Mediterranean Futures: Movement Radio goes to Barcelona with Drawing Sonic Maps

Drawing Sonic Maps is the second part of an investigation by Movement Radio, exploring sounds and creative people from cities around the Mediterranean basin. This time, our investigation focuses on Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia located on the coast of northeastern Spain.

Adelaida explores choral and vocal music, Dania investigates occult Arabic and North African sounds and Dudu Bongo highlights the intricate network of musical and emotional connections that forms the vibrant music scene of the city. DJohnston delves deep into Mediterranean ambient and drone, Pedro Vian traces his musical DNA through old and new productions and Wará combines field recordings with contemporary experimental dance music. Yacine Belahcene Benet gathers music from Mediterranean cities, ranging from ancient, tribal sounds to more current genres while Ylia conjures a complex, dark atmosphere through IDM, dub and experimental electronics.

Giovanni Napolano (aka NPLGNN) is a musician and DJ born in Naples and residing in Barcelona. As NPLGNN, he operates inside the wide spectrum of the sound-system hardcore continuum at the intersections of mutant riddims, UK bass, ravey sounds and more abstract experimentations. As an enthusiast of electronic music and its aesthetic subcultures, part of his artistic research focuses on the emotional exchange and the concept of community on the dancefloor and around a sound-system. This has led him over the years to create and artistically direct different projects for the dissemination of electronic music and its sub-cultures; events, labels and publishing projects.

Among others, he's the head, curator and co-runner of Babylon.bcn, a series of events clashing industrial sonics and sound-system culture. He is also the had and curator of MBE series, a limited series of zines and mixtapes. More recently, he curated a two-day pop-studio of Noods Radio live in Barcelona, involving 26+ artists representing the local scene.

Participating artists

Adelaida: Adelaida lives and works on the moon. A mermaid in winter, a witch in summer; she summons her voice in a spell. Her songs are made with infinite layers of voices. Cántaro, her debut album, came out on September 28th.

Dania: Dania is a musician, and label owner of the Paralaxe Editions platform based in Barcelona, Spain, with a focus on limited edition tapes and print media.

Duda Bongo: Duda Alves (aka Dudu Bongo) is a producer, multi-instrumentalist and composer hailing from Barcelona (born in 1994). His solo project is a true expression of his musical versatility, drawing inspiration from an eclectic mix of popular music, electronic beats, and ambient soundscapes. With a keen ear for aesthetics and a deep understanding of music composition, Alves creates a unique and captivating sound that is all his own.

Howodd Bensonmum (aka DJhonston): As is common in DJs who began mixing indie and electronica (his artistic name is a tribute to singer-songwriter Daniel Johnston), DJohnston is characterized by a great versatility on the decks, which he's deployed through mixing all kinds of styles in many clubs and festivals in Barcelona, Spain and even in European temples such as Sub Club, Rex Club or Fuse.

Currently, his residency DJ at Human Club (Razzmatazz) continues to attest to a

bombproof eclecticism: Electro, Techno, Acid, Disco, Italo, New Beat, Rave... you name it! Howodd Bensonmum is his “non club” version, oriented to Ambient, Drone and post-

everything.

Pedro Vian: Pedro Vian is an electronic music producer and composer from Barcelona and the founder of the record label Modern Obscure Music.

Wará: Wará is the nickname of Fran Mora, a Sevillian music producer who has lived in Barcelona for 20 years and is known for his dark industrial techno style. He also releases music as /beyond/ and has been the founder of the Urban Legend label since 2014.

Yacine Belahcene Benet: Yacine Belahcene Benet is a singer with an Algerian father and a Catalan mother. A resident of Catalonia, he settled in Barcelona after living in Algiers until he was 13 years old. He made his stage debut with Cheb Balowski and since then has led different formations such as Nour, Rumbamazigha, Transadelica and finally Yacine & the Oriental Groove.

Ylia: Musician, producer and DJ. She came of age DJing breakbeat raves in Andalucia while studying classical piano at the conservatory, and then moved to Barcelona to study modern composition and arrangements at Taller de Musics. There she became one of the city's most well-regarded musicians, playing at the main city clubs and festivals: Sónar, Primavera Sound, Mutek, MIRA and more.