HARD Summer, Los Angeles’ beloved electronic music festival, returns this year with a lineup that is guaranteed to electrify attendees both new and those who’ve attended before. FRANK151 covered the festival last year when the event made its return to DTLA (Downtown L.A.) with this year’s venue at Hollywood Park, adjacent to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The complex will set the stage for an unforgettable weekend of the best DJs bringing you a variety of beats & an assortment of vibes you sure won’t want to miss.     

Taking place on August 3rd & 4th, the festival boasts a stacked roster of both established headliners and emerging talents across various electronic subgenres. Before you hit the dance floor, here’s a sneak peek at our must-see five artists from each day:

SATURDAY:

Disclosure 

One of the most commercially successful electronic music artists, Disclosure, will headline the festival for the first time ever on Saturday. 

With anthems such as Latch, Mali Mali and their recent funky hit She’s Gone, Dance On, Disclosure promises a groove-filled U.K. house experience that will have the crowd buzzing. Their recent collaboration with our next artist gives a taste of what’s in store. 

 

Mochakk

Emerging like a shooting star in the sky, Brazilian sensation Mochakk, a.k.a. Pedro Maia, has taken the electronic scene by storm with his magnetic stage presence and technical prowess. His mind-blowing Cercle set filled with funky house tracks, was a viral hit gaining more than 4 million views since its release. 

His uniquely impressive style of DJ’ing will definitely make the crowd boogie. Let’s hope his set doesn’t clash with Disclosure. Better yet, if they do a b2b set which HARD is known for, that would be the dream… Crossing fingers. 

 

REZZMAU5

If you’re wondering who they are, and why they are high up on the lineup, it’s because they are a special project between two of the pioneers in their respective genres. 

Deadmau5, known for his iconic Mickey Mouse mask, returns to L.A. fresh after a mind-blowing headlining show at the Hollywood Bowl last April. Deadmau5 has teamed up with REZZ, one of the pioneers of bass music and part of the same sounding genre as DJs: EDDIE & Quackson. Together the two are known as REZZMAU5.  

Apart from his Deadmau5 persona, he’s also known as Testpilot, an alias in which the DJ takes a more techno style approach to his sets. Playing in pairs is nothing new to the world famous DJ as Deadmau5 can also be seen performing in Kx5, a side project he has with Kaskade who performed at HARD Summer 2023. While REZZ & Deadmau5 have shared stages before, this marks their first joint performance in L.A. promising an unforgettable experience.

 

San Pacho

One of the artists riding the new wave of tech house, (along with his genre contemporaries: Matroda, who plays Sunday at HARD Summer and Bleu Clair, who made a splash at Splash House last summer), is San Pacho. The DJ has signed songs to Confession, UKF, Dim Mak and others as he’s made a name for himself releasing club bangers such as Amor and Trompeta where he fuses Latin elements into tech house. 

The Croatian DJ burst onto the scene just a few years back in 2019 and since has been making waves in the dance music world. With a string of sold-out shows on his ongoing U.S. tour, San Pacho’s set is sure to deliver irresistible bouncy grooves that will keep the dance floor alive.

 

Nelly Furtado

The special guest Saturday night is the incomparable Nelly Furtado. While not known as an electronic music artist, she has re-emerged into the world of music with her collaboration with Dom Dolla on Eat Your man, instantly becoming a crowd favorite.

With hits like Promiscuous, I’m Like a Bird, Give It To Me and many others, Nelly’s set ensures a nostalgic journey through the dance music of the 2000’s. With or without surprise appearances from Dom Dolla or Timbaland, Furtado’s performance is one to experience.

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SUNDAY:

SOFI TUKKER (DJ Set)

The fun loving duo from N.Y.C. seemingly always on tour, SOFI TUKKER, consisting of Sofi and Tukker, will light up the dance floor on Day 2 of HARD with their vibrant, tropical bouncy dance music.

While their Grammy-nominated hit Drinkee catapulted them into the mainstream, they continue to deliver a steady stream of chart-toppers. Their sunset slot at Coachella last year was a standout moment and although they typically perform live with Sofi on vocals & guitar and Tukker on beats, their DJ set (same with their Vegas residency), promises an electrifying dance marathon. With their boundless energy and playful antics, one thing is certain: when SOFI TUKKER takes the stage, it’s party time!

Kerri Chandler

A veteran of house music and one of the innovators of the deep house genre, Kerri Chandler’s career has spanned over three decades where he started playing records in the 90’s at New York underground clubs at the tender age of thirteen. 

Chandler’s mastery of deep house hooks guarantees a groove-filled experience and we cannot wait to see what the “Stevie Wonder of House Music” has in store on the decks.

Eli Brown

Last December,  Eli Brown performed at Insomniac’s New Year’s festival Countdown bringing the new year in with a bang. As one of the pioneers of the recent wave of techno, the Bristol native has made a name for himself with his high-energy, underground-stylistic tracks. Brown’s distinct flare on techno music infuses house vocal samples which are heard on such tracks as Be The One and Believe, to name a few. 

When Eli Brown hits the stage at this year’s event, expect HARD Summer to elevate to new heights. Here’s hoping for a nighttime slot where his sounds can truly shine.

 

Honeyluv b2b Bontan

HARD Summer is always known for their back to back (b2b) sets and one of the most interesting b2b sets this year has got to be Honeyluv and Bontan. Two distinct artists from two different genres will work together to bring a groovy tribalistic set this summer that’s bound to turn up the heat on the dance floor. 

Hailing from Cleveland, Honeyluv burst onto the scene during the pandemic with her signature blend of dark groovy deep house, embellished with disco & tribal influences. Honeyluv will team up with Bontan, the Liverpool-based DJ/Producer who has been a mainstay since 2013. Bontan is known for his percussion-infused style of house music that has recently gained prominence. His remix of Lazer Beams has become a favorite among DJs seeking to infuse tribal vibes into their own sets. Look forward to seeing what these two bring to the dance floor. A sunset set would be perfect for them.  

 

Chase & Status 

This year’s HARD Summer special guest to end the event with attendees wanting more, is none other than veterans of the electronic music scene: Chase & Status. It’s no surprise the duo have earned the status of “legends” as they’ve released music since the early 2000’s being a big influence in the DnB (drum & bass) scene; when electronic music started to enter the mainstream. DnB itself draws roots from reggae, breakbeats and dub, echoing the evolution of dubstep. 

With crossover hits such as Blind Faith and Baddadan, their songs have been sampled by contemporary DJs since their release more than 10 years ago. Their loyal fanbase can expect nothing short of an electrifying performance on Sunday night. Promising an unforgettable display of energy and bass that might just shake the ground beneath.

HARD Summer Music Festival’s entire lineup is sure to be spectacular. We hope to see you on the dance floor!

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For Tickets and the Full Lineup, visit the HARD Summer website. 

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Written by Eric B. Thorton | Edited by Bernadette

FRANK151