Sonar Barcelona

Sónar announce two in person festivals for Barcelona in 2021

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Sonar Barcelona

This Autumn, from the 27th and 30th October 2021, Sónar will celebrate two new festivals for Barcelona, featuring in-person activities at the CCCB and a program of online content produced in collaboration with local and international partners in cities around the world.

For the first time in Barcelona, Sónar will organize the AI and Music Festival, focused on the application of and challenges surrounding the use of Artificial Intelligence in musical creation. The festival is organized by Sónar, the Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya (UPC), béteve and the European Commission as part of the S+T+ARTS initiative.

The AI and Music Festival will take place in parallel to an expanded, in person edition of SónarCCCB, with more music and a number of stages dedicated to live performances as well as talks, debates and demonstrations in the Sónar+D program.

Both festivals will take on a hybrid format; mainly live. In total, more than 60 activities will take place, the majority of which will be in-situ, as well as online exclusives, designed and created specifically to engage with digital audiences. In the months leading up to the AI and Music Festival, Sónar and the UPC, will form a Thinking Lab, led by the University, to promote a dialogue between art, science and technology around Artificial Intelligence.

Sónar’s activity this year stretches far beyond these dates. From now until the end of the year, Sónar will continue to create and explore via synergies and collaborations on a local and international level, joining and powering creative projects such as the European project led by Hangar, On-the-Fly, the festival-forum co-collaboration We Are Europe, Factory Berlin, Taller de Musics, the new audiovisual project PRSNT, the music documentary festival In-Edit, the digital culture space IDEAL, the EINA IDEA project by Fundació EINA, the Institut de Cultura de Barcelona (ICUB) and the Departament de Cultura through the Institut Catalá de les Empreses Culturals (ICEC).

Within this frame, Sónar Istanbul will also celebrate its 5th edition on October 2nd.  All these projects, and more will be amplified through Sónar’s digital channels as #ThisisSonar, creating a unique and atemporal digital program.

Sadly, due to force majeure, the edition of Sónar Barcelona planned for this coming June has been postponed, and will now take place on 15.16.17.18. June 2022. The case numbers, mobility restrictions, and the lack of applicable legislation for the organization of large events has made the celebration of the festival in the conditions required unviable. The entire Sónar team is working hard on the June 2022 edition and will soon be able to share first details of the line up.

Ticket and delegate pass holders for 2020 and 2021 will be contacted by email on the 10th May, with all of the information on the benefits available to them for carrying over their ticket to 2022, as well as how to claim a refund, if they desire, from May 12th.

Sónar would like to sincerely  thank their audience, teams, artistic community, institutions, sponsors and partners for their support and understanding. The organization remains alert to the local and global evolution of the health situation, and continues to work closely with authorities in order to implement the necessary protocols to guarantee the safety and best experience for all participants in the programmed festivals.

Sonar by Day and Sonar by Night latest additions

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The Summer Festival Guide has the latest additions to this years Sonar by Day and Sonar by Night lineups including Nils Frahm, James Holden, Simian Mobile Disco and more!
 
These are the artists that complete the program for Sonar 2014:
 
Nils Frahm, Buraka Som Sistema, Chris & Cosey, MØ, Daphni b2b James Holden, Simian Mobile Disco “Whorl”, Tokimonsta, Ryan Hemsworth, Dj2D2, Monki, Debruit & Alsarah, Uner presented by Pioneer dj, Stwo, Dengue Dengue Dengue, Elijah & Skilliam feat. Flava D, Sau Poler, Jameszoo, Simmone Jones, Arufe, Pick A Piper, Octo Octa, Mwëslee, Shelby Grey, Kresy, Nev.Era, Pina, Mr. k!, Territoire, Eme Dj, Sunny Graves, Rayo 60, Xavi Mateu & Carlos Bayona, Sonia Gómez & Lucy Suggate & James Holden, Discos Paradiso Crew, Glue Kids, BSN Posse, Mario Nieto, 3QUINOX, Dj Enpunto, Dj Der, Ordre Etern, Sanatruja, Vallès.
 
Top international names
 
The popular young German pianist Nils Frahm will perform on the SonarHall stage, and will demonstrate why he is one of the most revered new school representatives, combining acoustic with electronic.
 
Meanwhile, British duo Simian Mobile Disco present their new project 'Whorl' at SonarComplex, in which bpms will be replaced by a primal ambient approach akin to Tangerine Dream.
 
Rounding off the new additions to Sonar by Day are new Nordic pop star MØ and two pulsating sets at SonarVillage from Canadian beat makers Ryan Hemsworth and Frenchman Stwo.
 
Sonar by Night highlights will include: the collaboration betweenDaphni (Dan Snaith, Caribou) and James Holden, who will join forces to offer an unprecedented and electrifying four handed dj set on Saturday night at SonarLab; a set by the BBC Radio1 DJ & presenter Monki who will close the SonarCar stage with UK house and bass music of the highest order.
 
Red Bull Music Academy at SonarDôme
 
The infallible Buraka Som Sistema head the newly confirmed acts on the SonarDôme stage, curated by Red Bull Music Academy. The Portuguese group is famous for the assimilation of the most exciting in African and South American dance rhythms in a spectacular live show.
 
Joining them will be the mythical Chris & Cosey, founders of Throbbing Gristle, interminably investigating and advancing in the field of cutting-edge electronica; the exceptional LA producer Tokimonstafrom the Brainfeeder family; American housemaster Octo Octa; the fruitful alliance between Frenchman Débruit and Sudanese vocalistAlsarah; the UK garage and grime trio consisting of Elija & Skilliam(Butterz label chiefs) together with Flava D; Spanish nationals Sau Poler and Arufe, both of whose careers are about to take off; Peruvian cumbia-step duo Dengue Dengue Dengue; the contemporary electronica of Dutchman Jameszoo; charismatic electro-rock from American and Berlin resident Simonne Jones; and psychedelic groove from Canadian and ex Caribou drummer, Pick a Piper.
 
 
Today’s excellent Spanish scene
 
Sonar completes one of its most exciting Spanish line-ups ever, drawing from the national scene’s strength and depth in recent years.
 
New additions include the hypnotic electronica of Nev.Era, the industrial techno of Pina, the dream-noise of Sunny Graves, environmental drones from Rayo-60, Galician beatmaker Mwësleewho will close one of the nights at SonarCar, the cinematic hip-hop ofGlue Kids, bass music from BSN Posse, garage-house from Kresy, pictorial post rock from Territoire, the 3QUINOX audiovisual collision, the versatility and knowledge of Discos Paradiso Crew, supreme skills on the decks from DJ2D2, Dj Der, Enpunto and Shelby Grey, open-minded electropop from Xavi Mateu & Carlos Bayona, post-dubstep from Mario Nieto, the dance power of Uner (presented by Pioneer DJ), the noise experimentation of Ordre Etern, dance movement from Sonia Gomez and Lucy Suggate to the music of James Holden, the pop vocation of Eme DJ, the groovy house ofVallès, the future beats from Sanatruja and the dance floor versatility of Mr.k!.
This year, for the first time, Sonar will collaborate with the Mercat de les Flors venue, central reference for contemporary dance and performing arts in Barcelona. They will host the show  "The Inquisitive Middle" at Sonar by Day, a dance piece created by choreographer and performer Sonia Gomez and dancer and performer Lucy Suggate, inspired by the music from "The Inheritors"  James Holdenwho will be performing live.
 
Beside the main sponsor Estrella Damm and the further confirmed sponsors Red Bull Music Academy and adidas, Sonar will also be supported by Bershka, Ron Brugal, Pioneer Dj and illycaffè.

Fifty new artists added to Sonar Barcelona 2014 lineup!

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The world renown Barcelona International Festival of Advanced Music and New Media Art otherwise known as Sonar add fifty new artists to its already amazing lineup.

These are the artists joining the Sónar 2014 line-up: CHIC feat. Nile Rodgers, Röyksopp & Robyn, DESPACIO (James Murphy + 2manydjs), Lykke Li, Neneh Cherry, James Murphy, 2manydjs, Boys Noize, Trentemøller, Loco Dice, Todd Terje, Kid Koala's Vinyl Vaudeville, Audion, Spoek Mathambo, DJ Snake, Four Tet DJ set, BFlecha, Dâm-Funk, Future Brown, Brodinski, Forest Swords, WhoMadeWho, 2020Vision presents Debukas, Paul Woolford and Ralph Lawson, FM Belfast, Kaytranada, Matthew Dear, Camo & Krooked, Machine Variation, Daniel Miller, Henry Saiz, Daito Manabe, Unsound presents Robert Piotrowicz and Oren Ambarchi with Sinfonietta Cracovia, Chris Madak aka Bee Mask, Hucci, Tarek Atoui, Roll The Dice, Sibot, Professor Angel Sound, Sinjin Hawke, Astroboyz, Koreless, T.Williams, Throwing Snow, Emufucka, Louis Baker, Trancemicsoul, Suzanne Kraft, De La Montagne, Leo Aldrey, Harald Björk, Rudi Zygadlo, Jolly Mare, and Love Cult. 

Check here the complete list of artists confirmed so far 

Sónar 2014 has finalised its main line-up with 50 new artists, headed by the legendary Chic, with Nile Rodgers at the helm. The festival will also present performances by several Nordic artists with their finger very much on the pulse, including Neneh Cherry, Lykke Li (both presenting new albums at Sónar), the Röyksopp + Robyn duo, Todd Terje and Trentemøller, as well as immersive digital experiences byAudion and Daito Manabe and visionary artists such as Dâm-Funk, Kid Koala, Forest Swords, Henry Saiz and Oren Ambarchi, who will be performing with Sinfonietta Cracovia in a joint collaboration between Sónar and Unsound Festival in Poland. 

An unprecedented music listening experience: six hours playing vinyl, all three days of Sónar by Day 

One of this year’s highlights is DESPACIO powered by McIntosh, a new concept of a listening experience that brings together James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem / DFA) and 2manydjs to focus their finely honed skills on partygoers’ experience through a meticulously chosen selection of music and spectacular-quality high-fidelity sound. On all three days of Sónar by Day, James Murphy and 2manydjs will be playing vinyl records from their own collections for six hours (from 3.30 pm to 9.30 pm) in a specially designed space featuring a circle of seven speaker stacks as part of a one-of-a-kind 50,000 W sound system. Since space is limited, admission will be on a first-come, first-served basis. 

A live history of dance music 

Chic and Nile Rogers need no introduction. Universally acclaimed as one of the greatest dance bands of all time, with such immortal hits as “Le Freak” and “Good Times”, their popularity recently went through the roof when their leader, Nile Rodgers, worked on Daft Punk’s new album—not to mention their interplanetary success with “Get Lucky” and collaborations with Disclosure and Tensnake. Their legendary Sonar 2006 concert was one of that year’s highlights and this year’s performance has all the signs of being equally stunning. 

Nordic excellence 

After the huge success of Sonar Reykjavik and Sonar Stockholm in February, the Nordic scene will continue its onward roll in Barcelona with the likes of Swedish Neneh Cherry (who’s back with a new show and new album, produced by Four Tet, in collaboration with RocketNumberNine), Lykke Li (also presenting a new album) and Robyn, who’s teamed up with Norwegian duo Röyksopp and also appears on a track on Neneh Cherry’s album. Sonar will also be rolling out the red carpet for the Norwegian king of space disco Todd Terje (with a new LP coming out in April) and popular Danish musician Trentemøller, who’ll be performing songs from his recent album “Lost” with a complete band of musicians on stage. 

Immersive experiences and avant-garde sound 

Always eager to keep up with the latest technological innovations in audiovisual creation and performance, Sonar will be presenting shows that are total immersive experiences, fashioned out of complex languages embracing art, sound and technology. One striking example will be Audion’s performance, and highly acclaimed Japanese creative technologist Daito Manabe will give a live interactive concert combining video mapping and contemporary dance. In addition, US artist Matthew Dear will present his techno project with a powerful show designed by the creators of ISAM (Amon Tobin) in which an A-shaped mechanism responds to live audio impulses created by the artist. 

Avant-garde languages are always at the fore at Sonar and this year is no exception. Forest Swords will be revealing their perfect fusion of atavistic dub, ancestral folk and filmic guitar lines in the spirit of Ennio Morricone. Taking risks and searching for new concepts are the aims of the new partnership between Sonar and Unsound Festival in Poland, which will take the shape of two concerts for music connoisseurs: Oren Ambarchi and Sinfonietta Cracovia’s clash between synthetic and classic; and intense, microscopic electronica by Robert Piotrowicz, who regularly works with Kevin Drumm and Ambarchi himself. 

Groove in their DNA 

Funk and hip hop are in the DNA of three iconoclastic artists who will be at Sonar by Day: Kid Koala returns with a new show, Vinyl Vaudeville 2.0, which features turntable mischief and revamps classic genres of black music (funk, blues, jazz) in a contemporary cabaret format; Dâm-Funk will be bringing vintage synthesisers and drum machines to thrill partygoers with their sizzling retro-futurist boogie-funk; and Spoek Mathambo will be at the helm of Fantasma, a supergroup of South African musicians who fuse the country’s house and psychedelic traditions into a powerful, vibrant sound. 

Names from the Spanish scene 

Sonar by Day welcomes two of the leading lights on the current Spanish scene. Madrid-based Henry Saizwill premiere a new live show in which he will play songs from his latest album on the Natura Sonoris label with a wide range of acoustic instruments. And Galician Belén Vidal, aka BFlecha, will do the same with some of the many gems on “Beta”, an album that forges a new path for synth pop and electronic R&B sung in Spanish. 

Sonar Barcelona present Despacio!

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DESPACIO: Powered by McIntosh is a one-of-a-kind sound system created by LCD Soundsystem frontmanJames Murphy and prestigious New York sound engineer John Klett of Tech Mecca. DESPACIO: Powered by McIntosh is a statement intended to preserve, promote and celebrate the tradition of pure live music performances. The focus is on the partygoers’ experience instead of the stage spectacle that has become so commonplace in music today.
The sound system consists of a floor-standing series of seven giant, 11-foot stacks arranged in a circle – allowing the crowd to fully immerse themselves in the music. To carry out James and John's uncompromising vision, only McIntosh, a storied brand that handcrafts all of it products to the highest quality standard would suffice as a partner. While the technical specifications of Despacio are designed meticulously for optimal sound quality, the setup is quite simple considering the 50,000 watts of McIntosh power behind the system.

McIntosh’s first-rate sound and technology will be enhanced by the truly eclectic music selection of James, David & Stephen – recognized audio aficionados with an encyclopedic knowledge of the history of music over the last 60 years.

James, David & Stephen will be behind the decks, located in a dark and obscured background, for three daily six-hour sessions from 3:30pm to 9:30pm throughout the festival. Due to the capacity limitations of the space, access will be managed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Rudimental, Tiga and more added to Sonar Barcelona 2014 lineup

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A masssive new release of artists have been added to Spains Sonar Barcelona.  Pretty Lights, Flux Pavilion, Rudimental, DJ Harvey, The Martinez Brothers, Machinedrum, Tiga, Laurel Halo, Ben Frost, Yelle and showcase from New York label L.I.E.S. are among the new additions to Sonar Barcelona 2014.

Known as Pretty Lights, Derek Vincent Smith will present a lush visual show at Sonar performing "A Color Map Of The Sun" his fourth album, nominated for best dance / electronica album at the Grammy Awards.  Pretty Lights samples and combines hip-hop, glitch and also revives funk and soul samples, all of which make him the most organic artist within the explosion of electronica in the US.

Rudimental and Flux Pavilion are two of the UK’s most popular champions in today’s commercial dance music.  Rudimental, are a London quartet focused primarily on fusing pop and drum'n'bass.  They are comprised of composers, DJ 's and producers Piers Agget, Kesi Dryden Amir Amor and DJ Locksmith.  To add to their long list of UK and European chart successes is their new, 2014 Brits Awards, triple nomination for: Best Group, Best Album and Best Single (for "Waiting All Night"), the spearhead of their meteoric rise, achieved in less than three years. Their powerful live show at Sonar will feature 12 musicians, MC's, organs, synthesizers, guitars, percussion and MPC 's.

Rudimental

Meanwhile, Flux Pavilion, aka Joshua Steele, one of the most in demand dubstep producers and DJ’s in Britain, will present live, his sonic palette of sweeping hyperbolic bass lines.  As well as remixing the likes of M.I.A. and Skrillex, the 24-year-old Flux Pavillion also sings and plays a variety of instruments.  Over the last five years this versatility has seen him perform around the world, earning him the respect from both the industry and public alike.

With a completely new show the awe-inspiring Yelle aka singer -songwriter Julie Budet (a genuine star of electro-synth pop and one of the most internationally successful modern French artists) will present her charismatic personality during the live performance of her much-anticipated third album.  She will do so in the company of her band composed of DJs Grand Marnier (Jean François Perrier) and Tepr (Tanguy Destable).

 
Exemplary careers in the history of electronica
There will be no shortage of DJ heavyweights: Tiga, (one of the most important figures of electronica to come out of Canada) has been given the responsibility of closing this year’s festival on Saturday night.  DJ Harvey wizard in the realm of disco, house, garage, electro and cosmic rock will present his usual master class, and The Martinez Brothers, the new ambassadors of New York house music, who are responsible for revitalising the genre.

Also from the Big Apple the raw and minimalist electronica labelL.I.E.S. will present their showcase.  In just three years L.I.E.S. has built an impressive catalogue, already an international benchmark for low-fi house and techno. Label chief Ron Morelli will perform his first album live. Meanwhile, Svengalisghost, (alias of Marquis Cooper) will present its dystopian, paranoiac and noir sound that includes flawless hooks of acid, house, techno and EBM.  Cooper manipulates cassette tapes and uses old editing techniques and methods to distort the sound from a turntable.

Ben Frost, the renowned Australian experimental electronic artist living in Iceland has directed operas, composed music for the theatre, dance, visual arts and cinema.  At Sonar he will present his new album supported by his on stage band, providing guitars, several large amplifiers and various electronic devices in order to share his post- classical, noise, post-rock, drone and dark metal music.

 
Sonar 's commitment to new talent
Emerging artists like Machinedrum, UZ, Recondite and Alizzz will also represent new talent. 

American Travis Stewart, better known as Machinedrum (who has reinvented drum'n'bass and is one of the main advocates for the revival of jungle and it’s hybridization process with the Chicago footwork sound) will come to Sonar to present his "Vapor City Live Show" the live version of his new album. A visual concept album released on Ninja Tune, each track represents an imaginary city district.  "Vapour City" transports itself to the stage with Machinedrum’s own vocals and guitar, with percussion by Lane Barrington and visuals from the Weirdcore collective.

In recent years, American Laurel Halo has created her own unique sound: lush, avant-garde, electronic and experimental, inspired by the minimalist music of Steve Reich, Detroit techno, science fiction and experiences from 6 months spent in Thailand.  Halo experiments and shifts between techno, ambient, synth pop, drum machines, samplers, her voice, pianos, guitars and violins, among many other elements.  "Quarantine", released on Hyperdub in 2012, was selected as ‘album of the year’ by the prestigious magazine, Wire. In 2013 there followed EP "Behind The Green Door" and the album "Chance of Rain". It was material in which she abandoned her more experimental vocal treatments to concentrate in more depth, on the techno roots of her music.

The mysterious UZ is a true icon of trap, not only for his incredible talent but also for the mystery surrounding him.  Never showing his face, his identity is unknown.  His tracks are raw and minimalist, powerful and magnetic and his dexterity with bass lines sets him apart from other same genre artists.

Visionist, also known as Louis Carnell, has for some time been earmarked by the specialised press, as one of the most promising and intriguing artist’s in today’s British electronica. At Sonar he will present his unique take on the grime sound, including the ethereal elements, which place him at the forefront of the genre.

Recondite, aka German Lorenz Brunner is a staple artist of the current Berlin scene and a producer noted for his sensitivity to the deeper, melancholic and intimate side of electronica.   At Sonar he will present "Hinterland", his second album, inspired by the ecosystem of Bavaria and released on Ghostly International.  It is an album of slow techno and house, with frozen and bleak textures.

From the global sound arena, the Angolan DJ Nigga Fox is an artist exploring contemporary electronic music produced in the suburbs of Lisbon. It is dance music that draws ancient influences from Portuguese – African Diaspora like Funaná (a rapid accordion driven rhythm), Kizomba or Tarrachinha (slow and sensual) as well as the more contemporary sound of Kuduro, a type of tribal house with MC’s rapping vocal parts.

On a local level, Barcelonan Alizzz (alias of Cristian Quirante) is already one of 2014’s rising stars.  With an EP release on none other than Diplo’s Mad Decent label, he is one of the most talked about names of the year.  Counting influences as diverse as techno and 90’s hard rock, his music adds vitality and excitement by merging hip-hop and r&b, to produce an entirely contemporary, epic and danceable sound.

 

Sonar Barcelona announces massive lineup for 2014

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Sónar Barcelona 2014 presents Massive Attacks new show as well as Richie Hawtins Plastikman making a return to Spain with an exclusive performance of his Objekt live concept.

Massive Attack have chosen Sónar Barcelona to present a brand new show which will move a step further their ongoing audio visual exploration of agitation propaganda and technology.

Massive Attack will play Sonar 10 years after their previous performance and following the acclaimed series of groundbreaking and extraordinary shows designed and staged by Robert Del Naja and film maker Adam Curtis in Manchester, Duisberg and New York. For this new Massive Attack show Robert will again co-design, creating a compelling collision of music, art and political discourse. 

Massive Attack @ Sonar Barcelona 2014

Massive Attack (a worldwide reference for electronica) was founded in 1988 by Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Their debut album 'Blue Lines' contained the single 'Unfinished Sympathy', one of the 10 best songs in music history, according to a survey by The Guardian. Following their first release were albums: 'Protection', 'Mezzanine', '100th Window' and 'Heligoland' as well as numerous singles and countless remixes making up one the most personal repertoires in experimental pop music over the last 25 years. Plastikman at Sonar by Day and Richie Hawtin’s Close show at Sonar by Night Sonar 2014 will present both sides of Richie Hawtin's musical character over two days: from his own new recordings and live show Objekt as Plastikman at Sonar By Day, to his new standpoint on modern day performing as Richie Hawtin with Close in the main hall of Sonar By Night

Richie Hawtin, the globally recognised key figure of electronica, will update his recording alias Plastikman. Richie Hawtin's Plastikman will make a return to Sonar with the exclusive European performance of his developing 'Objekt' live concept – debuted at the Guggenheim in New York last month. Hawtin and his team created an entire new audio and visual experience for the Guggenheim – inspired by the room he was asked to perform in. Plastikman will return to Sonar in 2014 with the new music, visuals and a special variation on the obelisk that his team created for the landmark art event.

On a different day at Sonar by Night, Hawtin will headline with his new performance concept, Close. The new show is designed to bring audiences closer to the performance of a modern day electronic artist with the assistance of highly-advanced cameras and intimate lighting. Hawtin will give full transparency to the improvisation and technological manipulation in how he plays all which helps set him apart from the traditional definition of a DJ.   Leading lights in contemporary electronica The first batch of confirmed artists also includes purist bastions of electronica like Four Tet; James Holden (Border Community head honcho), with a unique staging of his stunning album "The Inheritors"; Jon Hopkins will perform live his techno album "Immunity" (heralded as electronic release of the year); Oneohtrix Point Never aka Daniel Lopatin, one of the most amazing artists to appear on the experimental scene in recent years and who will present his new audiovisual show; and Matmos, creators of an extremely elaborate IDM, who will convert the Sonar stage into their own private experimental laboratory.

Sonar 2014 will also enjoy incredible shows from Bonobo, who will present his new kaleidoscopic electronica album "The North Borders" with one of his spectacular live shows; Woodkid, the French multidisciplinary artist enjoying a meteoric rise in recent months, a natural creator incorporating design, advertising, video and music; and Moderat, an alliance of Berlin’s electronic scene’s foremost representatives (Modeselektor + Apparat) presenting their new album 'II'.

Dance music, implicit in its multiple forms, will feature in the hands ofCaribou, the Canadian musician and mathematician Dan Snaith, who has chosen Sonar to present one of his limited shows before the release of his next album; Gesaffelstein artist name for Parisian musician Mike Levy, will present on stage 'Aleph', his acclaimed debut album, and I am Legion, the band formed by British hip hop group Foreign Beggars and Dutch dubstep trioNoisia.

There will be no shortage of talented newcomers like Evian Christ, the youthful dj and producer for label Tri Angle, who is making some of the most futuristic beats for Kanye West and Matthew Barney;Jessy Lanza, the Canadian signed to prestigious label Hyperdub, who will present her celebrated and atmospheric debut album "Pull My Hair back"; Copeland, the female element of enigmatic and unpredictable duo Hype Williams will present her as yet unreleased new work; Majical Cloudz, the pop art duo based in Montreal;
the festival’s up and coming artists like Happa, aka Samir Alikhanizadeh, whose music at the tender age of 16 already
stands out as the most exciting and brutal techno around today;Nisennenmondai, Japanese instrumental power trio; or
Clipping., the Californian rap noise trio…

Some of the national artists performing at next year’s festival will beBalago, the experimental post-electronica and synthetic kraut group; Downliners Sekt, the Catalan-French duo who will present a brand new album and live show; Desert, dream pop’s best kept secret; and Pau Roca, one of the national scene’s most prominent house djs.

Sónar celebrates its Closing Night

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Sónar 2013 will close their 20th Anniversary edition at CCCB and MACBA locations with two highly esteemed concerts that share reinterpretation and reconstruction as the conceptual basis for their musical expression.

The CCCB Theatre will host a concert – co-produced by L'Auditori de Barcelona – with Max Richter + bcn216, in which the British composer and the Barcelona group will interpret Richter’s acclaimed recomposed version of "The Four Seasons" by Vivaldi.

Directly after, in the Atri MACBA, Italian producer and sound investigator Lorenzo Senni presents ORACLE, a remarkable audiovisual sensory provoking concert that deconstructs 90’s rave culture.

With these two shows Sónar returns to closely collaborate with CCCB & MACBA, symbolic landmarks of the city and the festival, whose -Teatre CCCB and Atri MACBA- spaces set the perfect stage for Sónar’s 20th Anniversary closing. Joining these two sites will be the classic SonarVillage location of Plaça Joan Corominas, where a bar will be in place for attendees.

Max Richter + bcn216: Four Seasons Recomposed (Deutsche Grammophon / DE-ES)

German-born British composer and pianist, Richter is a musician used to challenges. The most recent of which was to recompose Antonio Vivaldi's hugely popular "Four Seasons", in collaboration with German label Deutsche Grammophon: A very personal retreatment that allows the listener to recognize the original piece, while at the same time enjoying it in a completely new and surprising light. Richter will be accompanied by instrumental group BCN216 (resident at L'Auditori de Barcelona) and will bring his subtle and individual re-adaptation of Vivaldi’s creation ‘live’. He has reconfigured the body of work by removing a number of notes, reorganizing certain passages and adding seductive electronic arrangements.

Sunday 16th June / CCCB Theatre – 20.00h

Lorenzo Senni presents ORACLE (Editions Mego / IT)

Tireless investigator of dance music’s mechanisms and working parts, and head of respected experimental label Presto!?, the Italian musician produced one of last year’s most unique albums "Quantum Jelly" (on label Editions Mego). An amazing deconstruction of sound and rave culture of the 90’s (chiefly trance and hard techno), in which he carefully analyzed it’s constituent parts for reuse in a very different context, with repetition and isolation as key concepts. Music from album Quantum Jelly will underpin the audiovisual show at Atri MACBA, an unusual space that will be transformed by Senni through the installation of laser and smoke generated columns. The immersive experience will be highly evocative and have a sensorial impact.

Sunday 16th June / Atri MACBA – 22:00h

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Tickets now available

Max Richter + BCN 216 :Four Seasons recomposed at CCCB
15€
Tickets on sale here

Lorenzo Senni presents ORACLE at MACBA
10€
Tickets on sale here

Combined ticket for two shows
20€
This ticket can only be acquired at the CCCB ticket office during exhibition opening hours.

Sónar by Day add 30 more amazing acts

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The American band Chromatics is undoubtedly one of today's most critically acclaimed and publicly adored groups.  They head the new additions to Sónar by Day, with their high-end, 80’s italo-disco influenced electronic pop sound.

Meanwhile, the charismatic Sebastien Tellier will appear with his most recent album under his arm for a luminescent, top-notch pop concert.  No less important, Atom TM (aka Atom Heart or Señor Coconut) will follow suit with their excellent new album "HD", recently published on prestigious German label Raster_Noton.

Sónar by Day adds three more European projects, all of whom have a powerful stage presence: the Dutch band Skip & Die, with the striking Cata Pirata fronting a sound between MIA and Die Antwoord, the French act Jackson and his Computer Band, Warp’s previous star signing return with their masterful technological galactic funk show and the Icelandic Sísý Ey, arriving from a triumphant Sónar Reykjavik performance with their organic style house and breathtaking voices.

The most exciting artists from the national scene 

Since its very first edition, Sónar’s commitment to its local and national scene remains unchanged. The 20th Anniversary provides fresh impetus to this commitment with the inclusion of more than a dozen new names to Sónar by Day: the stratospheric Za!(considered one of the best live bands in the country), the Sevillian beatmaker Lost Twin, the wild and provocative Menja Tiger Zebra, the illustrated noise of Evol, the electronic and audiovisual perfectionist Wooky, the dialogue between the cello and laptop of Sara Galan & Edu Comelles, the audio poetry of Jansky, the unrestrained experimentation of Coagul, the IDM and aural sound-scapes of XTRNGR and Drömnu, the groove from the decks of Dj Tutu and the evocative digital processes of Tges. 

Red Bull Music Academy at SonarDôme 

The global roaming talent-developing academy adds new names to the SonarDôme stage. Notable live act highlights include American duo Metro Area, considered the masters of the revamped disco revival at the beginning 21st century, the iconoclastic pairings of Felix Kubin & James Pants and JESSE & Jimi Tenor, the machine-less techno of Austrians Elektro Guzzi, the freestyle rap of Oddise, the ghetto beats set of Branko (member of Buraka Som Sistema), and the high quality reflective hip-hop of Madrid’s C. Tangana. 

Completing the line up Kidsuke (the duo formed by Kidkanevil and Daisuke Tanabe), Cassegrain (deep techno from Greece and Germany), Palmbolen (psychedelica with touches of dub and krautrock), DZA (hip hop beats and rhymes from Russia), Satore(Mallorcan deep house straight from the heart) and We Like Turtles (the in demand dj duo from Tarragona).

Sonar+D puts forward its first offering Sonar+D, the evolution of the professional and new media areas at the festival (presented in collaboration with the Mobile World Capital), unveils its first offering. Sonar+D brings creativity, technology, mobility, innovation and business to public and professionals alike and serves as an open lab bringing together activities and projects that take a playful and experimental character, anticipating today's transforming languages and tools of an international level.

Sonar+D will occupy four floors of the Palau de Congresses in Barcelona, with the majority of activities open to the public and a series of closed networking sessions and discussions aimed at accredited professionals only. Sonar+D coexists at Sónar by Day, with SonarCinema and the SonarComplex stage in the grand auditorium.

Sonar+D Partnerships: Berklee College of Music, BBC Radiophonic Workshop, UPF / MTG …

Sonar+D has created partnerships with companies and iconic brands. One of these is Berklee College of Music, which will present a Master in musical innovation and also the Rethink workshop, aimed at analyzing new business models in the music industry. Also featured are the BBC Radiophonic Workshop(under the artistic direction of Matthew Herbert), a research laboratory for creating BBC sound effects and the Bridges For Music Project, developed in South Africa for the social integration through music of disadvantaged communities.

Sonar+D will pay special attention to the educational and research area, with the participation of organizations like the UPF, through to the Music Technology Group, which is organizing the fourth edition of the Music Hack Day, which this year focuses on neuroscience and will have 100 participant hackers working 24 hours straight.

Beardyman, Hermutt Lobby and the Barcelona Laptop Orchestra at Sonar+D shows.

Sonar+D of course, draws on the talent of the Sónar music line up and includes three concerts from Beardyman, Hermutt Lobby and the Barcelona Laptop Orchestra. Sonar+D highlights these concerts for their technological relevance and the use of mobile devices in their development and implementation.

Beardyman

The visual artists, presented in the Interactive Forum 

The "creative coding" and postdigital experimentation stage will have an Interactive forum and allow a space to discover the creators and programmers behind this visual culture. Passing through (among others) will be Berlin visual studio Pfadfinderai(regular accomplices of Modeselektor and Paul Kalkbrener) and Barcelona’s Mr Doob (collaborator of Google Data Arts Team).

Companies and entrepreneurs, Sonar+D’s protagonists

Companies and entrepreneurs from creative industries will be able to showcase products, services and projects in the new Market Place space. There will be practical demos at Hands On Area, an area which will have its own stage, Meet The Expert to schedule meetings with experts and the App Bar to discover apps and get to know his developers.

SonarCinema screenings  Each year at Sónar by Day, SonarCinema screens, movies, documentaries and audiovisual work in harmony with the festival, either for it’s interesting content or its high artistic value.

SónarCinema announce five first screenings which give shape to its programming: "Reincarnations" tells the story of the change in character of the great Snoop Dogg to Snoop Lion after his visit to Jamaica and his new love for reggae music; "We Are Modeselektor" delves into the world of one of the most important duos in today's electronica (also appearing in this years line up at Sónar by Day); the short film "Umshini Wam" stars Die Antwoord and is directed by Harmony Korine ("Gummo" and "Spring Breakers" among others); also, a compilation of the American director Max Albert’s work for Mad Decent (Diplo’s label) and six episodes of "HΔSHTAG$", a series about emerging music genres on the internet, produced by the Red Bull Music Academy.

Jurassic 5, Bat For Lashes and more set for Sónar by Night line-up

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On the same stage the night before, Friday 14th, Bat For Lashes will be the first to perform with their epic contemporary pop.

Bat for Lashes

=The SonarCar stage will present the showcases of the most important european labels and platforms on the current electronic dance scene: 50Weapons (Anstam, Benjamin Damage, Phon.o, Bambounou), Rush Hour (San Proper, Antal), Radio 2 / Life and Death (Clockwork, Vaal), Classicworks (Nehuen, Cardopusher) y Suara (Coyu, Edu Imbernón).

At the same time, SonarSound Tokyo also gets more artists added to it's line-up, among them are Alec Empire and Pinch, as well as new representatives from the Japanese scene.

Sonar by Night adds more new names to its program, in addition to those already announced: Kraftwerk (3D show), Pet Shop Boys,Diplo, Raime, Major Lazer, Derrick May, Maceo Plex, Skrillex,Baauer, Nicolas Jaar, Darkstar, Soulwax, Two Door CinemaClub, Seth Troxler, Karenn, Delorean, Laurent Garnier andPaul Kalkbrenner, among many others.

With more artists still to be confirmed, here are the latest additions:

Jurassic 5 (US)
Bat For Lashes (UK)
Skream (UK)
Luciano (CH)
Alizzz (ES)
Thug Ladies (ES)
Kimerly & Clark (ES)
Alvin Risk (US)
50Weapons presents:
Anstam (DE)
Phon.o (DE)
Benjamin Damage (UK)
Bambonou (FR)
Rush Hour presenta:
San Proper (NL)
Antal (NL)
Radio2 Inthemix presents Life and Death: 
Clockwork feat. Avatism (IT)
Vaal (IT)
Suara presents: 
Coyu (ES)
Edu Imbernon (ES)
Classicworks presenta: 
Nehuen b2b Cardopusher (ES)

Jurassic 5 are undoubtedly one of the most important groups in recent hip hop history. The Los Angeles band reunite this year, six years after their last album and is guaranteed to be a triumphant return to the stage of all its original members who will experience Sonar by Night. DJ Nu-Mark, Cut Chemist, Chali 2Na and company are undisputed masters in the art of beats and rhymes whose countless hits are already part of the collective memory in lovers of the genre and indeed music fans in general. What a treat…

Bat For Lashes, the project by the charismatic Natasha Khan, a British singer-songwriter (with Pakistani origin) of enormous talent, and one of the most interesting voices on the international scene. Khan will present her most recent praised work “The Haunting Man”, a formidable collection of contemporary synth pop at what will be her very first Sonar performance.

Beyond being one of the pillars of dubstep, Skream has now become a more mature musician and dj, capable of mixing (like few others), all genres of today’s dance music with a master’s touch. His session at SonarPub on Saturday falls between two heavyweights Justice and Laurent Garnier, where he is sure to surprise more than a few. 

Luciano has had an extensive career in some of the worlds best dj booths, demonstrating his versatility, with a style that in recent years has moved between minimal techno and percussive house. He is therefore the perfect man to close Saturday night at SonarClub.

Meanwhile, young Alvin Risk will show us his skills on the decks, which have earned him the right to include himself as part of the new breed of young producers and djs in American electronica. Not surprisingly, he will play just ahead of the Skrillex performance, the most visible face of the new revolution on U.S. dancefloors.

Also joining the Sonar Night, national maximalist and synthesizer magician Alizzz, the versatile and audacious Thug Ladies djs, as well as Barcelona dj duo Kimberly & Clarke, with a moombathon session.

The Sónar Pass, the 2-Night Ticket, the individual tickets for Sónar by Day and Sónar by Night, and the professional accreditation are now ALL on sale via www.sonar.es.

Today’s Top Rated European dance music labels at SonarCar

SonarCar, the bumper cars stage, returns to Sónar by Night as a meeting point with a reputation to surprise. It will showcase some of the most important labels and major European collectives in the current landscape of electronic dance.

50Weapons, Modeselektor’s label, has demonstrated a finely tuned taste in the selection of its catalogue. It’s showcase presents four of their latest signings: young Welshman Benjamin Damage, veterans Anstam y Phon.o, and one of the most promising artists in French electronica, Bambonou.

Rush Hour is synonymous with work of the highest quality. Number one record store and distributor, for several years it has been one of the most reliable operations on the continent. The Dutch brand will present San Proper ‘live’ and a session by one of its founders,dj Antal.

The musical programming of Italian public broadcaster Radio 2advocates the modern and daring, as the sound of the Life and Death label output who will present two of their most prominent artists at Sonar by Night: Clockwork feat. Atavism and Vaal.

Based in Barcelona, Suara have earned their reputation across the continent among lovers of quality techno dance music, resulting in some their most important flag bearers like Coyu (founder) or Edu Imbernon continuously playing on both sides of the Atlantic.

Finally, Nehuen and Cardopusher have been chosen to close Saturday night at SonarCar. Two lovers of old drum machines; they are responsible for a new national movement of house and techno with the Classicworks analog flavor. Sonar visit Japan from 5th – 8th April: The 6th and 7th being the 6th edition of SonarSound Tokyo, with the 5th and 8th of the same month being held as the 1st edition of A Taste of Sónar Osaka.

The festival in the Japanese capital also includes new names; among those who standout are Alec Empire (powerful musician and noise lover and founder of the legendary Atari Teenage Riot) and British DJ and producer Pinch (influential cornerstone of dubstep and its derivatives from his Tectonic label). 

Also, the festival adds new and relevant representatives from the Japanese scene, such as agraph, DJ Nobu, Madegg, Soichiro Tonaka and nisennenmondai.

Huge lineup additions to Sónar Barcelona

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New additions to Sónar Barcelona

Darkstar (UK)
Liars (US)
Paul Kalkbrenner (DE)
Sherwood + Pinch (UK)
Nicolas Jaar (US)
Delorean (ES)
Foreign Beggars (UK)
Maceo Plex (US)
Mykki Blanco (US)
Karenn (Blawan + Pariah) (UK)
Baauer (US)
Gold Panda (UK)
La Bien Querida (ES)
Christeene (US)
Sound Pellegrino presents Sound Pellegrino Thermal Team + Matthias Zimmermann (FR)

Sónar continues to add new artists to its 20th anniversary event, which will take place in Barcelona on 13, 14 and 15 June. The scheduled shows by Kraftwerk (3D show), Pet Shop Boys, Two Door Cinema Club, Lindstrøm & Todd Terje, Vatican Shadow,Bradien + Eduard Escoffet, Hot Natured and Fantastic Mr. Foxare joined by various heavyweight additions. 

These new names include outfits whose appeal is tried and tested, like the British trio Darkstar, one of the most interesting projects to emerge from low-rev dubstep, who are about to release their new LP, "News From Nowhere", on the prestigious London label Warp; and the American trio Liars, presenting their excellent new LP "WIXIW," which is much more synth-based and oriented towards electronica than their previous albums.

Among the latest names to be added to Sónar Barcelona is the new artistic duo Karenn, which brings together two masters of today's rawest techno: Blawan – who astonished us at Sónar by Night last year – and the talented Pariah; the New York trap producer Baauer, who has hit the mark this year with his formula of powerful basses and rhythmic forcefulness; the British beatmaker Gold Panda, the main man at the Ghostly International label; and the haute école funk-based tech-house by the popular American dj Maceo Plex.

Sónar 2013 also presents the performance by a unique and very special duo: consisting of Adrian Sherwood, a cult name in dub in the British Isles and the founder of the influential On-U-Sound label, and Pinch, an eminent personality on the Bristol dubstep (and post-dubstep) scene.

Two international electronica benchmarks return, in the shape of Germany's Paul Kalkbrenner, now consolidated as one of today's most popular names, who will be bringing his new album 'Guten Tag' under his arm; and the Chilean-American Nicolas Jaar, who returns to Sónar for the third consecutive year entirely on merit.

Two of the biggest names on the Spanish scene, Delorean and La Bien Querida, will also be present at Sónar Barcelona. The Basque outfit are releasing a new album in 2013, two years after the international success of "Subiza," while the project by Ana Fernández Villaverde and David Rodríguez has given their songs a considerable twist, dressing them up in dazzling techno-pop costumes for their latest album, "Ceremonia." 

Two unique and irreverent artists will be visiting from the United States underground scene: Mykki Blanco, the standard bearer of the movement known as "queer rap" (a mixture of hip-hop rhyming and powerful techno basses); and Christeene, a man-woman who takes the extravagance and perversion of electronic pop one step beyond mischief by means of a highly individual sense of humour. 

This batch of additions is rounded off by the showcase from the French label Sound Pellegrino, in association with the historic rap group TTC and a platform for some of today's most cutting-edge and freshest dance beats, headed by Matthias Zimmermann and the Sound Pellegrino Thermal Team; and the highly respected British hip hop and grime collective Foreign Beggars, presenting their powerful new album, "The Uprising".

Sónar Barcelona tickets on sale

Sónar 2013 Passes and 2 Night Tickets for Sónar 2013 are available now.

Professional accreditation for SonarPro 2013 is available at a special price of 190 €, until 1 April only.