Sónar 2015: The line-up by days (and nights)

The 22nd edition of the International Festival of Advanced Music and New Media Art of Barcelona (aka Sónar) kicks off with Sónar by Day at the Fira de Montjuïc with acts including British danceable quintet Hot Chip, fronted by Alexis Taylor and Joe Goddard, regulars at the festival, and now have two chances to present their sixth album, 'Why Make Sense?' (2015), closing Sónar by Day on Thursday and playing Sónar by Night on Friday. You'll also see Arca, the project from a young producer born in Caracas who has seduced big names such as FKA Twigs and Kanye West and who has come up with a new sound that's very much his own and that could chart new territory for the future of electronic music. Also performing are Autechre, one of the most admired and respected acts in the world of abstract and experimental electronica, who are back at Sónar after nearly two decades since their only showing at the festival in 1996; the UK's Kindness, a key player in current synth pop; Double Vision, a show that brings German producer Atom™ together with images and lighting design by Australian artist Robin Fox; J.E.T.S., a project that unites two of the most excentric and clever characters of dance music in our time, Jimmy Edgar and Travis Stewart (aka Machinedrum). Spanish artists representing include Valencia's Jupiter Lion and their cosmic kraut.

The second day of Sónar by Day brings to the stage live performances from the likes of Britain's Squarepusher, who's premiering his new album, 'Damogen Furies' (2015) in a powerful and aggressive show with outstanding audiovisual content; prodigious Canadian Owen Pallett, known as much for his string arrangements and his talent as a violinist as he is as a producer, vocalist and resourceful composer who sees the big picture; Floating Points, DJ, producer and cofounder of UK's Eglo Records and an expert in bringing together house, soul, hip hop and jazz in a thousand different ways; KTL, a project featuring two of the key figures at the forefront of sound art of our time, Peter Rehberg (aka Pita, head of Editions Mego) and Stephen O'Malley (leader of drone-metal Sunn O)))). The festival will also welcome Arthur Baker, one of the most legendary producers of electro, hip hop and electronica; the moody and danceable techno of Kiasmos, produced by Ólafur Arnalds and Janus Rasmussen (Bloodgroup); and young British producer Vessel, an expert in exploring complex sound landscapes.

When night falls on Barcelona, Sónar moves from the Fira de Montjuïc to the Fira Gran Vía to get you dancing till the sun comes up with live music and DJ sessions like those starring superstar DJs such as Skrillex and Jamie xx; regulars to the festival like the South Africans Die Antwoord and the UK's Hot Chip (their second performance at the festival); Sophie, who's recently collaborated with and conquered big names like Madonna, Diplo and Nicki Minaj with his (her?) rhythms in line with PC Music; A$AP Rocky, the charismatic star of hip hop who comes to Sónar with his new album, ''At.Long.Last.A$AP' (2015) – the MC from Harlem enjoyed great public and critical success with his two first albums, the mixtape 'Live.Love.A$AP' (2011) and the LP 'Long.Live.A$AP' (2013), with Skrillex, Drake and Kendrick Lamar, among other collaborators. Rocky also has participated on tracks for other more mainstream biggies, including Rihanna, Justin Timberlake and Lana Del Rey.

The final day of Sónar by Day 2015 welcomes the Adenuga brothers, Jamie and Joseph, better known as Jme and Skepta, respectively, who have come a long way from sharing one computer to produce their tracks to become a supergroup of grime; Evian Christ, a young British producer with his own sound that starts from a techno base and branches out to explore complex sound territories in shows with big sensory impact; German producer Henrik Schwarz, a veteran of the European deep house scene; female stars on the scene such as American composer Holly Herndon and her dystopic worlds of sound; The Bug, the most solid project of all those started up by Kevin Martin, an essential figure on the British underground urban electronica scene; Bomba Estereo from Colombia; chillwave from Spain's Fernando Lagreca; and experimental machine rock from Catalans CaboSanRoque.

Sónar says àdeu to its 22nd edition with a nighttime programme that will have the whole city shaking, with a the new show from that spectacular Manchester duo, The Chemical Brothers (also starring in the exclusive inaugural concert on Thursday 18), who have redefined the concept of live electronic music over the last 20 years and are now back collaborating with visual artist and producer Adam Smith. You'll also be able to check out classics of electro-pop Duran Duran, who have a new album in the works for a 2015 release; alternative R&B with FKA Twigs, one of the big success stories of 2014 thanks to her debut album, the groundbreaking 'LP1' (2014); Steven Ellison, known as Flying Lotus, who has deservedly won unanimous praise and status as a cosmic hip hop genius; the explosive mixes of trap, hip hop, R&B and reggaeton of PXXR GVNG, a social media phenomenon; Siriusmodeselektor, a group made of three brilliant talents (Siriusmo + Modeselektor + Pfadfinderei); South Africa's Black Coffee; and classics like Laurent Garnier, a key component in contemporary electronica.