VIBE Guide: BPM Festival 2014 Showcases

December 9, 2013 - 2:31 pm by Kasia Karolak

In just over three weeks, the idyllic Gulf city of Playa del Carmen, Mexico will be transformed into one of the hottest winter festivals by showcasing the best electronic music labels on the planet. Once an important trade hub for the Mayans, Playa continues this tradition by becoming a trade hub for the dance music industry.

Initially, the BPM Festival started out in 2008 as an industry event (BPM stands for Bartenders, Promoters, and Musicians) bringing together a small community of people yearly to Playa for 10 days of partying and networking. Since then the unique festival has grown in popularity as the dance music landscape continues to shift towards deeper house and techno sounds.

In anticipation of the upcoming 2014 event, Vibe.com has compiled a list of both debut and returning label showcases that are not to be missed. ->

Solomun’s Diynamic Music German DJ and producer Solomun has had massive success throwing his Diynamic Music label parties all over the world. Now, for the first time ever, he is bringing the party to the Playa, which is sure to be one of the most sought after parties at the festival. Alongside Solomun, expect to hear the unique deep house sounds of labelmates Stimming, H.O.S.H., Adriatique, Uner and more.

Adam Beyer’s Drumcode Not only is it one of the biggest and best techno labels in the world, Drumcode is also one of the best parties featuring top-tier lineups and it’s finally making its way to BPM. The brainchild of Swedish techno master Adam Beyer, Drumcode also features the likes of Ida Engberg, Joseph Capriati, and Alan Fitzpatrick.

French Express American label French Express was founded by Perseus only 5 years ago but it has already exploded on the scene, showcasing the best of deep house and nu-disco. Hit the Playa for this showcase for guaranteed good vibes and funky grooves from Perseus, Moon Boots, Isaac Tichauer and Jonas Rathsman.

Scuba’s Hotflush If you were one of the lucky few that attended the Hotflush party during WMC in 2013, you are probably still in a daze from experiencing massive sets from Dusky, label head Scuba b2b George FitzGerald, and Cirez D b2b Adam Beyer. Expect a similar magnitude of talent at the Hotflush showcase debut on the Playa and prepare to hear the best that bass house and techno has to offer.

Apollonia Consisting of Dan Ghenacia, Shonky, and Dyed Soundorom, the Apollonia brand is the epitome of French deep tech house. When this powerhouse trio returns to BPM this January to play b2b2b, it is sure to be one of the most unforgettable nights of the whole festival.

Lee Burridge’s All Day I Dream After the hugely successful summer party series of All Day I Dream in New York City and beyond, Burridge is bringing the party back to the Playa. Labeling the sound as “melodica”, the melancholic waves of house and techno from Burridge along with friends Matthew Dekay, Kollektiv Turmstrasse, and Mike Khoury are sure to entrance partygoers.

Marco Carola’s Music On Arguably one of the pioneering djs that brought techno to the world stage, Italy’s Marco Carola has been taking America by storm with his weekly Music On residencies, on Fridays at Marquee in NYC and on Saturdays at Story in Miami. With previous guest sets from the likes of Stacey Pullen, Nic Fanciulli, and Guti, expect this showcase lineup to be stacked with the best of the best in the underground music scene.

Pets Recordings Best known as a couple of Dirtybirds, Poland’s Catz n Dogz started the Pets Recordings label in 2010 to showcase the music that they love made by their friends including Maceo Plex and Eats Everything and featuring an eclectic mix of deep house, booty house, techno and even R&B. This showcase is guaranteed to not only get partygoers dancing but also introduce them to sounds and DJs they may not expect.

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