MUMBAI: Holding true to its promise of introducing the freshest sounds from India and around the world, Magnetic Fields, a music and arts festival to be held at 17th century palace-turned-hotel Alsisar Mahal announces a second list of artists curated from all over the globe – including Pakistan – and across varied soundscapes.

Featuring some of the most exciting names handpicked from alternative dance music genres, the Magnetic Fields line-up now includes a showcase by Cologne-based Kompakt Records and artist management agency UnMute.

Admired for championing seemingly disparate styles such as ambient, minimal techno, tech-house, shuffle-tech, trance, and pop, the Cologne-based Kompakt Records has shaped the careers of many a producer and will, rightly, be one of the major attractions at Magnetic Fields this year. The Kompakt Records showcase features a live set from Weval – a collaboration between two pals from the Netherlands, Harm Coolen and Merijn Scholte Albers, who fused their love for jazz and hip-hop with dance music – and DJ sets by Terranova and Justus Köhncke.

Terranova is an electronic dance music duo by DJs and producers Fetisch and &ME based between Berlin and Paris while Cologne-based producer, singer and DJ Justus Köhncke is mostly known for his disco-dipped house productions.

Also at Alsisar Mahal this year will be celebrated bass music producer and DJ Mala, one half of Digital Mystikz –who played a prominent part in the rise of dubstep – and also a label owner. Magnetic Fields will be Mala’s sole India performance on his quick stopover in the country.

The UnMute showcase features techno producer and one-half of the audio-visual act BLOT!, Gaurav Malaker, live electronica act Big City Harmonics aka Rohan Hastak and the debut of Else If, G Arjun’s live act. Bassist and music producer G Arjun aka G Force Arjun was also a part of Jalebee Cartel, one of India’s most well-known electronica outfits. Delhi-based producer Frame/ Frame returns to Alsisar Mahal with a live set as does glitch-hop and bass music producer EZ Riser.

Other line-up inclusions are Pakistan beat maker and founder of music collective Forever South Rudoh; German bass music producer and a Red Bull Music Academy ambassador CEE; Austrian beat music producer B Visible and Russian band I’m Waiting For You Last Summer who create a curious amalgamation of electronic, post-rock, dubstep and ambient music.

B Visible and EZ Riser will also be playing a secret party to be hosted by DJ MoCity, who is also a part of the line-up.

Already announced as part of the line-up are Dualist Inquiry, who is playing an exclusive festival set, Monica Dogra as a solo performer, a full-festival showcase by the Mumbai-based Bhavishyavani Future Soundz collective featuring M Mat, Loopkin and Spacejam, artist Nischay Parekh with drummer Jivraj Singh, who will also be playing with the Kolkata-based experimental electronica outfit, PINKNOISE, a full live show by singer-songwriter Nicholson, Delhi-based electronica producers Soulspace and Curtain Blue, newly-formed dreamy psychedelia band Begum, Delhi Sultanate’s new solo avatar BASS Foundation Roots, ‘noise’ rock band Hoirong and Bangalore-based downtempo duo Sulk Station, who will finally make their Magnetic Fields debut after missing out last year, and post-rock band Until We Last, also from Bangalore.

Dream pop producer and 20-year-old Parisian Dream Koala joins highly-regarded Spanish electronica whizkid BeGun, London-based Sri Lankan-born garage/ bass producer My Panda Shall Fly – who also played at the Magnetic Fields pre-party in London in July, young British garage house producer Flava D, German techno exponent Pawas, London-based hip-hop and funk legend DJ Vadim, multimedia artist and producer Zahed Sultan and singer-songwriter Graciela Maria, who has worked with Robot Koch, one of the headliners at Magnetic Fields last year.

Like last year, the theme – nomads of the universe – will extend to a variety of carefully constructed spaces including the two main stages – the North stage (night stage), and the South stage (day stage). Alsisar Mahal will hear the strains of music round the day as acts are slated to perform during the afternoon on the lawns before curtains open on the South stage.

The music on the night stage is programmed to go on till late into the night and for those unwilling to call it a night, Magnetic Fields also features dawn-breaking, pop-up parties throughout the 3-day festival experience – definite highlight of the festival – encouraging punters to keep their eyes and ears open.

Magnetic Fields is as much about music as it is about design and self-expression. A limited number of free tickets and tent pitches are available for people who can come up with innovative and creative ideas to engage with the festival and fellow attendees. All one has to do is design either a costume – think headgear, wigs, masks, accessories – or come up with a concept that is in line with the theme of the festival – time travel and space travelling. Dress up as a mad scientist or a star gazer or design your own time travel machine or a curiosity cabinet. Applications close on November 17.

Tickets for the December festival are available for Rs 5,000 for a three-day festival pass. The festival, like last year, is limited capacity, and keeps its promise of an immersive, curated festival experience, unlike any other on the Indian circuit.