M.I.A., a key figure in the collision of styles that characterises the beginning of this century, arrives at Sónar revved up and ready to go with her explosive live show and her recent mixtape, “Vicki Leekx”. Her shows in Barcelona and Galicia will be the only ones in Spain this year.
Die Antwoord have made an enormous impact from their native South Africa with a ground-breaking image, blown-up light shows and a musical style that takes on dirty rap, naïf pop and even eurobeat.
Australia’s Cut Copy have taken a major step forward towards a privileged position placing them halfway between cult status and international success, thanks to their contemporary synth pop.
Boys Noize are able to move masses with their acid techno, which they will be presenting at Sónar with a powerful audiovisual show prepared especially for the occasion.
And while we’re on the subject of shaking up the dancefloor, there is no one better than Buraka Som Sistema, who return with their vibrant live show based on kuduro and broken beats that pours out pure adrenalin.
New additions to Sónar Barcelona
The figure of Shackleton, a cult producer if ever there was one, looms larger every day thanks to his highly personal sound, which is dark, hypnotic and astonishingly profound.
Nicolas Jaar is set to become one of the names/men of the year: incredibly young and extremely talented, his slow, sexy and somewhat sad house, (listen to his debut album “Space Is Only Noise”) is already one of the sounds of the year.
Germany’s Paul Kalkbrenner is one of the most popular DJs in the world right now, although he has known for over 20 years what it means to handle a dancefloor with over 20,000 people gagging to dance.
Mark Pritchard and Tom Middleton formed the legendary Global Communication, a cornerstone of nineties ambient thanks to their masterpiece of the genre, the album “76:14”, which they will be performing live, showing that their ideas are still applicable today.
Pritchard will also feature with Africa Hitech (this time round with Steve Spacek), with their excellent appropriation of tribal rhythms that blast them into a future that is just around the corner.
America’s Steve Aoki has taken a major step forward towards the big leagues, dominating the dancefloor with effectiveness and forcefulness, and working with Armand van Helden on the explosive “Brrap!”.
Sónar Barcelona Artists :: Underworld, M.I.A., Magnetic Man, Steve Reich + bcn216 + Synergy Vocals, Die Antwoord, Cut Copy, Paul Kalkbrenner, Boys Noize, Buraka Som Sistema, Shackleton,Nicolas Jaar, Africa Hitech, Global Communication, A-Trak,Atmosphere, Salem, Hype Williams, Little Dragon, Tyondai Braxton, Mary Anne Hobbs, Steve Aoki…
Sónar Galicia Artists :: Underworld, M.I.A., Magnetic Man, Die Antwoord, Cut Copy, Boys Noize, Salem, Buraka Som Sistema…