as resident DJ for their underground label KER. Gaining identity for her pumping Deep / Tech House sets, Tini has played across Europe and throughout Central and South America- notably at Rioma Club in Mexico DF with Marc Houle. As an elrow regular Tini also frequently plays alongside international artists such as Jamie Jones, Paco Osuna and Joseph Capriati. Tini Gessler’s ascent in the music industry is a story of talent meeting opportunity.
Gorgon City
The UK duo has been around for a while now, but has always been able to stay relevant through their constantly evolving sound as well as mainstream collaborations. Now on their 5th studio album Reverie, the two continue their success with headlining slots across the globe. Head of their own label, Realm Records, Gorgon City is a curator of some of the best vibes out there. You can always rely on them for a good show.
Nora En Pure
The scenery of San Diego’s Waterfront Park was made to go with Nora’s signature Melodic House and Techno. The South African born DJ Producer is a core member of the Helvetic Nerds group, Nora leads listeners out of the darker realms of Deep House with intricate instrumentals and enlightening melodies. Every track she gets her hands on turns to gold and every performance she gives leaves the audience in awe. Her Purified brand has gained notoriety, radio shows, and curated events across the globe. Globally renowned and adored for her cinematic soundscapes and ethereal performances, she has spent the last few years working relentlessly to reach the pinnacle of the Dance music scene.