Essential musts at Horizon Festival

It might only be heading into its fourth season in the Pirin Mountains, but Horizon Festival has already carved itself out as one of the freshest parties going. The underground is always at the forefront at the Bansko Ski Resort, as it pools together artists from across the dance music spectrum and presents them in ways you're unlikely to see anywhere else. This year sees the likes of garage king MJ Cole, techno darlings Zenker Brothers, junglist veteran Congo Natty and many more set up in some maddening venues. There’ll be mountain hotels, forest stages, banquet halls, and abandoned factories, all to get down in during the weeklong festivities. With endless amounts to do Mixmag looks at what mustn’t be missed at this year’s Horizon.

You’d think after 20 years Goldie could surprise us no more. He’s made nearly every twist and turn in the game, often dragging his Metalheadz label along with him for the ride, but the drum ‘n’ bass legend still manages to cough up something special. At this year’s Horizon he’ll team up with festival regular and Bulgarian local KiNK as the two join forces for a one-off show, where together they’ll delve into the history and foundations of drum ‘n’ bass. It’s a thrilling pair-up that sees the icon meet one of the most current voices in dance music.

We all get lost at festivals. It’s unavoidable, but there are worse places to lose your friends than at Horizon. Take a wander away from the site and there’s plenty to stumble across. South west of Bansko Ski Resort are the three natural geothermal pools for you to plunge yourself into, where headline DJs will hit the spot to keep the party going and bridge the gap between the halcyon and hedonism. Elsewhere, Bansko Ski Resort surrounding area offers up plenty of visually stunning views as you wind by the National Park, historic churches and ancient streets.

Endlessly in demand, the Russian DJ’s career has skyrocketed over the last few years, from crafting techno masterpieces like ‘Ghetto Kraviz’ to featuring as a Mixmag cover star and starting he own label трип. Only three years after the release of her debut album is it getting a re-release and nothing seems to be slowing her down. So, what a time to catch her, as she takes time from her busy schedule to land in the Pirin Mountains and showcase her techno habit. Her self-imposed responsibility to educate the masses with music means that this is a guaranteed mix of intrigue and revelry.

The Spanish DJ always seems to find himself on the cutting edge. His 2012 debut ‘ƒIN’ was one of the best albums that year and highlighted his rare ear for emotionally driven house music. But, as his previous sets attest, he also knows how to keep the grooves alive as both heads and hips stay alert. Making his debut at the festival, the unique stages at Horizon might prove to be the perfect setting for his colourful music.

Horizon clearly has an abundance of unique aspects, but there's one that trumps them all. The derelict hotel they’ve commandeered for the festival lies far out of the way in a remote part of the allegedly haunted Pirin Mountains. With each room transformed into a different setup, the labyrinth of party rooms will feature Bond-themed cocktail bars, magic shows, and rooms with Bulgarian woodwind bands, to name a few, with DJs also playing in the dilapidated master suite. There's enough going off in this building alone to get the whole festival excited.

Horizon Festival takes place at Bansko Ski Resort, Bulgaria from March 12 – 17.