Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival is fast approaching and will officially return to Sunshine Grove in Okeechobee, Florida, March 2-5.
Okeechobee’s annual throwdown will also bring the return of another cherished piece of Florida festival culture: Okee’s house and techno stage, Jungle 51.
Running from dusk-till-dawn, Jungle 51 is an oasis of beautiful weirdness where the grooves always flow and the feet are always moving.
This year, Jungle 51 will host four-on-the-floor ground-shakers from near and far. The Jungle 51 lineup is always full of quality and 2023 is no exception. Read on below for a full Jungle 51 breakdown and inside looks into our can’t-miss artists.
Thursday Set Times:
Hint of Lavender: 6PM-8:15PM
Gaspar Muniz: 8:15PM-10:30PM
Carlita: 10:30PM-12:45AM
Ms. Mada: 12:45AM-3AM
Soul Clap: 3AM-7AM
EDM Maniac Spotlight:
Carlita
With recent works on Diplo’s Higher Ground record label and an impressive live set for Cercle in Rome last year, Turkish producer and DJ, Carlita has solidified her place in the spotlight.
Last year she made her rounds playing ADE, numerous Circoloco events, and even Burning Man. A classically trained musician who has played the cello since she was a child, Carlita is well versed in global sounds. Her sets bring an uplifting spirit of adventure to artfully refined house and techno beats.
Soul Clap
Fun-loving, Boston duo Soul Clap has been bringing the house grooves for over a decade. From their own label Soul Clap Records, to their work on Factory 93 and Fool’s Gold, the music of Soul Clap is a self-coined pledge of allegiance to the funk.
Partners in crime, Eli Goldstein and Charles Levine effortlessly captain the house music mothership, touching nearly every corner of the genre.
Friday Set Times:
Simone Gatto: 6PM-8PM
Davy Wreck: 8PM-10PM
The Josh Craig: 10PM-12AM
Mall Grab: 12AM-3AM
Rechulski: 3AM-7AM
EDM Maniac Spotlight:
Mall Grab
The Australian producer and DJ, Mall Grab, has a style that encompasses a wide variety of genres and influences. From his origins in lo-fi house, to breakbeat, and beyond, one thing has always remained the same: Mall Grab brings the juice.
His whopping drumbeats overflow with carefree swagger, and with some downright dance floor weapons, Mall Grab is sure to burn the house down at Okeechobee.
Rechulski
A man of many previous monikers, NYC DJ and producer Rechulski is the founder of house and techno label Sheik N Beik. Rechulski and Sheik N Beik are the curators behind the famous Jungle 51 stage.
An unapologetic oddball, Rechulski’s brand of techno wraps listeners in melancholy, sharply cut with heart-pounding beats. His unofficially official sound of Jungle 51 will be on full display to close out the stage on Friday night.
Saturday Set Times:
Justin Martin: 6PM-9PM
Sama’ Abdulhadi: 9PM-12AM
IVVY: 12AM-1AM
François X: 1AM-4AM
Dauwd: 4AM-7AM
EDM Maniac Spotlight:
Justin Martin
With tracks and mixes equally complex as they are fun, producer and DJ Justin Martin is widely known in the industry for his instrumental role in the early success of Dirtybird Records.
Since moving to start his own label, What To Do, in 2020, Martin has been crushing it; pumping out new tunes, remixes, and exclusive collaborations.
Sama’ Abdulhadi
Sama’ Abdulhadi is one of the biggest things in techno right now. A first-of-her-kind DJ and producer to come out of the underground scene in Palestine, she is known to many as simply, Sama’.
Her unique style of punchy techno bursts with energy and is emblematic of the multilayered soundscapes of her home. Abdulhadi brought a historic Boiler Room event to Palestine in 2018, and her live performances are said to be a spiritual experience.
Sunday Set Times:
Slugg: 5PM-8PM
Sinopoli: 8PM-11PM
Sven Väth: 11PM-5AM
EDM Maniac Spotlight:
Sven Väth
It doesn’t get much more OG techno than Sven Väth. With a historic career spanning over 40 years, Sven Väth is a legend of the German techno scene and has been an integral part of electronic dance music from its very start.
From his early days shaping the scene in 1980s Frankfurt, to the creation of Cocoon Recordings and building one the biggest techno parties in Ibiza, Väth has conquered every endeavor that the industry has to offer.
Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival will take place March 2-5, 2023, in Okeechobee, Florida. Click here to purchase tickets.
Feature photo provided by Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival Facebook page.
