ÎLESONIQ delivers (Festival review)

By David Mann

ÎLESONIQ, a Montreal festival which has been a go-to destination for EDM, has just delivered another solid weekend of memories and grooves. Set at the beautiful Parc Jean-Drapeau, an island oasis right smack dab in the heart of Montreal, ÎLESONIQ inherited all of the amazing stages, infrastructure, and festival map from Osheaga, its sister festival which occurred a week before, and improved on it with more lights and bigger stages. Although I only got to experience day 2, I was able to experience some of the best talent that day had to offer. Let me break it down:

gryffin

Gryffin started off his set super heavy with bass and big drops as the big intro, but eventually toned it down to bring the vibe of his show more in line with his more chill, melody-driven vibe. It's hard to pull off a mainstage show, especially with the pressure to deliver an action-packed set to electrify a crowd. Big drops are fun, but Gryffin started to shine when he dropped tracks like "Alive" with the excellent vocals of Calle Lehmann, and a remix of the classic "Say My Name" by Morgan Seatree. That being said, I wish Gryffin would drop the hard drops and give the crowd a purely Gryffin experience, with his sound at the forefront from start to finish.

ki/ki

KI/KI, a Netherlands-based artist, showed off her eclectic style, which is a mix of multiple genres, upbeat and steeped in a '90s nostalgia that clicks really well in 2026. Inviting around 50–100 people on stage with her, KI/KI showcased her tracks first and foremost, including "Going Existential In The Rave." A real viber was the nostalgic-feeling track released in 2025 by Linds called "Kick It," which is virtually impossible not to bob your head to while you dance. After circulating around the festival grounds, I managed to catch the tail end of her set and observed the higher tempo and a strong finish, as she ended with "Here With Me" (faster mix), a great end to her set.

Dabin

Dabin, a Toronto-based JUNO-nominated artist who has been creating chill tracks forever, was in full form at ÎLESONIQ. It's clear that the crowd came specifically for him and knew his tracks well, as they chanted every word to their favourites. The atmosphere was electric, and his upbeat bass, chill aspects, soaring vocals, and largely cinematic style were on full display.

above and beyond

Above & Beyond, the legendary trio from the UK known worldwide for their euphoric, emotional, and uplifting tracks, started off strong with an upbeat tempo to set the stage. Their mixing was on point and super solid between their tracks, showing their veteran presence. A&B showed off their latest tracks, which still held together a style that has made them a mainstay at festivals worldwide for well over a decade. "Here Before" is emblematic of this theme. As you might know if you've ever been to an Above & Beyond live event, they like to communicate via the big screen, typing positive messages to the crowd during their set, bringing an added connection with the crowd. "Carry Me Home," a newer 2025 track with the long-time associated vocalist Zoë Johnston, is yet another track which links the past with the present. How do they keep finding these lovely vocal drops that continue to capture the moment each time? As a long-time fan, hearing Ilan Bluestone's remix of "We're All We Need" was a close-your-eyes, dance-and-smile moment. Above & Beyond delivered yet another evergreen performance.

Yousuke Yukimatsu

I'll be honest: as a long-time festival goer, I'm here to see the novel, the new, the fresh. And Yousuke Yukimatsu checks all of those boxes and more. This mysterious Japanese DJ came out of nowhere, emerging to the world thanks to a famous Boiler Room set that set the internet on fire, and has since taken the stage at some of the biggest festivals. His ability to bring together rock elements with dance beats is uncanny. He brings a punk rock vibe to EDM that almost no one else is doing out there. There is no other DJ on the planet who can drop a Marilyn Manson track and then a Daft Punk classic right after. Absolute legend. Yousuke can thread the needle between so many genres and make it work. Not everyone can do what he does, which makes him one of the most exciting acts in EDM. After an hour of taking us on a roller coaster of genres and mixing bangers, he dropped "Oh My Gosh" by Jamie xx. How does he make it all work? I am flabbergasted at the audacity and ambition of his set.

The night ended with Holy Priest following Yousuke's performance and holding down the stage with a heart-racing set filled with the hardest drops out there at the moment. Meanwhile, on the mainstage, Dom Dolla delivered a mainstream house set which delighted the massive crowd. Dom Dolla has really risen through the ranks, and now commands a massive stage with his effortless tracks and easy-to-listen-to vocals. In the end, was Dom Dolla speaking to me? No, he wasn't — but that's not his fault. His tracks are wonderfully welcoming; I just like surprise, I enjoy the offbeat, and the road less taken. I can attest that I witnessed thousands of fans loving every minute of Dom Dolla, and that's good enough for me.

ÎLESONIQ delivered yet another fantastic festival experience, filled with a variety of acts that would appeal to virtually every EDM fan. Although I missed day 1, with the likes of deadmau5, Chris Lake, Boys Noize b2b Tiga, and more, day 2 brought the heat as well and exceeded my expectations.

Osheaga – Top Festival for Eclectic Music Lovers

By David Mann

Last weekend was special for a variety of reasons. For one, it was the first event I've attended since COVID; for another, Osheaga featured a few key names I'd been eyeing for some time and couldn't wait to see. Amelie Lens, a breakout star from the techno scene, was headlining day 1 and was one of the top names on my list. Kettama headlined day 2 and has quickly vaulted to the top of my playlists with his mishmash of styles, which includes techno, breakbeat, and UK bass. Finally, Subtronics has risen through the bass ranks for years, and that climb has recently culminated in top headline slots all across the world. He has become a force to be reckoned with, crossing over from niche headliner to mainstage mainstay. His fast-twitch style — mixing popular track clips with massive bass interludes — played remarkably well with the crowd. Let's dive into the highlights.

Day 1

The xx

The xx triumphed, showcasing their biggest tracks while offering dance-beat breakdowns that got the crowd moving. A lot of the credit for the dance blend in their sound can be traced back to Jamie xx, who stands on his own as a well-known producer when he's not touring with the band. The first half of the set was filled with well-known tracks from their discography, but they pumped up the volume in the second half with fast breakbeats, delivering full-on dance beats on command. Hybrid acts like The xx are a beautiful thing, as they expose fans who aren't normally accustomed to EDM.

Amelie Lens

Amelie Lens closed the stage at Osheaga to an all-too-willing crowd that had long awaited the moment. Amelie doesn't usually venture out to these parts, so when I saw her listed as one of this year's headliners, she became one of the reasons I absolutely had to go. Her energy is contagious and her beats even more so, inviting you to dance and leave your inhibitions behind. She really let us have it with the heavy techno: this was not the more accessible, vocal-friendly Amelie Lens — this was Ibiza-at-3-a.m. vibes. She even ventured into psy-trance territory with "Rainbow Body" by West Galaxy and Akasha. She brought the heat with "Domino" by Oxia (Space 92 remix) and "Proton" by Space 92, a brand-new release. Amelie dropped more fresh tracks, including one by Franco Smith called "Misil," a solid techno belter. One of the closers was also a fresh release on Armada Music, titled "1998," by the legendary Paul Oakenfold with Marie Vaunt and Binary Finary. The last track was the classic "Falling for You" by Amelie Lens, ending an amazing set with a rare vocal reprise that sent the day 1 crowd off smiling.

Day 2

Zulan

Pairing big hip hop tracks with dance beats never felt so good as when Zulan delivered her mashup set, which the sold-out Osheaga crowd adored. She brought about 100 people on stage to bring the energy, and it worked — everyone was hyped. Zulan kept the energy up and jumped up and down the entire time with a smile on her face. A highlight was a special mashup with Drake's "Janice STFU." I had no expectations heading into her set and came away impressed.

Kettama

Kettama is a relatively new name in this part of the world, but the 29-year-old from Galway, Ireland, who has since relocated to London, has actually been DJing since the age of 17. He made quick work of winning over the crowd, who were hyped from beginning to end. The beats were relentless, with some beautiful vocals including his remix of Calvin Harris's "Blessings." Kettama's set shone with his own productions — an obvious statement, I know, but the crowd was knowledgeable and seemed acquainted with all of his big tracks. The enthusiasm was infectious; you could hear cheers between drops during "The Miracle Makers" by Kettama and Ewan McVicar. This set up his run of big hits, which were absolute belters, starting with "Pretty Green Eyes." Kettama's confidence in cutting the first vocal drop and letting the crowd chant it confirmed that this was clearly a Kettama crowd. That was followed by one of his biggest hits and a personal favourite of mine, "It Gets Better." The track reminds me of Underworld's vibe, and Kettama strikes me as the inevitable next big act from that region, carrying the torch of the UK sound. Winding down his set, he went old-school UK with Robert Miles's "Children." Kettama then threw in a wild hip hop track, "4 Raws" by EsDeeKid, taking everyone by surprise. The drop was absolutely dirty, with the bass at 11 and reverberating throughout the stage. The last 10 to 15 minutes were an ID fest, and we all loved it. Kettama was a highlight of the festival.

Day 3

Subtronics

Day 3 was a wet affair all day, but that didn't stop the crowd from coming out and bringing the energy. The Osheaga crowd had been listening to more vocals and chiller vibes throughout the day, including the sultry sounds of SG Lewis on the electronic stage. When it was dark and time for Subtronics to take the stage, he descended like an alien from outer space and delivered a sound not yet heard by the masses at Osheaga. He brought the bass to 11 and the energy to the red line from minute one. One of the first bangers was a "Titanium" remix/mashup that combined absolutely nasty bass drops with Sia's beautiful vocals from the David Guetta original. The mashups continued, combining bass drops with classics like the Black Eyed Peas' "My Humps" and Bruno Mars's "Locked Out of Heaven," along with clips from well-known hits by Daft Punk, Vanessa Carlton, Rihanna, and even House of Pain. When he played Skrillex's "Cinema" and combined it with what I believe to be a MUST DIE! remix of "Maze of Punishment" by SVDDEN DEATH, I did think for a moment that maybe, just maybe, Subtronics is the natural successor to Skrillex. Jesse praised the crowd multiple times, and the crowd paid the love back in kind. Subtronics was the best set of Osheaga.

Overall

Osheaga proved once again why it is the best festival in Canada, delivering a lineup that combines vastly popular names like Zara Larsson and Lorde with the likes of Subtronics and Kettama. If you have a varied and eclectic taste in music, you'll love Osheaga. Nestled right in the middle of the city, Parc Jean-Drapeau is a natural oasis, offering plenty of trees and greenery between the massive stages. If you've never been to Osheaga, I highly advise you make plans for next year.

Riverside Festival Review

By Dominic Wren

Riverside festival has always been a special one ever since its creating in 2013, but this year… Oh man. They took it above and beyond. For a festival to be held on very limited space, DNA Presents find ways to make it one of the most exciting events of the festival season. I’m not just talking about the impeccable view onto the Canadian parliament or the beautiful architecture of the neighboring Canadian museum of history buildings, or the biggest lineup we’ve seen to date. I’m talking the maximum use of such a limited space without feeling like you’re squished into the festival. Not once would you feel suffocated by people, which sometimes happen at the major festivals. This aspect is often forgotten for why we had such a great time at an event. The organizer’s care for the attendees experience and comfortability is something to take note of.

Now to the music. Riverside Festival saw it’s biggest lineup since its birth. Some of the biggest acts in the world came to Gatineau last weekend, such as Matroda, Lost Kings, Borgore, Black Tiger Sex Machine, Steve Aoki, and so many more.

Starting Day 1 of 3 with a solid night of house music was the perfect warm up. With some local acts, such as Ross X Class, Mac, and others showing their talent, Matroda took the stage for dangerously hard set of hard house music. Matroda on his Red Tape Tour came and made a visit and slammed his set. Mixing some of the biggest tracks of the summer and switching to some crazy drops while keeping a house vibe. It’s also cool to note that he didn’t touch the mic once because he was so into his insane mixing.

Day 2 saw a new kind of energy. Starting the day on a more big room house lineup, the festival saw names like Maurice West, 13, Jay Hardway, and the Lost Kings performing some incredible sets and dropping crazy throwbacks, fresh music, and some unreleased tracks. To end the night, Borgore with the sunset time slot played a mixture of intense bass music with some of his classic Borgore originals. Have you heard Unicorn Zombie Apocalypse? If you have, imagine that at one of his shows. Yeah, it went crazy. To headline the night was none other than Montreal’s very own Black Tiger Sex Machine. Three guys with black tiger helmets that light up on a stage overlooking 6000 people and Canada’s Parliament was something unique. Not only did they kill their set with HEAVY bass anthems and a BTSM personal touch, the crowd’s energy was as entertaining as the show itself.

Riot Ten

The last day of the festival didn’t take a minute to chill. Two of Montreal’s most loved local DJs, Khaos and Domeno, warmed the day up in style. Next to take the stage was Riot Ten who mixed in and out of some of the hardest bass tracks of the night. He almost literally destroyed the crowd but they kept up with him. Tritonal followed to with an emotional and powerful set for Gatineau to enjoy. Zomboy joined to the Riverside party at 7:25 pm for his second time since 2017. He honestly took the definition of the word “intense” to the next level. Dropping tracks that would make your head bang even if you’re not a headbanger, this UK born bass DJ/producer made Riverside look like one of his own. He gave the crowd no breaks with back-to-back drops of pure fire and notably starting a “Wall of the Death” while playing Eptic and Trampa’s remix of Get With The Program. It went absolutely nuts.

Closing the festival was the one and only Steve Aoki. Easily the biggest name Riverside Festival has ever had, Aoki shut the festival down in style. He is no doubt the incredible showman he’s so well known to be. Ranging his set from hard trap to psy-trance to his biggest tracks with a perfect touch of emotional songs, he had something to everyone. Though what made his set special is his way of including the crowd as the show. Bringing cakes to throw (it still fascinates me to see someone throw a cake so well), pouring champagne onto the crowd, and giving giant letters spelling “Gatineau” for photos, Steve Aoki’s art of making a great show is nothing to be underrated.

This year’s Riverside Festival went to another level. Every year the teams at EDM Canada is impressed by this event’s outcome and we look forward to many more years to come.

11 impressions from the Veld Music Festival 2017

Tiesto

“Are you ready for some Tiesto classics?!” exclaimed Tiesto on the mic as the large crowd screamed. Toronto was SO ready to witness the global sensation’s skills on stage. He played us remixes of some favourites such as ‘Calabria' (Enur ft. Natasja), 'Feel it in my bones' (Tegan and Sara), 'Pump it' (Black Eyed Peas), 'Mr. Brightside' (Killers) and ‘Wasted' (Matthew Koma). Favourite moments during the set were: 1) When he played 'Just Be' as it is an old favourite, 2) When he apologized that he had to speed things up because he’s running late and the crowd decided that no matter how fast the beat was going, they were going to jump along! Nothing short of awesome, Tiesto proved to us once again, why he is such a powerhouse in the DJ world. 

Madeon

Taking DJing to a whole new level— Madeon seemed to be enjoying being intertwined with so much technology and song power at their fingertips. He would pick up his midi controller and show the audience which buttons he was really pressing up there! Not only was he good with his tools, but he also danced just as much as the crowd if not MORE! His transitions were quick and effective with the perfect amount of highs and lows and the audience was engaged from start till finish. His dance-worthy song 'Imperium' was a big hit. Some of the side screens were lowered until Zedd’s performance and yet Madeon’s visuals stood out beautifully without being excessive. Overall, his energy and dedication to the spirit of DJing was very impressive. Not the stereotypical jumping up and down from the crowd that we commonly see.

Major lazer

As the main stage crowd took a moment’s break realizing they had JUST seen Tiesto, Major Lazer got ready for what they called ‘the largest crowd in Canada yet!’. They played a lot of their remixes and tracks (ex. 'Watch out for this (Bumaye)’, ‘Light it up’, ‘Lean on’, ‘Front of the line’, ‘Sua Cara’, ‘Bun up the dance remix’, ‘Shape of you remix’, and more). Most notably, they took audience engagement to a new level as Diplo himself jumped in a giant hamster ball and rolled over the crowd. The group was so impressed with the diversity in the crowd noting the different flags and wanting to celebrate the moment by taking a group picture with “all the flags up!”.

Their light show/visuals did not disappoint and it was refreshing to see an ending that just faded away rather than had the usual big bang. They helped us not feel left out celebrating the Caribbean festival by doing a shuffle lead by their amazing dancers. They repeatedly exclaimed their love for the city and the festival crowd there on Sunday. The show closed off the successful festival strong and the audience rushed out to their cars and ubers, a lot of them trying to get to Rebel nightclub to see Diplo for the afterparty. (Ps. Hey Major Lazer! Just in case you didn’t know, the feeling was mutual and Toronto loves you too!) 

Zedd

As expected, Zedd delivered a wonderfully well-rounded performance with amazing visuals and just the right amount of his songs sprinkled in with remixes. Although I really enjoy the fact that as a DJ, one is able to add their own touches to popular songs and mix them with creativity, It was also enjoyable to hear a DJ's own discography live, for longer than a chorus at a time. This is why Zedd’s performances are so energizing because he knows what his fans want to hear.. He is a talented artist and producer who is capable of showcasing his talent while the crowd was happy to sing along. "Clarity" was still one of the biggest sing-along moments for the crowd while my favourite part of the set was the appearance of the dancing hot dog meme on screen during his newest single ‘Get Low’ ft Liam Payne. Some notable remixes were of songs by Clean Bandit, Bruno Mars, Missy Elliott, Nelly, Maroon 5, Kendrick Lamar, Queen and Daft Punk. He also ended the show with fireworks which never hurts! 

French Montana

Veld fest was happy to announce the last minute addition of French Montana to the schedule replacing Lil Uzi Vert, who unfortunately had to cancel his appearances in Canada due to due to immigration and border issues. The Remy Martin Stage was happy to welcome French Montana with excitement. Although he had not prepared to perform at Veld this year, he easily delivered an excellent set. He greeted the crowd with smiles and great energy as they sang along with him the whole time. He repeatedly mentioned how much he loves performing in Toronto and judging by the crowd’s reaction, it is no wonder why! Everyone from the front row to people sitting in the ferris wheel were engaged. The festival attracted a crowd that is well versed in both hip hop and EDM. Everyone knew the words to his newest song ‘Unforgettable’ as French asked everyone to sing it loud grinning from ear to ear. A great performance through and through by French Montana.

Getter

Following French Montana, the majority of the crowd excitedly waited as Getter took the stage. Getter’s set was full of head bangers and it seemed like the crowd was expecting just that! A group got so into it, they almost knocked over the barrier wall surrounding the sound tent! They celebrated in synchronicity while holding nothing back. The visuals were very detailed and interesting, really adding to the overall look of the Remy Martin stage. 

Grey

As things started to pick up on day 1 at Veld, Grey, 2 brothers from L.A known most recently for their song with Hailee Steinfeld called ’Starving' took the main stage.  What made these brothers most interesting on stage was the fact that they brought in a live guitar and drum machine for their set. Not only did this give the viewers a more authentic live sound but also really had us all engaged and wondering whether the next song would feature some live instrumentals or not. The duo both alternated between live instruments and mixing, played their new song "Chameleon" which was well received. They also incorporated a fair amount of top 40 tracks, some throwbacks and Zedd remixes into their set. Although it seemed like they had some technical difficulties just over halfway through their set, they recovered quickly by gracefully ending their set strong. Throughout their performance they enjoyed moving around the stage as much as possible and entertaining the crowd until the end. 

Dzeko

Torontonians know how to celebrate when one of their own comes to town! Dzeko had no trouble keeping the crowd interested as he played the most diversified set of the day. His remixes of classics such as "Sweet Dreams" and "L’Amour Toujours" were all well received and he even threw in a bit of Blur in there somehow! He ended his set with his new remix of Jonas Blue’s ‘Mama'. 

Robin Schulz

There was a steady influx of people flowing in throughout the day and by the time Robin Schulz came on, the area by the main stage was full. Robin Schulz’s set gathered attention from not only the people close surrounding the main stage, but all around the site as people recognized his popular tracks. His remix of "Prayer in C" was a big hit as expected. He also had the chance to bring on a guest artist: Francesco Yates, to help him perform 'Sugar’. The crowd was clearly entertained and cheering them on. 

Loud luxury

The duo from London Ontario took stage as larger numbers of people started to dance-walk their way towards the main-stage area on Day 2 of VELD. Loud luxury, who has been touring North America the past year, delivered a steady set filled with classics and chart toppers. Tracks like 'Still D.R.E', 'You Don’t Know Me', ‘Goosebumps', Hype, 'Bad and Boujee', ‘Work remix’ and 'Show me love' received the biggest crowd response. Throughout their set they delivered a good mix of rap, dance, hip hop and top 40 to engage all members of the crowd. They also had a special guest Nikki’s wives who joined them to perform their newest song ‘Show me what that body do’ which currently has almost 2.3M views on Youtube. Nikki’s vocals were great as she strutted the stage with her black sequinned onesie. Their visuals were colourful and active but more minimalistic in design with a spinning Loud Luxury logo above them for almost the entire set. 

3LAU

3LAU delivered a solid performance featuring 2 special guests. His visuals featured his logo 3LAU flashing up on all main screens of the stage in different colour arrangements for most of his performance. The crowd was enjoying the set as they sang along to songs like ‘Day n night’, ‘Goosebumps’, ‘Humble’, ‘Light’, ‘Waiting for tonight' and ‘Sandstorm. He also had two special guests come join him on stage. The first was WWE wrestler Mojo Rawley and second Madison Beer for her new track 'Dead'. Both guests enjoyed dancing with 3LAU on stage. 

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Review and photos by Sinejan Ozaydemir. You can follow her on Twitter by clicking here.