Spring is here and the city of Detroit, the birthplace of Techno, is becoming more vibrant than ever as we near the yearly celebration of Movement Music Festival. If you’re looking for a weekend immersed in nonstop Techno, House, and Electronic music, then Movement Music Festival is your destination location. Founded by Carol Marvin and her organization Pop Culture Media, with techno artist Carl Craig, Movement has become an ongoing yearly 3-day celebration of the growth of electronic music in Detroit. Since 2006, this renowned festival has become a magnet for electronic music lovers traveling in from throughout the world, drawing in a diverse crowd with its captivating culture and innovative sounds every year on Memorial Day weekend.

This year, the festival features a whopping 6 stages to showcase the mix of all of the sounds and talents in the world of House and Techno music, including the Movement Stage, Waterfront Stage, Star Gate Stage, Underground Stage, Pyramid Stage and Detroit Stage. In this article, we’re going to unveil the top ten artists that we think you won’t want to miss out on this weekend, from the underground Techno scene all the way to the most globally renowned artists:

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1. Charlotte De Witte

Where: Movement Stage

When: Day 2, Sunday May 28

Set Time: 10:30 PM – 12 AM

Charlotte De Witte is one of the world’s most renowned forces driving the global techno scene. She is a Belgian DJ, producer, label boss of the internationally acclaimed KNTXT records, and best known for her stripped back and aggressive acid techno and minimal techno. Charlotte has owned her own radio show called Studio Brussel and a residency on BBC Radio and has won the title of Number 1 Alternative DJ in DJ Mag’s Top 100 in 2020 as well as EDM.com’s Best Music Producers of 2020. If you’re in touch with the Techno world in any way, you already know that this is not one to miss out on.

2. Maceo Plex

Where: Movement Stage

When: Day 1, Saturday May 27

Set Time: 9:00 PM – 10:30 PM

Eric Estornel, better known by his stage names Maceo Plex, Maetrik and Mariel Ito, is a hugely successful Cuban-American DJ and techno producer raised in Dallas and Miami. He initially used his alias of Maceo Plex for his festival-friendly house productions before he gradually started taking his project into a darker and more introspective direction. After establishing himself in the world of techno, he has won the DJ Awards best producer of 2013, started hosting his own club night called Mosaic since 2016, and has gained support from renowned artists Recondite, Jon Hopkins, Silent Servant, Len Faki, Young Marco, and more. This is the place to be if you’re looking for a journey into the deep, emotional, moody this weekend.

3. KlangKuenstler

Where: Underground Stage

When: Day 3, Monday May 29

Set Time: 9:30 PM – 11:00 PM

KlangKuenstler, real name Michael Korb, is a German electronic producer, label owner and DJ. He was born and raised in the small town of Bavaria, Germany, and left in 2012 to move from his hometown to the techno capital Berlin. Since 2008 at the mere age of 18 years old, he started immersing himself in the underground sounds of Techno, House, and Deep House. Over time, he has created one of the most unique and compelling musical styles and has released music on prominent electronic labels ,such as Filth on Acid, Exhale, and his imprints Zuckerton Records and Outworld. He has also performed at several major festivals and clubs worldwide, such as Awakenings, Verknipt, and Rotterdam Rave.

4. Ida Engberg

Where: Movement Stage

When: Day 1, Saturday May 27

Set Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Swedish artist Ida Engberg, one of the superstars of the international techno scene, is not only a celebrated DJ and producer, but is also a visual artist and major activist for numerous environmental, animal rights, and humanitarian issues and efforts. For many years, Ida Engberg has been a role model who has utilized the larger platform that she has to raise awareness for what matters. She is an ambassador for Music Against Animal Cruelty (MAAC) which is an organization that fights to maintain biodiversity around the world. Ida began her career when she was 18 at a club which then led to a residency at the Spy Bar, one of the most famous clubs in Stockholm. From that time, she has worked with Roger Sanchez, Josh Dalback, Sebastian Ingrosso and Eric Prydz, and has played at major shows including Drumcode nights, Awakenings festival, and afterhours events all around the world.

5. Chris Liebing

Where: Underground Stage

When: Day 2, Sunday May 28

Set Time: 10:30 PM – 12 AM

Chris Liebing is a German hard techno legend, music producer and radio host and founder of the record label CLR. He was born in Giessen, Germany and became a part of the Frankfurt dance music scene in the early 1990’s. Having started DJing hip hop, soul and house, he got the itch to go into techno in 1993 and opened up Spinclub a year later in Frankfurt. In the next 25 years, he had launched his CLR Podcast and featured notable guests including Depeche Mode. He has then played at Space and Amnesia in Ibiza, Fabric in London, Berghain in Berlin, Coccorico in Riccione, Time Warp festival.

6. Kaskade (Redux)

Where: Star Gate Stage

When: Day 3, Monday May 29

Set Time: 9:30 PM – 11:00 PM

Ryan Gary Roddon, better known as Kaskade, is an American DJ who has become one of the most world-renowned veteran artists, achieved many grammy nominations, voted America’s Best DJ, and has played some of the world’s biggest festivals including Ultra Music Festival, Electric Daisy Carnival, Lollapalooza, Coachella, and more. He created his Redux project to show recognition and appreciation for the smaller club culture that led the dance scene in its earlier years. In essence, Redux is about bringing back his roots when everything was just about the music. For Kaskade, these shows are really about the feeling of the venue and setting the mood to take you on a journey. It’s about the seemingly lost sense of community that once flourished in the house, techno, deep, jungle, and drum & bass scenes.

7. Henry Brooks

Where: Underground Stage

When: Day 3, Monday May 29

Set Time: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Henry Brooks is a rising star in the techno scene who focuses on the dark, melodic, and driving side of techno music. Raised in the Grand Rapids, his parents recognized his early love for music and he has since taken the city of Detroit by storm after taking his plunge into DJing in 2016. By 2022, he made his debut at Movement festival and had already picked up regular bookings around the Detroit dance music scene as well as Chicago, LA, and Miami. Henry keeps his focus on the expansion of sounds, pushing new boundaries, and experimentation with various distorted sounds.

8. Ben Klock

Where: Movement Stage

When: Day 2, Sunday May 28

Set Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM

If you’re looking to be fully immersed in the sound of Berlin techno, then Ben Klock’s set is not one to miss this weekend. Inspired by acid house parties that came to Berlin in the late ‘80s, he realized his calling to be in the Techno world shortly after in the ‘90s. Ben Klock is known for his deep and hypnotic sets and has become a legend in his home in Germany, where he held a residency at Berghain since the club opened doors in 2004. He’s known for his marathon performances that have lasted up to 10-15 hours that he is able to pull through simply on champagne and coffee. He is hugely motivated by curating an experience and a culture of timelessness, where you feel that you can walk in, immerse yourself in the music, and leave your everyday life behind forever.

9. Skrillex

Where: Movement Stage

When:  Day 3, Monday May 29

Set Time: 8:00 PM – 9:15 PM

Sonny John Moore, known professionally as Skrillex, is an American DJ and producer who has been one of the leading acts in the electronic dance music scene since the early 2000’s. He began his first tour in late 2007 and had since won eight Grammy Awards, more than any other electronic dance music artist. He has collaborated with some of the world’s biggest artists including Diplo, Boys Noize, toured with deadmau5 after signing into mau5trap in 2010, and has continued to take a leading role in the electronic music scene even after a deep and introspective dive during a hiatus in 2022. Since then, Sonny has found a new sense of peace and has been back with a newfound inspiration that he is using to push new boundaries with exploration and experimentation into House and Techno.

10. FJAAK

Where: Waterfront Stage

When: Day 3, May 29

Set Time: 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM

FJAAK is a German techno project composed of the duo Felix Wagner and Aaron Robig that is known for its range of energetic, dark and mind-melting house to storming warehouse techno, with occasional UK, garage, dub, and breakbeat hardcore influences. What started out as a Spandau-Basement experiment with their childhood friend Kevin Kozicki, the project had quickly become a well-established force in contemporary techno in the late 2000’s when they were merely teenagers. Each member enriches the project with their own unique style of music. Their tracks are gritty yet sensual, and are composed entirely on analog equipment. Through the world of House, Techno, Rave, Ambient and Break Beat, you are guaranteed to always be surprised during one of their performances