It is difficult to describe the essence of techno to someone who hasn’t yet had their breakthrough with the genre, for capturing its multifaceted spirit is a delicate affair. Busato’s productions effectively represent its decadence and deliverance, its sin and solace, while still remaining upbeat enough to light up the dance floor.

San Diego’s CRSSD Festival is back with its best lineup yet for it’s Spring 2016 weekend. CRSSD has quickly established itself as the premiere boutique festival in California’s crowded market. With cutting edge talent bookings across the spectrum of underground electronic music in a chic SoCal setting, it spans the gap between garish, mainstream EDM events and the growing transformational festival movement.

How soon is “soon”? This must be the most common complaint among Eric Prydz‘s super-fan following. Mr. Prydz– also known as Pryda, also known as Cirez D, also known as “Vader D” among his devoted techno followers–is notoriously enigmatic about his releases. He has been taunting us for months now about three massive announcements: his Cirez D EP, his original artist album, and–perhaps most importantly–EPIC 4.0.

Southern California has played host to kandi-style raves and transfomational campout festivals for years now, but the space between has been decidedly blank. Enter CRSSD: less pretentious younger sibling of Coachella, friend of Desert Hearts, mentor of the Wonderlands.  CRSSD has solved the middle-ground issue by curating a festival where attendees can experience the local culture through an accessible urban setting while listening to forward-thinking electronic and alternative acts.

The premier CRSSD Festival will bring some of the best and most forward-thinking names in dance music to San Diego March 14th & 15th. Here are my top picks for what is sure to be a sun-soaked, action-packed weekend of tunes...

Drain the last of drop of an extra dirty martini from the glass, have to dry swallow the colorful little pill. Run my tongue across scarlet lips, relishing the subtle burn of spirits on skin. Slip a bill under the check before I head out–too much for the shit service, but change is one of those frivolous things that I cannot be bothered with in my current condition.

[This is part 2 of our three part special series covering the exquisite as fuck new Varien LP. We thought music as complex and rich as this in its humanity deserved a likewise response. So we ditched the traditional 411 format and went for a creative approach. We wanted to show you where the music took us. And music this deep took us to surprising places. BUY THE LP ON ITUNES.] PART 2 INCLUDES THE VOICES OF FOUR OF OUR CIS-FEMALE WRITERS: Tabitha [T.NEUD10110.exe], Emily [E.SCHA10111.exe], Chelsea [C.RAE1101.exe], and Genevieve [G.COL1010.exe].

“I wanted to tell you that you did a really great job,” she said, reaching out to shake my clammy hand enthusiastically, “You always look so poised when I see you.” I felt my mouth gape open slightly at a compliment from someone like her, eyes widening in bewilderment. “Who, me?” I wanted to say. I probably looked like a fish out of water. Maybe because I was.

A killer whale. A frosted donut. A green dinosaur. A hot dog with ketchup and mustard. All dancing around in the blinding sunlight, the only ones immune to the brutal desert heat. No, this wasn’t an acid trip–they were all various creative pool floaties.  This was, however, far beyond your average pool party.

Here at The Sights and Sounds we don’t always agree on music. Just like you and your friends. Yeah, sometimes we fight, sometimes it’s a whole world of Marvel vs. Capcom in our crew page forum as we go at it over music. Lovingly, of course. We feel strongly about music and we know you do too. So that’s why we bring you Versus, a periodic series featuring two of our writers giving opposing takes on a track. This time up? Our senior editor, Kavi, and our Dance Music/Festival correspondent Emily. The writers will give a ‘nay’ (negative) or a ‘yay’ positive review and rank the song on scale of 1-10. And don’t worry, we aren’t turning into Pitchfork.

In case you haven’t heard the news yet, the Do Lab is giving Lightning in a Bottle‘s grooviest stage its own festival this summer.  Woogie Weekend will be an intimate gathering to celebrate house music and all its iterations in a magical atmosphere that is so unique to the Do Lab.  Held from July 17-19th, the camping festival will take place at Oak Canyon Park in Silverado, California, which is conveniently located between Los Angeles and San Diego.

[ DIRTYBIRD is celebrating 10 years of booty-shaking house music in 2015 with its inaugural festival, DirtyBird Campout, this weekend from October 2-4th.  If their popular BBQs are any indication, the three-day party in Silverado, CA will certainly not be your average summer camp experience. Our staff writer and festival correspondent, Emily, caught up with original ‘bird Christian Martin before the big event. ]

Donning a Hawaiian shirt and sipping a margarita, you could say that San Francisco-based producer Viceroy is a California poster boy. Whether he’s playing tropical house and disco infused jams or remixing hip hop artists, Viceroy’s music is always feel-good and undeniably danceable.  In person, he exudes the same happy, chill vibes that has given his “summertime, all the time” brand a devoted fanbase, and he’s been bringing this motto across the country from San Diego to New York City. 

Exciting news for techno lovers out there who simply can’t swing multiple Euro-trips in a year (because Ibiza): AWAKENINGS, one of the world’s most beloved techno event brands, has announced its United States debut.

It’s no secret that Hot Creations, the brainchild of dance music legends Jamie Jones and Lee Foss, is living up to its name. In a digital world where new breakthrough artists claiming to be next wunderkid are as common as rave girls whose favorite DJ is Hardwell, Hot Creations consistently serves up some of the best and most original music in the game. Their success is a mixture of visionary talent and eclectic but tasteful diversity from other euro-dance labels.

The newest track from Dirty South, "Find A Way”, features vocals by Rudy, an enchanting melody and emotive lyrics. Sound familiar? It should, because the track has had fans and industry members raving since Dirty South dropped it at Coachella this spring and Ultra Music Festival.