Sónar Barcelona celebrates its 23rd year from June 16 to 18, 2016 in the two Fira de Barcelona venues, Fira Montjuïc (Sónar by Day) and Fira Gran Via (Sónar by Night).
Among the more than 150 performances on during the electronic music festival, highlights include two European premieres: the new show from ANOHNI, aka Antony Hegarty, the singer and composer of Antony and the Johnsons, along with two of the top producers working today, Oneohtrix Point Never and Hudson Mohawke, who collaborate on ANOHNI's upcoming project, 'Hopelessness'; and 'Become Ocean', an award-winning work from American composer John Luther Adams about climate change, performed by the Barcelona Symphony and Catalonia National Orchestra (OBC), in a new collaboration between Sónar and L'Auditori.
Sónar 2016 also presents live shows from electronica pioneers New Order, performing tracks from their new album, 'Music Complete' (2015); John Grant, with his thrilling mix of confessional barroque and synth pop from 'Grey Tickles, Black Pressure' (2015); and the audiovisual groove and electrofunk of Fatboy Slim.
Added to the line-up at the end of January are more stellar acts: French artist, producer and synthesizer pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre making his return to the stage; James Blake with his as-yet-unreleased new album 'Radio Silence'; Australian producer Flume, making his Sónar debut; Roots Manuva with his personal hip hop; and the new star of futuristic R&B, Kelela.
The latest currents of bass music and urban rhythms to come out of the UK have a star on the programme this year thanks to the audiovisual show from Kode9 (performed live for the first time), created along with artist and stage designer Lawrence Lek; the energy-charged show from Skepta, star of London grime; and the collaboration between King Midas Sound and Fennesz, presenting the experimental ambient dub of their joint album, 'Edition 1' (2015).
Sónar by Day offers up a party with global beats featuring sessions and performances from New York DJ Kenny Dope, half of Masters at Work; representing Parisian house label Ed Banger are Busy P, Para One and Boston Run; Chilean Matias Aguayo with his tropical techno; Chicago DJ The Black Madonna; the fusion of techno and Arabic music from French duo Acid Arab; the new grime and hip hop brought to you by Section Boyz, at the top of the list of names creating the current London sound; and the sounds of jungle colliding with dancehall and reggae from Congo Natty.
In addition, the festival will also host performances by first class artists such as John Talabot, Laurent Garnier and Four Tet (both playing 7hr sets at the all new SonarCar stage), Jackmaster, Boys Noize, Stormzy, The Martinez Brothers, Jamie Woon, Alva Noto, Byetone, Nozinja and Magic Mountain High; highly promising emerging talents Bob Moses, Red Axes, Mano Le Tough, TroyBoi and Club Cheval, and many more.
On in parallel with the music for the festival is Sónar+D, the international congress of digital culture and creative technologies, which brings to the Sónar by Day venue demos, technologic shows, talks and workshops that have to do with the future of design, music, audiovisual fields and interactivity.