Sometimes people in Seattle dance.
It happens very rarely, but when it does, there’s a 75 percent chance its happening at Decibel, the city’s annual expansive electronic music festival. Time is drawing nigh for 2014’s installment—the festival kicks off on Sept 24 and continues all week through Sept 28. Navigating Decibel’s enormous lineup can be intimidating sometimes, and in the end, you can’t really go wrong, but here’s a quick overview of some highlights you’ll be especially sore about if you miss this year:
Manatee Commune — Wednesday, Sept 24
Bellingham’s Grant Eadie twists electronica’s futuristic trappings into meditations on the region’s ancient flora, layering beats with the sounds of birds, rushing water, and the wind. His live show has been impressing audiences for its breadth—Eadie hops from his sampler to guitar to violin to windchimes all within the span of a couple of minutes.
JusMoni — Wednesday, Sept 24
Seattle’s JusMoni, a TheeSatisfaction collaborator, has a lot in common with that group’s cosmic take on R&B—she deftly weaves soulful vocals through some gloriously chopped up satellite warbles with an otherworldly result. If you are looking to blast off to outer space at Decibel, JusMoni is your lady.
Silent Season Showcase — Friday, Sept 26
Lest you think Manatee Commune is the only one drawing electronic inspiration from the natural world, Vancouver Island imprint Silent Season has collected a crew of like-minded artists whose work “grew out of the connection between deep ethereal music and the rain forests of Vancouver Island.” The label’s showcase at Decibel is set to be a beautiful one—combining the ambient glory of ASC, the lush dub of Segue, and the Planet Earth indebted visuals of Danthon.
Keys N Krates — Friday, Sept 26
Combining the skullcrushing trap terror of TNGHT with the humor of Diplo, Toronto’s Keys N Krates is the show to go to if you like your bass with a lot of swagger (and live drums!). “Dum Dee Dum,” the group’s stickiest hit to date, is perfect for skulking around on the dancefloor with your friends like a schwasted supervillian.
!!! (DJS) — Saturday, Sept 27
I’ve seen frontman Nic Offer’s short-shorts clad ass waggle in my face in concert enough times to know that !!! means a very good time. The slinky dance-punks from NYC are putting on a DJ set during what’s set to be Decibel’s climactic night, and if anyone is going to get you to climax this weekend, it’s probably !!!.
Anabel Englund — Sunday, Sept 28
Anabel Englund has been making a name for herself by lending her disco-diva vocals to house cuts like her breakout hit “Electricity” and Hot Natured’s “Reverse Skydiving.” If you miss Donna Summer as much as I do, check Englund out and feel some love.
Full Decibel lineup here.
