This week SonarMix takes us into the sonic universe of Rumbler, a producer and DJ from Barcelona who’ll debut at Sónar this year. "I found my motivation again after a complicated few months on an artistic and personal level," he admits. "I recorded this mix to get rid of the thorn in my side, as I hadn't recorded a studio set for more than a year. It's been very liberating.”

SonarMix 038 is "a journey through different genres and textures, something dynamic that seeks a balance between current tracks and timeless classics". Rumbler's stylistic range includes everything from footwork and jungle to dembow and ambient music; on this mix, which opens with Batu’s ‘seams’ and Alleged Witches' ‘Dukun’, groove and percussion are the common thread. “I felt I needed to revisit my sound, redefine it and reconnect with it. That's something I think I've achieved with this mix."

The initial mood is dark,  warm, even intimate, before the tempo picks up with cuts like DJ JM 's ‘Syze’ and Big Miz's ‘Sponk 900’. The first vocals appear halfway through, with Lady Lykez’ ‘Wicked Gyal’, produced by BAMBII, who’ll also appear at Sónar 2024 back-to-back with C.FRIM. There are powerful drops - Vroom's remix of Capricorn's Belgian rave classic ‘20Hz’ - and the pitch picks up with Andruss' "Agáchalo", before an emotional conclusion: a Biff 'n' Memphis edit of E'Voke's ‘Runaway’.

For his set at Sónar by Day on Thursday 13th June, Rumbler will tread the line between preparation and improvisation. "Although I usually improvise quite a lot, I have some ideas in mind that I think might come together, especially since it's such a big festival (...) I'm inspired by artists like Objekt, JASSS, Ploy or Tzusing and I want to take a similar approach to them. It will be a fresh, fun and very danceable set".

Tracklist:

Batu - seams

Alleged Witches - Dukun

Precious Touch - The Owl

Mamukata - Oumma (Afro Club Version)

Guber - Cilicia Late Distensis

Freak Family - In Africa

Sam One - Kitale

DJ JM - Syze

Ploy - Vortex (Stripped Mix)

Big Miz - Sponk 900

Antranig - Big Ass Drums

Young Muscle - Beat Up By The Drum

Tristan Arp - Coil

BAMBII & Lady Lykez - Wicked Gyal

Bakongo - Tribal Warrior

Aroent - Say (Ploy Remix)

Capricorn - 20Hz (Vroom Remix)

Stenny - Fortress

Chrissy - Depeche Moines (Denham Audio Remix)

TSVI & DJ JM - Xus Lord

Andruss - Agáchalo

DJ Nukem & Chab - Shaiva Part 2

Delay Grounds - Doumo

Lucas SM - With Touching Distance (Syz Drumzmix)

E’Voke - Runaway (Biff ’n’ Memphis Edit)