Sometimes electronic music can seem disconnected, almost unreal. And yet, on Thursday evening at Igloofest, it proved to be deeply embodied. It was a memorable evening, tinged with unexpected nostalgia. Moments when an entire crowd seems to be truly listening are rare, but that night, on the banks of the frozen river, Igloofest transcended the simple framework of a winter festival.
LAURE
The evening kicks off around 7:30 p.m. Outside the venue, I can already hear that familiar kick, somewhere between 125 and 130 BPM, echoing in the distance. When I arrive, the venue is still quiet, almost shy. There’s not much activity, and the crowd is sparse. And yet, something intrigues me: LAURE is already at work on the main Sapporo stage.
A Montreal-based DJ and producer, LAURE opens the evening with precision and intelligence. She knows exactly how to set the mood, how to turn up the heat without rushing things. Her selection navigates between melodic house and deep progressive, carried by synth leads with nostalgic colors, subtly anchored in classic house rhythms. An atmospheric, emotional, and elegant sound, where each transition seems designed to prepare for what comes next. Nothing flashy here: finesse, control, and the ability to gently gather the crowd in front of the stage.
Weval
At around 8:30 p.m., it was time for Weval, my real favorite of the evening and already one of my favorite electronic music groups for several years. The Dutch duo, based in Amsterdam, is on a North American tour to promote Chorophobia, their latest album released in 2025. It’s hard to describe them better than this: ambivalent, daring, and deeply free in their approach.
Weval navigates a hybrid zone, somewhere between EDM and more experimental electronica, flirting with IDM. Their music, richly adorned with polyphonic analog synthesizers, exudes an almost organic warmth, reinforcing that omnipresent feeling of nostalgia. They open their set with a remix of Alesis by Mk.gee, before moving on to several tracks from Chorophobia, an album that is more eclectic and adventurous than the rest of their discography.
The audience listens attentively. Few phones are raised. Just bodies standing still or moving gently. A true moment of grace.
Elderbrook
Headlining the event, Elderbrook brings the evening to a close. A clear reminder of the emotional power of EDM when done right. His set navigates between remixes, notably by RÜFÜS DU SOL and John Smith, and original tracks from his own repertoire. Unifying classics, capable of bringing an entire crowd together in a single moment.
At that moment, in the heart of the pit, I find myself transported back to 2016, when EDM and raves were at the forefront of mainstream electronic music. Everyone is in sync. The bass beats, hands are raised, eyes meet. Despite the cold, which feels well below 14°C, the connection is total. It’s a sincere, beautiful moment, unique to this evening.
For a Thursday night, the event far exceeded my expectations. It was a powerful, memorable evening that thousands of festival-goers were lucky enough to experience. If any of these three names come to Montreal in the next few months, here’s my advice: go. No matter what the temperature.
