- Although still a relatively obscure name on the international festival circuit, Rural is regarded among those in the know as one of the best places to experience underground electronic music in Japan. Launched in 2009 as a modest outdoor event of 500 people, it's since built a reputation for booking DJs that really know their craft, plucking them from genres like techno, UK bass and ambient.
After changing sites several times in the past few years, Rural decided to hold this year's edition at Uchiyama Camping Village in Nagano prefecture, a campsite situated on a highland at an altitude of 1,200 meters. The dance floor came with a magnificent view, and the gorgeous setting was the perfect backdrop for four days (including the pre-party) of euphoria that had me basking in the sun, witnessing amazing sunsets and getting soaked in sudden rains, all while losing myself to mind-blowing music.
Caught in the weekend traffic, I arrived to the festival grounds a little later than hoped. This year's main soundsystem was a Void Air Array, while the latest model of Pioneer's X-Y Series had been installed on the second Indoor Stage. The combination of Void and Pioneer has become Rural's staple sound in the last few years. I made my way to the main Open Air Stage and was immediately mesmerized by the beautiful panorama. I looked over to the DJ booth to find Solar—who has been gaining recognition in Japan recently after showcasing incredible sets at parties like Future Terror and last year's Rural—playing groovy, psychedelic house tracks with a West Coast swagger.
Bristol's Batu went next, keeping the momentum going while adding in some UK flavour. Felix K, who turned heads last year after an impressive live set with ENA, has a knack for blending bass music, drum & bass and techno effortlessly, but this time he decided to home in on a more staunch techno sound. After Roly Porter served up some rich, dark soundscapes, Gas, AKA Wolfgang Voigt, stepped up. Rural likes to keep the lighting and stage production to a minimum to maintain the focus on the music, so I was surprised to find the Kompakt cofounder doing an audiovisual set. He's known for his weird, unsettling ambient releases, and recently put out Narkopop, his first album in 17 years as Gas. With eerie forests and abstract imagery projected behind him, he unraveled layers of digitally processed orchestral sounds. A mist formed during his set, giving the visuals more depth and mystifying the sounds. I was lost for words.
My highlight of the second night was ENA. Up until he began, the DJs' selections mostly stayed within techno, but ENA drastically shifted the mood, sending the floor into a frenzy with abstract, bass-heavy bombs. ASC, on the other hand, lit up the floor with atmospheric, energetic techno. He was followed by Wata Igarashi, who, playing live again this year, maintained an aggressive energy before winding things down with his signature cool, lean grooves.
Svreca, who was the talk of the town after captivating hearts with an incredible display of otherworldly techno at last year's Labyrinth, played the longest set of the second day. His wistful set at Rural was just as impressive. His sound tends to be both dramatic and pretty, which, like with Gas, was only enhanced by the surrounding nature. After building tension with his skilful mixing, he cut the drums completely as daybreak approached and began working in melancholic textures. Then came hefty servings of propulsive beats that prompted ecstatic responses from the crowd. With a cigarette dangling from her lips, Lena Willikens hit the decks at 5 AM, playing tracks with acid-y melodies, laid-back rhythms and tribal vocal samples, while still keeping to a steady groove. Her set was a nice contrast to Svreca's roller-coaster ride.
DJ Nobu was the final act. The veteran displayed a similar restraint to Willikens, with cool, breezy techno that sounded especially marvellous in the sunny Nagano highlands. As he rinsed through thumping tracks, the lively crowd responded with joyous hollers and cheers, ending the four-day event on a high.
The breathtaking setting coupled with a handful of excellent sets made this year's Rural easily one of the best experiences I've had at the festival. Unlike past editions, where the music veered all over the place, the programming felt a lot more cohesive. The audience, too, seemed more diverse than before, with younger partygoers and older electronic heads all coming together. Now that they've found such a gorgeous site, I can only ask the team to make Uchiyama Camping Village their permanent home, so that future Rurals are every bit as heavenly.
Photo credit /
Yumiya Saiki
Yutaro Yamauchi
Konosuke Hirai
Bristol's Batu went next, keeping the momentum going while adding in some UK flavour. Felix K, who turned heads last year after an impressive live set with ENA, has a knack for blending bass music, drum & bass and techno effortlessly, but this time he decided to home in on a more staunch techno sound. After Roly Porter served up some rich, dark soundscapes, Gas, AKA Wolfgang Voigt, stepped up. Rural likes to keep the lighting and stage production to a minimum to maintain the focus on the music, so I was surprised to find the Kompakt cofounder doing an audiovisual set. He's known for his weird, unsettling ambient releases, and recently put out Narkopop, his first album in 17 years as Gas. With eerie forests and abstract imagery projected behind him, he unraveled layers of digitally processed orchestral sounds. A mist formed during his set, giving the visuals more depth and mystifying the sounds. I was lost for words. My highlight of the second night was ENA. Up until he began, the DJs' selections mostly stayed within techno, but ENA drastically shifted the mood, sending the floor into a frenzy with abstract, bass-heavy bombs. ASC, on the other hand, lit up the floor with atmospheric, energetic techno. He was followed by Wata Igarashi, who, playing live again this year, maintained an aggressive energy before winding things down with his signature cool, lean grooves.
Svreca, who was the talk of the town after captivating hearts with an incredible display of otherworldly techno at last year's Labyrinth, played the longest set of the second day. His wistful set at Rural was just as impressive. His sound tends to be both dramatic and pretty, which, like with Gas, was only enhanced by the surrounding nature. After building tension with his skilful mixing, he cut the drums completely as daybreak approached and began working in melancholic textures. Then came hefty servings of propulsive beats that prompted ecstatic responses from the crowd. With a cigarette dangling from her lips, Lena Willikens hit the decks at 5 AM, playing tracks with acid-y melodies, laid-back rhythms and tribal vocal samples, while still keeping to a steady groove. Her set was a nice contrast to Svreca's roller-coaster ride. DJ Nobu was the final act. The veteran displayed a similar restraint to Willikens, with cool, breezy techno that sounded especially marvellous in the sunny Nagano highlands. As he rinsed through thumping tracks, the lively crowd responded with joyous hollers and cheers, ending the four-day event on a high. The breathtaking setting coupled with a handful of excellent sets made this year's Rural easily one of the best experiences I've had at the festival. Unlike past editions, where the music veered all over the place, the programming felt a lot more cohesive. The audience, too, seemed more diverse than before, with younger partygoers and older electronic heads all coming together. Now that they've found such a gorgeous site, I can only ask the team to make Uchiyama Camping Village their permanent home, so that future Rurals are every bit as heavenly. Photo credit / Yumiya Saiki Yutaro Yamauchi Konosuke Hirai