MELT Festival Goes Out On A Scorching High
Upon arriving in the German countryside on the brink of sunset, I already had enough anecdotes from the journey to the MELT festival before the weekend had begun. One of the biggest electronic music festivals in Germany, this was its last dance dance after running for 27 years due to ‘changes in the festival landscape’ according to MELT’s director Florian Czock.
The calm respectability of German and European ravers was noticeable on our hour and a half long train journey from Berlin airport. A sense of contained excitement permeated in our train carriage, as ordinary civilians travelled in harmony with elated festival goers drinking and laughing in anticipation for the weekend ahead. A group of smiley Germans played ‘Push The Button’ on their mini JBL speakers in anticipation for one of the weekend’s headliners,before giving us recommendations on which German DJs we should see.
After a predictable struggle to set up our tent, which was kindly provided to us by Utopia camping, we headed to watch Overmono at the 30kv stage. Hailed as one of the UKs most original contemporary live electronic acts, the duo had evidently captured the hearts of ravers as the stage quickly filled up. The crowd danced to ‘Freedom 2’ with Kwengface and Joy Orbison, an amalgamation of jungle, rap and electronic sounds. A sea of hands arose as they played a strong fan favourite ‘Good Lies’ and a collaboration with The Streets ‘Turn The Page’ before playing a remix of ‘Has It Come to This’, a UK club culture staple.
Next on our list to see was the formidable Sampha at the Gremmin Beach stage and he did not disappoint. Seamlessly blending each song into the next, his performance was captivating and heartfelt. The humble singer and composer paid tribute to his talented band members and expressed gratitude for them playing with him as his humility shone through. Half way through his set, they came together to play a mesmerising synchronised drum ensemble which had the audience completely locked in. His performance of ‘Spirit’ was particularly emotive, sending a message on the importance of connection to oneself and with others, a philosophy that resonates deeply with the values of MELT. Back at the 30kv stage, Chase and Status proclaimed we were “the best crowd we’ve had all summer” and Jayda G’s funky house set got everyone dancing, immersed in her groovy sounds.
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Friday evening welcomed the likes of John Glacier, Mount Kimbie (who had replaced Yussef Dayes upon his cancellation), Skepta and Bonobo. One of the artists I was most looking forward to was John Glacier, a rising artist hailing from Hackney. A small yet dedicated crowd left the stage half way full as a bashful Glacier thanked us for being there: “Thank you… I didn’t think anyone would show up!” She stood barefoot as she recited songs ‘Poster’, ‘Nevasure’ and ‘Icy’ and captivated listeners with her distinct rap flow. Despite some soundcheck issues, the crowd remained unphased and glad to experience hearing the refreshing sound of John Glacier, exacerbated by her innovative producer Kwes Darko.
The evening continued with an explosive headline show from Skepta who performed old and new classics at the Gremmin Beach stage, throwing in a few BBK songs in for good measure. He even gave a shout out to rising rap star John Glacier who could be seen dancing backstage, relishing in his performance as much as the crowd was. At one point, he brought out a member of the crew to perform ‘Greaze Mode.’
The final set of the night was Bonobo, who’s blue-hued lightshow mirrored his effortless mixing. Combining deep house, electronic and jungle, he mixed Radiohead’s ‘Everything In Its Right Place’ into a Kendrick Lamar instrumental so seamlessly that it felt like a song in itself.
A big highlight from Saturday evening was Hamburg based DJ JADA, spinning techo mixes with hip-hop and trap songs, a great way to soften the musical palette of someone who isn’t too familiar with techno.
As the final 24 hours of the festival loomed, the MELT team encouraged everyone to put away their phones and enjoy the final day of the festival, something that was respected by the vast majority of ravers. These final sentiments made for an unforgettable experience of the last year of MELT festival.
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“If someone had told us in 1997, our very first year, that the MELT Festival would still exist in 2024, we would probably have called that person crazy.”
“In 1999 we found our home in Ferropolis and danced, celebrated and experienced unforgettable moments there for 25 years.” – MELT festival via Instagram
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A special thanks to the team at Utopia Camping for providing a place for us to stay at MELT Festival this year.
These guys are all about sustainability at music festivals across Europe. By renting from them, you become a part of the sustainability eco-system as they are committed to implementing a repair, refurbish, and reuse policy for their camping equipment. This keeps perfectly good equipment out of landfills and circulating in the circular economy. Imagine, your tent could be a veteran festival-goer from seasons past ready for another epic weekend – with you. Check them out at https://utopia-camping.com/.
Words: Evie White
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