Is there a two for the price of one deal doing the rounds amidst the house music world’s DJs? This blog can’t help but wonder, as I keep seeing the same people appearing on lineups for supposedly different festivals. Perhaps that’s the latest cockamamie scheme doing the rounds.

It would certainly help explain why all these festivals look and sound the same. A while ago, I commented that Defected’s London and Manchester events this year both looked eerily similar – and it appears this philosophy of sameness (or loyalty, as Simon Dunmore prefers to call it) has seeped into the annual festivities at Croatia.

Take a look at these lineups. 2022’s phase one lineup on the left, and the 2021 one on the right. I couldn’t find a phase one for this year, so let’s just concentrate on the top half of the list for now…

They’re awfully similar, aren’t they? I’m all in favour of brands showing loyalty to artists, but there’s a danger it’ll eventually lead to an identikit lineup year after year. How long the festivals will be able to get away with this remains to be seen.

Although I do notice one very prominent new name in the 2022 list. Defected has been talking for a while now about the influence of Detroit on dance music – whilst avoiding mentioning Derrick May at all costs, of course. So it’s with interest I note the aforementioned Mr May’s old friend, Ash Lauryn, has been booked.

But let’s just say this news hasn’t gone down entirely well in her native Detroit. More on this one over the weekend…