Portugal’s Sonic Sanctuary

Our in-depth report from Neopop Festival, held this summer from August 8th to 10th in Viana do Castelo

Over three electrifying summer days, Neopop Festival 2024 transformed the historic Forte de Santiago da Barra in Portugal into a mecca of techno artistry. Set against the awe-inspiring backdrop of the Atlantic coast, this 17th edition reaffirmed Viana do Castelo’s stature as the beating heart of the global techno circuit, drawing thousands of devotees from over 50 countries to this otherwise tranquil seaside town. What unfolded was not merely a festival but an immersive pilgrimage, where techno’s essence—its roots, its present, and its future—was explored and exalted.

Neopop Festival 2024 was a surreal sensory marathon, an out-of-body experience where reality dissolved into a chaotic melting pot of pounding beats, glitchy textures, and overwhelming strobe lights. The electro-charged atmosphere solidified Viana do Castelo’s identity as a global techno hub. The festival’s lineup was a masterclass in curation, featuring electronic legends with rising stars. Highlights included powerful performances from Lewis Fautzi B2B Oscar Mulero, Freddy K, Jeff Mills, Héctor Oaks, Klangkuenstler, Chris Liebing B2B Luke Slater, Ogazon b2b Ryan Elliott, Ruuar, Amelie Lens, and Sama Abdulhadi. These sets were enhanced by state-of-the-art visuals and stage designs from the renowned DubLab. The venue’s aesthetic, inspired by WipEout—the first video game to draw from rave culture—was brought to life with Play 2 Rave, a creation of Studio Bruto and Serafim Mendes.

“An out-of-body experience, inspired by video games, which combines electronic music, melodic elements, and glitchy textures in a reality that is both immersive and daring.”

Amelie Lens at Neo-Stage
Jeff Mills at Neo-Stage

“By reimagining the idea of a playground from the future, this gaming landscape transforms into a labyrinth of discovery, open for exploration by the entire rave community. A celebration of electronic culture, where sonic and visual adventurers lead us through the most distinct realms of dance music.”

Among the most anticipated performances, the debut of Lewis Fautzi B2B Oscar Mulero on the Heineken Anti Stage stood out, exploring the darker, more intricate realms of techno. The duo’s complex set, layered with deeply physical and fluid sounds, exemplifies Neopop’s commitment to showcasing established icons and emerging talent. Freddy K—aka Alessio Armeni—also took the Heineken Anti Stage, an unmistakable figure in the electronic scene since the 1990s. A staunch advocate of vinyl, the Italian artist and producer fed the high-energy sounds festivalgoers craved with tension-building arrangements and a 360-degree style unburdened by commercial circuits. Detroit techno visionary Jeff Mills, widely regarded as one of the founding figures of techno, unsurprisingly delivered a remarkable performance at Neopop, nothing short of a masterclass in futurism.  His set on the Neo Stage was a journey through minimalist, industrial beats that felt both timeless and ahead of its time, leaving an indelible mark in our soul. Following Mills, Héctor Oaks unleashed a relentless set of driving contemporary pulses, keeping the dance floor in constant motion for two exhilarating hours. His infectious energy permeated the crowd, making his set one of the weekend’s undeniable highlights.

Freddie K at Anti-Stage
Hektor Oaks at Anti-Stage

Another iconic B2B performance came from techno heavyweights Chris Liebing and Luke Slater, a clash of titans that left the audience spellbound. Their unrelenting soundscapes demonstrated the essence of techno while infusing it with a modern, refined approach that spoke to the genre’s evolution. Klangkuenstler, whose vision has been reshaping the genre’s boundaries, took the Neo Stage by storm. His performance was the last one on Friday morning shifted the mood into an intense, almost dystopian tunnel vision, driven by raw, unfiltered rhythms that encapsulated the primal energy of the festival. On Saturday Ruuar’s set, a near-annual staple at Neopop, was a revelation in itself. The duo, a collaboration between Pedro Rebelo and Hugo Bastos, crafted a sonic journey that acted as a vessel for collective escapism, driving the crowd into a trance-like state with their hypnotic rhythms and immersive soundscapes. As the festival reached its crescendo, Amelie Lens took to the Neo Stage, her avant-trance and acid-infused techno creating an atmosphere of euphoric intensity. Her set was a masterful blend of past, present, and future sounds, pushing the boundaries of what techno can be. Closing the festival with an unforgettable performance, Sama’ Abdulhadi, the queen of the Palestinian techno scene, delivered a dynamic set inspired by the underground rave culture of Lebanon, infused with subtle nods to Arabic melodies. It was a fitting finale, a celebration of techno’s diversity, resilience, and its ongoing evolution with the music driving on late into the morning—culminating on the last day with beats still pounding until 11:30 am, capturing the essence of a true rave experience.

From start to finish, Neopop Festival 2024 was impeccably organized, a seamless blend of logistics and artistry that reflected the deep-rooted passion for music in Viana do Castelo and Portugal. The entire event exuded a vibrant vibe, with a beautiful, diverse crowd that embodied the spirit of the festival, making it a shining example of how music can unite and elevate both a place and its people.

Chris Liebling b2b Luke Slater
Victoria & Biia at NeoStage
Nico Moreno at NeoStage
Richie Hawtin at NeoStage

Portugal’s Sonic Sanctuary / Neopop 2024

Credits:

Location: Viana do Castelo, Portugal
www.neopopfestival.com | @neopopfestival
Words: Kenzie Barrena / @kenziebarrena
Editors: Anca Macavei / @ancamacavei
Marco Giuliano / @marcogiuliano
Special thanks: Rosalie de Meyer / @studiodemeyer
Jonathan Alvarez / @studio.bruto

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