If you track seasons via the rave, then you know one of the clearest signs of spring is CRSSD, the San Diego dance festival that’s gone down annually (minus the pandemic years) since 2015.
The most recent iteration of the event, which happened March 4-5 in its longstanding location at San Diego’s Bayfront Park, was not just a harbinger of summer but also a sonic heatwave, with a lineup that included headliners ODESZA, Polo & Pan, Kavinsky, Bedouin, Maya Jane Coles, Deborah de Luca and Umek. (Another edition of CRSSD will also happen this summer, with the event always happening bi-annually.)
Drawing a crowd of roughly 15,000, this month’s fest also featured a strong crew of house and techno heavy-hitters from around the world, including these four acts whose sets can be relived (or heard for the very first time) exclusively here.
AMÉMÉ
The West African born, Brooklyn-based producer brought a tribal house mood with his 90-minute set, which got progressively steamier via remixed Haitian folk music courtesy of KEENE, layers of hand percussion, an edit of his own “Kaleta,” deep cuts from New York producer Easy Tyger and much more.
Jackmaster
Scotland’s Jackmaster was characteristically cool, playing intermittently hard, heavy, spare and sleek techno from a flurry of underground acts including Von, Joshua Puerta and Hezziane and ending his set with an impromptu b2b2b2b of pals alongside Skream, Seth Troxler and Ben Sterling.
Space 92 X POPOF present: Turbulences
Rising French star Space 92 went b2b with French vet POPOF for a pummeling techno set that grabs you by the proverbial collar and takes you along for the ride. The set wastes no time, launching with Adrenochrom’s excellent “Space Invader Defcon Three,” mixing in Space 92’s collab with Oliver Heldens’ HI-LO alias and staying darkly and deliciously relentless for the full 90 minutes.
Tom & Collins
The Mexican duo’s set spanned styles and origins of house music, crossing Latin rhythms with the extremely vibey “Booty” from Canary Islands-based Chantrero and the pair’s very own and very fire singles “Se Va,” “Hagüe,” along with several equally excellent tracks that are thus far un-Shazamable.