This year’s July edition of Sónar Barcelona will represent the full spectrum of contemporary electronica, with artists from around the world and every genre imaginable.

In a crowded field, one of the highlights has to be the return of ARCA to SonarHall. One of the festivals’ favourite artists, the relentlessly inventive musician and performer will reign again over Sónar by Day with a new show comprising previously unreleased material. Early reports suggest this to be exhilarating, overwhelming and extreme, adjectives that pretty much perfectly sum up everything they touch.

At Sónar by Night, UNDERWORLD will offer an impressive audiovisual show at SonarClub. The mythical British duo will present the themes of their recent “Drift”, and will recover immortal hits from their career and the electronics of the 90’s, such as “Born Slippy”, “Rez”, “Cowgirl” or “Dark & Long”. VINCE STAPLES, one of the most respected MCs of American hip hop in recent years, will debut at the festival with a concert at Sónar by Night, featuring songs from his excellent “Big Fish Theory” and “FM!”, albums loaded with imaginative and precise beats, whose unique energy will be channeled on stage to spectacular effect.

The great FOUR TET will offer his only Spanish festival appearance of 2019. DJ KOZE, whose “Knock Knock” was one of the albums of 2018, will helm a closing set at SonarPub, where the renowned British DJ DANIEL AVERY will also play. Also at Sónar by Night, house and techno sets from two of the most revered up and coming producers on the circuit; DJ SEINFELD and MALL GRAB, and a unique back to back set from PEGGY GOU and PALMS TRAX, the perfect pairing to bring up the sun at SonarLab, the stage co-curated with Resident Advisor. And pride of place at SonarCar, the BODY & SOUL collective, referents of New York house who will take the reins for a 6hr set, steered by legendary DJs FRANÇOIS KEVORKIAN, JOE CLAUSSELL and DANNY KRIVIT.

KAYTRANADA (presenting their long-awaited new album) and veteran WAAJEED, an illustrious figure on the Detroit scene, will bring high doses of groove and new funk to the great pleasure of Sónar’s nocturnal audience. Meanwhile, in a more futuristic and advanced terrain, the brilliant JLIN will offer new routes for techno and footwork with her passionate live on SonarLab. In addition, Sónar 2019 will feature shows by three artists that project current hip hop to a new dimension: Irish MC REJJIE SNOW, multi-instrumentalist trap-jazz MASEGO and sensational Parisian rapper LOMEPAL.

Rounding out the announcement are a number of high-profile artists performing at Sónar by Day: DAPHNI, with a 2hr closing set on the first day of the event; the great EROL ALKAN celebrating the end of the festival on Saturday at SonarVillage; the excellent DESERT, dropping perfectly crafted synth pop gems at SonarHall; and the A/V show from MAX COOPER who will also be performing with Bruce Brubaker as Glassforms at SonarComplex. LEON VYNEHALL, one of the most brilliant and versatile creators in the UK today, will also be playing a set of house and open and emotional electronics at SonarVillage.