Clash Live in collaboration with WeAre8...
Houghton has emerged as one of the essential events in dance music culture, a space where music, art, and community redefine the essence of a festival.
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© Photography by Jake Davis | Khroma Collective (www.instagram.com/khromacollective)
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To be honest, prior to my first experience at Houghton in 2023, electronic music had never really captivated me. I simply didn’t understand it. However, the buzz surrounding Craig Richards’ creation, this paradise hidden in the Norfolk countryside, a festival that transcended time and reality, was too alluring to overlook. Out of curiosity, I attended, and what I discovered opened something within me. The woods, the people, the constant pulse of music permeating every aspect of the site... it was unlike anything I had encountered before. I left transformed (I am aware of how cliché that sounds), and it was never a question in my mind whether I would come back. 2025 felt like a certainty.
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© Photography by Sienna Lorraine Gray | Khroma Collective (www.instagram.com/khromacollective)
—Friday
Naturally, things didn’t unfold as planned on Friday. This year, it felt like the universe was testing me with countless train cancellations, prolonged waits, and disintegrating plans before I even made it there. By the time I entered the gates, I had already missed the acts I had been eagerly anticipating for months. But then, everything shifted. My phone lost signal. The hours I had just spent evaporated like a dream upon waking. The schedule on my phone blinked with potential, and suddenly, the only name that mattered was the first one that caught my eye: Ben UFO. And just like that, the weekend commenced. At the Derren Smart stage, beneath a bruised, waning sky, Ben UFO took command with an effortless authority unique to him. Techno blended into fragmented rhythms, basslines pulsed like electricity beneath our feet, and moments of warmth emerged amidst the darker tones, leaving the crowd wide-eyed and restless. It was fluid, unpredictable— a set that made time seem irrelevant. Around me, faces melted into silhouettes, everyone moving in a shared, unspoken language.
Wandering away from the Derren Smart stage, I caught my first glimpse of the pond, the very heart of Houghton. This year, it sparkled differently, courtesy of an exhibition by light artist Chris Levine. Each evening, he unveiled 528Hz LOVEdub — a vintage chrome VW campervan suspended in the center of the lake — transformed into a kinetic light sculpture that sent intense beams slicing across the water and sky. The pond's surface danced with color as lasers ripped through the night sky, scattering dazzling reflections. For a moment, it was hard to distinguish where the sky ended and the lake began; everything blended into one limitless horizon.
Further into the woods, another new presence emerged — Pulse, from London-based design studio EBBA. Under a sculptural canopy, the installation converted the bioelectric signals of the surrounding trees into shifting pulses of light and sound. Standing there, wrapped in a living rhythm drawn straight from the forest, it felt as though nature had joined the lineup, becoming another performer in Houghton’s ongoing dialogue of art, music, and place.
This is the charm of Houghton: the continuous prospect of discovery, be it through artists or musicians. Names you never thought to look for become unforgettable. For me, it was Ndagga Rhythm Force, a fusion of Senegalese sabar rhythms and Mark Ernestus’ deep techno influences. At the Pinters stage, small and intimate, alive with energy, they conjured a wild, festive atmosphere, a dialogue of drums and electronics that had the entire crowd swaying as if connected to the same pulse. It was raw, joyous, one of those moments that unexpectedly feels essential. Later, roaming through the woods after dark, it felt like I had escaped time altogether. Trees bathed in waves of green, red, and blue towered impossibly, their roots sprawling across the ground like veins. At The Pavilion, Ogazón accompanied the scene with hypnotic, leftfield techno. It was the kind of deep, immersive music that seeps into your very being. It was less about a set and more an altered state, as if the forest itself were dancing.
Eventually, the day's fatigue caught up with me, hours of travel under a relentless sun demanding some sort of truce. Still, as I found my way back to camp, it was already evident: Houghton 2025 was shaping up to be its most immersive, intoxicating chapter yet.
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© Photography by Jake Davis | Khroma Collective (www.instagram.com/khromacollective)
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Saturday
Mornings at a festival are rarely forgiving. I woke up feeling less like I was in a tent and more like
The English group Divorce has released the deluxe edition of their debut album, 'Drive To Goldenhammer'. The album originally came out earlier this year, and the band's
Ouri and Charlotte Day Wilson collaborate on their new single 'Behave !'. Ouri, a prominent musician based in Montreal, has a diverse range of collaborations in her career.
Before their big headlining performance this weekend, we spoke with the band’s guitarist to see how the group is feeling as they prepare.
London artist Bagge has released a new single titled 'For You'. This alt-soul talent combines traditional influences with a unique style, reminiscent of
Summer 2025 has passed quickly, and with the August Bank Holiday comes the last festival celebration before autumn begins to take over. From the vast crowds of
Benny Sings is set to launch his new project 'Beat Tape III' on September 19th. The Amsterdam-based talent possesses an exceptional flair for creativity in his music.
Houghton has emerged as one of the most significant events in dance music culture, serving as a space where music, art, and community redefine the festival experience. --- ©