It feels like just yesterday that the plans first got put into motion, but after months of anticipation our inaugural Defected London FSTVL is almost upon us. To celebrate our 20th anniversary, we wanted our line-up to showcase all aspects of the family, with stages hosted by Defected, Glitterbox, Classic Music Company, DVine Sounds and 4 To The Floor. 

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Not only will we see artists from across the globe head to Central Park, but also thousands of our amazing community, who we know from all our events know how to have a good time. The carefully curated line-up means stages are guaranteed to be rocking from start to finish, but if there you’re after a few recommendations of acts to see, here are ten of ours…   

Snips 

While Snips may now be based in NYC, it’s his contributions to the UK scene that make him one of the most prolific DJ / producers around, as founder of Barbershop Records and legendary London party Livin’ Proof. With his current producing and remixing credits ranging from Nu Jazz to Grime, his ability to seamlessly navigate between genres makes him an exceptional talent. His DJ sets fuse hip-hop, funk and everything in between, the festival will see Snips will be returning to his old stomping ground for the day, so catch him on the Classic Music Company stage. 

Folamour

French DJ and producer Folamour has captured the hearts of more than a few fans, and those lucky enough to catch either of his Defected Croatia performances will know why. His depth of musical knowledge, delicate style and futuristic flair make his sets a joy to listen to, and with a string of releases across imprints such as Classic Music Company, Glitterbox Recordings and his own label Moonrise Hill Material, he has curated an impressive discography of blissed-out, carefully produced pieces of dance music. Catch Folamour on the Classic Music Company stage. 

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Dames Brown

The heartbeat of Motown resonates with each Dames Brown performance, the gospel/soul trio stunned crowds in Croatia, as they re-interpreted classic disco gems and brought their own original tracks to life. The Detroit collective of LaRae Starr, Teresa Marbury and Jael first burst onto our radars with their stunning vocals on Sophie Lloyd’s ‘Calling Out’ and have since become a fully-fledged member of the family, you can catch them on the Classic Music Company stage at the festival.

The Vision

The collaborative project between acclaimed musician Ben Westbeech and disco edit royalty KON has produced one of this summer’s essential tracks ‘Heaven’, but with a plethora of forthcoming music and an album in the works, this marks just the beginning of exciting things to come. A standout moment from Croatia had to be a site-wide power-cut during their set, leading to an incredible accapella performance of their forthcoming track ‘Missing’, for more magical moments like this catch The Vision on the Defected stage.

Roberto Surace

For anyone who has spent even a night in Ibiza this summer, it’s likely Roberto Surace’s ‘Joys’ formed part of the soundtrack. Undeniably one of this year’s core island anthems, Roberto has proved himself not only as a talented producer but also an impressive DJ, performing at a number of Ibiza parties, as well as our Croatia festival. Catch Roberto on the Defected stage.  

Fiorious

One of the Glitterbox camp’s breakthrough stars, NYC’s Fiorious has appeared at a number of the label’s events, his triumphant vocals and enigmatic stage presence are that of a natural performer. His Croatia mainstage performance left party-goers spellbound, and with his forthcoming album Revisionary set to release next year, his Defected London FSTVL performance is a rare chance to see the stateside musician in action, catch him on the Glitterbox stage. 

Copyright

For new house heads, Copyright may not be a name that immediately rings bells, however their records undoubtedly will, having produced a number of key tracks for the UK house scene. Their mid 2000’s Ibiza classic ‘He Is’ made it into Carl Cox’s seminal closing set at Space, securing its place in the house music halls of fame, and those who are familiar with Sam Holt and Gavin Mills’ work will agree that their gift of injecting flair and soul into productions and DJ sets radiates good vibes. Catch Copyright on the 4 To The Floor stage. 

X-Press 2

A duo that have been at the vanguard of British dance music for over two decades, X-Press 2 have produced legendary anthems like ‘Lazy’ and ‘The Sound’ and won Ivor Novello and DJ Awards for their music, however they remain heroes of the underground. As artists who have charted the changing waves of dance music, their set on the 4 To The Floor stage is sure to offer a lesson in house music mastery. 

Dario D’Attis 

A mainstay on the international club circuit, Dario D’Attis has risen through the ranks of dance music over the past twenty years. With a string of tracks on Defected like ‘Space & Time’ and ‘Sunshine People’ his deep, groove-laden style of production carries over into his DJ sets seamlessly. Catch Dario on the DVine sounds stage.  

Staff pick: Mike Dunn

A Chicago legend in every sense of the word, Mike Dunn will make a rare UK appearance at Defected London FSTVL, after an incredible marathon set on the Beach Stage at Defected Croatia (that included a live rendition of the salacious hit ‘Phreaky MF’) this is guaranteed to be a highlight of the day, catch Mike on the 4 To The Floor stage. 

Grab your tickets here