Pioneers - Malta 2024 Artist Spotlight Series

Our multi-part series for the third edition of our Malta festival continues, as we shine a light on just some of the incredible electronic music artists heading to Defected Malta in 2024.

Our weekend festival will take place from 4th – 6th October 2024. Tickets are now available above for the October getaway you’ve been waiting for.

Check out the first part of the series here (the acts making their Malta festival debut) or read on for a look at some of the pioneering legends taking to the stage later this year.

GREEN VELVET

An iconic DJ, producer, vocalist, label boss and bona fide artist in every sense of the word, the techno pioneer Green Velvet makes their debut at Defected Malta 2024. Known under many monikers including Cajmere, Geo Vogt, Half Pint, Curan Stone, and Gino Vittori, Green Velvet’s productions turned heads in the 90s thanks to brilliant, bold timbres decorated with eccentric vocals that detailed the peculiarities of club culture. Early successes in his career always put the spotlight on his hometown, creating a sound that represented the city and directing what DJ Mag referred to as 'the third wave of Chicago house'.

Outside of his own work, Green Velvet’s own imprints (Cajual and Relief) helped nurture and introduce names like Boo Williams, Mark Grant and DJ Sneak to the world. No matter the setting, be it a globally revered festival stage or an intimate, sweaty rave on the other side of the world, you will always spot the iconic Green Velvet from the back thanks to his signature shock of green hair – a now iconic symbol for the kooky but hard party-goers of planet Earth. Cameras ready, prepare to flash.

X-PRESS 2

X-Press 2, a visionary duo comprising of Rocky and Diesel, have etched their name into the annals of electronic music history with their genre-bending compositions. Hailing from the UK, they emerged from the vibrant underground club scene of the 90s, marrying house and techno with ease; their breakout moment arrived with crossover hit ‘Lazy’, featuring the distinctive vocals of David Byrne from Talking Heads and propelling them into the limelight after picking up an Ivor Novello Award.

In recent years, the pair unveiled their fifth LP ‘Thee’ with features in Mixmag and DJ Mag. X-Press 2's legacy is firmly cemented in the evolution of electronic music, and as such they continue to lend their signature sound to artists of today in the form of various dubs and reworks - all while maintaining a strong DJ presence on the global stage which now includes the best festival Malta can offer in 2024.

HONEY DIJON

The Grammy award-winning writer, fashion mogul and electronic artist Honey Dijon is the definition of a trailblazer, not only for her services to music but also as a champion for visibility and freedom. Born and raised in Chicago, Honey grew up surrounded by House music, and the creative souls who started a global movement – her knowledge of the art form led to legendary residencies at Hiro and Ladyfag’s Battle Hymn party, playing twelve hour sets throughout Pride seasons in an age of structural racism and media-fuelled transphobia.

Arriving in 2024 as a worldwide phenomenon, Honey has put the work into each of her artistic endeavours from the off. From her seminal Sugar Mountain DJ set for Boiler Room in 2018 with 11M views on YouTube, her fashion line Honey Fucking Dijon, her 355K followers on Instagram and her collaboration with the Youtube Black Voices Fund, Honey Dijon’s legacy continues through to the studio, receiving critical acclaim for her Black Girl Magic LP and working closely in the studio with Luke Solomon. The pair previously collaborating on Beyoncé’s chart-topping album ‘Renaissance’, receiving GRAMMY awards for their contributions. One thing is for certain, Honey Dijon is coming to Malta galvanised and ready for a set like no other.

TODD EDWARDS

A Defected festival favourite, Todd Edwards will grace the stage again after headlining the previous two editions of our Malta festival. Ever since his pioneering releases of the 90s, Todd Edwards has continued to inspire artists around the world thanks to his entirely fresh sound, created from chopped-up samples and vocal clips; despite hailing from New Jersey, this sound became a driving force of the UK Garage genre, giving the producer major underground credibility.

Todd’s legacy is well documented, culminating in the release of his Defected House Masters compilation in 2022 and subsequent Deluxe edition two years earlier in 2024. This, alongside our acquisition of Edwards’ back catalogue, brought the legendary sound of the New Jersey native to newer audiences as Todd featured in major publications The Guardian, Billboard, Mixmag, Complex, even gracing the cover of DJ Mag.

DENNIS FERRER

Raised in the Bronx, outspoken house legend and label boss Dennis Ferrer is the defining figure of that soulful NYC house sound. A contemporary of the likes of Masters At Work and The Martinez Brothers, Dennis Ferrer has managed to maintain credibility in underground circles despite experiencing major mainstream success, largely due to him never doing the same thing twice; guiding house through its many eras from soul and gospel to Afro and techno. One of the OG Defected House Masters, Ferrer’s relationship with the iconic London label is checkpointed by a vast number of innovative originals, with his legacy extending far farther than the famous ear worms that permeate festivals to this day.

Entering 2024, Dennis Ferrer’s Objektivity label continues to rise, championing new talent like Nasser Baker whom he also acts as a mentor to. As ever, Ferrer’s relentless international touring schedule reaches the best stages for electronic music worldwide, which now includes our Malta festival, and his music is still played everywhere from global radio to underground club spaces. We can’t wait to see what Ferrer does at Defected Malta 2024.

As far as festivals in Europe go, the plethora of house music talent heading to our Malta festival is unmatched. Set against a backdrop of crystalline waters, sandy beaches and clear blue skies, Get your tickets while you still can!