Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas always sets the bar high in every aspect. Insane production, larger-than-life sound and dancing late into the warm Vegas night surrounded by so many people who come together for this magical weekend...there are many reasons it draws crowds of nearly 400,000 people over the course of three days to celebrate under the electric sky. EDC is the rave to end all raves.

It’s truly a spectacle of sights and, of course, sounds. The primary reason so many people continue to flock to the landmark festival is a consistently stacked lineup of go-to names across nearly every imaginable genre of dance music. Yet, even with a lineup of over 250 artists there are always those who will say that the lineup is always the same, that it’s not nearly diverse enough, or that up-and-coming artists don’t properly get represented.

And while it may be true that some of the top-tier names are seemingly always there, one shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss the hard work that goes into creating such a massive lineup each year. The talent buying team at Insomniac pays close attention to the ever-evolving trends across dance music; thus, it's a monumental undertaking to assemble the cream of the crop to perform for Headliners every year. 2018's lineup is as diverse as ever, showing that Insomniac is always in search of those rising stars who will undoubtedly become the next main stage experience creators.

We’ve selected 10 artists, all of whom have under 20K followers on SoundCloud. This dynamic group barely scratches the surface of the immense talent represented this year. What it is does do is prove that the under card for this epic event in the desert is most impressive, and deserves your attention.

Cold Blue

It’s hardly been a short road for Cold Blue, who has high-profile remixes for giants like Paul Oakenfold and releases on Armada dating back four years. Proving that the grind pays off, this stalwart tech-trance hero has recently come into his own with a series of big festival bookings including Dreamstate SoCal and Luminosity Beach Festival.

Definitive

If you’re a SoCal bass head, you’ve likely already heard of Definitive. The duo has already become a mainstay in the highly competitive Los Angeles scene. Their soundscape is evil, grimy, and spans the bass music spectrum from dubstep to drum n' bass, and has garnered them support from heavyweights like 12th Planet, Cookie Monsta, and FuntCase.

FISHER

Of the very few songs on his SoundCloud are three original releases on Dirtybird. Need we say more? His tune “Stop It”  – dubbed the "roller coaster song" – has now become a house music anthem and helped catapult the Australia-to-Los Angeles artist into the stratosphere with a world tour that has seen him hit South Africa, Mexico, Canada, and a string of big club nights in the U.S., leading him straight to EDC.

GG Magree

Okay, so let’s set aside the fact that GG has already been a featured vocalist on records by Jauz and Zeds Dead x NGHTMRE. And also the fact that she has already toured throughout the Southern Hemisphere and the U.S. This bad ass trap priestess, is a beast behind the decks. GG has a fairly small, but impressive, catalog of original work, yet that’s not stopping her from fast becoming a dominating force in the scene.

HEKLER

Shaun Bacus won’t have far to go for his EDC debut. The Las Vegas native just started releasing his heavy, sweltering bass beats in 2017. In just over a year he’s hit the kinds of massive benchmarks that take most artists years to even come close to. Due in no small part to his highly experimental but dance floor-focused take on trap, HEKLER has already signed to the legendary Circle Talent Agency and garnered support from the likes of The Chainsmokers, Ekali, What So Not, and Josh Pan.

HONEY SOUNDSYSTEM

In 2006 HONEY SOUNDSYSTEM saw a gap in the house music scene in San Francisco. As a counter to main stream dance music, they created a space like no other. Their underground parties have become the stuff of legend, and it’s not just the trio’s skills as DJs and producers that have made them local legends. They’ve mastered the art of creating elaborately shaped spaces in which people can get their boogie on. And what they’ve done to revive the gay underground in San Francisco has been nothing short of amazing. HONEY SOUNDSYSTEM parties are about as inclusive (and wild) as they get, so they will feel right at home at EDC.

Jace Mek

Jace Mek has been a part of the Insomniac family for a couple of years now as a winner of the Discovery Project competition in 2016. At the time, he was barely old enough to legally enter most of the clubs in which he was getting booked. What’s abundantly clear when listening to his music is that he spends no time attempting to be conventional. His oddball sound design is strangely compelling and ultra-funky. And at just 21, the producer has already released music on Tchami’s Confession imprint and the Mad Decent offshoot, Good Enuf. By the time he’s in his mid 20s he will be a dance music expert.

Jessica Audiffred

If we are talking bass music, it’s likely that Mexico City’s Jessica Audiffred is the favorite producer of your favorite producer. The young tastemaker has been so heavily lauded by the press and DJ community that it would be impossible to list all her accolades here (to be completely honest, she probably deserves her own article). Not only is she sponsored by Pioneer, Monster Products, Samsung, and Beats Audio, but she’s also got an increasingly hectic festival schedule and the stamp of approval – and record deal – from industry giant Flux Pavilion. Finding it hard to understand how she isn’t already on that main stage hype? Yeah, me too.

Mariana BO

Mariana BO started her career as a classical violinist, and rather than trade her bow in for a pair of headphones and a copy of Ableton, she integrated the violin into her performances and production. In doing so, she’s found a brilliant hybrid of her two musical passions. Her electrifying performances layer the raw emotion of her virtuoso violin skills over dirty electronic beats, creating a unique juxtaposition that is as unique as it is compelling. Not only has she brought that talent to the main stage at Ultra Mexico for a solo set, she’s also been featured alongside Tiesto, Above & Beyond, Steve Angelo, KSHMR, and so many more.

SLATIN

Insomniac Records is pulling out all the stops this year to bring out one of the most dynamic and diverse lineups for its stages at EDC. Among the many names on the roster is SLATIN, who comes to EDC from Spain by way of Russia. He’s released some seriously driving and demented house records on Confession, Brooklyn Fire, and Spinnin’, and from the looks of it has created quite the friendship and in-studio chemistry with the legendary Tommie Sunshine.

What small-print artists are you most excited for on EDC Las Vegas's 2018 lineup?