My Top 8 Artists To See At Electric Forest
Electric Forest is next week! I repeat: we’re all heading back to the forest in one week! Eeeek! I’m so excited as I haven’t been to Forest in years. I went way back in 2013 and then again 2015 so this is going to be an exciting journey for me! I’m excited to see how the forest has changed over the years. Anyway, I was going to do top 5 but there were 8, so I guess it’s the top 8 artists in alphabetical order!
Note- some of these bios come from the wonderful Daniel Karasek from his Bonnaroo Artist of the Day Series.
Ahee– Now, this is one I haven’t seen yet, so I’m super psyched! AHEE, the DJ and producer who has redefined the electronic music landscape, embodies the bold energy and genre-defying sound of modern bass music. Born Chris Adams, the California-based artist has made an indelible mark on the electronic music scene with his ability to blend everything from dubstep to psybass and drum and bass, creating an exhilarating ride that resonates with listeners worldwide. As a driving force in the bass music world, AHEE has performed at some of the most prestigious festivals, including Lightning In A Bottle, Coachella, and beyond, ultimately making the transition from festival-goer to headliner.
Liquid Stranger– I’ve seen Liquid Stranger several times and he never disappoints. Liquid Stranger, aka Martin Stääf, is a Swedish-born experimental bass artist who now resides in Edmond, Oklahoma. He was born in 1978 on the Swedish West Coast and played piano at an early age, playing classical piano concerts when he was ages 6-8. In the 80s, he experimented with synthesizers and abandoned classical music to produce his own material. In 1997, he formed the outfit Necton with Patrik Olsén which focuses on progressive and psychedelic trance. Necton released multiple albums and EPs and were signed to three labels, Spirit Zone Recordings, Digital Structures, and Spiral Trax. The duo toured the world extensively between 1997 and 2003. While in Necton, Martin released music under the alias Rhoca. In 2003, he officially launched the Liquid Stranger project to consolidate his musical output into one alias. Initially, he wanted to keep his identity secret and never did interviews or showed his face on stage. This kept going for a while until Interchill wrote his true name on his record sleeves. The Liquid Stranger project has been a staple over the last two decades as Martin pushes the boundaries of EDM with his mixed genre approach, with his most recent focus being on dubstep and space bass.
Mersiv– I’ve seen this one a few times at festivals and shows and he always KILLS it! Mersiv, aka Anderson Benoit Gallegos, is a producer/DJ that has been spinning a darker style of bass music since 2015. He hit his stride in 2018 at Electric Forest with a multi-set showing that really brought attention to his craft. In 2019, he dropped his debut EP Digital Eden and had his breakout-single “Beautiful & Filthy” via WAKAAN. This sparked the Beautiful & Filthy Tour which had over 50 stops. Mersiv has become the head curator of MorFlow Records on top of hitting millions of plays for his tracks. He has collaborated with some of the best including CloZee and Zeds Dead.
Saxsquatch– Have you seen the memes in the EF 2025 group? I had hoped to find it again, but couldn’t. Anyway, Forest fam is thrilled to see him! Saxsquatch is a multi-instrumentalist producer and electronic music artist from North Carolina. He has released music with legends including John Oates, Billy Ray Cyrus, and the band War. He has also released music via the iconic label Monstercat, with some tracks making it into Rocket League and Fortnite. He has even made it to the front page of Forbes.
Saxsquatch created the “Bigfoot Rave” tour in 2024 where he included a full laser show to his dynamic set. His following tour, “Footprints” sold out 27 shows across the United States. Now, he has plans to take the festival circuit by storm
Tiësto– Back when I was a baby raver at my very first festival, EDC Chicago in 2013, I saw Tiësto and it was absolutely magical. He did such an amazing job and I can’t wait to see him again! We all know Tiësto from the years he’s been in the scene. In fact, in 2013, DJ Mag named him the best DJ of the past 20 years. He’s been in the game for so long, many people regard him as the Godfather of EDM. He’s the founder of Black Hole Recordings and has even played at The Olympics.
Wreckno– This is one artist I haven’t been able to check out yet, but I hear he’s a lot of fun! Wreckno, also known as Brandon Wisniski, is a bass artist doing things his way. He grew up near Rothbury, Michigan, home to the legendary Electric Forest, and became enchanted with EDM and forms of creative expression such as freestyle dance and flow arts. In 2015, Wreckno decided to go all in and purchased midi gear to start DJing as a hobby. After four years, he started gaining traction as his DJing morphed into a career. He quickly gained attention and support from bass tastemakers including G-Space, Peekaboo, iLL Gates, and Bassnectar. After playing Deja Voom Festival in 2020 and Hijinx in 2021, Wreckno continues to evolve his artistry into a positive expression that reflects why he got into EDM in the first place, the widespread notion of PLUR that makes the EDM community accepting of anyone that like to dance their woes away.
Zeds Dead- Killa killa, Zeds Dead. These two are phenomenal and I can’t wait to see what the duo pulls off! Zeds Dead, aka Dylan Mamid (DC) and Zachary Rapp-Rovan (Hooks), is an EDM duo from Toronto, Canada. The pair started calling themselves Mass Productions in 2004 and released an album under that name titled Fresh Beetz in 2007. Two years later they switched their name to Zeds Dead after a line from Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 classic film Pulp Fiction. It was also when the duo shifted their sound to more house and dubstep. Zeds Dead debuted with their single “Journey of a Lifetime” which was free to download and part of a series of other free tracks and remixes. In 2010 and 2011, they released music under many labels including Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak and Diplo’s Mad Decent. Following this, Zeds Dead released a slew of EPs with Somewhere Else entering the Billboard 200 in 2014. They released their debut LP in 2016 titled Northern Lights which had collaborations with Diplo, Pusha T, and Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo. The following year they won a Canadian Independent Music Award for Electronic/Dance Artist of the Year. Zeds Dead continued to shine, even throughout the pandemic, by headlining tours and festivals.
Zingara– This is one I’ve had my eyes on for awhile and then somehow, miss her at festivals. So she’s on my YES list for Forest! Zingara, born Gabrielle Mirabile on September 13, 1998, in Maryland, has rapidly made a name for herself as a dynamic force in the world of bass music. Initially encouraged by a friend to explore music professionally, Zingara’s journey began in 2017, when she pivoted from videography to DJing, performing in local venues around Towson, Maryland. This transition marked the beginning of a creative evolution that would see her become a prominent figure in the bass music scene.
Who do you want to see at Electric Forest? There are some legendary artists. We’ll see you frolicking in the lovely Electric Forest!