Photo Credit: Echoes from Agartha
Echoes from Agartha is not just another festival. It is a stunning, once-in-a-lifetime trip to a place where human civilization is said to have taken some of its biggest leaps. That place is a Unesco World Heritage site in Cappadocia, in Anatolia, Turkey. It’s known as the ‘Cradle of Civilization’ and is a mountainous region formed 60 million years ago, as soft lava and ash that had fallen from a local volcano were eroded by weather. For this weekend at the end of June, it became a majestic, spiritual, and frankly unreal setting for one of the most classy and unforgettable few days of our lives.
It kicked off on Wednesday with us all being gobsmacked at the setting – Sacred House in Yunak Evleri, an idyllic venue that took the form of a 5-star cave hotel. Some welcome drinks were served up to get us all going and a stylish electronic soundtrack with deep melodies and spine-tingling vocals set the right mood.
This pilgrimage was defined by a great organization. Everything was well planned, there were no queues and the food, drinks and fresh fruit available throughout was all delicious and easy to get hold of. Even the fact that an overnight thunderstorm came in didn’t put the organizers off. After a delay to mop up and get the power that had been lost back on, we were off.
Arriving at Zion, we saw a packed crowd that was raring to go. And that crowd is a special one – people from all over the world who just want to make new friends, come together over music, and soak up the unreal culture of the space they are in. They also dress up for the occasion, with plenty of Turkish garments, capes, and hats, making a colorful crowd that is something like a European answer to Burning Man.
Chaim back-to-back Tarsol was a perfect pair to play in this setting with their delicate grooves, electric sounds, and melodic moods really enchanting us. The lights that shone up to the vast and ancient sandstone caves really enhanced the beauty. When Seth Troxler came on the mood was already unreal, and his set was one of the best sets we have heard from him in a while. He mixed up moody vibes, powerful electro, and transcendent vocals while dancers with lasers and mad costumes added a special feeling to the already massive party.
As the spiritual moods deepened, WhoMadeWho came on at 5 AM as the sun was rising. They locked us into a mindful state with their melodic vocal set, with live guitar and singing pushing everyone to another level. Happiness was etched on everyone’s faces as it dawned on us just how unique this was, to be dancing, and staring up at these mind-blowing caves.
On Saturday, we head to The Valley of Monasteries and again were stunned by the setting – an open-air stage in front of a huge rock which was mapped with unique visuals showing lasers, fire, and dancers, it was just incredible and as the sky changed colors according to the position of the sun, it made for some seriously special moments.
Fires were also dotted about to stay warm and creative costumes with a lot of local accessories such as necklaces and jewelry bring it all to life in other ways. Mind Against played a set that was perfect for the moment – powerful melodic techno with recognizable mixes and superb vocal tracks that kept everyone locked in until the end. Except it wasn’t the end because there was a magic all-day afterparty on Sunday with Lee Burridge playing his dreamy deep house at Yaruk, one of the hotels the festival took over with the rooms built into the rock face. It was a perfect setting for a lazier dance but with just as many special vibes.
This gathering was a really special coming together of people, music, culture, art, and gastronomy that was all exceptionally well organized. We made new friends, discovered new musical favorites, and have memories we shall never forget. We are already dreaming about next year!
