Of all Istanbul’s varied festivals, none carry international name recognition quite like Sónar. The two-day event held at Zorlu PSM – focused on a uniquely curated experience dedicated to music, creativity, and technology – is an offshoot of the massively successful mainstay held annually in Barcelona. This year’s local sophomore effort, taking place on Friday 6 and Saturday 7 April, evolved on the triumphs of last year’s debut for a memorable weekend of international and local high-profile performers, hands-on workshops, inspiring conferences, niche panels, fascinating screenings, and much more.
After arriving to the festival and receiving the weekend’s program, the initial major stand-out is undoubtedly the vast and varied scope of offerings. Divided into a program largely echoing the three main pillars (music, creativity, and technology), organizers make wise use of the many spaces that Zorlu PSM offers by simultaneously hosting their diverse program. Notable standouts (for this author) from the rich program include keynotes on issues like “Humanity’s Most Serious Challenge”, panels on “A.I. Aesthetics”, “Art and Science”, and “New Music: The Industry, The Consumer & Behavior”, mini lectures on “Music Videos in VR: A Selection of Case Studies”, and workshops like “Design for Good” by imece and “Video and LED Mapping”. All this without even approaching the main attraction, which is of course the impressive array of electronic performers, most hailing from across the globe. Headliner Fatboy Slim led the proceedings, alongside major names like Roosevelet, Booka Shade, Forest Swords, Jon Hopkins, Black Coffee, Flava D, and Rival Consoles. Complimenting these performers is a strong backbone of supporting acts, many of whom likely garnered plenty of new fans by the festival’s conclusion.
Having arrived just in time to catch Roosevelt, built around the talents of Cologne-based musician and producer Marius Lauber, my expectations were immediately thrown into question. Having expected to catch a DJ emphatically tinkering away at a laptop, it was a welcome surprise to catch a full band (equipped with two drummers) energetically leading the charge into the late hours of the opening night. Regularly performing in the city, Roosevelt have clearly cultivated a strong following, with plenty of fans singing along and cheering them to continue on with their unique blend of electro-pop, dreamscape sounds. The enormous concert hall, dubbed SonarClub, was the perfect space – thundering with sound and effectively setting an electric tone using their impressive lighting system.
After catching a bit of the following Berlin-based juggernaut electronic duo that is Booka Shade, and admittedly quite enjoying their melodic hooks and various incorporated remixes, I wandered about the premises for the sake of exploration. The nearby SonarLab (put together in collaboration with Red Bull Music) made use of Zorlu PSM’s intimate Studio space and was putting together a noteworthy case for being serious main stage competition. Levni, born in Vienna and raised in Istanbul, offered a quality dose of blended influences, boasting clearly Turkish sounds partnered alongside elements of hip-hop, jazz, and electronic.
As my wanderings continued – passing through a lobby which was equipped with performances of its own, and also featured places to eat, lounge, or take in the various stands that were set up – I eventually found myself at SonarHall for what was my greatest discovery of the weekend. Forest Swords, the brainchild of UK electronic artist and composer Matthew Barnes, were essentially a merging of performance art and lush electronic sounds. Quietly featuring a musician on trumpet and the usual DJ set-up, the hall offered comfortable seats to catch the visually stunning backdrops superimposed on the performers as they progressed through their set. Intending only to stay for a moment, their set seemingly passed in the blink of an eye, and continues to linger on the mind.
In addition to musical offerings, Saturday brought with it the bulk of the program catered to the creativity and technology sectors. One such organization, seamlessly blending both elements, is Istanbul’s imece, who hosted their “Design for Good” workshop in the late afternoon. Taking place in the +D Lounge (put together in collaboration with Digilogue), the workshop echoes the social innovation mission that fuels the imece platform. The workshop encouraged participants to question the accessibility of the festival, bouncing off the platform’s third incubation program which centered on ‘reducing inequalities’. With a variety of represented disciplines, including design, art, business, and tech, attendees were asked to design a proposal for a complete festival experience, including a communications campaign and complimentary materials that would facilitate the participation of hearing impaired individuals, as well as to design products for the 2019 edition of Sónar to improve the audience experience for those with reduced mobility.
The early afternoon boasted two especially intriguing mini lectures, “Performance and Creative Consumption in Social VR” and “Music Videos in VR: A Selection of Case Studies”. The first, led by Lance G. Powell Jr. of Bug Lab and VR First BAU, and assisted by Jonas Kgomo, set the stage for discussion on the exciting possibilities and challenges of virtual reality in the markets of today and the future. Following, Michael Barngrover (representing the same institutions) provided a more concrete impression with a fascinating look in the specific case studies he selected. Complimented by the presence of VR booths set up within the festival, attendees were able to get first hand experiences with otherwise expensive and often inaccessible equipment that will likely have a big impact on future festival and media experiences.
Ultimately, what brought me to the festival was the late evening line-up of Jon Hopkins to Black Coffee to Fatboy Slim. Hopkins, still buoyed by the success of his last full-length “Immunity” provided a rare (as of late) appearance to electrify the crowd and showcase a bit of what we might expect on his forthcoming LP. A master of production, it was no surprise that SonarClub began to fill up substantially in the build up. Following suit, South Africa’s Black Coffee continued on what was an epic last couple of years for the DJ and producer, having collaborated with Drake and putting forth several well received mixes. His two hour set ranged from hip hop, to funk, to house, and a variety of other notable influences. Always in tune with the audience vibe, his performance will likely go down as the weekend’s most memorable.
Of course, no review would be complete without appropriate, passionate emphasis on the 1990s nostalgia detour in the form of legend Fatboy Slim. Bringing in fans of all ages and musical sensibilities, the concert salon was reaching fever pitch in anticipation of this year’s headliner. While some may have worried that a 54 year old Norman Quentin Cook might not still be compatible with the stage presence that made him a UK household name over 20 years ago, it took only a moment before all doubts were erased. His unique sense of humor and self-awareness shined through in a visual performance that complimented a set which was wholesomely accessible and featured hits past and present, both his own and borrowed. While certainly not catered to the more devout electronic followers of today, he was a fresh reminder of the value in chasing down our roots.
As many stayed behind to catch the concluding performers, which likely saw them spill out onto the streets in the morning light, this festival-goer found it especially comforting that an easily accessible festival in central Istanbul had a little bit of something for everyone.
