SUPER FUTURE: Over the Rainbow and Back Again

| by Eric Mitts

connections he has to the electronic music community even as he’s ventured out onto his own solo endeavors.

In 2018 Super Future performed at major electronic music festivals like Chicago’s Spring Awakening and West Michigan’s own Electric Forest for the first time, broadening his fan base.

“(Electric Forest) was really the first festival that I felt was a home to me,” Rowland said.

He’s continued to perform and appear at the festival in official and unofficial ways ever since, DJing after-parties in the campgrounds, and even recording a song, “Sherwood Forest,” inspired by the festival’s famed woods, that appeared on his last EP, 2022’s Moon Stone

“The newer thing that is becoming a mainstay for me is sunrise sets,” Rowland said of his experiences at Electric Forest. “Which as I get older, it’s not my favorite time to be awake. But like when you’re in the throes of a festival, time doesn’t even exist. So I’ve really enjoyed the feeling that I bring to that.”

He started developing that more downtempo bass side of his sound during COVID-19 lockdown, exploring the more emotional side of electronic music.

“It’s like what people say when they go through a breakup,” Rowland said. “They write their best music, right? And the pandemic was on an equal scale to the anxiety of a breakup, maybe even more. You just broke up with the whole world, basically. You had to. So that was my breakup… and I’m thankful for that, honestly.”

Just before the pandemic started, Super Future had just finished his first national tour with fellow Michigan electronic artist Wreckno, who he continues to collaborate with closely now.

He’s also gone on to land numerous opportunities across the country, and the world, working with the likes of CloZee, Liquid Stranger’s Wakaan label, and Rezz, who Super Future will be opening for at a huge show in Brooklyn coming up on June 9, following his own Full Spectrum Tour.

Upping his production and stage design for his show in Grand Rapids April 1, including adding extra speakers, lighting and lasers, Rowland said he wants to make the event feel massive even while the music feels more introspective.

SUPER FUTURE

Full Spectrum EP Release Wsg. Mindset, Miilk, Arcadian Sound

The Intersection, 133 Cesar E. Chavez Ave. SW, Grand Rapids April 1, 8 p.m. doors, 9 p.m. show, $15 advance, $20 day of show sectionlive.com, superfuturedj.co

“I’ve really been touting the fact that this is – in sort of a vulnerable way –not the music people would go see for a main stage show,” Rowland said. “But I’m trying to bring the feeling of a dynamic experience to my set and I’m curating it as such so that people can feel something a little bit deeper, more engaging than just one style of music.” ■