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Photo: Portola Festival / Alive Coverage

The post-pandemic era for live music has seen an endless proliferation of one-off festivals trying to establish a presence in what might be its most competitive time yet. Despite this, Portola has reigned supreme among its class of newcomers, and frankly, the competition isn’t even close. Nestled between San Francisco's infamous piers 79 and 81, this year, Portola brings the chaos to Pier 80 alongside what may be its most stacked lineup yet.

Though many festival goers are currently planning their weekends around the festival’s larger acts of The Prodigy, LCD Soundsystem, Ravyn Lenae, and Dom Dolla, real heads know that the festival's best moments will come from the weekend’s more burgeoning acts. If you feel lost, worry not, below are five artists you should keep on your radar as we get closer to the date.

1tbsp

Few acts at Portola this year are as highly anticipated as 1tbsp, the dance music project of Australian alt-pop artist Golden Vessel. Mixing futuristic ambient sounds, energetic house production, and complex geographical influences, tracks like the Mietze Conte-assisted “No Nein” and “Sour Berry” showcase 1tbsp’s signature refreshing style. After catching his set at LA's Don Quixote last spring, we're excited to catch him once more in the bay.

Nick Leon

Known for his unique blend of Latin and club music, Florida’s Nick León has quickly gained momentum over the past year as one of electronic music’s most exciting new acts. Though admittedly he’s been around for a minute, his most recent record, A Tropical Entropy, feels like a major transformation when compared to his earlier work. Whether turning up to the melodic bliss on “Bikini” with Erika de Casier, or lost in the hazy ambience of “Metromover,” León is not an artist to miss at Portola this year.

Magdalena Bay

Ok, listen, I know that we’ve been singing Magdalena Bay’s praises for almost half a decade at this point, but truly, this is a group that we cannot advocate for enough. With every release, it seems like the duo completely reinvents themselves, perpetually loremaxxing with each new song, visual, and apparently now an upcoming movie (!) slated for release ASAP. If you haven’t had the chance to see them live, do yourself a favor and catch them while you can.

Loukeman

How do you describe an artist as layered and nuanced as Loukeman? Sometimes glitchy, sometimes melodic, and sometimes lo-fi, Loukeman’s music can take you anywhere from the glitchy chaos of “Ride” to the psychedelic bounce of “Shadowww.” His most recent release, a remix of Vegyn’s “Last Night I Dreamt I Was Alone,” portrays this perfectly, and while you might never know what to expect, you can rest easy knowing that every release is instilled with an energy that only Loukeman can provide.

nate sib

Though the scene of new artists making distorted electronic pop music already feels oversaturated, nate sib stands alone. Armed with an affinity for clever songwriting and Bieber-tier vocals, the LA-based artist and producer made waves earlier this year with the release of his EP for us. Blending experimental and abrasive sonics with a seasoned pop sensibility, sib is a star in the making that you have to see while you’re in the city.