Atlas Electronic is a Moroccan-Dutch organization that organizes an annual music festival in
Marrakesh. Its members operate from Morocco and the Netherlands, aiming to support various organizations and their projects in Morocco; according to ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'', it focuses on "underground music and cross-cultural collaborations". It was founded by Karim Mrabti, who grew up in
Rotterdam
Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"Ne ...
, the Netherlands.
Festival
The festival is held annually since 2016, in an ecolodge, the Villa Janna outside of
Marrakesh; organizer Mrabti found the place via AirBnB.
[ The festival stood out, according to ''Scene'', because besides ]Gnawa
The Gnawa (or Gnaoua, Ghanawa, Ghanawi, Gnawi'; Arabic: ڭناوة) are an ethnic group inhabiting Morocco.
The name Gnawa probably originated in the indigenous language of North Africa and the Sahara Desert. The phonology of this term accordi ...
and other African music, it had such things as art exhibitions, cycling tours, and cooking demonstrations. Mrabti used to promote dance parties in the Netherlands, and organized the first festival within a year after the first conception.Floating Points
Sam Shepherd, known professionally as Floating Points, is a British electronic music producer, DJ, and musician. He is the founder of Pluto Records, co-founder of Eglo Records and leader of a 16-piece group called Floating Points Ensemble.
Bi ...
, and Chilean DJ Shanti Celeste, was attended by a reviewer from ''The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...
'', who called it "a stunning Marrakech weekender".[
Mrabti has since moved from Rotterdam to Morocco. The fourth installment, in 2019, has "mobility" as its theme.][ Besides DJs and musicians, there are daily events and workshops, panels, and presentations pertaining to the topic of mobility and a variety of socio-economic issues.]
2016 edition
The inaugural festival opened with shows by James Holden and Maallem Houssam Guinia (son of Mahmoud Guinia
Mahmoud Guinia ( ar, محمود ﯕينيا, and rarely or ; also spelled Gania, Guinea or Khania; 1951 – 2 August 2015) was a Moroccan Gnawa musician, singer and guembri player, who was traditionally regarded as a Maâllem (), i.e. master. T ...
).DVS1
Zak Khutoretsky, also known as DVS1 is an American DJ and techno producer based out of Minneapolis. He has toured extensively, headlined international music festivals such as Decibel and Dekmantel, and played along the likes of techno pioneers ...
*Optimo
Optimo Espacio ('Optimum Space') was a weekly Sunday-night club based in Glasgow, Scotland at the Sub Club on Jamaica Street, as well as a collective moniker for the night's resident DJ duo. Having run every week since it was founded in 1997, on ...
(DJ duo)
*Wu15
*Bambounou
* Philou Louzolo
*Fred P aka Black Jazz Consortium
2019 edition
*Abdullah Miniawy (EG)
*Alexa Kruger (UK)
*ASNA (CI)
*Crystallmess (FR)
*Dollypran - live (MA)
*Driss Bennis (MA)
*Esa (SA)
*GAN GAH (BE)
*Gary Gritness - live (FR)
*Guedra Guedra - live (MA)
*Hadj Sameer (FR)
*Houariyat — live (MA)
*ISSAM (MA)
*James Holden & Maalem Houssam Guinia - live (UK/MA)
*Jayson Wynters (UK)
*Jazar Crew (PS)
*K15 (UK)
*Kamaal Williams — live (UK)
*KAMYN - live (MA)
*Kosh (MA)
*Kreggo (IT)
*Louise Chen (FR)
*Luka Productions - live (ML)
*Maalem Hassan El Gadiri (MA)
*mad miran (NL)
*Mar & Sol Soundsystem (PT)
*Microdosing (UK)
*MMMC (MA)
*Nonku Phiri - live (SA)
*Noritsu (MA)
*OJOO GYAL (MA)
*Otim Alpha & Leo Palayeng - live (UG)
*Penny Penny - live (SA)
*Polyswitch (MA)
*RE:BOOT (DE)
*REALM (MA)
* Sicaria Sound (UK)
*Skotek (MA)
*Soraya (UK)
*Sukitoa o Namau - live (FR)
*Tarwa N Tiniri – live (MA)
*Tom Simmert (DE)
*Viewtiful Joe - live (FR)
*VOST (MA)
*Whirldfuzzz (UK)
*Yasmean (MA)
References
External links
*
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Culture in Marrakesh
Music festivals in Morocco