Sónar’s program includes every year several immersive shows for the senses defined by their new and innovative onstage production. These shows use advanced technology and creative processes involving artists from different fields, which establish interdisciplinary dialogues and produce powerful on stage results.
On Thursday 18th SonarHall will host one of this year’s most important creative collaborations, the highly anticipated Arca show, with disturbing images provided by designer Jesse Kanda. On the same day and stage a show will take place uniting German musician Atom™ and Australian artist Robin Fox under their joint pseudonym Double Vision – combining lasers, video and sound experiments-; as well as the Lee Gamble concert, whose geometric abstract rhythms will be translated to screen by renowned London artist Dave Gaskarth.
Two performances at Sónar by Day will bear the signature of Mancunian visual creator Emmanuel Biard. Firstly, the Evian Christ concert where Biard’s design plays with smoke and light bulbs to create three-dimensional curtains. Secondly, “The Well”, a project with emerging Welsh producer Koreless, one of the most interesting creators of atmospheric electronica in the UK right now
Also worth mentioning will be the exclusive premiere of“Blueprint”, a stunning show that talks about the cosmos and architecture, designed by the French artist Joanie Lemerciertogether with Tectonic label founder, James Ginzburg.
And of course two essential artists performing at Sónar by Day: Squarepusher, with a new live show for which he has also designed reactive visuals for his abrasive sounds; and Holly Herndon, the laptop music muse who has worked together on her live shows with the renowned Japanese director Akihiko Taniguchi and Amsterdam design studio Metahaven.
Following Sónar’s commitment to new media art and sound installations, the festival will present two large and exceptional pieces of work within Sónar+D.
Firstly, on behalf of the Sónar and Sorigué Foundation initiative, the kinetic sculpture RGB|CMY Kinetic, designed by German studioART+COM, submission winners for the SonarPLANTA piece. This large format piece will present a dialogue between primary colours (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow) and additives (Red, Green, Blue, that make up television images) through five discs activated by industrial precision machinery. The piece’s music is by Icelandic composerÓlafur Arnalds, and combines sound and movement as one.
Secondly, Sónar 2015 presents Nyloïd, an impressive tripod-shaped spider sculpture created by Swiss pairing André and Michel Décosterd; consisting of three six meter long limbs animated by a sophisticated mechanism and advanced audio devices.
Several of the visuals at Sónar by Night’s biggest shows have been designed by leading designers and artists. This is certainly the case for the spectacular new live show from The Chemical Brothers, where they will debut their new album and will once again work with their long-time collaborator, the English filmmaker Adam Smith.
Flying Lotus, will also present an immersive 3D show on dual screens, created together with up-and-coming visual artistsStrangeloop & Timeboy.
Meanwhile, Siriusmodeselektor (Modeselektor and Siriusmo) will present a new project involving Berlin studio Pfadfinderei, who are also responsible for commissioning the new visual live show forTiga, on which he has also worked with Finnish director Helmi.
The Iranian-born American DJ Dubfire has also worked closely with the visual artists team Volvox Lab, who have added another dimension to his live sets.ç
With virtual reality set to launch on the consumer market in a question of months, this technology and its applications will be granted a marquee presence among the disruptive technologies on show at this year’s Sónar +D.
Visual artist Aaron Koblin and video clip director Chris Milk will be presenting their innovative VR production company VRSE at Sónar, along with a keynote speech. At the same time the pair have commissioned 10 VR films, showing in a specially constructed space called Realities+D.
Virtual reality will also have a significant presence at MarketLab, with industry leading Dutch company WildVeemd presenting its work to both professionals and the general public.
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