Img Cred Above; Padillashotit

ARC Music Festival is set to return to Chicago’s Union Park this Labor Day Weekend, celebrating its fifth anniversary with one of its strongest lineups to date. The three-day event runs August 29–31, bringing together global heavyweights like Eric Prydz in all three of his aliases, Jamie xx, John Summit, Amelie Lens, Richie Hawtin, and FISHER, alongside back-to-back pairings that highlight the festival’s Chicago and Detroit roots.

With Honey Dijon B2B Derrick Carter, Cajmere B2B Carl Craig, and Green Velvet B2B Skepta Más Tiempo among the special sets announced, ARC continues to balance legacy names with rising talent and forward-thinking collaborations.

To get a sense of what’s in store beyond the marquee names, we asked a handful of artists playing this year which track they’re most excited to drop and why. From hometown classics being reintroduced to the dancefloor, to fresh originals waiting for their moment, here’s what they had to say.

Tinzo + Jojo

Track: Tinzo, Jojo Lorenzo – “Scream and Pray”

When we have a set together, we rarely know what we’re playing beforehand. It’s always in the moment, like a jam session, reading the crowd’s and each other’s energy. This year we released a song together called Scream or Pray. This has been such a trying year for so many marginalized and oppressed people, and we wanted to share something with everyone that is honest and relatable. A little something for the soul.”


Hiroko Yamamura

Photo Credit: Jake Davis

Track: Fischer Spooners – “Emerge”
“There’s so many great songs right now, but if there’s a tune that’s been at the top of my set lately its been Chicago’s own Fischer Spooners track “Emerge.” Legendary stuff from an iconic time, its wild that modern BPMs and energy levels have allowed this hometown classic to wiggle its way back onto its deserved place on the dancefloor.”


Shermanology

Track: Shermanology – “Don’t Forget (to Breathe)” [UNRELEASED]

“The track we are most excited about to drop at ARC is our upcoming track “Don’t Forget (to Breathe)”. This one has been a highlight in our set for a while, and we can’t wait to see how Chicago will bounce to this one.”


Tini Gessler

Screenshot

Track: Tini Gessler – “COME AROUND”

“I’m so excited to play my own track COME AROUND, it was released a week ago and see people reacting so well to something you created yourself is just magic.! Also DO YOU by Vintage Culture, been playing it along the summer and it’s a killer”

Profile picture of Will Vance
By
Will Vance is a professional music producer who has been involved in the industry for the better part of a decade and has been the managing editor at Magnetic Magazine since mid-2022. In that time period, he has published thousands of articles on music production, industry think pieces and educational articles about the music industry. Over the last decade as a professional music producer, Will Vance has also ran multiple successful and highly respected record labels in the industry, including Where The Heart Is Records as well as having launched a new label with a focus on community through Magnetic Magazine. When not running these labels or producing his own music, Vance is likely writing for other top industry sites like Waves or the Hyperbits Masterclass or working on his upcoming book on mindfulness in music production. On the rare chance he's not thinking about music production, he's probably running a game of Dungeons and Dragons with his friends which he has been the dungeon master for for many years.