MP3 PREP — 4 Must-See Acts at Alaska’s Sacred Acre Festival 2024

As the festival season charges full steam ahead, the preparation for each event becomes a task in itself. Welcome to MP3 PREP, your ultimate guide to navigating the pulsating world of music festivals. Here’s what you need to know about some of the highly-anticipated performances at Alaska’s premier music festival, Sacred Acre 2024.

What do you get when you combine the beautiful scenery of Alaska, a heavy-hitting lineup, and an admirable sustainability initiative that aims to raise awareness around trawling (the practice of factory ships dragging massive nets along the ocean floor, destroying and catching everything in its path including sea animals and precious marine habitats)? You get Sacred Acre, which is returning to the Kenai Peninsula Fairgrounds in Ninilchik, Alaska, on September 6-8th.

Set against a 40 acre backdrop of beautiful wooded campground, Sacred Acre is a three-day, immersive festival experience that combines performances from contemporary bass music icons, stunning laser and digital art stage displays, and an environmentally-focused mission aimed to connect attendees with the natural world around them. At the center of this remote music festival, of course, is the music.

Here are 4 acts you need to catch at Sacred Acres this year.

1. The Glitch Mob

Hailed for their undeniable influence on EDM’s rise to mainstream appeal, The Glitch Mob has celebrated a multifaceted musical career that spans 15 years. The secret to their longevity? Never being complacent.

From break beats and techno to dubstep and bass music, The Glitch Mob has done it all with grace and consistency, not necessarily in sound, but in quality. 

In their early days, The Glitch Mob was known for massive production and stage design, led by the innovative “Bladee” production that turned the stage into an interactive instrument. But, since releasing their last album, Ctrl Alt Reality, the group has shifted their focus to a more stripped-back approach — an homage to old-school rave culture and sound.

READ: The Glitch Mob Shares Thoughts on EDM’s Minimalism Movement

2. Late Night Radio

There are very few artists who can tap into the electro-soul sound and style the way Late Night Radio does. His music is equal parts nostalgic and modern; funky and beautiful. It’s at this crossroads of influence and sound that Late Night Radio delivers soulful sermons seeped in bass, classic soul samples, and groovy undertones.

A true admirer of vinyl culture, Late Night Radio constantly pushes this niche genre forward by going backwards, especially on his Vinyl Restoration tapes, of which he’s released 10 volumes. These projects are an ode to an era of music long forgotten in contemporary culture, despite the resurgence in vinyl sales in recent years. By utilizing and re-shaping he creates a world that stands entirely on its own.

READ: Pocket Full of Dreams — Late Night Radio Talks New Album and Melancholy Sunshine

3. Thought Process

One of the hottest up-and-coming bass acts in North America, Thought Process makes deep, meditative bass music that evokes a sense of hypnosis. His music has a spiritual energy to it that’s impossible to ignore. And that’s the whole point.

Blending the sound design of artists like Tipper and Detox Unit with the downtempo aesthetic of the late CharlestheFirst, Thought Process is a groovy exploration into deep, melodic bass that balances fun, danceable rhythms with an experimental approach. His songs are great, but his live sets, which are more about the journey than the destination, are what really differentiates this project.

4. Dirtwire

Listening to Dirtwire’s music is like washing your senses with peyote, and then rolling down a sand dune in the Mojave desert. Or, perhaps more fitting, an Alaskan tundra. At times, tracks like “Sailing the Solar Flairs” mimic psychedelic folk music, complete with banjos and violins. Other times, songs like “Cantaloupe” dive headfirst into groovy blues music with harmonicas and slide guitars. Strangely, much of Dirtwire’s catalog paints a picture of a lone ranger on a spiritual journey, with only his noble steed to keep him company. 

These elements come together to create a live experience that pushes the boundaries of psychedelic jam music, with a heavy emphasis on improvisation with untraditional instruments, live percussion, and insane visuals. They mix all kinds of electronic music, folk music, and funk. Dirtwire is as weird as it gets, but it’s an experience you can’t miss.

With a lineup that heralds a bold leap into the future of music and environmental awareness, Sacred Acre 2024 invites you to join in a spellbinding Alaskan experience. From the dance floor to the depths of the ocean, this festival is a call to action, a celebration of life, and an opportunity to become one with the awe-inspiring phenomenon that is Sacred Acre. More info/tickets can be found here: www.sacredacreak.com/book-now.

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Sacred Acre Lineup (ABC):

APOTHECARY BROOKS
BODELIA
BLACKSMOKE
CAVESAYER
CLINT SAMPLES
DAT KID SHAWN
DIG SISTA
DIRTWIRE
DJ GRIM
DJ MOVEMENT
DOMEWREKKA
DYSTRAXION
EDIT
FRACTAL THEORY
FRAMEWORKS
HAD DAT
JAMES
JERBEAR
KAPTAIN
LATE NIGHT RADIO
MOONTRICKS
NAUGHTY
OOAH
PEEKABOO
PHYPHR
POSTER CHILD
QUINOA
RACHEL MONAE
SAXAFRAS
SCOTTY B
SEALEGS
SEED
THE GLITCH MOB
THE SPONGES
THE WOOK
THOUGHT PROCESS
TRASH RAPTOR
WRECKNO
ZEBBLER ENCANTI EXPERIENCE
ZINGARA