Name: Defected Croatia
Start: 2022-08-04T12:00:00.000-02:00
End: 2022-08-09T23:59:00.000-02:00

Merely a decade ago, Tisno was a quaint town on the idyllic and vibrant Croatian coast. Situated at the narrow strait separating the island of Murter from the mainland, the municipality of Tisno—approximately an hour by car from the country’s second-largest city, Split—is home to just over 3,000 permanent residents. The town boasts an alluring rocky landscape carpeted with pines and olive trees, nestled alongside crystal-blue, sea-urchin-packed waters (don’t go within your shoes) within view of the nearby Dalmatian islands.




In recent years, this Adriatic gem has sparkled even brighter, beckoning music lovers from around the world. Today, Tisno hosts a continuous carousel of internationally acclaimed (boutique) festivals throughout the summer—including SuncéBeat, Love International, and Dimensions—where the number of weekly ticket holders often eclipses the town's permanent population.




Tisno's ascent into a globally renowned dance music destination is no accident. It’s due, in large part, to August’s annual flagship gathering from one of house music's most respected brands, Defected Records.

Almost every house-head on earth knows the name Defected. In 2022, the London-based label, founded by industry titan Simon Dunmore, celebrated its 23rd anniversary and sixth time returning to The Garden Resort for its summertime pièce de résistance, Defected Croatia.


The musical juggernaut that is Defected Records is perhaps best known for its expertly curated catalog of house heaters and classics, collection of tastemaking sub-labels encompassing the breadth of house music, and stable of artists ranging from the most legendary to the most in-demand.



But Defected has struck gold in Croatia by curating an atmosphere that inverts the very elements of its global success, fostering intimacy, coziness, and a small, self-sustaining community born and raised under the proud banner of house music.




Most dance music fans have likely seen Defected's slogan, "In Our House We Are All Equal,” plastered across nearly every element of the label’s marketing, from merch to digital graphics to social media. For Defected, equality isn’t corporate lip service. It’s an ethos that permeates every moment of the 5,000-person festival.









Defected Croatia eschews hierarchy of all kinds. There is no VIP. There are no headliners in the traditional sense. Just a constant drumbeat of house, techno, and disco for six days and seven nights — every day from the moment the party kicks off at the main site (The Garden Resort) in the afternoon until the next day’s sunrise comes splitting through pines at the iconic Barbarella’s Discotheque (the official afterparty location).




This year, the self-described week of "house hedonism” saw Vintage Culture, Danny Tenaglia, Honey Dijon, Jayda G, Louie Vega, LP Giobbi and more than 100 other established and up-and-coming artists grace its stages and boat parties.




The pure cache of these names might typically conjure images of colossal festival stages and shoulder-to-shoulder, sardine-like crowds. But the secret sauce of Defected Croatia is the intimate, inclusive community it fosters and the somewhat blurred lines between fans and artists.









At any time, on a never-overly-crowded, never-pushy dancefloor, festivalgoers can find themselves moving and grooving next to Natasha Diggs, being summoned onto a boat party by Melvo Baptiste, snapping a selfie with Simon Dunmore by the merch tent, or casually standing in line for food next to any number house music legends. One might even find themselves kicking it with Defected dancers, DJs, and off-the-clock bartenders at the beachside after-after party, as the sun begins to creep higher into the sky.




But wherever you find yourself at Defected, rest assured that you’ll be immersed in a diverse, close-knit community of responsible partiers and music lovers who, above all, are looking out for the well-being and safety of one another.









Defected’s various imprints (Glitterbox, Classic Music Company, Faith, Sondela, to name a few) provide a structure and natural flow to the week. These imprints rotate hosting takeovers of the Garden Resort's four stages (Main Stage, Beach Stage, Olive Grove, and Press Play) and Barbarella’s (about a 20-minute drive from the main site).




This year, Thursday kicked off with a bright and energetic bang with Defected residents Sam Divine and Gorgon City lighting up the Main Stage, while Glitterbox’s Dave Lee ZR offered a late-night disco masterclass to an eager crowd. By Friday, the festival was in full swing. Amsterdam-based PIV Records, founded by DJ and producer Prunk, took fans on all night soulful house journey at the Olive Grove, ending with an astounding six way “B2B2B2B2B2B” sunrise set from the entire PIV artist lineup.









Saturday saw one of week's highlights: the first-ever day-an-night takeover of Barbarella’s—all in praise and celebration of the birth place of techno, Detroit. Detroit's DJ Holographic and Rimarkable (Defected Radio Show host) offered two beautifully intense, rhythmic sets paying homage to their native city, the birthplace of Motown and techno music. Sunday was a kaleidoscopic, glitter-fueled dream with the Glitterbox takeover of Defected’s Main Stage, featuring soulful house masters Kiddy Smile and Bob Sinclar.




The final nights were some of the biggest. On Monday, Classic Music Company took control of the Main Stage. Bulgarian DJ KiNK stunned the crowd with a set that included including live keyboard, synths, and digital air drums. The performance was bookended by sets from globally renowned artists Honey Dijon and Luke Solomon. They were riding the wave of the release of Beyoncé Renaissance, for which the long-time business partners and friends co-produced two tracks. The final day, the festival chartered a boat party featuring some of Defected 2022’s “Unsung Heroes,” winners of the label's competition to give up-and-coming a yearlong residency.








As the week wrapped in Tisno, the energy remained high. There was a pervasive atmosphere that, for many, the this was less of a “goodbye” and more of a "see you later.” And as the DJs took to the decks for the festival’s final sets, a single word was rolling off everyone’s tongues: “magic."




It’s clear: Defected Croatia isn’t just a facilitator of sonic hedonism but of freedom and unadulterated creativity. Like clockwork every year, it creates the physical, logistical, and psychological safety for true authenticity and adventure, calling to mind the words of Frankie Knuckles: “I am definitely in the right place doing the right things. These are the rewards.”





























Defected Croatia: A Blueprint for Responsible and Inclusive Partying  

Defected Croatia has chartered a creative path all its own along the Adriatic Coast. Returning for its sixth year this August, the festival brings together more than 100 artists and 5,000 festivalgoers for a self-described “six days and seven nights of house hedonism” from the world’s largest house label.



Featuring Honey Dijon, Vintage Culture, Harry Romero, Gorgon City, Danny Tenaglia, and more Defected has paved the way for an influx of music festivals hosted in Croatia in recent years. But it still has some fresh tricks up its sleeve for this year’s go-round. In 2022, Defected has curated several unique experiences and stages throughout the weeklong festival in Tisno. 

Here are six things that house heads can expect from Defected Croatia this year.



Defected x Detroit Motor City Takeover

Likely the festival’s flashiest new feature, Carl Craig’s Detroit Love will be hosting Defected Croatia's first-ever day-and-night takeover of the iconic Barbarellas Discotheque in Pirovac, a short drive from the festival’s main site at the Garden Resort.

On Saturday, Barbarellas, which regularly functions as the after-hours, will host a curated lineup of DJs and artists from the Motor City, including Moodyman, Ash Lauryn, Octave One, DJ Holographic, Rimarkable, and a live performance by vocal trio Dames Brown, whose groovy hit “What Would You Do?” is currently rocketing through the house and disco charts.







Glitterbox x House of Yes Will Finish Out the Festival

This year, the Big Apple has planted a firm stake in Croatia. New York’s quintessential club-meets-aerial-performance venue, House of Yes, is teaming up with one of the largest disco-exclusive labels in world, Glitterbox, for what’s sure to be a soulful, psychedelic, and glitter-fueled final night on Defected's Beach Stage. The lineup includes New York disco and house icons Louie Vega and Jellybean Benitez alongside up-and-coming talent Anna Collecta (founder of Brooklyn's wildly popular Hot Honey Sundays) and returning artists Natasha Diggs and Jayda G.







Defected’s "Unsung Heroes” Takeover Tisno

In February, Defected announced its inaugural Unsung Heroes competition, supported by Pioneer, offering up-and-coming DJs around the world a chance to become the label's newest residents for 2022. Entrants were asked to submit a 60-minute mix showcasing their ability to warm up a crowd in addition to a recommendation from a club owner, promoter, or established DJ. The judging panel, which included Roger Sanchez, Sef Kombo, Melvo Baptiste, Sam Divine, and others—selected seven rising stars who will play several sets throughout the week in Tisno. 



Winners include LA-based underground house DJ and producer Juliet Mendoza, London-based radio host Melle Brown, and eclectic house DJ Rio Tashan, who, together, will spin at a 3-hour boat party on the festival’s final day.







Brazil Boat Party Takeover

Throughout the week, Defected holds a series of separately ticketed boat parties chartered along the Croatian coast. These parties foster a more intimate experience, allowing fans to commune with some of the festival’s biggest names as well as up-and-coming artists. Announced just weeks ago, the first-ever Brazil Takeover Boat Party will feature the internationally acclaimed Vintage Culture, who is making his Defected Croatia debut this year. Best known for his tech house vocal hits “You Give Me a Feeling” (in collaboration with James Hype) and “Slow Down” (featuring British vocalist Jorja Smith), the artist will team up with fellow Brazilians Doozie and Aline Rocha (another winner of the Unsung Heroes contest) for the sunset party.





Defected x The Remedy Project



In 2021, the face of Glitterbox and dance music tastemaker Melvo Baptiste launched his label The Remedy Project with the mission to further elevate and showcase rising stars in the funk, disco, house, and dance music world. Since, the London-based imprint has released several acclaimed singles, including “Hot Flavor" and “Balance” by the Atlanta-based vocalist Hadiya George, known for her features on tracks by Honey Dijon and Horse Meat Disco. This year, The Remedy Project will host a party at the resort's Olive Grove stage, featuring a DJ set from lo-fi band Girls of the Internet.







PIV Records Takeover

PIV Records was founded in 2015 with a “soft spot” for house music built upon the foundation of its Chicago and New York roots. The imprint, founded by Dutch DJ and producer Prunk, organizes events in the vibrant nightlife scene of Amsterdam. This year, PIV will host a 12-hour takeover at the Olive Grove stage, featuring Prunk alongside German funk and soul DJ, DJOKO, and S.A.M., whose acclaimed cover of Jennifer Hudson’s “Spotlight” with British vocalist Sarah Ikumu has been one of Defected’s biggest hits of the year.





Six New Stages & Surprises at Defected Croatia 2022

When ravers think of dancing to premiere house music under the warm summer sun by the shores of the Adriatic Sea, chances are they’re thinking of 

 is surely one of the most influential house music labels in history. Over the years they’ve signed practically every notable four-on-the-floor artist from seasoned veterans like 

(Plus its Defected that trademarked the proclamation “House Music All Life Long”)

Like many solid labels around the world, events have become a standard offering from their repertoire, serving as another avenue to promote their artists. Except now over 20 years after the label launch, Defected events are some of the most respected and sought after in the scene, and the Croatia festival—which first took place in 2016—is at the top of that list.

Defected Croatia 2021 | Aftermovie

Defected Croatia 2022 tickets: https://defected.com/croatia
 
5,000 dedicated house heads from every corner of the world descended on The Garden, Tisno for the postponed Defected Croatia festival in August 2021. The collective euphoria after months of restrictions was real, perfectly summed up here in the festival’s annual aftermovie. Watch for incredible high-energy moments and sunsoaked memories from the festival, and book your tickets for 2022 here: https://defected.com/croatia.  
 
Directed & Edited by Maik Diederen
 
Cameras:           
Dammes Kieft
Gurbs Dosanjh
Harry Nelder
Nicky Pajkic
 
Music: https://defected.lnk.to/Music
 
Shop: http://defected.com/store
 
Defected YouTube is the home of house music with artists including MK, Sam Divine, CamelPhat, Franky Rizardo, Dennis Ferrer, Low Steppa and Amine Edge & Dance
 
http://defected.com 
http://instagram.com/defectedrecords 
http://facebook.com/defectedrecords 
http://twitter.com/defectedrecords 

#HouseMusicAllLifeLong

Running from August 4-9, 2022, six days in total, at 

, over 80 of the world’s best in dance music will perform in a variety of different settings. But before the hedonism begins, there are mindfulness sessions on the beach with meditation and yoga to ensure everyone’s minds and bodies are ready for what’s coming next.

When it is time to dance, all six days include two different boat parties for some raucous action on the water with more than enough time after returning to the beach to keep the evening going.


Simon Dunmore B2B Brian Tappert - Live from Defected Croatia 2018 - 4 To The Floor Boat Party

Subscribe to Defected Records: http://defct.de/subscribe.

Defected Croatia 2019 tickets now on sale: http://defected.com/croatia

Defected YouTube is the home of house music with artists including Sam Divine, Franky Rizardo, MK, Dennis Ferrer and many more.

http://defected.com
http://facebook.com/defectedrecords
http://instagram.com/defectedrecords
http://twitter.com/defectedrecords
https://open.spotify.com/user/defected.records
http://soundcloud.com/defectedrecords
http://mixcloud.com/defectedrecords

Inside the main garden there are four primary stages, each with its own expert curation. Playing on the main stage this year are various impressive artists including the Aussie alternative electronic project, 

Those who would prefer to stay waterside after getting off the boat can stick to the beach stage with the funky sounds of 

, and more. For a break in the shade, the Olive Grove is the place to be, welcoming rising talents like 

Louie Vega at Suncebeat Croatia. Closing a wonderful Barbarellas session

Louie Vega at Suncebeat Croatia. Closing a wonderful Barbarellas session.

It wouldn’t be a proper house music function without after hours, and Barbarella’s night club delivers all anyone could want from an authentic clubbing experience. Numerous artists who are playing the larger stages during the day like 

 will play again at night, keeping the music going until 7AM or later.

Throughout all of this four-on-the-floor goodness, however, the core of Defected Croatia is the original values of house music: inclusivity, togetherness and escapism. There is no VIP in this festival. Everyone dances together, shares the moment together, enjoys the beautiful setting together. Anyone who wasn’t preaching “House Music All Life Long” before this festival will certainly adopt the philosophy once the security forces them to leave the final DJ leaves the decks.

Defected Croatia

When ravers think of dancing to premiere house music under the warm summer sun by the shores of the Adriatic Sea, chances are they’re thinking of Defected Croatia.



Started in 1999, Defected is surely one of the most influential house music labels in history. Over the years they’ve signed practically every notable four-on-the-floor artist from seasoned veterans like Armin Van Buuren and Gene Farris to exciting newcomers like SIDEPIECE and Dom Dolla.



(Plus its Defected that trademarked the proclamation “House Music All Life Long”)





Like many solid labels around the world, events have become a standard offering from their repertoire, serving as another avenue to promote their artists. Except now over 20 years after the label launch, Defected events are some of the most respected and sought after in the scene, and the Croatia festival—which first took place in 2016—is at the top of that list.





Running from August 4-9, 2022, six days in total, at The Garden, Tisno, over 80 of the world’s best in dance music will perform in a variety of different settings. But before the hedonism begins, there are mindfulness sessions on the beach with meditation and yoga to ensure everyone’s minds and bodies are ready for what’s coming next.



When it is time to dance, all six days include two different boat parties for some raucous action on the water with more than enough time after returning to the beach to keep the evening going.




Inside the main garden there are four primary stages, each with its own expert curation. Playing on the main stage this year are various impressive artists including the Aussie alternative electronic project, Flight Facilities, Chicago’s prince of house music John Summit, and the piano queen LP Giobbi.





Those who would prefer to stay waterside after getting off the boat can stick to the beach stage with the funky sounds of Derrick Carter, Jayda G, Louie Vega, and more. For a break in the shade, the Olive Grove is the place to be, welcoming rising talents like Ash Lauryn and TSHA.





It wouldn’t be a proper house music function without after hours, and Barbarella’s night club delivers all anyone could want from an authentic clubbing experience. Numerous artists who are playing the larger stages during the day like Eats Everything and Darius Syrossian will play again at night, keeping the music going until 7AM or later.





Throughout all of this four-on-the-floor goodness, however, the core of Defected Croatia is the original values of house music: inclusivity, togetherness and escapism. There is no VIP in this festival. Everyone dances together, shares the moment together, enjoys the beautiful setting together. Anyone who wasn’t preaching “House Music All Life Long” before this festival will certainly adopt the philosophy once the security forces them to leave the final DJ leaves the decks.

Defected Croatia

Location