We caught a glimpse of the art being prepared for this year's Burning Man

Tectonic basslines shake through the concrete as indulgent scents from a fleet of food trucks lined up outside one of the compound's warehouses wafts through the air. Titanic sculptures made of thick steel bars tower above spectators that have gathered to admire some epic homespun craftsmanship. Suddenly, the night sky lights up with a blast of fire as a pyro-happy DJ treats the crowd to some spacey house tracks from the top of a mobile stage built in the likeness of a rhino.

Within the gates of Oakland's former industrial steel refinery, thousands of ravers from all over the Bay Area have gathered for Precompression, a warm-up and artistic showcase of sorts before Burning Man. Clad in full desert glam, they mull and dance around a series of monolithic, post-industrial art structures that will pepper the landscape of Black Rock City's pop-up circus in late August.

The annual event gives the community a taste of the sculptures and entertainment that creates the idiosyncratic backdrop for each Burn. Though there are hundreds of similar events throughout the world, this is one of the largest and most influential of the lot, thanks in no small part to its 15-mile proximity from the festival's point of origin in San Francisco. Enough original Burners still live in the area to ensure that the founding principles and philosophy behind Burning Man remain intact, even as the cult gathering continues to swell in stature as its 29th year approaches.

Since day one, art has been a major focus of the consciousness and community that characterizes Burning Man. For most attendees, it serves as a necessary backdrop to the life-affirming experience they embark upon to for a week in late summer. But Precompression aims to connect the Burner community with those who have chosen to commit a much larger portion of their lives to the enhancement of Black Rock City's authenticity and uniqueness.

Events like Precompression allow for a convergence of people and perspectives to unite under a common perspective and celebrate the free spirited nature and positivity that makes Burning Man so special.