Step aside Hideout, Dimensions and Outlook. These cheaper competitors have got a promising glow to them

 

There’s no doubt that the perfect marriage of dance music festivals and Eastern Europe happens in Croatia. For the last decade the country has been building a following of loyalists through the growth of dance behemoths like Outlook and Hideout - festivals that bring out the big guns when it comes to line ups.

Outlook has branched out further than bass bins this year, squiring American hip hop squads Run the Jewels and British wordsmith Kate Tempest. While Soundwave has booked J Dilla affiliates Slum Village. They’re excellent choices, but the inflated prices don't necessarily match the experience.

Where to now that a once coveted cheap ticket is the same as that of a UK festival? Going East is still such a viable option that we’ve decided to pick a few that could be your best bets for dance festivals that won’t drain your pockets.

 

Southern Soul, 25th-28th June, Montenegro

Line Up: BADBADNOTGOOD, Dorian Concept, Romare

Vibe: 13km beach and a line up aimed at the “experienced festival goer” this is a true all in one festival-holiday package. With stages hosted in something called The Dolcinium Kite Club, Southern Soul is pretty much The OC for people who love music, and with a £69 ticket, what’s not to like.

Price: £69 ticket and £236 return flights from London Gatwick to Dubrovnick

 

Meadows In The Mountains, 12th-14th June, Bulgaria

Line Up: Al Dobson Jr, Kele Le Roc, Binh

Vibe: If Wes Anderson could direct music festivals, MIM would be his baby. Airport transfers stop off for traditional Bulgarian food en route to the festival, transport on site is provided by Russian army buses or horse and cart.

Price: £150 ticket and £195 return flight from London Gatwick-Sofia. Bus transfer £50.

 

Supynes, 25th-28th June, Lithuania

Supynes Festival 2014 by Danas from supynesfestival on Vimeo.

Line Up: Ben Klock, Vessel, Inga Copeland

Vibe: Deep and dark sounds in the middle of a pine forest. Unfussy dedication to music.

Price: 55 euro ticket and £130 return flight from London-Vilnius

 

Kazantip, 31st July - ?, The Crimean Peninsula

Line Up: Previously Carl Cox, Marco Carola, Maceo Plex and Richie Hawtin, but this year, who knows.

Vibe: A festival with no official end, DJs play as long as they like and it attracts a weird mix of ravers and Russian mafia - what's not to like? Last year the festival had to move to Georgia, due to the conflict in Crimea, but this year they're apparently returning - despite the conflict being far from over ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

Price: The only details we have of the 2015 festival is that it starts on 31st July...

 

Audio River, 24th - 26th July, Poland

Line Up: Black Coffee, Marcel Dettmann, Underworld

Vibe: A pretty heavy selection of techno, house and drum & bass in a village straight out of a Disney film. This one's for the heads who like dancing in medieval fountains.

Price: £52 ticket and £120 return flight from London-Warsaw

 

Exit, 9th - 12th July, Serbia

Line Up: Faithless, The Prodigy, Kolsch, MK

Vibe: Dance meets Rock in this monster of a festival. This is probably the only festival this year (aside from possibly Glastonbury) where you could conceivably see Flight Facilities and Bondax on the same night as Motorhead and Naplam Death.

Price: Tickets, accommodation and transfer from £115. £135 return London-Budapest.

 

Sea Dance, 15th - 18th July, Montenegro

Line Up: The Prodigy, Rudimental, Soul Clap, Kim Ann Foxman

Vibe: The team behind Exit set up shop on a beautiful beach in Montenegro. A chilled out beach party feel pervades while thrill-seekers can take part in jet skiing and water jet-packing. All while some of the best acts from the UK and beyond keep the vibes flowing.

Price: £64 ticket and £190 return London-Dubrovnik

 

Sziget, 10th-17th August, Hungary

Libe Up: SBTRKT, Apollonia, Gui Boratto, Avicii, Major Lazer.

Vibe: A full week's worth of festival for the price of an iPod Touch. Its huge variety of art and performers give the after movie a sort of Apple-ad, family-friendly feel, so it's definitely not the most cutting edge on this list. But it is the one to feature Robbie Williams...

Price: £179. £135 return London-Budapest