In recent years we’ve seen Belgium’s giant indoor festival I Love Techno stretch the boundaries of its ‘love’ to include electro, dubstep and mainroom house. In 2011, the Techno tag looks to be more inclusive than ever, with a mixed bag of acts announced overnight. These names (and many others still to come) will pack out the Flanders Expo hall across one heavy day and night in November. With tickets an easy 50 Euros, it’s no surprise 35,000 people flock to Ghent.

At the top of the first announcement is German superstar Paul Kalkbrenner, and aside from techno dependable Len Faki and the spectral sounds of Gesaffelstein, the rest of the list could be flying in straight from a HARD event in the States. Digitalism, Fake Blood, The Subs, Feed Me and The Proxy will all play live, while DJ sets from Skream vs Benga, Flux Pavilion and Nero ensure the wobbly basslines are never far away.

The big question from all this is: who will mix the annual I Love Techno album? In 2010, the job fell to a DJ not commonly name-checked in techno circles – Dim Mak boss Steve Aoki – raising the expected ire of festivalgoers who’ve followed I Love Techno’s 16 year run. The compilation also inspired one of the greatest inthemix album reviews ever, which you really must read.

So who’ll captain the 2011 CD? Are you tipping Flux Pavilion or Len Faki? It’s not an easy one to call.

I Love Techno 2011 first line-up:

BOYS NOIZE – PAUL KALKBRENNER (live) – CHASE & STATUS (live) – STEVE AOKI – CARL CRAIG 69 (live) – KATY B (live) – CROOKERS – DIGITALISM (live) – LAURENT GARNIER LBS – SKREAM VS BENGA feat. MC YOUNGMAN & MC SGT POKES – FAKE BLOOD (live) – THE SUBS (live) – LEN FAKI – KNIFE PARTY – BIRDY NAM NAM (live) – CASSIUS – NERO – AGORIA – BRODINSKI – PROXY (live) – FLUX PAVILION – GESAFFELSTEIN (live) – MUMBAI SCIENCE – CANBLASTER – DROP THE LIME – FEED ME (live) – PSYCATRON – TOTALLY ENORMOUS EXTINCT DINOSAURS (live) – JAKWOB – FRITZ KALKBRENNER (live) – MADEON – SEBASTIEN SAN – RAVING GEORGE – SIMINA GREGORIU – FADER