We caught up with Jaymo and Andy George as they put the finishing touches to the 2016 edition of their otherworldly festival

 

 

MoS: Tell us a little about how lost village came about?

Jaymo &Andy Georhe: The idea has been in our minds for some years, it was more a matter of finding the right location. The setting really is key to bringing the concept to life. It was inspired by a fascination with abandoned places - that weird feeling you get when you’re exploring the unknown, where your imagination is going crazy, trying to figure everything out - we wanted to not only tap into that, but crank the volume right up. The basic idea is that the Lost Village is an alternate reality, a forest lost in time, inhabited by all these unusual people - and people who come to Lost Village are stepping into that world.

Much like a film, the event has a large cast of actors and a director, so there’s a constant story unravelling, which people can become part of, or take in from afar. The attention to detail throughout the site is crazy… a lot of it you may never even notice, but we’re obsessive about details.

Our aim was to create an environment where it feels like anything can happen. That ranges from bizarre woodland rituals that maybe only a handful of people even see, through to surprise DJ sets from artist that aren’t on the advertised line-up. We live in such a formulated, algorithmic world at times, so a feeling of unpredictability is very exciting to us.

It’s fair to say Lost Village has a very surreal feel to it. One minute you could be dancing in the grounds of the Abandoned Chapel, the next your face-to-face with one of the villages many inhabitants.

 

Pick three acts that we absolutely cannot miss next weekend?

Thing is, that line-up the the product of a lot of debate on our side. Everyone on there we’ve booked because they represent something we believe in. We could’ve booked a loads more “obvious” line-up that would’ve connected with a much bigger audience, but don’t feel comfortable doing things we don’t believe in, it feels dishonest but hopefully our passion shines through. So, with that in mind, the entire line-up is unmissable!

 

Aside from music, what should we see and do, what are your top non-music tips?

The Lost Theatre is going to be excellent. We programmed that with the same ethos we program the music - so a mix of brilliant up-and-coming names, such as a Tom Lucy, through to our favourite, more established names, such as Katherine Ryan. Then you have the Lake of Tranquility, which is a place for relaxation and features hot tubs on the banks of the water, yoga, massage and that kinda stuff. There’s lots more too - I don’t want to spoil the surprises!

 

Best food at Lost Village?

This is something that is pretty close to our hearts, as you may have spotted. We’ve got lots of amazing street food vendors in Lost Village - and like the music, they’re all chosen because we personally think they’re great. But the main event has to be the Tribal Banquet, which is being curated by Michael O’Hare, from the Michelin starred Man Behind The Curtain, and Lee Westcott, from the Typing Room.

 

Can you recommend a few tracks to listen to on the train to get us in the mood for Lost Village?

From an electronic point of view, some like DJ Koze or Robag Wruhme really encapsulate the feeling of Lost Village, that they’re dark, surreal, weird and unpredictable. And maybe delve into some Loyle Carner after that - he’s a great story teller.

 

What’s your most important item to pack for a festival?

Sequin jacket. We’ve got new ones being made for this year, actually. We should probably start iceskating, come to think of it.

 

Lost Village runs from 27th - 29th May

 

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