SOUND WAVES: The Evolution of Portugal’s Iconic Techno Festival

Wilson Neves and Bernardo Bernardes of Soundwaves

The SOUND WAVES Festival, launched 19 years ago, has grown from a modest event into a prominent fixture in Portugal’s electronic music scene. Pioneering the introduction of electronic music festivals in the country, SOUND WAVES has continually evolved, maintaining steady growth with each edition. The festival’s unique format, which features over 20 hours of non-stop techno and hard techno music, aims to recreate the essence of old-school raves with contemporary sounds. Curating the lineup for the 17th edition involves a meticulous selection process, focusing on both renowned international artists and emerging talents to offer a dynamic and inclusive experience. This blend ensures that the festival appeals to seasoned techno enthusiasts and newcomers alike. Balancing the festival’s rich legacy with the ever-evolving trends of the techno scene is a delicate task, but the strong DNA of Sound Waves keeps its essence intact.

This year, the return of notable artists like Deborah de Luca, alongside headliners such as I Hate Models and Sara Landry, promises an exhilarating experience. The festival’s commitment to showcasing live sets alongside DJ performances further enriches the rave atmosphere, providing a complete and immersive experience for attendees. As Sound Waves continues to attract thousands of techno fans each year, the organizers face increasing challenges but strive to improve the event with each iteration. The upcoming 2024 edition is set to be the most impressive yet, featuring the best lineup, enhanced audiovisuals, and superior conditions, ensuring a spectacular experience for all rave and underground culture enthusiasts.

Classic Entourage Magazine: What inspired the inception of the Sound Waves festival 19 years ago, and how has the festival evolved over time?

Bernardo Bernardes: Sound Waves started out as a small event, but year after year it grew and gained more notoriety. It was a pioneering event for electronic music in Portugal because it was one of the first electronic music festivals in Portugal.
The festival has evolved a lot year after year and has maintained a gradual growth in every edition.

CE Mag: Sound Waves festival is known for its extensive duration of over 20 hours non-stop within the Techno and Hard Techno scene. What led to this unique format, and how do you ensure the energy and excitement remain high throughout the event?

Wilson Neves: Sound Waves is a unique format in which the aim is to ‘recreate’ an old school rave with the latest electronic music.
The public is very prepared when they come to the event, and they already know that they’re in for 20 hours of good music, great energy and unforgettable moments.

CE Mag: Could you share some insights into the process of curating the lineup for the 17th edition of Sound Waves in Esmoriz, Portugal? What criteria do you consider when selecting artists?

Bernardo Bernardes: We were looking for artists who hadn’t been to Portugal very often, such as Sara Landry, Azyr, I hate models, Franck and others, with a mix of international reference artists like Deborah de Luca or Shlomo. We’re looking to create a line-up of more than 20 hours with top artists!

CE Mag: The lineup for the 17th edition of Sound Waves festival features a diverse mix of international and national talents, ranging from established icons to emerging artists. Can you elaborate on the process of crafting a lineup that not only showcases renowned artists like I Hate Models but also introduces fresh talents like Franck to the audience?

Wilson Neves: We’re looking for a mix of international references in electronic music and artists who are now appearing on the scene. We’re interested in reading the older school audience with the younger audience that’s entering the underground at the moment.

CE Mag: How do you ensure a balance between honoring the festival’s legacy and embracing new trends in the techno scene?

Bernardo Bernardes: Sometimes it’s difficult because techno is becoming more and more mainstream, but Sound Waves’ DNA has been ingrained for many years and our essence is already very strong!

Over the years we’ve always tried to be pioneers when it comes to electronic music, and we’ve tried to feature the artists who are the strongest at the moment.

Bernardo Bernardes

CE Mag: Deborah de Luca returns to the festival after 7 years. What factors influenced her inclusion in this year’s lineup, and what can festival-goers expect from her performance?

Wilson Neves: Deborah is an artist who already played at Sound Waves in 2017, she played in the afternoon and filled the festival! We’re very much looking forward to having her with us again, she’s an artist who has marked the history of the festival and who we love very much.

CE Mag: With artists like I Hate Models and Sara Landry headlining, how do you ensure the lineup appeals to both seasoned techno enthusiasts and newcomers to the genre?

Bernardo Bernardes: Sometimes it’s hard to get the kind of audience we want, but we believe that, like everything else in life, music evolves, and Sound Waves can’t stand still in time. Over the years we’ve always tried to be pioneers when it comes to electronic music, and we’ve tried to feature the artists who are the strongest at the moment.

CE Mag: The festival features a mix of live sets and DJ performances. Could you discuss the decision-making process behind including both formats in the lineup?

Wilson Neves: It’s always interesting to have live sets at the event, it’s a different experience for the public and what we’re interested in is giving the best and most complete experience to all our ravers.

CE Mag: Sound Waves has gained a reputation for showcasing rising talents alongside established names. How do you discover and support emerging artists within the techno scene?

Bernardo Bernardes: We always try to stay on top of the market and the artists who are growing up in the scene, we look for new artists because we believe they will be the future, sometimes we close down artists who aren’t making a splash yet and after 7 months they’re at the festival and the public is already moving for them!

CE Mag: Sound Waves festival has become a staple event in the techno scene, drawing thousands of attendees each year. What challenges have you faced in organizing such a large-scale event, and how have you overcome them to ensure the festival’s success and continued growth?

Wilson Neves: As the festival grows, the organisation also becomes more complex. Year after year we try to create better conditions for our audience and we always try to add something better from edition to edition.

CE Mag: Finally, what makes the summer 2024 edition of Sound Waves Festival stand out from previous editions, and what are you most excited for festival-goers to experience this year?

Bernardo Bernardes: Sound Waves 2024 will be the best edition ever. The public can count on the best line-up, more audiovisuals, better conditions and a spectacular experience for those who love rave and underground culture.