Journey to the Center of Sónar 2023: An Immersive Experience with Techno House, Reggaeton & More
The festival, attended by over 123,000 people, has closed with the beats of Erick Prydz, Bad Gyal and Little Simz
These days in Barcelona (Spain), you can feel the summer vibes, but also the electronic music scene. It was challenging to walk among the tall Venetian towers of Plaça Espanya without tapping your feet to the rhythm of the techno that filled the Barcelona Fira’s roof. Sónar 2023 has given us – once again – a historic edition to celebrate its 30th anniversary, and we at LOS40 didn’t want to miss it for anything in the world.
The festival, held from June 15 to 17, featured over 250 acts this year, including concerts and DJ sets, as well as masterclasses, talks, and forums from 20 different countries in its Sónar by Day format. And yes, AI has also made a strong impact on music: Sónar+D 2023 provided a creative platform to showcase the latest technological advancements in music composition.
But that’s not all: Sónar by Night, which took place from sunset onwards in the enormous – seriously, enormous – venue of Fira de L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, left us in awe when we read its lineup. It was an epic list that included some of the most important names in the global clubbing scene and icons of Generation Z: Aphex Twin, Eric Prydz, BiCEP live, Bad Gyal, Fever Ray, Peggy Gou, Little Simz, La Zowi, Samantha Hudson, Alizz, and Honey Dijon, among others.
From Erick Prydz’s Techno House to Bad Gyal’s Perreo Dembow
At LOS40, we wanted to be part of the closing of one of the festival’s most iconic editions, which has been thrilling the Catalan capital for 30 years. And we can say that it’s not something you can simply tell, you have to experience it. From the moment you step into the Sónar venue, the music and lights engulf you in what has become a (almost) religious experience for many techno lovers.
The first thing that strikes you is the vast place filled with details to ensure that despite the tens of thousands of people, each attendee has their own space within the venue, divided into thematic rooms. In each of them, the props, lights, and sounds change, creating distinct worlds within the festival.
By the way, if you’ve never seen a whale flying in the middle of a good techno house session, then you haven’t seen Eric Prydz in action. The Swedish DJ, who rose to fame in 2004 with his track ‘Call On Me’, was one of the headliners of the lineup. His presence was highly anticipated because he was coming to present his long-awaited HOLO, a spectacular immersive and three-dimensional show where visuals crossed the main screen.
Minutes later, we decided to enter another dimension by crossing the main room and heading to SonarCar, a glamorous stage adorned with a velvet curtain, where we started hearing Samantha Hudson’s ‘Burguesa Arruinada,’ presenting her EP ‘AOVE Black Label.’ It was a more intimate gathering, where the artist’s prodigious voice, along with the sparkles, latex, and brilliant performances, created an atmosphere that blended seamlessly with the best influences of 90s voguing. Hundreds of people chanted hits like ‘Vodka Redbull’ in unison while the room filled with the essence of voguing.
But we also wanted some 2000s flow, so we quickly positioned ourselves strategically as Bad Gyal’s show began. The Catalan artist is another essential figure at the festival and delivered a dazzling performance marked by attention to detail.
We know that in each of her meticulously planned shows, the interpreter of ‘Fiebre’ wants to leave her personal mark and treat us to some unreleased tracks, as well as versions and remixes that we danced to exclusively (in fact, we thought we heard the rumored remix of ‘Chulo’ with Tokischa and Young Miko clearly). All of this was accompanied by stunning dancehall-inspired choreography. In one of her songs (‘Slim Thick’), she speaks of the future, but we affirm it in the present: Bad Gyal IS a star.
The night progressed almost without us realizing it, and the paths diverged into different rooms with diverse styles. On one hand, Alizzz began his special DJ set, ‘Club 2000.’ It was a liberating vibe that called for the same diversity that other artists like Logic1000 or SHERELLE xKode9 brought to the festival stages. On the other hand, Parkineos started his session, mixing trap and hyperpop with hardtext and hardcore. Other current names also heated up the rooms, such as Orlosk, Mareo: Chico Blanco b2b 8kitoo, Rusowsky, and Oro Jondo.
We ended the day with power, once again enveloped in velvet curtains to watch La Zowi present her latest work, ‘La Reina del Sur,’ a dazzling mixtape that vibrates to the rhythm of trap and reggaeton, accompanied by her loyal community of fans who made the artist shine even brighter. We moved from ‘Bitch Mode’ to immerse ourselves in the universe of Little Simz, a journey through reggae, blues, and synth-rock. The British rapper was one of the night’s highlights, with a powerful voice that captivated thousands of people.
Sónar 2023 bid farewell with performances by Amelie Lens, DJ Holographic b2b DJ Minx, and Ángel Molina, providing a complete, diverse, and pioneering experience in both musical and technological aspects.
What more can we say? It has just ended, and we already want to see what one of the electronic festivals with the most international renown has prepared for the next edition.