Performing at Good Vibrations 2011

February's four-venue, nationwide Good Vibrations festival storms into its eighth year with a rhythmically scintillating lineup that bestrides the dominion of modern groove with imperious ease — and at the top of the bill, you'll find those giants of British trance and electronica, Faithless, captivating their loyal congregation with 1998's still-stunning "God Is a DJ." Alongside Maxi Jazz, Rollo, and Sister Bliss is Phoenix, blurring the lines between synth pop and alt rock with the supremely catchy "1901" from 2009's excellent Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, and superstar DJ Sasha, with "3 Little Piggys" from 2008 breaks mix collection Invol2ver. Crack open some Koolism in our Performing at Good Vibrations Next Steps.

The vibes are better than good here in Next Steps . . . they're brilliant, as the festival's hard-core of groove-riders starts to glow with molten intensity, thanks to Dutch deck star Sidney Samson, whose 2009 stormer "Riverside" picked up an especially strong Aussie club following (and went platinum), and radioactive hip-hop duo Koolism, hustling out of Canberra on an elastic bassline with "Can't Stand It." Mandurah's young guns Tim & Jean — who have signalled their global ambitions by supporting Moby and impressing mightily with "Come Around" — keep the beat-train moving, and fellow travellers include Fenech-Soler, Shazam, and the Transients.

Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast, and Perth — four great events, one banner: Good Vibrations 2011, a fluid festival packed with so much sonic power, it could sustain the international groove grid for many generations to come. This is no ordinary festival playlist; it's a nuclear fusion of elemental dance, hip-hop, and pop forces, bringing together massive names — including Faithless, Ludacris, and Sasha — and resplendent new stars (Janelle Monáe, dubstep/dance agitator Rusko). Our selection of handpicked artists from the 2011 Good Vibrations roster also spotlights the sounds of Miike Snow (the electro-squelched soul of "Black & Blue"), the Ting Tings (still surfing the pop wave of "That's Not My Name"), Erykah Badu (the smooth flow of "Window Seat"), and Fake Blood (the rhythm-ridin' "I Think Like That").