The 2022 Edition of the SXM Festival was held from March 9 to 13 in Saint-Martin / Sint Maarten. The event largely lived up to the expectations of a large audience, impatient to celebrate electronic music in the broadest sense, after a year of forced absence.
A gargantuan program bringing together the best DJs from all over the world, breathtaking sites (enhanced by a scenography both original and futuristic), the winning recipe for the SXM Festival once again worked out perfectly, to the delight of its participants.
As for music, selecting the “2022 favorites” is very difficult, as the number of talents present was, once again, outstanding. To name but a few, hats off to the Italian DJ Tennis, the Danes of WhoMadeWho for their live performance, the Guatemalan Gordo or the American duo of Audiofly who, perched on the highest point of the island, ensured a mix offering a 360° panorama. Without forgetting the unmissable Dubfire and Marco Carola… Top level only! Regional artists, especially from Guadeloupe, were also well represented this year, with Ivan de la Ganesherie, DJ R’daye, DJ One and Scented. (Editor’s note: find their comments at the end of this article).
In terms of venues, while most of the artists performed on the main stages (located on Happy Bay beach), the festival also offered many opportunities to party all over the island, whether offshore on the deck of a boat, at the top of a hill or on the beaches of satellite bars, on both French and Dutch sides.
In terms of atmosphere, participants from the Caribbean and around the world quickly soaked up the “friendly island” ambiance! The audience, with an average age of around 30-35, was obviously happy to celebrate the event, with big smiles and positive vibes. Indeed the event was cleverly thought out, so that you would never feel rushed, even surrounded by the 4000 people present daily by the big stages!
As for other favorites, we cannot fail to mention the “LUGU TEST AREA”, creating remarkable scenographies since the birth of the Festival, always surprisingly original. This Franco-Portuguese couple travels the world to create the sets for huge festivals such as Universo Paralello in Brazil, Boom in Portugal, Symbiosis in California and many others. Recognized for their “ecological” dimension, they mainly use recycled materials to create grandiose, interactive and often luminous installations.
This year, organizer Julian Prince prompted them with the theme of the 5th dimension, so the future was in the spotlight… A seemingly radiant future for this festival
Testimonials from artists from Guadeloupe:
DJ Ivan of the Ganesherie (EleKtropiK Touch)
“SXM is my favorite festival! I have had the chance to contribute as an ambassador for the West Indies & to play here as an artist since it was born. Over time, very beautiful musical & friendly stories have been created, in particular with Julian, creator of the event.”
Artistic crush: the WhoMadeWho live
Favorite spot: Ocean Stage.
DJ R’Daye (Afrofuture)
“This festival offers many DJs the chance to become internationally known and it allows a very cosmopolitan public to discover the Caribbean.”
Artistic crush: Andy Scorda
Favorite spot: Boho Beach.
Scented (House – Techno)
“The number of stages is impressive and the different locations chosen are superb, especially thanks to the set up. I had a lot of fun playing on Boho Beach.”
Artistic crush: Konstantin Sibold
Favorite spot: Boho Beach.
DJ One (DeepHouse – Techno)
“It is a chance to have such programming and this level of organization in the Caribbean. I particularly appreciated the sound quality of the installations, especially on Boho Beach..
Artistic crush: Innellea
Favorite spot: Happy Bay.
Crédits photo : 1.©Phil AF photographie 2. 3. 4.©Mathflow
CONTACT
www.sxmfestival.com
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/SxmFestival/
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/sxmfestival/
