How do we even begin to describe the magical technoverse that was Electric Zoo’s take over of Randall’s Island this past weekend? How do we communicate the incredible vibe of unity, spirits so high everyone seemed to be floating, and the general sensation that the 50,000 or so people who flocked to the festival grounds were part of one big organism bonded by their common mission to dance and laugh and then dance some more? I suppose we should start at the beginning, when both Saturday and Sunday dawned warm and clear, and thousands of brightly colored revelers donned their face paint, grabbed their dancing shoes, and boarded the bus or ferry to the island, which had been transformed throughout the past week into something akin to Alice’s Wonderland – had she been a raver child. Four massive tents were strategically placed across a field of lush grass, making up the four different stages of the festival: the Main Stage, Redbull Music Academy Riverside Stage, Hilltop Arena, and Sunday School Grove. In addition to these were the VIP and Media tent, as well as multiple bars, food outlets, and art installations, all set against the magnificent backdrop of the skyline in the distance. Over the span of two days, the festival featured over 60 DJs and producers from all corners of the globe, each of whom brought something unique and extraordinary when they stepped behind the DJ booth. Due to this overabundance of talent, we’ve pulled out our favorites from the bunch, as well as provided you with a glimpse into the minds of a few select artists that The HiFi Cartel was lucky enough to chat with during the course of the festival.
