MagicBox on Tinderbox isn't just a stage -- it's an emotional roller coaster with strobe lights and 130 BPM. The Afrohouse is peaker this year, and the lineup oozes global, rhythmic euphoria. I've handpicked the five DJs you can't miss and pointed out the one day you can't leave MagicBox — as well as one booking that most of all feels like a joke no one really laughs at.
One star
Two stars
Three stars
Fours stars
Five stars
Disclaimer: Apropos Magazine received access or a review copy. As always, we share our own impressions — unfiltered.
Six stars
I stand with my eyes closed in the middle of the Magicbox area and feel the bass knock the dust off my festival boots. The laser show makes the sky above the Millennium Forest sparkle, and for a moment I'm completely engrossed. MagicBox on Tinderbox is the place where house, techno and everything in between merge into one long euphoria under the open sky. As a festival junkie and a chronically curious soul, I have of course named myself five names that you should not miss at MagicBox this year.
Here are my personal top 5:
John Summers Imagine an accountant who suddenly finds out he's a world-class DJ. John Summit is the guy who ditched the Excel sheets in favor of ecstasy on the dance floor, and it's being felt. His housebeats are equal parts funky and folksy. When “Where You Are” comes out, MagicBox transforms into one big singing group hug under the neon sky. Expect sweat on his forehead and spontaneous declarations of love in the crowd before he's done.
Afrojack -- If MagicBox were a drink, Afrojack would be a double vodka redbull with added caffeine. The Dutchman has been pumping out festival basques for over a decade without ever disappointing an audience. I'll happily admit that I always end up bouncing uncontrollably when Afrojack drops his giant hits -- whether it's a nostalgic hit or a spritny banger, the bass hits right in the solar plexus. The show? Pyro, confetti and smiles on all lips. It may be mainstream, but sometimes you just need to throw the inhibitions over your shoulder and shout “Ohh, for SATAN!” as another drop causes the MagicBox to explode.
Kölsch — At the end of the night Kölsch appears (In a former life better known as Rune RK). He is Danish, but he has played the world's biggest stages thin with his melancholy-euphoric techno. I get chills at the thought of his melodies under the open sky in the Millennium Forest. The sound is equal parts poetic and pumping — you can both dance and get a lump in your throat at the same time.
Matroda Have you ever danced so hard that your shoelaces snapped out of sheer terror? It may very well happen under Matrodas seen. The Croatian “house rebel” offers no mercy: His bass house is dirty in the cool way, with crooked drops and unexpected twists that make you want to make bass face and yell “Uhh!” to the sideman. Matroda rips MagicBox around with a mix of old-school rave and modern ferocity — like a loving kick in the chest that makes you dance even wilder. If you need a good shake in your dancing feet, Matroda is the man.
Alex Wann — The French wunderkind within afro house. His sound mixes deep, organic percussion with melodies that build up like a tropical storm -- suddenly you're standing with your eyes closed and your hands in the air, like MagicBox turned into a beach club in Dakar. Wann constantly surprises; you can hear echoes of Burning Man and Parisian nightclubs in his sets.
In addition to these five stars, MagicBox is packaged with other international names:
Julian Jordan & Lucas & Steve: Dutch EDM with sunshine vibes and melodic hooks — impossible not to stand still.
Argy & Kevin de Vries: Greek house maestro meets German techno wizard, and together they crank up the euphoria with dreamy beats — perfect for stretching your arms against the night sky in ecstasy.
8Kays & Korolova: Two Ukrainian power-women with melodic techno filled with feeling. Ideal for sunset ambience and closed-eyes-dancing.
ARTBAT & Mathame: Two top names in melodic techno delivering magnificent, cinematic tracks. Prepare for chills along the way.
If you're only allowed to rave one day this year:
Thursday: Party from the first drop.
Thursday starts with a full Dutch party guarantee: Afrojack and his party crew promise confetti, giant drops and breath-taking energy from the first beat.
Friday: For the discerning ears.
Fridays are for the more discerning types. Here you get the melodic finesse of Kölsch in the company of Argy and Kevin de Vries, who deliver techno with both brain and heart.
Saturday: The big rave pull-out.
But Saturday... Saturday is special. When John Summit and ARTBAT stand on the same night, it's like getting three favorite sweets in one package. It peaker. And with several strong names on top, it's going to be one long ecstasy under the open sky. If I had to choose only one day, it would undoubtedly be Saturday — here you get the most rave for the money.
Honest Intermezzo at his own expense
And while we're at it: who the hell got the idea to place Lågsus on MagicBox? I imagine a booking meeting where someone has said, “We also need to remember something to lowest common denominator -- all that Burning Man-Dubai-rooftop-house stuff might be too hard for people.” Fair enough. But should the common denominator really be so abysmal?
Hearing Lågsus between names like Kölsch and John Summit feels like being served a tepid Slots between champagne bottles. It sounds like karaoke for an eternity bachelor party in Kolding, and the show looks like two licence-paid radio hosts trying to hide their lack of timing behind autotune and Melbourne Bounce from 2014. It's like sending two drunk uncles on stage and calling it culture.
And worst of all: It feels like a kick in the step to Danish electronic artists who would lend an arm to stand there -- without access to the public service canon. Lågsus, of course, gets to create himself in fine company. And I'll probably laugh along at 5pm. But it's also like throwing a clown into the opera. Jovist, it's noisy -- but it's still in the wrong place.
