Peaking with the deep electronic ecstasy of United States act Caribou, Neon Lights provided a good diversity in the types of music it presented. It also provided a commendable stage for Asian musicians to show off their entertainment and musical skills, showing how on-par they are with their Western brethren.

Friday’s headliner Yuna was perhaps the most obvious example of this. Though her music may not be particularly novel — a mix of soul-filled R’n’B with dashes of modern folk, her presence on the stage was commanding.

Comfortable and confident, the Malaysian singer-songwriter was entertaining without overdoing it. Clearly in command of the stage and her songs, Yuna performed her newer tracks with as much muster as she did her hits, never losing the crowd and momentum.

Other Asian standouts included Singaporean rapper Preetipls, who made her name through a series of eclectic music videos and humorous vlogs on YouTube, as well as Mediocre Hair Crew, a promising Singaporean rap trio. Perhaps it’s their relatively young careers, but these acts perform with an enthusiastic let’s-just-have-fun vibe that the crowd feeds off of, making up for any unfamiliarity with their material.

The next day of the festival was the most crowded, certainly owing to the fact that it was Saturday but also because it featured arguably the strongest draws.

Again, it was good to see some space given to local acts.

The country’s own Riot! In Magenta performed a fittingly intimate-feeling sort of set of its mood-driven electronic music. Vocalist Eugenia Yip ripped through the song with her attitude-heavy vocals, fluidly shifting between rage, sensuality and pure eclecticism organically.

Young British band Shame performed an energetic show proving how much attitude plays into rock’n’roll. Its punkish garage rock is delivered with a sneer that owes as much to 70s punk rockers the Sex Pistols and 80s punk acts like The Germs as it does to glowering post-punkers Joy Division. While those may feel like lazy comparisons, Shame’s mashing of influences through a melodic sensibility manages to make something that is uniquely its own.

Certainly one of those acts whose albums only feel complete after watching the band’s live shows, Shame makes abrasiveness sound catchy as heck.

The Vaccines are not as new as Shame, but its music treads the same elements, only coming off different with a different, snappier version of garage punk. The band’s massive success in the UK has made its members festival veterans and band leader Justin Young is clearly at home on stage, taking control of the crowd while his band moves from song to song with a workmen-like dedication and solidness.

How and why a band called Cigarettes After Sex manages to be as big as it is, playing music that sounds like it was made for sleeping solo or with a partner, may initially seem like a mystery. But the band’s live performance, solid and consistent in its mood-setting, quickly makes it clear why.

Main-man Greg Gonzales’ sense of melodies and vocal delivery is undeniable in its subtle conviction. This “ambient pop” group’s prowess comes from the immediate familiarity of its melodies; these are very simple pop songs stripped to their bare essence and delivered with a knowing-sexuality that is perpetually flirty. The band’s name is a perfect descriptor of the music. Its minimalist “entertainment” value is powerful on its own and could not be more fitting, even as the rain began to pour down hard during the band’s set.

US indie-rock giants Interpol topped off the day with a conviction that is unparalleled. Performing songs off of its latest album Marauder and some older favorites, the band was all business, letting its music and charisma do all the work.

Fitting mood lights and smoke filtered its appearance into some noir indie-rock theater. The band was completely engaged and engaging, never letting the momentum waiver. By filling the setlist with less-obvious hits and still hitting it, Interpol proved worthy of the crowd’s excitement, performing crowd-faves like “Slow Hands” and “PDA”.

Certainly a strong closer for the third day, Caribou’s music was consistent ecstasy. Pulsating with beats and a heavenly ambience, the band showcased how dance music can still feel like it is performed instead of merely triggered. The steady beat-keeping of live drummer Brad Weber played a major role here, as did the light show, engrossing the crowd in Caribou’s synth-dance atmosphere.

More conventional in its dance exploration than Caribou, Australia’s Peking Duk delivered a set of crowd-ready anthems and beats. Performing songs from both its 2015 EP Songs to Sweat To and its latest one Reprisal, the duo had the crowd on its feet throughout.

Other performers on the day were also intriguing. Heavily influenced by a variety of traditional music, Singapore’s Orkestar Trio delivered songs that referenced everything from Malay to Middle-Eastern elements. The band’s music provided a nice, welcome contrast that was another plus for the festival’s approach to variety.

The festival’s live art performances did not disappoint with their illuminative visuals, including those from visual-art collective HF/DF as well Justin Shoulder’s magnificent “Fantastic Creatures” show.

Successful in every way, Neon Lights showed it was worth the hype. A good mix of entertainment and efficient management made the whole endeavor feel like a breeze.

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