Festival Preview: High Definition

The South's gargantuan one day rave celebration High Definition returns on Saturday 5th July. We take at what its 2014 incarnation has in store.

Jimmy Coultas

Last updated: 2nd May 2014

Photo: Shy FX @ High Definition 2013

Since High Definition graced the festival circuit back in 2011, the dance music monolith has repeatedly set a precedent for its aural and visual prowess. Taking place over one supremely busy day, the extravaganza welcomes some of the biggest names in dance music over seven stages, complete with some of the most elaborate production values we've experienced.

Providing the soundtrack to adorn the wealth of LED screen panels, pyrotechnics, CO2 cannons and full colour laser displays will be the likes of British dance music institution Carl Cox (see him in action above), who takes over the first arena, with Marco Carola, George Fitzgerald, Jon Rundell and Charlie Hedges all primed for a boisterous selection of house and techno.

The Random Arena will welcome the mighty Bronx based Martinez Brothers playing a six hour set, whose no nonsense Latin and soul infused muscle will be flexing much to the delight of the house heads out there. Route 94 joins them with his bag of soulful, bouncing deep house movers guaranteed to cause some serious green field damage. Hear some of that in his Fabric mix below.

Elsewhere Will Saul's Aus label takes over its own arena, with label favourites Dusky, Bicep, and Midland all present and correct, with a special appearance lined up from the always awesome Joy Orbison. Mark Knight and his world beating Toolroom Knights empire has its own arena too with Prok & Fitch, Weiss (check his mix for us here) and Bearcubs' winning formula of adrenaline fueled crowd pleasers all on display.

The Digital Arena will see a plethora of bass music dons tear into the rib rattling Audio Energy sound systems. Gorgon City, Oneman, Ms Dynamite, Zinc, Artwork, Hannah Wants, Roska, Shy FX and B.Traits are among those primed to inject everything from garage to UK Funky, jungle to dubstep into the ears of thousands of bass hungry ravers.