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Field Maneuvers 2017: Five to watch

The UK’s “dirty little rave” returns this weekend...

Field Maneuvers, dubbed the “dirty little rave” by its organisers, returns to a secret countryside location an hour outside of London this weekend (1st to 3rd September).

A meticulously programmed line-up sees the likes of Midland, Nick Höppner, Soichi Terada (live), Shanti Celeste and many more spin alongside residents including Auntie Flo, Ben Sims and Jane Fitz across the three-day event.

Last year saw FM highlights come from Honey Soundsystem, Gene Hunt, Bake, Auntie Flo and Andy Blake.

Below are the five must see sets that DJ Mag thinks will form the highlights of Field Maneuvers 2017.

Ryan Elliot

Ryan Elliot has had a huge summer so far this year, which has seen him command Circoloco’s main room at DC10, as well as spin at Love International, Gottwood and Movement Festival – the latter in the city he once called home, Detroit.

The Michigan-born selector, who cut his teeth living in the Motor City before relocating to Berlin, has firmly cemented his place as a DJ’s DJ through his classy selections of bass-driven house and techno.

During his residencies at Berghain’s Panorama Bar, Ann Arbor’s Goodnight Gracie’s and Detroit’s Shelter – as well as his years as an internationally touring DJ – Elliot has developed the ability to utilise his bottomless record collection to drop tracks with perfect timing. Expect no less when he hits Field Maneuvers this weekend.

Octo Octa

Brooklyn-based artist Octo Octa, real name Maya Bouldry-Morrison, first burst onto the scene on the 100% Silk label with her ‘Let Me See You’ EP in 2011.

In the years since she has refined her signature sound, piano-led classic house cuts that feel both fresh and somehow familiar, before last year’s ‘Where Are We Going’ EP wowed listeners globally.

A prolific year has followed, with releases on HNYTRX, Love Notes, Skylax, Argo, Shewey Trax and Frendzone! in 2017 marking by far her busiest period in the studio yet.

As a DJ, Octo Octa’s sets are more suited to intimate rave spaces, making her the perfect fit for Field Maneuvers.

Spencer Parker

Spencer Parker has to be one of the most underrated house and techno selectors on the planet through the course of his 12-year career.

Spinning up-front house, disco and techno with a mischievous quality summed up by his 'No More Silly Club Songs' EPs – as well as the time he famously broke his headphones dancing during his own Boiler Room Berlin set in 2014 – his eclectic selections never fail to ignite dancefloors.

Based in Berlin, Parker is now getting the recognition he deserves. As a regular at Berghain, he’s as apt at playing house and disco upstairs in Panorama Bar as he is techno downstairs. Expect a cross section of this at Field Maneuvers, spliced with a heavy dose of fun and his inimitable smile, which is usually fixed on his face throughout his DJ sets.

Dan Beaumont

Having cut his teeth at London's seminal Disco Bloodbath parties, Dan Beaumont has turned himself into something of a nightlife entrepreneur.

As well as his busy DJ schedule, he’s also one of the driving forces behind east London’s Dalston Superstore and pizza joint Voodoo Rays – as well as the now sadly closed Dance Tunnel.

But don't let that detract from the music. As a producer Beaumont has worked with house music royalty in Luke Solomon, and is also a regular at Glastonbury’s psychedelic playground, Block9, an area notoriously difficult to land a slot.

His appearance at Field Maneuvers is subsequently a real coup, and not one anybody wanting to hit the dancefloor hard should miss.

Nick The Record

Nick The Record is a music lifer. The epitome of what it means to be a true selector, he’s been a celebrated record dealer of rare vinyl for many years, and brings this music knowledge to the parties he plays.

An old friend of DJ Harvey, Nick shares a similar knack for digging deep to weave genre-spanning sets that can incorporate anything from house, disco, soul, African music and anything else in between.

Nick’s Dekmantel Selectors Podcast from last year (above) was an office favourite when it landed last summer. Expect a similarly glorious blend of music you’ve probably never heard before at Field Maneuvers. Just don’t expect Shazam to get anywhere near it.

Want more? Listen to Mark Archer’s Field Maneuvers DJ Mag Podcast from last year.

Rob McCallum is DJ Mag’s deputy digital editor. Follow him on Twitter here.