These are the 12 must-sees of Sónar 2024

Barcelona will once again become the world epicentre of electronic music and cultural innovation with its Sónar by Day, Sónar by Night, Sónar+D and OFFSónar programmes. As a novelty, it is worth highlighting the implementation of the SonarLab x Printworks stage at Sónar by Night on 14 and 15 June. Here are the 12 epic moments not to be missed at this 31st edition of the festival, which will bring together dance music pioneers, modern-day icons, true techno stars and innovators from different eras, scenes and disciplines.

Air performs its great album Moon Safari for the first time in its entirety on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of its release

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the release of their acclaimed debut album Moon Safari, the French duo Air will be headlining Sónar by Night this year. Moon Safari (1998), now considered a cult album, keeps the richness of the French electronic sound more relevant than ever, masterfully fusing downtempo with the heritage of chanson française. It was a release that catapulted Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel to fame and established great tracks like ‘Sexy Boy’, ‘All I Need’ and ‘La Femme d’Argent’ in the subconscious of the public at the end of the 90s. 2024 sees Air perform the album in full with his band for the first time… and Sónar by Night will be no exception.

The sunsets of Sónar, to the rhythm of three classics

The sunsets at Sónar by Day will be headlined by three great icons of the French electronic music scene on the SonarVillage by Estrella Damm stage. Folamour will present a new audiovisual show on Thursday 13th June. Laurent Garnier will finally return to the stage on Friday 14th June and the legendary Kittin (formerly Miss Kittin) will offer an exclusive four-handed set alongside David Vunk on Saturday 15th June. This stage will also host Kenyan Kabeaushé’s East African fusion of pop, hip-hop and electronica, Olof Dreijer’s (half of the duo The Knife) live percussion hybrid show with Diva Cruz and the unique Estonian rapper TOMMY CASH, among others.

Sónar+D: a look at the future of the creative industries in an era of radical transformation

The 12th edition of Sónar+D aims to listen, see and understand how different actors are adapting to the new reality of the creative industries, with the widespread use of Artificial Intelligence, the economic imperative of platform capitalism and the new frontiers opening up with immersive entertainment and augmented reality at the centre of our lives. Once again this year, Sónar by Day is extending its activity to the morning hours on Thursday and Friday, with a discursive programme that will feature more than 370 artists, developers, researchers and teachers and the participation of more than 70 organisations from all over the world.

Project Area, with the support of the Banco Sabadell Foundation, will showcase the most creative and innovative projects of the moment, welcoming all the festival’s audiences. It will be the place to try, touch, ask, experiment and, in short, discover. In addition, Sónar+D will extend its activity throughout the venue, with AV talks and multidisciplinary performances in a Stage+D that will once again be located in the middle of the musical route of Sónar by Day.

Electronic music can no longer be understood without AI

Over the next three years, Sónar will dedicate part of its programme to the intersection between generative AI and musical creativity. It builds on the foundation of the independent AI & Music festival, held in 2021, but as technology has evolved, so have its applications in the creative sphere. Thus, the AI & Music powered by S+T+ARTS programme this year reflects the use of AI in pop (Sevdaliza), sound art (Nicole L’Hullier and Marta Verde), conceptual electronica (Rob Clouth and Lee Gamble with Candela Capitán presenting the show ‘Models’) and practical experimentation (with Prompting Afternoons and the AI & Music Hacklab by Peter Kirn and Cibelle Cavalli Bastos). There will also be a programme of talks, panels and demos that will move the conversation away from industrial optimisation and towards creative expression.

Taking live performance to another level

This year Sónar presents several co-productions at the forefront of the European scene, with a marked radical and groundbreaking character. On the one hand, ‘CORTEX’, Sónar’s co-production with the choreographer Kianí del Valle together with the creative studio Hamill Industries and Tayhana (Rosalía’s collaborator). On the other, Lee Gamble, who will present his album Models, created with AI, in a special show co-produced by Sónar and the Polish festival Unsound, with choreography designed by Candela Capitán. Also featuring dance on stage will be multidisciplinary artist Blackhaine and Italian producer Gabber Eleganza with their ‘The Hakke Show’, while Team Rolfes will present ‘321Rule’, their Virtual Reality opera with Lil Mariko, and ASIANDOPEBOYS will present ‘PHYSIS’, a 6-hour multidisciplinary performance.

A global party… hyperlocal, representing local and worldwide micro-scenes

The 31st edition of Sónar brings together pioneers of dance music and hyper-local micro-scenes, with a dose of radical aesthetics and groundbreaking staging. It is also a celebration of the diversity of genres and sub-genres that define the sound of electronic music in 2024: from ambient to drum’n’bass, happy hardcore to black metal, deconstructed club, memecore, gabber and hyperpop. Sónar 2024 goes beyond well-known names, with a varied selection of international and national acts. Live shows by Aïsha Devi, Marie Davidson, Verde Prato, Loraine James, Kabeaushé, Iceboy Violet & Nueen, Toya Delazy and La Goony Chonga are joined by unique DJs such as DJ Gigola, Blck Mamba, GAZZI b2b DALILA, Drea, horsegiirL, Akazie, Verushka, ¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U, Meritxell de Soto and great Spanish pop voices such as Dyce, pablopablo and AMORE.

The biggest names in clubbing, faithful to their date

The legacy of Air, pioneers together with Daft Punk in making electronic music a mass product, can be perceived today in the techno-based electronic music with a pop personality of Paul Kalkbrenner, Ben Böhmer and the DJ duo Adriatique. All of them will lead the Friday and Saturday nights on the impressive SonarClub stage. Sónar will be inviting the biggest names in techno today. From the highly acclaimed audiovisual show ‘Overdrive’ by Belgian producer Charlotte de Witte to the live acid techno of Dutchman Reinier Zonneveld. And from the proven figures of European clubbing such as Jennifer Cardini b2b HAAi and Floating Points to four of the most outstanding DJs of today’s rave: VTSS, Anetha and Héctor Oaks b2b Partiboi69.

Richie Hawtin premieres new live show at Sónar

Few artists explore the relationship between electronic music and technology with more curiosity and creativity than Richie Hawtin. That’s why Sónar is honoured to once again host the exclusive European premiere of his new live show DEX EFX X0X. In an era of colossal visual projections and giant screens everywhere, the techno visionary takes us back to the roots of clubbing with immersive sound and lighting designed to create an atmosphere ‘more club than concert’.

SonarLab x Printworks: London’s legendary club lands at Sónar by Night

For the first time, Sónar joins forces with Printworks to bring the spirit of the much-missed London venue to Sónar by Night. Occupying the iconic SonarLab stage, which has witnessed magical moments in UK bass, breaks and dance music over the years, with showcases from Mary Anne Hobbs, The Warehouse Project and a six-year collaboration with Resident Advisor, this new chapter sees the addition of a large 6x10m2 vertical screen and a completely revamped lighting design, offering an immersive, audio-visual twist to cutting-edge shows from the likes of CASISDEAD, KI/KI live, Octave One, Eliza Rose b2b Dan Shake b2b Sally C, JASSS, DJ Flight & MC Chickaboo and many more.

Hip-hop and r&b, ever-present at Sónar

Hip-hop and r&b will not miss their date with Sónar. This year, the festival will feature stars such as the Californian rapper Vince Staples and the Haitian-Canadian DJ and producer Kaytranada. Both come to Sónar with new albums just released. The enigmatic British rapper and grime producer CASISDEAD, as well as the Ceuta-born Soto Asa, who will show off his slow reggaeton rhymes, are not to be missed either. A proposal that, of course, also extends to Sónar by Day with the appearances of talents such as the Canary Island rapper and producer of Indian origin ABHIR, the promising singer Judeline from Cádiz and the rapper Huda.

The best tribute to house music

On Friday 14 and Saturday 15 June, Sónar by Night will bring together three big names from the New York house scene. Pioneer Kerri Chandler will close the festival at SonarPub with her live set ‘Reel-2-Reel’, a session in which she exclusively uses reel-to-reel tapes, open reels famous for their high audio quality and complicated nature. He is joined on the lineup by fellow pioneering DJ, producer and remixer Danny Tenaglia and the duo The Martinez Brothers. Kapote & Sam Ruffillo will present a large-scale Toy Tonics Jam in Spain for the first time, bringing Berlin’s most Italo party to Barcelona. Eliza Rose, Dan Shake and Sally C will deliver a six-handed DJ set loaded with house pearls and salute will demonstrate why he is considered one of the most relevant rising stars of the moment.

Sónar Week makes Barcelona the world epicentre of electronic music and cultural innovation

Sónar Week will once again make Barcelona the epicentre of electronic music and cultural innovation on a global scale. In addition to Sónar by Day, Sónar by Night and Sónar+D, the OFFSónar programme at Poble Espanyol de Montjuïc, with the parties Brunch Electronik, X by Adriatique, Solid Grooves, Keinemusik, FUSE London and elrow taking place from Thursday to Sunday.

In addition, Sónar and Casa Batlló inaugurate the new space THE CUBE in Gaudí’s emblematic building with the world premiere of the 360º installation ‘Music:Response’ by The Chemical Brothers and Smith & Lyall. On Tuesday 11 and Wednesday 12 June, the 2nd edition of +RAIN Film Festival, the international AI-generated film festival co-organised with the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, will be held. And SonarMies will host the installation ‘Liquid Strata’ by oceanographer Joan Llort and artists Entangled Others and Daphne Xanthopoulou at the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion.

Sónar 2024 closes its line-up with more than 60 new confirmations.