Written by Theo Stamatiou
Photos by @offbrandproject.eth and @souleymanphoto
We are only 10 days away from SXM Festival in Saint Marteen and the daily schedule was just released! So many renowned artists and new talent will make the decision of which stage to go to and when pretty difficult – but also fun at the same time. Check out the full schedule by day and five artists not to miss below!
Wednesday March 8th
Starting at Arc Stage on Wednesday is Grammy award winner Black Coffee, who considered one of the pioneers of kwaito, a gritty fusion of low-tempo house music and urban African vibes, which preceded the now globally recognised Afro-house and amapiano genres. He had a very successful summer residency at the world-famous Hï Ibiza, filling his season with a roster of top-tier talent. And to top it all off, he produced two tracks on Drake’s new album ‘Honestly, Nevermind’.
Meanwhile at the Ocean Stage we have Astra Club, a musical experience by DJ Tennis and Carlita designed to bridge the gap between DJ sets and live shows. DJ Tennis and Carlita are unpredictable curators and master selectors who challenge each other, and their audiences, to listen with curiosity and get down to a wide range of music. More than a party, Astra Club is a show that elevates clubbing into a memorable and tangible experience; igniting the dance floors and opening the minds of everyone lucky enough to attend.
Thursday March 9th
Moving to Thursday at Arc Stage a global ambassador of techno from Napoli is Marco Carola. Marco was instrumental in the development of the electronic music in the 90s and he still continues today after his successful residency at Amnesia, Ibiza to becoming infamous for his marathon sets.
On the ocean stage will be Apollonia, the French trio — consisting of Dan Ghenacia, Shonky and Dyed Soundorom — have been slowly but surely bringing the sound of the after-party to the biggest rooms and stages on the planet. Apollonia with a groovy, stripped-back underground house music has already experienced an extended stay in Ibiza, talk boats in Paris and the evolution of the underground, DC-10 family.
Friday March 10th
Fast forwarding to Friday at Arc Stage will be the Liverpool duo CamelPhat. Which over the past few years has seen a meteoric rise. The pair grafted in Liverpool-based record shops and labels for a number of years before forming CamelPhat in 2010. It wasn’t until their ‘Cola’ tune with Elderbrook was picked up by Defected that they smashed into the charts. It even got nominated for a Grammy. Since then, tracks such as ‘Panic Room’, ‘Breathe’ and ‘Be Someone’ — all collected together on their ‘Dark Matters’ album — have helped propel them to the top. With hosting duties at Hï Ibiza and Ushuaïat.
Sunday March 12th
But this is only the beginning of the weekend with more between and much more to follow, including boat parties and the infamous villa party. So purchase your ticket now and experience a long musical weekend in Saint Marteen like no other.