Did you attend Sónar 2025 in Barcelona? Are you thinking of hitting the 2026 edition? Check out my 6 Best Sets of Sónar 2025 and be sure to let me know who your favorite acts were from this year as well!
As always, I need to preface this list by saying that there were many amazing acts this year, some that became new favorites, and some that missed the mark for me, which is all a matter of personal taste. A handful of killer acts just didn’t fit into my schedule across Sónar’s three day of music, and some of those that I was looking forward to fell a little flat and I ended up exploring some new and previously unknown acts. That’s just the nature of large-scale fests and packed lineups, and part of what I love about Sónar is that even if you divert from your plan you’re sure to find something interesting!
If you’re looking for a Sónar 2025 official guide for the legendary Barcelona festival, you can find that here.
Keep reading below for my 6 best sets of Sónar 2025 (in no particular order)!
Best Sets of Sónar 2025 in Barcelona
NATHY PELUSO
Photo Credit: Carlota Serarols
The Argentinian-born, Spanish-raised singer dropped GRASA last year, and the energy she brought to stage lived up to the album’s hype. In recent years I’ve tended to drift away from the main stage and hang around the “smaller” acts (in reality not to small, but easier stages to navigate and in my opinion better sound quality), but Nathy Peluso was a must-see for me. The mix of reggaeton, hip-hop, and traditional styles was the perfect recipe to kick off the festival’s final night.
DIXON
The famed German selector is one of my all-tie favorite DJs due to his relentless stream of unreleased ID’s and flawless blending of various styles of electronic music. On Saturday, we left the sensory magic of Eric Prydz early in order to catch the entirety of the cult curator’s set. He did not disappoint! One of my favorite moments of a great weekend.
DEE DIGGS b2b ULTRA NATÉ
Just before 5am the rain came down and cooled the dancefloor, lasting just a couple of songs info the ultimate house-heavy set full of iconic anthems to end a weekend of everything from experimental to industrial to breaks. Eventually the floor filled up as Brooklyn-based house connoisseur Dee Diggs threw down classic after classic alongside heroine of the genre, Ultra Naté. A peak moment was definitely singing “Free” with a massive crowd of Sónar sunrisers!
PA SALIEU
Photo Credit: Nerea Coll
My group and I planned to catch just a couple of songs from the UK’s Pau Salieu, who brought his unique mix of afro beats and hip-hop to the Sónar Lab x Printworks stage. His energy and presence, in front of a killer live band, had us stick around till the end of his set! When I mention catching unplanned or unknown acts, this is exactly what I love about Sónar. At nearly every edition, I find myself drawn to a stage outside of my original schedule and end up loving it.
HIROKO YAMAMURA
Chicago legend Hiroko Yamamura was an absolute gem of Sónar 2025. Hailing from the Windy City, she embodies what the late 90s and early 2000s jacking house and driving, groovy techno are all about. Track after track brought energetic buildups, sustained and interesting blends, and perfectly timed drops. Don’t miss her if you have the chance!
SKRILLEX b2b BLAWAN
I unfortunately wasn’t able to see Blawan, one of my favorite producers in recent years, perform at Sónar By Day on Thursday. Due to that scheduling conflict, I split from my friends on Saturday as they went to see Armin van Buuren b2b Indira Paganotta and went solo to Blawan and Skrillex’s bass-heavy b2b. It was one of the best decisions I made all weekend, as I was treated to a surprising (for those more familiar with Skrillex’s American EDM hits of years past) mix of dirty breaks, true old school dubstep, and heavy low-end tunes to keep my feet moving.
Best Sets of Sónar 2025 in Barcelona
Did I miss any of your favorite acts from this year’s Sónar Festival in Barcelona? Feel free to drop a line on social or in the comments and let me know what you think!
