Tech Giant On The Dance Floor

Technology has enabled a whole new generation of creatives to step into the music scene, with new sounds and innovative new genres

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, 05 February 2018 – Generation Y and Millennials have grown up constantly stimulated by and connected to technology, so it stands to reason that the music of their generation reflects this too. The amplified sensory experience provided by Electronic Dance Music (EDM) fits perfectly into what the genre’s fans want and expect. As Arthur C. Clarke famously said, “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic” and it’s this statement that encapsulates the intensity of the EDM experience.

The way in which innovation impacts musical creativity isn’t new – Mozart used the ‘new-fangled’ piano to create some of the most exquisite music known to man and the Beatles made huge advances in the way in which music is recorded. With technology, music has become about creative ideas and isn’t restricted to only those who are masters of a specific instrument. New sounds are also emerging – with musicians sampling every day noises and incorporating those into the beat or melody of a composition.

February 2018 celebrates the fifth anniversary of Ultra South Africa and music lovers are getting ready for the biggest and certainly most exciting electronic music festival on the SA festival calendar. Tech giant Samsung has a long association with the event, bringing music and technology together in a symphonic partnership.

Craige Fleischer, Vice President of Integrated Mobility, Samsung South Africa says, “Electronic music is a genre that is constantly evolving in a highly innovative way and we’re seeing even the integration of virtual reality into the music space, offering fans a highly immersive experience. Samsung is all about giving users the best experience they can have and positively impacting their lives, no matter where or what they are doing. Our partnership with Ultra South Africa is a great example of how we are engaging with cutting-edge activities that are relevant to our consumers.”

On 9^th and 10^th of February this year, electronic music fans in Cape Town and Johannesburg will be treated to a plethora of international and local artists who are at the forefront of the music industry. The line-up is nothing short of astonishing, making this year’s Ultra a not-to-be-missed event.

Here’s which artists music fans can look forward to experiencing at the shows:

Cape Town (9^th February):

• Ultra Main Stage: Axwell A Ingrosso; Armin van Buuren, Hardwell, Afrojack, Carnage, Malaa, Timo ODV, Sketchy Bongo, Dean Fuel
• Resistance Stage: Dubfire, Black Coffee, Eats Everything, Strange Loving, Thor Rixon, Ivan Turanjanin, KanannK7, JNN KPN, Sonic Bloom, Venture
• Bridges for Music Stage: Boolz and Amilca, Step Brothers, VJ Vybez, VJ Jonno, Sam World, Aux Gawd, DJ Azuhl, Dirty Skittlez, K Yeezi, Gina Jeanz

Johannesburg (10^th February):

• Ultra Main Stage: Axwell A Ingrosso; Armin van Buuren, Hardwell, Afrojack, Carnage, Malaa, FEU, Timo ODV, Crazy White Boy, Good Luck
• Resistance Stage: Dubfire, Black Coffee, Eats Everything, Shimza, Da Capo, Dogstarr, Bruce Loko, Guy Herman, Ricardo Da Costa, Abby Nurock
• Bridges for Music Stage: Gil Glaze, Chrizz Beats, Das Kapital, Pascal & Pearce, Kyle Cassim, Vimo, Kyle Watson, Chunda Munki, Lady Lea, No Method, Kyle Worde

If that’s not enough to be excited about, Samsung will also be at the event with incredible activations and give-aways for music lovers. “Our devices are fundamentally geared towards enhancing life experiences and partnering with Ultra South Africa to bring innovative creativity onto the stage is something we look forward to each year,” concludes Fleischer.