SVD & MUTEK ES present Counterculture

Once again, SVD has teamed up with MUTEK and Reebok to organize a new series of interviews in collaboration with Radio Primavera Sound. Jokkoo Collective, Marina Herlop and Chica Gang, who closed the night with a high voltage DJ Set, were joined by GUZZU founders Arnau Sabaté and Frankie Pizá, who, alongside oma totem from Hivern Discs and Alex Puig, explained the benefits of web 3.0 and blockchain technology. Is another way of behaving and operating on the internet possible? Yes, of course, and it is suitable. We'll see if the future will prove them right. At the moment, let's stay here and now. Last Friday, March 11 at 5:00 pm, the event began with the talks, which could be followed in streaming, and concluded with Chica Gang at the turntables.

We all have our own definition of counterculture. However, as different as they may be, they all agree that it is an invitation to break established norms and dominant ways of life; a creative explosion with revolutionary potential. It's not so much the subject that matters as the position from which you take up the challenge: a critical and active attitude from which you decide not to miss out on your life. Reebok reiterates the principle of its 1984 campaign “Life is not a spectator sport” to encourage us to embrace our passions, celebrate our individuality and actively participate in the surrounding world. It is precisely this mindset that prompted the brand to partner with MUTEK for the fifth consecutive year in a pop-up event that took place in the recently inaugurated multicultural space of SVD, whose aim is amplifying the voice of Barcelona's diverse, disruptive and empowered creative scene.

The interviews began with three members of the Jokkoo collective: Mookie, Baba Sy, a Senegalese DJ residing in Barcelona, and Maguette Dieng, a Barcelona DJ of Senegalese origin. The collective was born in 2017 in order to spread sounds from the most electronic and contemporary scene of the African continent, rhythms unknown in the West and emerging from the underground, such as Gqom, Singeli, Balani, Future Dancehall…

Then, Marina Herlop took the floor to address the themes of technique and aesthetics. Trained at the Conservatory, her career has been marked by a growing interest in electronics. Rhythms from another dimension, layers of processed vocals and organic finishing, her universe exudes great beauty without giving up its complexity, making her one of the most brilliant, curious and interesting composers in Catalonia. “To people who want to dedicate themselves to music, I would advise them to follow their intuition. If it's what you really want, and you feel it represents you, go for it, otherwise focus on something else that really fulfills you”.

And then came the turn of Chica Gang, a duo composed of Rocío and Albal that has been setting the dancefloor on fire since 2017 with electronic rhythms inspired by the most underground clubbing. Tired of the almost non-existent visibility of female producers and artists, record labels run by men and the clearly male target of the music industry, the project was born from CHICA: a platform created by women with the intention of promoting female-LGTBIQ+ art and creating a safe space in the Madrid nightlife. “Despite the fact that there is no shortage of projects, collectives, initiatives… we feel that there are no spaces where to carry them out. People are eager to do things”.

This first block concluded with Arnau Sabaté and Frankie Pizá, the founders of GUZZU, a web 3.0 music community and the first marketplace of second generation NFTs in the world, supported by oma_totem (Hivern Discs) and Alex Puig. They talked about web 3.0, exclusivity and ownership on the internet, where artists from all over the world will find new ways of capitalization that did not exist until now, and where fans will also be able to invest in and profit from the projects they believe in the most. NFTs are being defined: digital assets linked to smart contracts that represent new status symbols for future generations.

There was no better way to finish than with an explosive DJ set by Chica Gang in their most alternative style. The set design was in charge of Committee Studio and the filming set included furniture by Cristian Herrera Dalmau.

And so was the first volume of Counterculture, the multidisciplinary platform of SVD where renowned artists and emerging talents can express themselves with their own voice. A new space that will serve to freely give visibility to artists who, like the best parties, seemed hidden; nothing further from reality. The party is here and we are all invited.

Texto by METAL Magazine
Photos by MUTEK ES