Music

FOUND Festival Brought a Blissful Pocket of Electronic Brilliance to Brixton

“Can you feel the vibrations?” excites one Essex lad from a portaloo outside FOUND festival’s idyllic setting in Brockwell Park, Brixton. It’s just gone 11am, the gates have opened and there’s ‘good vibes’ all round; free hugs on entry from a fun-loving “flower power” group and an enthusiastic team handing out complimentary mini-cans of tequila flavoured beer ensure everyone starts their day on a high.

All photos by Dan Medhurst.

Located around a central circle of trees, as Lobster Theremin head honcho Asquith points out after his breakfast-time set, “there’s a sort of mysticism about FOUND”. From Mermaids to #ladsontour in vests and short-shorts clutching bottles of water for dear life, middle-aged couples enjoying some rare freedom covered in glitter and face paint, and a group of female twenty-somethings on their hen do, everyone seems welcome.

Videos by VICE

Capitalizing, cynically or otherwise, on the VIP culture of the 2015 summer festival season, for an extra £10 ticket holders gain access to the VIP stage hosted by NTS Radio, boasting sets from Marquis Hawkes, Mosca and Dark Sky; the choice of a lobster burger for dinner for those more culinary adventurous, and arguably the biggest draw — a proper toilet! Clean and sanitary looking, with dispensable soap and even paper towels, it’s a small price to pay for such festival luxury.

Opening the main stage, Genius of Time deliver a lunchtime set of blissed-out house easing us into the day, while French producer D’julz rams the Trust tent with warm underground synths, before Dekmantel Soundsystem’s techno-heavy set soon fills the George Fitzgerald Presents stage.

FOUND festival, now in its third year, boasts a line up stuffed with some of the biggest names in underground house and techno, and unlike some competitor festivals, each stage is within complete walking distance. So clashes like Ellen Allien vs Alan Fitzpatrick vs Marquis Hawkes which would usually result in a heartbreaking and possibly friendship-ruining decision are, luckily, not an issue. Everything is literally a hop, skip, and jump away.

While FCL play to a small but attentive crowd on the open air main stage, Palms Trax’s consistently energetic and funky selection – veering from deep techno and house to disco (Donna Summer’s “Bad Girls” and Chemise’s “She Can’t Love You” make welcome apperances) – get the lunchtime crowd grooving. Next up, hotly-tipped NYC-by-way-of-Canada duo Bob Moses, who are due to release their debut album on Domino later this year, perform their sultry, vocal house to a packed tent; new single “Talk” is reflective of the synthy sounds of Caribou and Four Tet — a little more downbeat but no less impressive. At the complete other end of the electronic music spectrum, German producer Barnt’s mid-afternoon set full of hard-hitting techno, knocks the crowd headfirst into Sunday as Seth Troxler’s “CZ” belts out of the industrial-sized speakers. It’s one of the day’s best sets, as is KiNK’s, who follows.

To put it simply, KiNK’s set popped off. Energetic and unrelenting, friends – and strangers – climb atop each other’s shoulders during the live set, as the Bulgarian producer orchestrates the crowd with hand movements before bowing out, thanking the crowd and swapping with Alan Fitzpatrick. Alan’s set, which he opens strongly with Dusky’s “Jilted”, before coursing through his own Drumcode techno sounds via the inescapably infectious beats of “Turn Down The Lights”.

Earlier on the main stage, Motor City Drum Ensemble’s jazz and disco selections make for a smooth, laid back opening, as the sun beams down to cheers from the ever-growing jubilant crowd. Later, Berlin-based Ellen Allien’s 6pm techno set feels more like 4am at Fabric, as the BPitch Control boss bounces around energetically like a little kid in a sweet shop.

George Fitzgerald then rightfully claims headline status on his own self-curated stage, dropping synth stabs with tracks like “Crystallise” from his debut album Fading Love, all the while Guy Gerber closes out FOUND on the main stage, with Anja Schneider, Ellen Allien and Radio 1 resident Heidi – the latter wielding a crutch – posing for pictures behind him. Testament to the unique sounds and styles which have been on display throughout the day, Guy closes the daytime event with his remix of Art Departments “Catch You By Surprise”.

With a 9pm closing time, each of the festival’s stages close gradually so to cleverly minimise the rush of people leaving – and to get everyone to Found Later, the official after party being held at Village Underground in Shoreditch, where another stellar line-up awaits; Rachel Lyn, Adesse Versions, KiNK, Ellen Allien and Alan Fitzpatrick continuing the party to the early hours of Sunday morning.

Follow Ben on Twitter.