Japanese Festival The Labyrinth is keeping its lineup a secret this year
With coarse hands born in industrial cities, techno has challenged and freed the minds of many and evolved in the process. Along with the growth of the dance scene, tech has reached the ears of many, now has developed a defined style — sleek, raw and effortlessly cool.
Though tech has connected with the mainstream the influence of the secretive places of its birth have never left. It remains elusive, unflinching, and mystical which makes it hard not to wonder what will be going down at Labyrinth Festival this year. Located in Japan’s Chubu prefecture, in the woods of Naeba, Labyrinth hosts an assortment of sound even deeper than the surrounding woods. One can tell from videos that this is a festival shrouded in a silk mist, one that allows the listener to feel the vibrations to their core. This cloak is hard to ignore, and it seems Labyrinth realizes this.
For 10 years Labyrinth has treated people to an intimate and one of a kind experience — often coupled with rain. Now, a decade later, Labyrinth is making a new play. The festival announced it will not be releasing any information on the lineup, saying “Mystery and surprise are key elements of artistic experiences, but expectations can sometimes get in the way…surprises can be more fun, so this year we are asking you to leave your expectations at home.” It’s clear that Labyrinth has the trust of the crowd they’ve developed over the years and is comfortable enough to experiment with the experience. What’s more techno than that?
Looking back on past years, they’ve hosted the likes of Peter Van Hoesen, Donato Dozzy, DJ Nobu, Claudio Fabrianesi and Patrick Russell. In playful fashion, the festival added that, “…five artists are playing Labyrinth for the first time this year; that an old friend who has not played since the days of Kawaba will happily be returning; and that the final day represents an important statement from one of the family…”
With trust, teasing, and a more than a little bit of a grin presented by Mindgames, Labyrinth is set for September 22-24.
Photo credit: Labyrinth Fest
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