What started as grassroots, techno-driven warehouse parties has officially exploded into the largest techno festival the city has ever hosted.

Over Labor Day weekend on September 4th & 5th, local organizers Twisted Lines debuted Twisted Festival at Atlanta Utility Works. The result was an unapologetic, high-energy atmosphere that marked a turning point for Atlanta’s underground music scene.

The Atmosphere & Stages: Industrial Architecture Meets Raw Energy

​Historic masonry and sprawling ironwork set the tone immediately. Atlanta Utility Works provided an ideal industrial playground for the event. Overall, accommodating three distinct environments designed to give dancers room to move freely throughout the venue.

The Machinery: Enclosed within towering factory walls, this stage delivered the unfiltered, driving industrial grit techno was built upon.

The Ruins: Set inside the open-air foundry framework. This space paired weathered brick structures with precision laser projection as the backdrop.

The Industrial Forest: Tucked away behind the warehouse, this outdoor area combined strobes and organic canopy cover, creating a hypnotic open-air space.

Beyond the architecture, the crowd culture immediately stood out. The dancefloors felt genuinely welcoming, safe, and community-focused, prioritizing mutual respect and a shared love for heavy rhythms over club pretension.

Heavyweight Sound & Relentless Selectors

A proper techno gathering lives and dies by low-end fidelity. Twisted Lines brought in a heavyweight Funktion-One sound system, delivering chest-rattling bass without sacrificing midrange clarity. Acoustic bleed across the three stages was virtually nonexistent, and the audio stayed locked in without a single outage over both nights.

That acoustic power backed a stellar international and domestic roster featuring artists such as Kobosil, Onlynumbers, Ueberrest, EMILIJA, Fenrick, BAUGRUPPE90, and Selective Response. The curation bridged relentless techno, hard grooves, and acid textures. This kept the energy moving from early evening through the late night.

Logistics & Transit

Navigating logistics can make or break an urban event, but access remained straightforward throughout the weekend.

Location & Rideshare: Situated in East Point, the venue sits roughly 10–15 minutes from Atlanta’s International Airport. Rideshare fares generally fluctuated between $5 and $25 depending on departure timing and surge pricing.

Accommodations & Walkability: With multiple hotels located within a 5-minute drive, transit was minimal. The surrounding area also proved easy to navigate on foot, making for a manageable 20- to 30-minute walk (around one mile) to nearby lodging.

On-Site Flow: Bar queues moved quickly, water stations were easily accessible, and entry lines stayed organized even during peak hours.

​What’s Ahead for 2027

Twisted Lines took an ambitious step forward with this debut. They turned underground passion into an expansive, community-centered festival format. The organizers have already confirmed that the festival will return next year, with word spreading that the experience could expand across a full three-day weekend. If this first edition proved anything, it’s that Atlanta’s appetite for underground techno is not just thriving–it’s shaping the future of regional electronic music events.

 

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Artstorm is making his mark on 2026 with the release of his magnificent new single ‘Voices’ on Lohit Records.

He’s already stamped out his authority in the Melodic Techno world with big tracks such as ‘Release Yourself’, ‘Akkad Bakkad’, and now ‘Voices’ has entered the fray. The track takes on a style reminiscent of Tale of Us as flavours of melodic techno are injected into this tasty piece of techno. Artstorm makes impressive use of a variety of sounds which he brings together to create a rich soundscape for you to get lost in. The tracks crescendo at the final drop is astonishing as Artstorm brings together powerful use of percussion, solid dynamics, and ethereal vocals to build tension. All of this adds up to a unique drop that’s unexpected and incredibly impactful.

This high level of understanding for clever production is something Artstorm has shown plenty of on his previous work which has earnt him deserved acclaim. His last release ‘Tere Bina’ was another display of his excellent ability to bring together diverse sounding synths and balance them to allow each one to breathe. His work has earnt him tens of thousands of streams and spots on the stages of some incredible venues. Based in Ahmedabad in India, he’s performed his techno driven DJ sets both locally and across the country from some in his hometown to Sunburn Festival in Goa.

‘Voices’ is a track that shows Artstorm’s brilliant creativity and feels mainstage ready. This piece of melodic magnificence is sure to set speakers alight across the globe and continue to spread the name of Artstorm.

Stream the single below and on all other platforms here.

You can follow Artstorm on his socials below:

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Japanese duo MONOCHROME release ‘TOCO TOCO’ via Fankee, a globally inspired dance track blending traditional Japanese elements with Latin melodic house.

Known for their emotional and driving fusion of Melodic Techno and Progressive House, MONOCHROME continue to push creative boundaries with a track that bridges cultures and genres. ‘TOCO TOCO’ combines traditional Japanese musical elements with the infectious energy of Latin melodic house, creating a vibrant and globally inspired dance record designed for both festival stages and club floors.

Featuring vocals in both Spanish and Japanese, the single delivers irresistible rhythms, memorable melodic hooks and polished, club-ready production. The result is a unique sonic experience that reflects MONOCHROME’s distinctive international sound and their ongoing commitment to connecting cultures through music.

Over the past several years, MONOCHROME have established themselves as one of Japan’s most exciting electronic acts, touring internationally and performing at major festivals and events across Asia and beyond. Their journey has seen them share stages and lineups with some of the world’s leading electronic music brands, including Untold, Ultra, Zamna, Sunburn, and many other globally recognized promoters.

With a unique artistic identity and a passion for storytelling through sound, MONOCHROME bring cinematic energy and emotional depth to every performance, earning a growing global following and creating unforgettable experiences for audiences around the world.
The release of “TOCO TOCO” also marks another milestone for Fankee, the revolutionary community-driven music label redefining the relationship between artists and fans.

Unlike traditional labels that operate through top-down structures, Fankee empowers communities to become active participants in an artist’s growth. Through its innovative platform, fans contribute directly to music discovery, promotion, and community building, transforming passive listeners into collaborators and stakeholders in an artist’s success.

By providing artists with fan intelligence, release strategy tools, community activation systems and economic infrastructure while allowing them to remain independent, Fankee creates a new model where growth is organic, measurable, and community-powered.
As fandom evolves into influence and influence into ownership, Fankee is building a future where artists and audiences grow together, creating a more collaborative and sustainable music ecosystem.