The Mutek Barcelona festival celebrates the start of a new decade from March 4 to 7, and does so 'focusing on the interconnectivity of the platform as an incubator and opportunity generator', working for 'the empowerment of the local and international artistic community and to continue its founding mandate to make visible, encourage and accompany the development of artistic talent'. Grand plans indeed.
The session on March 7 at the Antiga Fàbrica Estrella Damm is one of the big draws of the festival's Play programme, with names like Aquarian, Ikram Bouloum, Loraine James, Meitei and YPY, who will play their beats surrounded by installations, jam sessions and a special selection of street food picked just for the occasion.
Aquarian is a Canadian artist who works out of Berlin and who has made a name for himself with his mix of transatlantic sound influenced by old-school jungle, UK grime and Drexcyan electro. Ikram Bouloum, another biggie on the line-up, is a Spanish DJ and producer who specialises in styles like future club, gqom, reggaeton and bass music, and she's also part of Vol Room here in Barcelona. Loraine James is an IDM producer from London with electronica, UK drill and jazz as go-tos, and the woman behind EPs and albums such as 'For You and I' and 'Button Mashing', released by Hyperdub and by New York Haunted, respectively.