Magnetic Fields, the annual electronic and independent music festival returns with its third edition from 18-20 December. The festival will be held at the majestic 17th century palace Alsisar Mahal in Shekhawati, Rajasthan. This year the festival has expanded its scope with the introduction of the famed Red Bull Music Academy stage, the North Stage at Magnetic Fields, and will see participation of artists from around the globe.
Headlining the festival this year will be Brooklyn-based rocktronica duo Evan Mast and Mike Stroud, better known to the world as Ratatat. Their music encompasses experimental and psychedelic spaces, and live shows by Ratatat often tend to feature powerful visuals accompanying the music — set against the backdrop of Alsisar Mahal that hosts the festival, their performance is bound to be ecstatic and uplighting. Ratatat’s Evan Mast says, “I am really excited as I have never been to India. I have been waiting to come here for a long time now. I will be staying back for a week after the festival and plan to travel around a bit. I have heard the country is beautiful and diverse with a mix of different cultures.” Ratatat have performed at some of the biggest and most well-known music festivals this year including Coachella in Indio (CA), Primavera Sound in Barcelona and The Governor’s Ball in New York. They will make their first-ever festival appearance in India at Magnetic Fields 2015.
The festival will also present the sounds and skills of exemplary crate diggers Hunee and Rush Hour Records Boss, Antal from The Netherlands, techno giants DJ Koze and Objekt, house and techno whizkid Palms Trax, selector par excellence and member of the Los Angeles-based Brainfeeder crew — Kutmah, grime innovator Mumdance, UK dancehall producer Palmistry, the new Sandunes and Jiver collaboration Perfect Timing, synthpop producer Aqua Dominatrix and Indian producer The Sine Painter. Sarah Chawla, founder of Wild City, which is one of the partners at Magnetic Fields, says, “With our partnership with Red Bull Music Academy, a global institute that has become synonymous for challenging yet future-facing music and nightlife culture, we’re thrilled to share the platform with the music scene in India at Magnetic Fields.”
Apart introducing attendees to the refreshing music from India and abroad, it will also feature the combined showcase of Indian and Pakistani electronic music producers, featuring Consolidate and Forever South, represented by Pakistani producers Rudoh and TMPST and the Bangalore-based collective Consolidate will be represented by founder. RHL Chawla says, “The highlight for me would be the performance by Forever South (Karachi) and Consolidate (Bangalore)—two of the subcontinent’s most discerning music collectives playing side by side—this has been a dream for a long time.”
The festival promises to offer more than just great music in a regal setting. There’s much to explore and discover around the festival apart from the music, the Nappa Dori X Magnetic Fields treasure hunt is back, there are dancing fire pits, giant disco balls, rainbow nooks and more.
The theme for the 2015 edition is “as the Bedouins traverse through the five elements” — earth or prithvi; water or jal; fire or agni; air or vayu and aether or akasha. The festival aesthetic will illustrate how the elements come together to create a magical and mystical experience. Like last year, the theme will extend to a variety of carefully constructed spaces including the two main stages — the North stage (night stage), and the South stage (day stage). The art installations at the festival this year will be an extension to the theme and will be curated by artists and designers like Anjali Mody of the JOSMO Furniture Design Studio fame, writer, visual artist and innovator, Shilo Shiv Suleman and fashion designer, Shreya Oza.
Limited number of tickets and accommodation packages for the festival are still available for on sale Magnetic Fields official website.