This December, Rise Festival returns to the breathtaking slopes of Les Deux Alpes, France, for a monumental celebration marking its 10th anniversary. Dubbed the ultimate “party on top of the world,” this year’s edition is set to blend world-class skiing and snowboarding with cutting-edge music, solidifying its reputation as one of the most electrifying snow festivals on the planet.
Running from 7th–14th December 2024, the festival promises an unforgettable week featuring an exceptional lineup. Headliners include heavyweights like Dimitri From Paris, Chase & Status [DJ Set], Gorgon City, and Sub Focus, alongside rising stars such as Dan Shake, Hannah Laing, and Archie Holmes. With just 1% of tickets remaining, it’s a final call for adventurers and music lovers to secure their spot, with packages starting at £399 per person.
One artist poised to make waves at Rise Festival’s 10th anniversary is Archie Holmes, a London-born and Edinburgh-based talent whose star is on the rise. In 2024, Archie made significant strides in the electronic music scene, securing a residency at FLY Club, where he performed alongside big names like Denis Sulta and Barry Can’t Swim. His acclaimed Off-Center EP, featuring tracks like “Better” and “Sound of the Underground”, earned spins on BBC Radio 1, and his Invites Series has hosted esteemed artists including O’Flynn and Love Remain.
We caught up with Archie ahead of his performance at Rise to talk about his journey, creative process, and what’s next in his burgeoning career.
Congrats on releasing your Off-Center EP on Another Rhythm earlier this year! How did your relationship with Billy and the AR team come about?
Thanks, so happy with the response it’s received! The AR team are such a great group of people, and it was a lot of fun releasing this EP with them.
What can fans expect from your set at Rise Festival’s 10th Anniversary in Les Deux Alpes? Are you planning anything special for the occasion?
So excited for the set! I’ve been working on a load of new music so will be playing out lots of unreleased tunes from myself.
Have you played a snow festival before? How does a unique setting like the French Alps compare to traditional club gigs or city festivals?
First time playing out in the snow and definitely going to be different to the usual sweaty clubs – might need a few more layer on!
What’s the one track you always carry in your bag that guarantees to get the crowd moving?
“The Story Continues” by Marco Lys – been playing it for years, and it always works.
What’s been the proudest moment of your career so far, and how did it shape you as an artist?
Probably got to be hearing one of my tunes on the radio for the first time, still get excited hearing it now but the first time was a really special moment.
Can you walk us through your creative process? Do you start with a beat or a melody, or does inspiration strike randomly?
A lot of my music is quite sample based so I often will find something that inspires me and build a track around that. But it really depends track to track – sometimes I start with chords and go from there and other times I start with the drums.
Are there challenges in balancing the roles of producer and DJ? How do you approach them?
Yeh it’s interesting balancing everything as I am also still at Uni at the moment! But I think being a producer as well as a DJ, definitely makes my production better as I know what works and what doesn’t when playing it out live. Vice-versa producing makes my DJ sets better as I am more in tune with how the music is meant to flow together.
Which artists or producers have influenced your sound the most?
Big influences from artists like Bonobo, O’Flynn and Barry Can’t Swim – I been listening to their stuff for years and it’s definitely inspired some of the music I make to!
If you could collaborate with any artist right now, who would it be and why?
Been loving the new Jamie XX album – that would a dream to work with him, his sampling skills a pretty mind blowing! Don’t think that would happen anytime soon but that’s the dream one for sure.
What are your plans for 2025? Can you tease any upcoming projects or releases?
I am actually just finishing off my next EP – first singles coming out for that on the 10th of Jan, been working a lot behind the scenes on this one so excited to finally get it out! Along with that I’ve got some exciting shows back in Edinburgh and London over the new year too!
As Rise Festival gears up to celebrate a decade of music and adventure, it’s clear that artists like Archie Holmes are set to make it an unforgettable event. Whether you’re carving the slopes or dancing under the stars, this year’s festival promises an extraordinary fusion of high-altitude thrills and unparalleled beats.
For more information and tickets, visit www.rise-festival.com.
Archie Holmes