In just over a week one of Europe’s best-loved intimate festivals returns to its breathtaking mountainside location for another weekend of hedonistic fun and frolics.
In the six years since it started Meadows In The Mountains has established a reputation for unadulterated fun, top flight music from a selection of respected underground players and, of course, a location that has to be seen to be believed. Kicking off on 9th June, it’s a three-day celebration in a remote part of Bulgaria where you just cannot fail to have the time of your life and where the organisers have brought in a great lineup of talent. With that in mind, here are six acts at the festival that you should not miss.
Shanti Celeste
A firm favourite of many music lovers across the UK and the rest of the world we’re sure, Shanti Celeste has just got that vibe. You know, that good feeling that emanates from somebody who just loves music and loves sharing the music they love with other people. Just watch her on the ones and twos and you’ll see. She bops away, engrossed in her selections but also absorbing all the positivity from the crowd in front of her, then sending ten times as much back out to them. Shanti is a great fit for Meadows and her presence will be another addition to the festival’s many big selling points.
Valentino Kanzyani
Slovenian Valentino Kanzyani is a well-respected prince of the underground. He’s a DJ first and foremost, building deep, engrossing sets with his superb mix of house and techno from the past, present and future. He’s also a dab hand in the studio, with an exemplary back catalogue including an album on Luciano’s respected Cadenza label together with several releases on his own label Recycled Loops. Valentino’s passion for music has kept him at the top of his craft for two decades and he is a devout vinyl lover meaning you’ll see him throwing down the black wax throughout his set. Make sure you catch him in action…
KOTTARASHKY & THE RAINDOGS
Nikola Grev is the frontman and brains behind Kottarashky & The Raindogs, a five-piece band that hails from Bulgaria – the country MITM calls home. The band’s USP is its fusion of field recordings and natural sounds acquired in Bulgaria with contemporary forms of music from electronic through to hip hop and modern jazz. They have released three albums, ‘Opa Hey’, ‘Demoni’ and ‘Cats, Dogs and Ghosts’, all of which have had widespread acclaim. Nikola was virtually unknown until he arrived on the scene in 2012 with a bang, breathing new life into the Balkan music scene with his fresh take on today’s sounds. We’re really looking forward to seeing these guys perform.
BAHIA HAZE
This London-based singer and DJ duo are highly skilled and adaptable, two women who know how to rock a party and deliver the best music. With Haze working through a diverse selection of music that never veers too far into leftfield, while Bahia riders the rhythms with her beautiful vocals, they are perfectly poised to bring the noise and get the crowd whipped up into a hype. As we’ve come to expect from Meadows In The Mountains, an early tip for the festival circuit over the next few years – make sure you see these two while they’re in a more intimate setting because they’ll be doing big things very soon, trust us.
Valentin Stip
An artist who announced himself to the world with a stunning eight-track extended EP via Nico Jaar’s Other People label, Valentin Stip does that tricky thing of operating in his own space yet somehow appealing to all of us. Seeming to avoid the mainstream, Valentin’s skills are undeniable – his music is fresh and funky, imbued with soul and groove, emotion and rhythm. He’s a perfect fit for Meadows and will undoubtedly provide a stunning soundtrack to the festival’s enchanting location. His secretive work under a number of aliases makes him all the more interesting, for it’s clear that Valentin has a lot of strings to his bow yet us fans are only aware of a fraction of what he’s capable of… fascinating.
Gus Harvey
Currently based in London, Gus Harvey is originally from East Anglia and has been a staple at Meadows for the last few years. With that in mind she's bound to turn in a performance that complements the magical Rhodope Mountains. Her music takes a little step to the left, pushing out of the typical boundaries just a tad. There are elements of trip hop in her music, with a woozy, eyes down kinda vibe - sexy and seductive with excellent storytelling lyrics to boot. Make sure Gus Harvey is on your Meadows agenda, she is brilliant.
