Throughout two dynamic weekends, attendees witnessed an array of music performances, DJ sets, and a thought-provoking four-day art exhibition entitled Universal Metabolism. Harry Glass the Co-curator of Atonal explains: “The idea was to plant something into this empty, industrial space and let it grow. The festival serves as a host to this living organism. Each individual act is like another mutation.” From the eyes of Adriano Rosselli, the director of Atonal’s art program since 2017, “Atonal is like a giant concrete stomach digesting the visitors, processing them, each artistic organ performing its own function and swooshing the audience around its insides.”

Ten years ago, Atonal created a new chapter in the festival’s history; today is considered the uterus of the European experimental underground art scene by giving birth to avant-garde movements and the creative minds of tomorrow. What Atonal represents is raw and creates a rare feeling of hope for the creative community. The creators allow their art to flow freely, expressing their emotions, creative obsessions and visions without being hampered by rules, trends, and expectations. Atonal is a middle finger in the face of overwhelming mediocracy and artistic homogeneity.

Some engagement with Atonal’s performers leads us to the following statements: “The underground creative scene is sick of the network of gatekeepers prioritising commodifying artists, alcohol and ticket sales. That’s why we need institutions like Atonal to function as a safe place for any experimental artist. The heartbeat of Berlin is sick of any semblance of culture and Atonal is like an electric shock needed straight to the heart. It allows the rise of serious, innovative players who truly love the core of art and music.”

The experience: By entering the gates of Kraftwerk, the venue encompasses five levels, with the primary stage situated on the fourth floor, capturing immediate attention with a striking, twenty-meter-high opening from stage to ceiling. The ground floor reminds a representation of the Divine Comedy illustrated by Botticelli. 

During this pre-midnight phase, the music performances were mainly contemplative and intellectually engaging, rather than solely focused on ecstatic dancing or raving. The result seemed almost ethereal during the DJ set of Lostboi & Torus‘ playing dynamic ambient trance mixed with melodic pop elements and Marta De Pascalis‘ “Sky Flesh” inviting sine-wave progressions with many attendees enjoying the experience in a state of meditation.  

After midnight, the top floor of Kraftwerk shuts down, marking a mood shift. In Atonal, there is an unwritten rule that is considered a significant part of Berlin’s nightlife, the early hours are dedicated to dancing. The first weekend featured an array of groundbreaking acts that left attendees in awe, with music running as early as 6:30 p.m. and as late as 10 a.m. the next day.