After hosting its infamous Sónar Lounge for three years straight, the Red Bull Music Academy this year took over a full stage at the ‘Sónar By Day’ part of the festival, bringing a unique cast of inspired, inspiring music makers to the heart of Barcelona.
In the heart of Barcelona, the Sónar festival has not only taken the crown for must-attend festivals in Spain and Europe – it takes the pulse of electronic music and digital art from across the globe and presents its diagnosis to leagues of revellers every year over three hot sunny days in June. It's the festival that any fan of the 'soul in the machines' has to go to, and not just to see the big names, or their favourite artists, but to get turned on to box fresh acts of the unheard variety. There's none of those backstage VIP vibes, and you're more than likely to bump into your number one DJ wandering through the tangled alleyways of the city while looking for your friends.
This year, from June 18 to June 20, the SónarDôme right next to the Museum of Contemporary Arts saw performances by Academy youngbloods and legends alike, ranging from Jamie Woon’s folky futuristic soul to punching bass waves from hip hop producer legend turned dubstep maverick Hank Shocklee of Bomb Squad. Another highlight was Mulatu Astatke’s collaboration with Malcolm Catto’s Heliocentrics who presented their mutual Inspiration Information project for Strut (that was first developed during a Red Bull Music Academy session at London’s Cargo).
More beats, grime and life came courtesy of la Lafourcade, Muhsinah, Innervisions’ new arrival Culoe de Song, Viennese microKORG wizard Dorian Concept, Brooklyn-via-Baltimore blogrocker Xxxchange, Glasgow’s wonkmaster Mike Slott, Internasjonal’s Mano LeTough, French sample slaughterers Débruit and Onra, Santa Cecilia’s electro-punk warrior Cécile, El Santo, Rory D, Lukid, Mweslee vs. Chelis, MiDee, Sonicbrat and Taras 3000, as well as matadores locales Cardopusher, d’J’w, Guillamino, and Miaau.
Was great seeing y’all in Barcelona – now check out the first Sónar 2009 sessions, as well as our selection of previous Sónar gigs plus shows by some of the key artist from this year’s line-up.
Not Not Fun
Smooth as silk on RBMA Radio
Martial Law
A Ninja Tune Special on RBMA Radio
Springtime in Fall
Highlights from Primavera Club 2011
15 years of Versatile Records
The quintessential Paris label celebrates its anniversary
Gracias Por Todo, Madrid
Total Recall: Red Bull Music Academy 2011
Merry Go Sound
Madrid 2011 - Term One
Más Matadero
Red Bull Music Academy 2011 - Week One
Amplified Beyond The Beat
Radio highlights from the RBMA World Tour 2011
Deep Fried Dap
Highlights from the Daptone family tree on RBMA Radio
Under The Westway
RBMA x Major Lazer sets from Notting Hill Carnival now on air
No Sleep Till Olganitz
Highlights from Germany's Nachtdigital fest on RBMA Radio
In The City
Festivalwatch: Stadtmusik.FM, Basel
LA Parklife
RBMA Radio goes HARD Summer
Neo Neo
Neopop Festival special on RBMA Radio
Croatia Calling
Hartera special on RBMA Radio
Sète You Free
RBMA Radio goes Worldwide
Another Place, Another Time
Sónar in review on RBMA Radio
Move, D!
Movement Detroit highlights on RBMA Radio
Heatmakers
Boiler Room one-year anniversary and special on RBMA Radio
Nuits Up
Les Nuits Sonores Special on RBMA Radio
Les Yper Sound
Festivalwatch #2: La Villette Sonique, May 27 - June 1
Making Wavves
Young Turks special on RBMA Radio
Far East Movement
Highlights from SónarSound Tokyo on RBMA Radio
The Royal Catalonian
An audio recap of the A Taste of Sonár event in London
Hörvergnügen
A German Sound Exploration
The Devil's Dancers
New Wave + Industrial highlights on Red Bull Music Academy Radio
Crossing The Border
James Holden opens his record box for RBMA Radio
Ginga Beat
Portuguese show on RBMA Radio turns 100
Word On The Street
Chairman Mao navigates through old and new on RBMA Radio
In The Moog For Love
Moog music on RBMA Radio
Elevator Music
Elevate Festival on RBMA Radio
Year-End Closing!
The year 2010 in Academyworld
Boogie Wonderland
Boogie past, present and future on RBMA Radio
Night Skanking
Night Slugs Special with Bok Bok on RBMA Radio
Circle Of Dub
RBMA Radio & Tectonic Recordings launch dubstep into outer space
Dusty Fingers
A special selection for vinyl lovers and dollar bin kingpins
Frequency Modulation
RBMA Radio Pop-Up Studio @ Amsterdam Dance Event
Concrete Jungle
RBMA Radio Pop-Up Studio @ Amsterdam Dance Event
Basement Boys
Red Bull Music Academy x Dommune
Flashback
2010 festival highlights on RBMA Radio
Another Revolution
Kirk Degiorgio's Sound Obsession turns fifty
Heat Wave
Major Lazer x Notting Hill Carnival session on RBMA Radio
Lights Down Low
Four hour set from Theo Parrish on RBMA Radio
The Hundreds In The Hands
PanamériKa turns 100
On The Double
Hyperdub Special on RBMA Radio
Green Professors
RBMA Radio at Oxegen Festival
Cabride Reveries
SonarDome x RBMA Radio
Parclife
Primavera Sound Special on RBMA Radio
Move With It
Movement Festival Detroit on RBMA Radio
future roots experiments
dublab focus on RBMA Radio
D10
Dissonanze special on RBMA Radio
Rappin’ All Over
New hip hop shows on RBMA Radio
Zombie Nation
RBMA residency at Fabric kicks off with Brainfeeder
Tech The High Road
RBMA and RA hit the Royal Festival Hall
Sublime Frequencies
RBMA Culture Clash feat. Trojan, Soul ll Soul, Metalheadz and DMZ
Hitek House
Future Garage Special on RBMA Radio
Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah!
Disco special on RBMA Radio
Bubble Metropolis
Detroit Special on RBMA Radio
Listen Death From Above
DFA label spotlight on Red Bull Music Academy Radio
Chords Got Soul
Soul singers tune up on RBMA Radio
Dub Be Good To Me
The London-Kingston love affair on RBMA Radio
Making Waves
Mavericks of an era on Red Bull Music Academy Radio
Africa Center Of The World
Continental Focus on RBMA Radio
I Hear You Singing In The Wire
Wichita Records Label Special on RBMA Radio
Northern Soul
WARP/ED special on RBMA
Be Reasonable, People
Warp Records Label Special on RBMA Radio
No Ice Cream Sounds
Notting Hill Carnival Special on RBMA Radio
Yes We Cannes
Festival Pantiero special on RBMA Radio
Break A Dawn
Nachtdigital Special on RBMA Radio
Pips and Blanks
Domino Special on RBMA Radio
Punchestown Drunk Love
Oxegen festival special on RBMA Radio
Beats It
Beats Special on RBMA Radio
Catalunya Calling (Back)
Red Bull Music Academy presents SónarDôme 2009
Dem A Call Us Pirates…
RBMA Radio takes over Lisbon's airwaves