Festival Review: Highlights of EPIZODE³ in Phu Quoc, Vietnam

Epizode has been the talk of the electronic dance industry in Asia since its debut in 2016, and the 11-day music festival (which happened 28 December 2018 t0 8 January 2019) did not disappoint. The music never stopped, the party went on day and night throughout the duration of the festival, and boy, was I impressed with the beauty of the art installations, design and architecture of the stages made of sustainable materials. The relaxation areas with the beach as the backdrop didn’t hurt either; they kept me sane amidst the four by four musical style.

Despite the wet weather situation (due to the impending storm in Gulf of Thailand) on  the first Friday morning of 2019, legendary DJ, Ricardo Villalobos’ sunrise set at Frisbee stage killed it. The energy on the dancefloor, the love for electronic music reminded me of any festivals I’ve attended in Europe. It sure didn’t feel like Asia and yet, you could tell there was an increase in Asian attendees compared to the previous year, which put a smile on my face.

Then came Saturday, which in my opinion, had the best line up from day to night. From the newly created Shell stage with Mayaan Dinam and Oshana to Russian legend, SPY.DER who did an eight-hour set from 10am to 8pm at Frisbee stage, the stellar programming really set the tone for the festival.

The party didn’t stop there; what blew my mind was the sunrise set by DEIAN and Jonathan Kusuma at Egg Stage on Sunday morning, 6 January. Both their music welcomed the sun into my skin, put the light in my soul, and gave life to a brand new day. And to finally see co-founder of visionary underground label Perlon, Thomas Franzmann aka ZIP played a four-hour set at Shell stage was nothing short of amazing.

Music and art aside, the food at Epizode wasn’t too bad either. Instead of the fancy pop-ups and the hipster food trucks endemic to some of the other festivals, there were fruits, smoothies and simple grub like burgers and Indian food – simple but satisfying nourishment for the soul. The festival was built for the house and techno lovers, and I adore the beauty in connecting regional and international DJs in one place. If you’re looking for a rave, look no further.