The sound of Sónar

When multimedia artists from all over the world meet up, bizarre things can sometimes happen. Awaiting fans at the Sónar Festival in Barcelona are human-animal hybrids and musical surprises – offered up by 35 Red Bull Music Academy DJs, among others.

From June 19 to 21 Barcelona. Spain, will be the world capital of digital art. At Sónar, the annual ‘Festival for Advanced Music and Multimedia Art’, 80,000 brains and hearts will be activated per mouse click – but above all, twice as many legs itching to dance. Alongside audio-visual shows – from shadow theater to laser sound performances, from cinema fest to podium discussions – electronic music is the main focus every year.

From Sónar to Red Bull Music Academy

As well as international stars like Goldfrapp or Roísín Murphy, Boys Noize or Richie Hawtin, 35 DJs, producers and MCs from the Red Bull Music Academy workshops will be handling mics and mixers. And even if this work between Sónar and Red Bull Music Academy is taking place this year for the fourth time, it’s especially notable. Because in just under three months the Academy will also be held in Barcelona, and will even be celebrating its tenth anniversary here.

Three-day program in the Red Bull Music Academy Lounge

The pre-celebration offering at Sónar is fittingly comprehensive. On June 20 Red Bull Music Academy Radio is hosting a showcase with Buraka Som Sistema and Theo Parrish in the Sónar Lab. Daily in the Red Bull Music Academy Lounge, ten hours of live programs will take place; scores of Academy graduates will also appear on other stages.

‘Chinese gene experiment’ as teaser

The visual focus of this year’s Sónar is the art project ‘la pajarraca’, photos and videos of the bizarre above-mentioned human-animal hybrids, which – according to the circulated background story – were ‘filmed in a Chinese lab for genetic experiments’. The corresponding clip, without mention of its actual origins, made it to number 13 on the list of most-watched YouTube videos.

What, when & who

Red Bull Music Academy Radio Showcase @ Sónar Lab

Friday June 20
03 am - Buraka Som Sistema (Enchufada, POR)
04 am - Theo Parrish (Sound Signature, USA)

Red Bull Music Academy Lounge

Thursday June 19
12 am - Good Paul (Mixtura Kolektyf, POL)
01 pm - Mauricio Fleury (São Paulo, BRA)
02 pm - Feebles (EXIT, AUT)
03 pm - Jacob Korn (Running Back, GER)
04 pm - Juan Manuel Torreblanca (Mexico City, MEX)
05 pm - Luis Davis (Mad Bros Records, FRA)
06 pm - Reka (leChic, ESP)
07 pm - T-Man (12 Inch Productions, RSA)
08 pm - Patrice Bäumel (Get Physical, NED)
09 pm - TRG (Tempa, ROM)

Friday June 20
12 am - Richard Tha IIIrd (Disco Baldelli, RSA)
01 pm - bRUNA (Paradigma Musik, ESP)
02 pm - LUMI (EMI Arabia, LEB)
03 pm - Dainjah (Disco Four, SUI)
04 pm - Aresha (Singapore, SIN)
05 pm - Baris K (Godet, TUR)
06 pm - Fred Cherry (Hole In The Sky, AUS)
07 pm - Alan1 (Nature Records, ITA)
08 pm - Akiko Kiyama (Contexterrior, JPN)
09 pm - JohnnyTooBad (Sleepless, SWE)

Saturday 21
12 am - Mombus (Snegiri, RUS)
01 pm - Scott (MBS Ltd., GER)
02 pm - Mooken Tooken Alakazam! (Technicolour, GBR)
03 pm - Black Spade (Om Records, USA)
04 pm - Sankt Göran (Bear Funk Gold, SWE)
05 pm - Mat 64 (Cervello Meccanico Records, ITA)
06 pm - Hudson Mohawke (Warp, GBR)
07 pm - Carola Pisaturo (Claque Musique, ITA)
08 pm - XXXChange (Spank Rock, USA)
09 pm - mari.cha (Higher Love, GRE)