Mad Cool 2024: What is the Loop and why is Mad Cool a dance music fan’s festival

Mad Cool is a festival that always has a killer line-up. Since its inception in 2016, it’s boasted megawatt pop stars and rock legends alike, with massive names like The Killers, Dua Lipa and Måneskin set to top the bill for 2024.

But it’s also a festival that’s cultivated a lively electronic and dance scene, with a carefully curated line-up designed to start the party. There’s even an entire stage specifically designated for that in The Loop, a must-visit spot for any dance music fan heading to the festival. For 2024, the line-up for that stage is full of party-starting pros, with The Blessed Madonna, DJ Koze, Bonobo and Jayda G all set to appear.

If you’re heading to Mad Cool and ready to get on your dancing shoes, we’ve got you. Here’s what you need to know.

What is the Loop?

The epicentre of all things dance and electronic at Mad Cool is The Loop. Since 2018, it’s been the primary stage for that sonic world, bringing stacked line-ups of huge DJs and electronic artists to Madrid.

“Dancing is a pivotal aspect of the entire festival experience, and we aim to capture the essence of clubbing on our stage, showcasing a diverse lineup ranging from underground performers to those for larger venues,” explains The Loop booker Julio Ebrat. “Additionally, we are committed to fostering a gender-balanced environment at all times.”

For Ebrat, 2024’s bill offers a rich and eclectic mix of acts: “Mochakk stands out as one of the highlights in this year’s lineup, complemented by Jayda G’s soulful house, as well as esteemed selectors such as DJ Koze and up-and-coming talents like Sugar Free.”

Who is playing The Loop this year?

This year, The Loop will play host to a mega line-up – see below for the full list of names.

Wednesday 10 July

Carlita
Kid Francescoli
Parra for Cuva
Claudia León

Thursday 12 July

Bonobo
CC:Disco!
Adiel
Sugar Free
Lola Bozzano

Friday 12 July 

Mochakk
DJ Koze
Jayda G
Danilo Plessow
Lola Haro

Saturday 13 July

2manydjs
The Blessed Madonna
Andres Campo
Axel Boman
HoneyLuv

Who has played The Loop in previous years?

Since The Loop first appeared at Mad Cool in 2018, it has hosted some big names. From Justice, Daniel Avery and Maya Jane Coles in 2019 to Flume and Peggy Gou in 2022 and Purple Disco Machine, Romy and Honey Dijon in 2023, you’re bound to catch some stellar sets – NME certainly has.

In 2022, we saw pop disruptor Mura Masa take to The Loop. As we said at the time: “The electric shock you get from Mura Masa’s pulsating pop is just what you need while cloaked under a tent at a Madrid festival. Mad Cool’s The Loop, therefore, becomes a sweat box full of tunes: not one body is standing still”.

Meanwhile, in 2018, Sofi Tukker eased punters into the revelry during an early evening performance, which NME described as “endlessly fun and a total sugar rush. This is how you want to start your day at a festival.”

Where else can I catch dance and electronic music at Mad Cool Festival?

If you’re a dance music fan, it’s not just on The Loop that Mad Cool has committed to providing the best floor-filling artists. You’ll also find huge acts across the rest of the stages. In previous years, we’ve seen five-star performances from The Prodigy and huge outings from The Chemical Brothers take on some of the festival’s main stages.

This year, acts like Nia Archives, Sofi Tukker and Kenya Grace are set to appear, bringing their own electronic sounds to other stages across the festival site

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