Sónar kicked off its 31st edition this year in Barcelona in its true essence. Through melting together a mixture of current creativity from across the globe, to create a playground derived from a hybrid of new music and technology.
This year an incredible 154,000 attendees joined the festivities across Sónar Day, Sónar Night and OFF Sónar. Boasting such a huge number, its important to remember the confidence Sónar has amongst its attendees when purchasing tickets. Thousands of people each year buy their tickets in blind trust of what the events have in store, knowing that this is the place for them to discover what’s new in the world of music, innovation & creativity.
Firstly, it’s imperative to note the many crew members behind the smooth running of events taking place at Sónar. With the organisational efforts and professionalism of all involved, it’s no surprise that Sónar has been a much loved festival for over 3 decades. The team keep events and performances moving and working at such a large scale. This is all while blending genres, musical styles, running workshops, creating stage designs, audiovisuals, live performances, panels, dj sets and more. The crew are the true superheros when it comes to creating a unique and brilliant experience, gaining a huge respect from all those in attendance.
The theme of creative fusion lives at the core of Sónar. It’s something evident in the curation of the festival lineup. That being said, AI was a major pillar that touched and connected many aspects of this year’s edition, showcasing its role in the future of music production and performance. Sónar has made it clear that it’s not just a music festival but, instead, a cultural hub. Technology, new media and avant-garde ideas come together to create a playground for both artists and attendees to express themselves.
With so many creatives showcasing their ideas and talents, here are a few of the experiences that this year had on offer:
The AI Performance Hacklab with Peter and Cibelle debugging human programming to fall into unity. At the essence of their workshop was the idea of being present and playing with each other. Using AI as a tool rather than becoming a slave to it, and ultimately, reminding us to stay human.
Aïsha Devi mesmerized us all with her hauntingly spiritual almost bruja like chants. Filled with atmospheric sounds driven by heavy bass, the audience were left buzzing with vibration.
Kabeaushé, aka los matadors africanas con la chispa, energised audiences with their childlike radiance. All walks of life came together to jump around like 5 year olds again.
Surgeon and Speedy J, whose incredible live show took us all on a musical journey. From whispers of an industrial UK jungle riddim all the way to echoes of heavy synth driven hard beats, touching on techno and beyond.
To sum it all up, Sónar this year was quite a ride! Well done to all involved and we look forward to what’s in store for next year’s addition.
For information regarding Sónar Festival and how to get involved next year, click here.
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