Words: George Gray, Images: Sonar Press and Emma Rahmani
By Saturday night we knew the score, back to back festival weekends in Barca and our dancing fever hadn’t dwindled. We were ready, albeit a bit sunburnt, for one last journey. I say journey because our first night at Sonar had taught us one thing, it’s not your ordinary festival, with corridors and halls interweaving to form a dream-like setting.
The night began on the shuttle bus from Sonar by Day, slinging it around the switchbacks, up and over the Montjuic hills to the Fira. Once we were through the doors there was no messing, with Nathy Peluso primed to kick things off at the main stage. The Spanish singer-songwriter delivered in spades in front of an adoring crowd, commanding the audience’s attention with powerful stage presence.
It’s been quite the journey for the Argentinian who a matter of years ago was playing on Sonar by Day’s smallest stage, now tearing down a headline slot. Her growth has been at supersonic speed in the Latin community and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see her gaining more popularity across British shores soon.
We’d gone in with a clinical plan for timings, and Nathy’s magnetism wasn’t helping as we had to scamper off past the dodgems to the press area to meet an icon of the UK radio scene Emerald. Her artistry goes so far beyond a prolific radio career though with DJ sets across the likes of Keep Hush and DJ Mag, but beyond all that she was a genuine lover of music just like us.
Stay tuned for the full interview coming soon, but in the meantime catch her sat on playback with ARTE. What a set it was too, delivering an unrelenting pace and energy despite technical issues at the start, a testament to her resilience.
As we left Emerald we were drawn for an explore, and it was whilst navigating the viewing pathway above that we noticed a swell of bodies at the Printworks stage. We headed quickly below and were met with an entrancing end to Hiroko Yamamura’s set. A very different Midwest icon to Chappel Roan who’d we’d seen the same time a week prior, but this time with an infectious techno attack, perfect for her beloved ‘warehouse culture’.
Wishing we could’ve stayed longer we headed to the Sonar x Boiler Room stage with a pretty great excuse. Where good friend and fast upcoming UKG and Bass line producer Dokku was announcing himself on the scene with a breakthrough performance. The Catalan local is somewhat of a silent assassin, one of the friendliest people you might meet behind the decks but lethal on them.
The crowd were loving it and so were Dokku and his crew. A true homegrown hero, he brought out fellow Catalan and Grime Mc Gior Di for new track Hattori, the crowd shouting each bar back, before spinning new dubs from fellow collective members Saint Jabir and Ruxi. (Interview coming soon).
As Dokku ended things didn’t settle down at all. Stage managers shuffled in and opened up a dance floor on the stage, a buzz growing and suddenly we were hemmed in, a quick exchange with some French companions and the next artist was revealed – SixSex.
The artist is a champion of the Flinta community and her performances don’t hold back – a heady mix of sensuality, techno and general fervour. Perreo meets the rave in an unforgettable manner.
If you hadn’t clocked by now though the Sonar line-up was packed so we hit the road after a good groove. An EDM all-time legend was lighting up the mainstage – Eric Prydz. We’d been called on and wasted no time getting there, arriving to a critical mass of ravers. Prydz capped it all off with one of the most euphoric reworks I’d ever heard, his thumping mix of We Are the People by Empire of the Sun, We Are Mirage.
As it echoed through the hall, greeted by gasps and uncontrollable grins, its synths and basslines seemed to align with our very heart beats. It demonstrated the very reason people love electronic production – it set us free.
We sat down and let it rush over us, each moment, track and encounter, the weekend had been a spectacle to behold. One last set remained a b2b that couldn’t be missed: Skrillex and Blawan. As the steps ticked past their tens of thousands we found our spot on the viewing platform and just admired the technical mastery and track selection. There’s a reason most artists aspire to these two, couldn’t really ask for much better really.
So…the journey home began and as the sun rose around us our weekend came to a close in ritualistic manner, the sights and sounds of Barcelona’s unmistakable city and people coming to life as we headed to reflect over it all. Next year can’t come fast enough.
Stay tuned for more updates, interviews and content from the weekend on the way!
