John Talabot b2b Pional
If there is a before and after in the Spanish electronica scene, here is the reason: John Talabot and Pional – from Barcelona and Madrid, respectively – are two key talents without which it would be impossible to explain the contemporary panorama in our country.
Each has carved out a solo career and earned well-deserved recognition beyond our borders, but the mutual respect they have for each other makes them perfect ‘partners in crime’. From the very beginning they have shared the stage, collaborated on acclaimed and unforgettable tracks such as “So Will Be Now…” and “Destiny”, and produced music for labels like Young Turks and Kitsuné under the Lost Scripts alias.
Next June they will meet in Madrid for what promises to be a momentous b2b at Paraíso. All we can know for sure is that they will transport us to a unique place of signature electronica and exquisite and elegant sound, as only they know how to do.
If friends are the family you choose, they have chosen well. They may not be blood brothers, but brothers they are in the end.
Lauren Hansom
Lauren Hansom has been breaking the rules. Her genre-crossing, era-spanning sets have got the alarm bells ringing, and now neither we nor much of the underground circuit can get her out of our heads.
For Lauren, there are no limits when it comes to exploring music. Her keen sensibility serves her well when mixing and depicting sound narratives. She’ll just as easily move from disco beats to hypnotic loops, from eighties indie to avant-garde techno, and that’s when the dancefloor catches fire.
Next June, at Paraíso 2022, Lauren promises to take us into luminous and uncharted terrains of electronica music where she won’t take no for an answer: you’re going to have to give her this dance.
Jan Swam
Jan Swam is the new aka of the artist Savino. Associated with the Madrid-based Chineurs collective, he has recently embarked on a new direction with the launch of Organic Signs, a label that welcomes any form of expression that looks to the past to try and build bridges into the future.
Under this new alias, Jan Swam starts from the premise that sound is a living entity that can mutate through accelerated melodies and experimental tempos. We will see him give form to this proposal of hybrid sets for the first time in Paraíso 2022, using live instruments and a sound discourse that mixes dub, goa and rave melodies and the entire range of bpms.
Ben UFO
There is clearly something very special – almost extra-terrestrial– about Ben UFO, with his combination of pulsating rhythms of dubstep, house, garage, grime and old-school hip hop and his exquisite and highly original threading of tempos, styles and ambiences.
His tremendously successful sets are taking experimental and obscure dance music to clubbers all over the world, and his dizzying sounds are bringing euphoria to the dancefloor while cementing his reputation as one of the most daring DJs and selectors around today.
His early influences were drum ‘n’ bass and jungle and the UK rave culture which fed his appetite for English rhythms. Now an established musician, he has co-founded the label Hessle Audio, which has its own slot on Rinse FM, through which he makes connections and explores new ideas and shares his energy and enthusiasm for electronic music. Something tells us that, rather than blood, what flows through his veins are beats!
Axel Boman
Axel Boman’s sound is almost synaesthetic. The dreamlike landscapes he conveys through disco rhythms and trenchant beats are brimming with life and colour. They are made to be enjoyed with all five senses.
There are plenty of reasons why his name resonates as one of the main agitators of the Swedish underground. For years he has been bringing a dose of magic to Stockholm’s clubs. Today he is co-founder and A&R of Studio Barnhus, a label which, alongside his partners Kornél Kovács and Petter Nordkvist, he has succeeded in turning into one of the most prestigious music publishing companies on the North European scene.
Almost a decade after the release of his debut album, the acclaimed Family Vacation (2013), Axel Boman is beginning a new chapter in 2022 with LUZ and Quest for fire, a masterpiece spread over two entirely complementary and indissoluble albums: a layered piece of work for curious ears eager to dig deeper.
Next June, Axel travels from Sweden to Madrid to present this new work at Paraíso, one of the first venues on his tour, and inject us with that extra dose of his talent we so crave.
Ears On Earth
Ears On Earth are like keen gem diggers, always on the lookout for unusual sounds to resuscitate. This is the shared passion that brought together Jai, Danilo and Pascal Moscheni, three exceptional Djs who just over three years ago set up their own label, Ears On Earth.
They are regulars at Madrid venues like Siroco, Club Malasaña and Specka, which they flood with euphoria and good vibes with sets that include all the exotic and almost otherworldly melodies they love so much: from techno to roots music, disco to house, or whatever the occasion requires.
Ears on Earth will come to Paraíso next June to create a true soundsystem. It will be such a unique occasion we are sure you won’t be able to take your feet off the dance floor.
TWO EX
Adriana and Rosa are TWO EX. For this couple of friends and passionate music lovers, each set is an intrepid journey into the confines of downtempo, acid, disco, 90s house or techno, a spatial journey infused with hypnotic touches and brimming with energy and good vibes.
The connection between Adriana and Rosa is almost magical. Their working method is to improvise in the booth, making each occasion a unique and memorable set. They also have a very clear objective: to set the dancefloor on fire.
They are regulars at venues such as El Sótano, Sol, Club Ballesta and Café Berlín. And yes, they are always the right choice.
Seth Troxler
Seth Troxler is a big name on both sides of the Atlantic. He has achieved the status of a living legend in electronic music, establishing himself as one of the most sought-after DJs. He tours the world with a clear goal: to set club and festival floors alight and spread his unique concept of dance music.
A native of Detroit, Seth Troxler carries the city’s signature sound. But it wasn’t until he decided to explore new horizons and move to Berlin that his career really took off, reaching the stratosphere and attracting critical and clubbers’ praise alike and topping the DJ rankings on Resident Advisor, the bible of electronica.
He is a regular at some of the most demanding and internationally renowned clubs, such as Fabric and Nordstern, as well as at major festivals around the globe. He divides his time between managing the labels Play It Say It, Soft Touch Records and Tuskegee Music. And as if that wasn’t enough, Seth Troxler still finds time to travel and enrich his sound, following his own unique path, one that has taken him to such lofty heights and where the next stopping place is Paraíso 2022.
Flaca
In Madrid or in Buenos Aires, in clubs or at festivals, the dancefloor is hers. Charisma? Yes. Endless energy? That too.
Flaca is the shining example of national perreo and a reference on the urban scene. She is also known for catalysing female talent and promoting safe spaces for women through the CHICA collective, of which she is a member.
Milestones such as her celebrated set at Boiler Room or her tours of Latin America have cemented her status as a pioneer in the new wave of Latin music. Her sets combine cumbia, guaracha, reggaeton and rap. Yes, perreo right down to the floor.
Cascales
Cascales has spent a lifetime dedicated to music, combining his work as a specialised journalist with a career as a DJ and programmer. He has been a resident DJ at the emblematic Museo Chicote in Madrid, and you’ll often find him behind the decks at venues such as the Teatro Barceló or Cool.
Eight years ago he founded ‘Bling!’, a party devoted to urban music, with residencies in Madrid and Barcelona, and in 2020 he launched ‘Glitter!’. Both were conceived as safe and inclusive spaces for the LGTB public.
We could say many things about Cascales, but what stands out the most is his flair for mixing R’n’B, hip-hop and other urban styles. With him it’s impossible to not to move to the rhythm.