We can thank the people of Jamaica for giving us some of the Greatest Music Ever Made, and I'm not just talking about Bob Marley. British rave music would be nowhere without the heavy sound system music pioneered by dub and reggae artists in the 60s. The culture was in many ways built by generations of Jamaican immigrants in the UK, who planted the seeds that later grew into garage, drum 'n' bass, dubstep and grime. So it's nice to see that lineage come back around with the announcement of Paradise Lost, which is the island's first-ever electronic music festival, taking place March 10-12 at Grizzly's Plantation Cover in St. Ann, Jamaica.The lineup offers many of the usual suspects from the international dance music circuit—Tiësto, Bassnectar, AlunaGeorge, Felix Jaehn, Big Gigantic—as well as a cast of locals led by legendary dub producer King Jammy. It aims to bring 75,000 visitors to the island over the course of three days, organizers say."I feel great about EDM coming to Jamaica because most people don't know it originated here," King Jammy explained in a statement this week. "I am not just an innovator. I am a fan and for my performance, I'm going to perform never before heard tracks with a back-to-the future effect while mixing live on stage. I listen to artists like Bassnectar and it makes me feel good that the dream is still alive and being built upon by today's talented artists."Early Bird tickets go on sale November 17 at 10 AM EST if you register at the festival's website. General public tickets will be available on November 23 at 10 AM EST. Additional lineup announcements are due soon, so watch this space.
Advertisement