On the opening day of Draaimolen 2022, while DJ Nobu laid down ultra-textured techno against the backdrop of a stunning, synthetic waterfall installation, the heavens opened. The crowd made a swift beeline for the bar, grabbing complementary ponchos and wrestling them over their heads, before immediately returning to the dance floor to appreciate what now felt like a sort of spiritual raindance from the Japanese maestro. These short, sharp bursts of rain would fall intermittently over the next two days, but it quickly became clear that it would take far more than inclement weather to dampen the spirits of this special weekender.

In the days leading up to the festival, attendees and performers made their excitement known online. One such champion was DVS1, who described the Tilburg event as a "proper festival." Blawan, one of four guest programmers for 2022, predicted "a really special weekend of forward-thinking music," while Job Jobse, whose dedication to the festival has earned him a kind of Draaimolen celebrity status, urged punters not to miss "one the most insane lineups the Netherlands has ever seen."

After all, this would be the Draaimolen's first two-day event, doubling in size from its previous single day format and boasting an even bigger lineup that promised daring back-to-back sets, exclusive live shows and the return of many high-profile favourites who, like Jobse, have become enthusiastic regulars across the years.

Despite the glowing testimonies, excitement was likely mixed with a dose of trepidation–at least for the organisers. Would the bus and train strikes that have swept across the Netherlands result in thousands of ticket holders being unable to travel to Tilburg? Would the bleak weather forecast mean a repeat of Draaimolen Island, a smaller, one-day offshoot in June that was met with some of the worst conditions on record? Could the intimate vibe that has characterised previous editions be lost amid this year's expansion? As it turned out, none of these factors materialised into serious issues.

Returning to MOB Complex, a winding woodland area on the edge of the city, the winning formula of excellent programming, secluded location and cutting edge production was welcomed by a diverse, respectful and up-for-it crowd. The result, if the rapturous energy throughout the festival was anything to go by, was Draaimolen's finest event to date. "This is probably the best festival I’ve ever been to," affirmed Johannes, a raver who had braved the train strikes to travel from Rotterdam. "The Netherlands’ best kept secret."

Here are eight records that captured the vibe across the weekend.

Jasmine Infiniti at The Pit
Metapattern - "Ascent"

When I arrived at the festival in the mid-afternoon on day one, it was difficult not to be taken aback by The Pit, an unruly hole in the ground that resembled the ruins of a Roman colosseum. Faced with a swelling crowd who looked like they'd just stepped out of one of Berlin’s edgiest clubs, Jasmine Infiniti proved why she's such a revered artist. As the dance floor was illuminated by bursts of sunlight, the Brooklyn DJ opted for fast transitions and even faster BPMs, flitting between pumping, high energy house and techno, pitched-up gqom and vocal-laced hardcore. The pummelling sounds of "Ascent" by Metapattern set the tone for a weekend of serious Herrensauna debauchery.

D.Dan at Some Planet
Surusinghe - "Go Backstage"

At the Some Planet stage, designed by Architecture Social Club and curated by Blawan, the vibe was just as zealous. Nestled within the foliage, with a digital monolith beaming a multicoloured light show onto the dance floor below, it became clear that this would be the techno heads’ stage of choice. With a cigarette dangling from his mouth, D.Dan laid down a slick, moody set that sent loopy, '90s techno on a collision course with UK bassweight, such as Surusinghe's "Go Backstage."

Badsista at The Pit
Marko East - "The Perfect 6 Min Abs Workout"

Returning to The Pit later that evening, Brazilian innovator Badsista somehow managed to crank things up further still. Blending propulsive, rave-ready baile funk with hip-hop, trance and even a fleeting Pitbull sample, it was a turbocharged onslaught of countless "what the fuck is this?" moments. The set was typified by Marko East's "The Perfect 6 Min Abs Workout," a facetiously titled stomper that stood out as my track of the festival. As it reached its crazy crescendo, even the ultra-cool Herrensauna crowd that had made The Pit their home for the weekend couldn’t help but lose their shit.

Anz at MainStage
Bailey Ibbs - "Clocked It Got Long"

One of few but unavoidable criticisms of Draaimolen this year was that the MainStage build wasn't ready in time. This meant that the first day's programming took place in a small, nondescript booth, with festival staff working furiously behind a fence to finish preparing the actual stage for day two. In spite of this, Anz proved that a set of decks with a speaker stack on either side is all you need to deliver extra special rave moments. Drawing from her trademark marriage of breaks, UK garage and piano-laden hardcore–all delivered with a huge grin–she sent the crowd into a buoyant, delighted frenzy. There were moodier moments too, including Bailey Ibbs' warehouse-ready cut "Clocked It Got Long," the growling bassline ricocheting out across the dance floor.

Loraine James at The Chapel
Loraine James - "Running Like That" feat. Eden Samara

Channelling the kind of understated euphoria that larger labels have been attempting to bottle as of late, Loraine James's glitchy, hardcore continuum-themed live show provided welcome respite from the neighbouring techno battalions. The Chapel, by far the smallest of the six stages, lent itself to the intimacy of the set, which was characterised by the shimmering synths and delicate vocals of James's own track "Running Like That" with Eden Samara. One of the most exciting electronic artists to emerge from London in recent years, this candid performance left the tight-knit crowd transfixed.

Rissa Garcia at Forestrave
Antony Hot - "Colours"

Given Eris Drew and Octo Octa's Midwest rave background and the fact that they live together in rural New Hampshire, there was something very personal and special about their curated stage, Forestrave. A small cabin dwarfed by a giant sound system (with no less than 40 subs), it featured a lineup of close friends and contemporaries and offered a window into the T4T LUV NRG world. Drew and Octo Octa both played back-to-backs across the weekend–the former with stateside rave veteran Mystic Bill and the latter with edit queen Bored Lord–and Forestrave provided a constant source of joy for fluorescent, anorak-clad ravers and high fashion voguers alike. The best set on this stage was arguably New York's Rissa Garcia. The Dancing Room Only resident provided a lesson in the body-rocking house associated with her hometown, opting for plenty of classic cuts alongside fresh heat like Antony Hot's "Colours."

L.B. Dub Corp at Some Planet
Mike Dehnert - "Charger"

Performing under his L.B. Dub Corp alias at Some Planet, Luke Slater delivered a slick house and techno set that shed some of the punishing intensity associated with his Planetary Assault Systems project. Slater demonstrated why he remains such a cherished figure in techno, deftly opting for tracks such as the rigid machine funk of Mike Dehnert's "Charger," all the while making the whole process look so damn simple. As the rain began to pour midway through the set, a defiant, unitary shout was heard from the crowd. Jackets were zipped up and ponchos hurriedly thrown on, but rather than fleeing to find shelter from the rain, we all chose to stay to experience the remainder of the masterclass.

Job Jobse at MainStage
Bomfunk MC's - "Freestyler"

Peach, Saoirse, Moxie and Shanti Celeste–four queens of the scene performing together under their SASS moniker–took to the MainStage on Saturday for a dazzling display of tech house, breakbeats and more. They teed things up perfectly for Job Jobse, an artist known for rising to the occasion when handed a peak-time festival set. By this point, the MainStage could be experienced in all its glory with a 45-foot LED tower. It beamed enchanting, multicoloured graphics onto the crowd below which, coupled with Jobse's pumping trance cuts, made for an ecstatic sensory overload. Given that the Dutchman was playing at the same time as an exclusive debut back-to-back from bass music boundary-pushers Djrum and Skee Mask, a painstaking choice had to be made. But by the time Jobse finished with the riotous sounds of Bomfunk MCs' "Freestyler," it's fair to say that no one in the sprawling MainStage crowd regretted their decision.

Jasmine Infiniti at The Pit Metapattern - "Ascent"

D.Dan at Some Planet Surusinghe - "Go Backstage"

Badsista at The Pit Marko East - "The Perfect 6 Min Abs Workout"

Anz at MainStage Bailey Ibbs - "Clocked It Got Long"

Loraine James at The Chapel Loraine James - "Running Like That" feat. Eden Samara

Rissa Garcia at Forestrave Antony Hot - "Colours"

L.B. Dub Corp at Some Planet Mike Dehnert - "Charger"

Job Jobse at MainStage Bomfunk MC's - "Freestyler"