Electrifying Moments: Highlights From Magnetic Fields Festival 2023

Magnetic Fields has come to be globally respected for its confluence of art, music, wellness and community, and represents an India that is embracing of its past, and future-facing in its outlook.

The flagbearer for future-facing sounds from India and around the world, the December 15-17 festival served up a wide range of music – from some of the world’s most exciting selectors like Hudson Mohawke, Moopie, Or:la, Deadbeat, Coffintexts, Nosedrip, Jennifer Loveless, Bake, DJ ADHD to festival commissions like Fieldlines – featuring beatmaker and producer _RHL and classical musicians – electrifying performances by Melbourne-based psychedelia band Glass Beams, Jitwam and Afrobeat legend Dele Sosimi, and exclusive, AV sets by Dolorblind and Dualist Inquiry.

But like any other edition of Magnetic Fields, there was more than just music for the more than 6,000 attendees that made the journey to Alsisar.

Magnetic Words, a collaboration with art and culture magazine Platform saw attendees interact and engage with filmmakers, photographers, urban music artists and art patrons, whereas the wellness space Magnetic Sanctuary – curated by transformational and wellness experiences platform LifePlugin – proved to be exceptionally popular with Fielders as did the Gond art, wood blockprinting and perfumery workshops curated by Havah.

The  Jameson Connects South Stage and BUDx North Stage saw some exceptional performances. The South Stage played host to a bunch of live acts, like Bangalore-based Nepali rock band Gauley Bhai, Meghalaya’s Meba Ofilia, Many Roots Ensemble, and young producers Goya and Raj among others.

The night stage hosted some of UK’s most exciting names in dance music – I. Jordan, DJ ADHD, Bake, Mella Dee – as well international stars like Paula Tape, Jennifer Loveless, Dar Disku and India’s Rishi Sippy, alongside the very experienced sound wizard Deadbeat.

BUDxYARD was always high on energy, despite low temperatures through the weekend, and saw energetic sets by Indian acts like Girls Night Only and OX7GEN, alongside demonstrations of dancefloor virtuosity by DJs like Otik, Orpheu The Wizard, Nosedrip and Moopie.

The velvet draped, opulent-looking Peacock Club was the scene for three special showcases through the weekend with a spotlight on ambient, noise and leftfield artists from Social Isolation on Friday; Saturday night saw the first-ever midnight dub session featuring BFR Soundsystem and Delhi Sultanate, while Paradise at The Peacock Club featuring Or:la and Dragalatiq on Sunday night was a few hours of marvellous mayhem.

The festival also saw stand out sets at the secret after parties – a large part of the appeal of Magnetic Fields – from the Numbers’ 20 Years showcase featuring Hudson Mohawke and Spencer at the Ray-Ban Afterparty on Friday night and a spirited B2B by UK DJs Amaliah and Danielle at the Resident Advisor showcase on Saturday night. The biggest applause was saved for the Sunday night closing sets – Or:la’s set at The Peacock Club, and then her B2B with Melbourne selector Moopie at the Ray-Ban Desert Oasis in the desert.

The festival, as always, was a sensorial delight: there were stargazing sessions on the palace rooftop, folk music performances on the rooftop and Darbar Hall, stunning interactive installations, a treasure hunt that saw 75 teams participate and an hour-long tussle between three at the final hurdle, and festival food that included a variety of festival-friendly options like pizzas, Asian rice bowls and kebabs alongside gluten-free and vegan food and freshly roasted and brewed coffee.

The festival continues to work with waste management experts SKRAP to optimize waste segregation and recycling, and around 10,300 kgs or 95 per cent of the total waste generated at the Magnetic Fields 2023 was diverted away from landfills.