There’s no denying that festival season is a raver’s favorite time of the year. But, when festival season and summer collide, it’s a whole new adventure. Day Trip Festival 2022 is less than two weeks away and Insomniac has big plans for welcoming the summer solstice.
With two stages––High Tide and Deep End––and two days full of house music on the Queen Mary Waterfront in Long Beach, it’s safe to say that ravers, partygoers, and those simply seeking a good summer will come out to play. Insomniac has been preparing fans for this very moment by hosting #DayTripLA Summer on the patio parties at Academy, serving their infamous deep fish bowls stamped with cursive writing that reads “Day Trip” in the middle and showcasing up-and-coming acts. One thing Insomniac has tried to carry through with Day Trip is to “be a springboard for new emerging house artists,” according to one of their tweets. Artists like James Hype, John Summit, and VNSSA are lead examples of this well-fulfilled mission.
Now, with two days under their belt to shine the sun on new producers and longstanding icons, Insomniac brings us a diverse lineup for this year’s festival. Here are five DJs (staples and newcomers) that are bound to make you groove at Day Trip Festival 2022 on June 25-26.
1. Dennis Ferrer
The multi-talented, New York-based DJ and producer, Dennis Ferrer is a soulful house music luminary that’s been paving the way to the top. Fans may know him through his recent Grammy-nominated remix of the pop Dido single “Don’t Believe in Love,” or his touch on “The Cure and the Cause,” by Fish Go Deep. He produced techno under the alias “Morph” in the mid-90s, gained respect in the Afro and gospel house scenes, and founded the deep house label Objektivity in 2006. As a DJ who isn’t afraid to test boundaries or rush a masterpiece, he’s destined to make supporters catch a groove.
2. Maya Janes Coles
Gifted DJ, producer, and audio engineer, Maya Jane Coles has made her mark in the underground scene of dance music. The British-Japanese artist continues to show the world her power in producing various genres like techno, deep house, trip-hop, and more since kickstarting her career in 2006. Maya Jane Coles has also produced music under two well-known aliases––Nocturnal Sunshine and CAYAM––gaining acknowledgment in the industry for her copious amount of skills. From remixing tracks by Depeche Mode and The XX to having her own tracks sampled by Nicki Minaj and Katty Perry, Maya will set the mood with her dark, enigmatic tones.
3. Solardo
Mark Richards and James Eliot, better known as Solardo, are a sought-out tech-house duo with an infectious spirit that’s certain to get the crowd moving. The two mates have shared their music with the world through popular labels like Jaime Jones’ Hot Creations, Toolroom Records, Lee Foss’ Repopulate Mars, and Green Velvet’s Relief Records. After creating a fanbase in the UK and beyond, it was only right that Mark and James implemented “Sola.” A platform for artists they like to call a “forward-thinking UK independent record label.” The project has planted tracks by Mason Maynard, CamelPhat, and Secondcity.
4. Gene Ferris
A Chicago house music legend. An acid house and disco icon. If you listen to releases put out by Relief, Dirtybird, ViVa Music, and Defected, there’s no denying that you’ve come across the music of Gene Ferris. After being in the game for three decades and recognized as an act that held down an eight-year residency at Chicago’s Boom Boom Room, and a four-year residency at Jimmy Woo in Amsterdam, Gene is undeniably an essential artist within house music culture.
5. Juliet Mendoza
As a Los Angeles native, and someone whose life was changed by the rhythm, Juliet Mendoza is showing the industry how powerful and influential women in dance music are. Having played various local shows like Housepitality LA, Shindig Sundays, and more, Juliet is now playing at bigger shows and festivals like West Coat Weekender, Day Trip Festival, and Frameworks Knee Deep in Los Angeles.
“I always tell people I am a dancer first DJ second. I love getting lost in the music and it has become a very therapeutic thing for me–– music has always been my playground.” words by Juliet Mendoza via Its Fault Radio
