Returning for its fifth iteration, Houghton remains a festival coveted for its meticulously curated lineup, high-quality sound and serene lake-side setting. In the wake of one of the wettest summers on UK record and just days before the festival opened its doors to the public, Houghton fans had received the devastating news that the beloved Quarry stage was flooded irredeemably. After some frantic changes to the lineup and as the dreary weather began to clear, dance music fans descended upon the hallowed grounds of Houghton Hall for a weekend of 24-hour musical mayhem.
Watching throngs of people flocking to the forest from the doorway of Trevinos, Houghton’s on-site record store, it was hard to ignore the tangible excitement in the air. This was the second year Inverted Audio had unpacked boxes of hand-selected records for lovers of esoteric sounds, or those lucky enough to stumble, unwittingly, through the doors of Trevinos. Newly housed within a yurt, this welcoming space boasted some of the UK’s top record sellers including All My Friends, Artum, Disk Frisk, Hidden Sounds, Next Door Records, Temple Of Vinyl and The Vinyl Curtain all spinning their favourite tracks in the middle of the yurt on the Audio-Technica single deck powered by Wharfedale Pro speakers. It was here we poured over the jam-packed schedule and talked tactics for the coming weekend.
We kicked off Saturday with tech-house aficionados Hamish & Toby at Tantrum, a stage that has changed magnificently over the last three years. A colossal interior made of shipping containers fronted by a wall of cathode ray tube monitors lit with psychedelic optics, an audiovisual feast of delights. Venturing just a stone’s throw away to the Derren Smart stage, Dr Banana B2B Lukas Wigflex got the crowd limbered up with some seriously tongue-in-cheek breakbeat peppered with familiar vocals. This open-air setup now features a more traditional stage at the front and an omnipresent rigging tower at the back that doubles as a DJ booth for seamless transitions between acts of all kinds.
Taking a long lap around the lake, we explored the more wholesome and secluded settings Houghton has to offer. On the far shore, Pinters offers a grounding experience with its low-slung benches and arched awning, showcasing a variety of international live acts. We were lucky enough to catch Peter Ajay accompanied by renowned trumpeter and house producer Greg Paulus for an hour of serene and ancient soundscapes.
Wandering past Pinters and deeper through the towering pines and lush ferns, the cornucopia-shaped structure of the newly built Armadillo stage rose up. As one of the newest additions to the festival, this stage hosted talks and a variety of unorthodox live acts throughout the weekend. We sat on roughly chopped logs for ‘In Conversation with d&b audiotechnik’, the genius behind Houghton’s unmatched sound design. Intimately versed on the sonic identity of each stage, this talk was testimony to Houghton’s core mission to emulate our favourite club environments and offer democracy to listeners no matter their proximity to the DJ booth.
With the fall of darkness came the irresistible allure of Terminus, Houghton’s 24-hour secret stage. By the time we stood atop those fabled stairs, descending into the emerald green light of the grove felt like a homecoming. Adam Shelton welcomed us with a repertoire of electro, acid and Yorkshire bleep, pulling the likes of Mike Ash’s ‘Robotik‘ and Monesi’s ‘Strings of Love‘, he wove a set equal parts futurism and nostalgia. Willow followed with her signature organised chaos, playing one of the more journey-focused sets of the weekend. She guided us through a spectrum from ravey to soulful, focusing on undulating tempos and moods.
As the sun broke over the glade, announcing the beginning of Saturday morning, we hurried to the arena for the start of Francesco Del Garda at Stallions. This was the first year that 24-hour music was scheduled at this stage for most of the weekend, alleviating some of the pressure placed on Terminus. Though sad that this iconic yurt was replaced with a conical marquee, its open sides allowed an intimate party to spill into the crimson-lit woodland. We were particularly astonished to hear Del Garda, a DJ renowned for his homage to vintage sound, play an edit of pop phenomenon Charlie XCX’s ‘365‘. Surely we can all agree it must be a BRAT summer if this cult hero says so? This was the perfect cue to head back to camp and catch some brief kip.
We hurtled into Saturday evening with a trancey minimal set from Swedish veteran Sonja Moonear at Pavilion before heading to the Derren Smart stage to see Red Axes live. Combining elements of house, techno, synth pop and electronic dance music, this eccentric post-punk band was another highlight. The energy of onlookers reached fever pitch as they pumped out crowd favourites Flawless, Sticks & Stones and Somelights. ‘Omar‘ followed with two hours of mind-bending techno with his characteristic Uruguayan flair and haute couture disco-infusion. A dark and unique set made all the more atmospheric by disorientating strobe lights, the haunting chords and ritualistic vocals of ‘Hannet’s Dream’ by Cantor rang out across the arena and beckoned passersby.
As the first signs of dawn ushered in Sunday morning and minimal legend Margaret Dygas took her rightful place behind the decks of the lakeside Pavilion for a sunrise set, the energy of the crowd appeared relentless. We were hypnotised by an hour of low-burning tracks before the familiar bass riff of Pink Floyd’s ‘Another Brick in the Wall’ exploded from the speakers and cheers erupted from the crowd. Energised by this group euphoria, we headed to Stallions for some playful house with Coast2Coast (a.k.a. Gene on Earth B2B The Ghost).
After a day of recuperation and preparing for another night of dancing, Sunday evening drew in, and a kind of fervour rippled through weary ravers aware they were rapidly approaching the final hours of Houghton 2024. A large congregation gathered at Derren Smart stage to catch a glimpse of Detroit legend Moodymann as we headed back into the forest.
There had been heated debate throughout the weekend over which set would best bring what had been a phenomenal festival to a close. Though spoilt for choice with the likes of Z@p, Hunee and Grace Sands, it was a toss-up between the eminent Ricardo Villalobos and visionary John Talabot. We settled for both, beginning with Villalobos at a barely recognisable Pavilion broiling with dancers. After negotiating the biggest crowd we’d seen all weekend, we headed to Outburst. A stage obscured by woodland, Outburst’s sound is as organic as its design with a towering maple tree emerging from the DJ booth. Talabot’s closing set was spellbinding, casting electro-breakbeat curses that kept the crowd mute through pregnant pauses and volcanic crescendos.
Despite its relentless scheduling, Houghton was over all too soon. This year saw the second instalment of Inverted Audio Record Store at Trevino’s a resounding success and the affirmation that Houghton endures as the benchmark for UK electronic festivals. In a challenging time for the country’s nightlife and festival scene, it’s heartening to see Craig Richards and his team prioritise community over profit. We hope their pioneering work continues for many years to come.
Photography by Grace Stewart-Ricketts, James Hogg, Rob Low, Tom Durston, and Khroma Collective.
View this post on Instagram
