The 22nd edition of the International Festival of Advanced Music and New Media Art of Barcelona (aka Sónar) kicks off with Sónar by Day at the Fira de Montjuïc with acts including British danceable quintet Hot Chip, fronted by Alexis Taylor and Joe Goddard, regulars at the festival, and now have two chances to present their sixth album, 'Why Make Sense?' (2015), closing Sónar by Day on Thursday and playing Sónar by Night on Friday. You'll also see Arca, the project from a young producer born in Caracas who has seduced big names such as FKA Twigs and Kanye West and who has come up with a new sound that's very much his own and that could chart new territory for the future of electronic music. Also performing are Autechre, one of the most admired and respected acts in the world of abstract and experimental electronica, who are back at Sónar after nearly two decades since their only showing at the festival in 1996; the UK's Kindness, a key player in current synth pop; Double Vision, a show that brings German producer Atom™ together with images and lighting design by Australian artist Robin Fox; J.E.T.S., a project that unites two of the most excentric and clever characters of dance music in our time, Jimmy Edgar and Travis Stewart (aka Machinedrum). Spanish artists representing include Valencia's Jupiter Lion and their cosmic kraut.
Sónar, the Festival of Advanced Music and New Media Art got underway in 1994 and is still true to its roots: a mix of explosive experimental acts to feed grey matter, and danceable electronic pop and hedonistic club music for working up a healthy summer sweat and getting those endorphins going. It’s a funfair for big, curious kids that stimulates the synapses and also provides heaps of fun – the mother of all parties with an intellectual side to help you feel redeemed if you end up suffering any residual effects. Let's kick things off with more than 45 songs by artists featured at Sónar 2015, then take a look at the daily (and nightly) programme, followed by our pick of the top ten must-see acts.
Sónar 2015: The playlist