Meadows in the Mountains 2016

The clue to the USP of this festival is in the name – the site is arguably one of the most unique and untouched landscapes that Europe has to offer. Maybe it was this atmosphere that prompted the first UK rave promoters to explore the Adriatic – and Balearic coastlines before it – in search of a sanctuary for hedonistic rituals. It feels as though lessons have been learnt since then though – both humanistic and environmental. The founders of the festival have local roots, and it shows in the respect and integration with the native community working to house many of the attendees. It also implicates an admirable line on event waste which larger festivals simply couldn’t due to scale issues. You can’t get served a drop of drink on any bar without a metal, reusable cup – something you would think would become annoying, but the vibrant patter of the enthusiastic Bulgarian bar staff kept things running smoothly. Those looking for a home from home need not apply to this truly Bulgarian experience.

Any criticisms that need to be made are perhaps as much of our generation as the event, but a constant need to record the moment did kill the atmosphere of certain organic happenings. In such an intimate, natural environment as a 300 person 5am sunrise set in the Bulgarian mountains, I did question the need for a full film crew and actors and it goes without saying that being told to dance by a producer of some description is probably going to disrupt anyone’s vibe.

The temporary residents of the mountain were well catered for musically, and even if we were left unsatisfied in one place, there was always somewhere else to party in the small 24-hour curation of stages. The sunrise stage was dominated earlier on in Friday’s programming by Ed Word’s set with Ben Cozmo D’s Seems To Me standing out alongside Sha’Lor – I’m in Love. Vague spatterings of memory from an elusive Saturday night placed Bristol party starters Rough Draft closing the main stage with Paul Hardcastle – Rainforest.

Sunday’s music was interrupted around 9pm by a genuinely touching speech from the mayor of Polkovnik Serafimovo although the subsequent, harshly commentated, effigy-burning ceremony perhaps would have gone more smoothly with a musical accompniment. However, it did at least mark the countdown to Last Japan who completely tore the roof of the wooden shack slash main stage he played. There were too many grime weapons to count, but one version or another of Omni Trio’s Renegade Snares was one to remember.

Ultimately, if it can avoid some of the modern pitfalls of hedonism, Meadows in the Mountains has all the raw ingredients to provide two thousand lucky punters with a totally unique, life-affirming experience year in year out. Anyone who’s been lucky enough to attend this utterly bonkers event so far will be waiting with bated breath to see how the magical story unfolds.