Torino’s summer heat, 125,000 ravers and six stages built for chaos, Kappa FuturFestival proved that techno and art history make an unlikely but perfect match.
We are a product of our environment, and the energy on a dancefloor is no different.
That’s why the minute I got onto Kappa Futur Festival’s site, I knew it was going to be a good weekend. Drenched in Torino’s July sun and home to 125,000 people, KFF’s site is formed of six stages anchored by two giant post-industrial structures, decorated in graffiti (notably, “Free Gaza”). A natural home for pulsing techno, debauchery and a dash of Italian flair.
As we explored the six stages on offer, sprays of cooling mist provided well-deserved respite for the ravers emerging from the Futur stage, a 26-metre long metal post-industrial structure with a crowd that never quits. Rainbows from the mist framed their relieved faces, before they turned on their heels and were ready to go again.
I’d heard a lot about KFF—some of my friends from the UK had gone when they were just 19—but I find it hard to capture the essence of somewhere until I experience it for myself. Immediately it became clear this is this kind of festival you want to roll deep for. Get 20 of your mates on board, dress to sweat (drip), and split up into camps of taste.
Head to Futur for the likes of Armin Van Buuren, Solomon, and Boys Noize; its younger sister stage, Voyager, for some Mochakk, Maceo Plex and Ki/Ki; Sonar for the hard techno heroes like Novah, KUKO and Onlynumbers; LAB and Kosmo for the underground and minimal heads; and finally, Nova for the likes of Peggy Gou and experimental B2Bs. Kappa welcomes all ages starting at 18+, but the heat is no match for fresh legs, and our hearts were warmed watching new and old dance music obsessions ignite. Who needs rest when you have the Italian prerogative to party?
We were lucky enough to be invited on the art and techno tour, a VIP experience courtesy of the festival, but anyone can get a ticket. The Futur’ in the festival’s name is a nod to Futurism, the early 20th century art movement that began in nearby Milan. We visited public and private art collections, artist studios and a range of museums and galleries curated by our extremely knowledgeable and charming tour guide, Monica (also thanks to Steve for wrangling us), before dancing from the afternoon till early morning. KFF’s commitment to the location’s art history is what makes seeing music through their eyes so wonderful. Giving electronic music the respect it deserves as an artform is something that shows up time and time again in how good a festival really is as ‘an experience’, once you look past the line-up and hype. You can always tell when the production team and everyone in attendance gets it, because it gives an event meaning, not just a good time.
With a line-up this comprehensive you can’t possibly review it all, but let’s give it a go. There were expected highs like Richie Hawtin at Nova, and the much talked about Sammy Virji, who made his debut on the Futur stage to a massive crowd, dropping UK Garage and euphoric vocals like Aretha Franklin’s ‘Deeper Love’. His and Fred again..’s ‘Talk of the Town’ was mixed into Uffie’s ‘A.D.D. S.U.V. (Armand Van Helden Vocal Remix)‘, which sent the crowd fist-bumping all the way from the back to the front. At Nova, Red Axes and DJ Tennis played under their alias Redrago, one of the Confidence Man DJs (the other was absent) teamed up with Erol Alkan to deliver a bouncy and flamboyant vibe akin to a house party, and Daphni took us to upbeat hypnotic house paradise. Four Tet burned down Voyager. Elsewhere, Adiel and Quest provided chills once more (both in the day and at the afters). The duo have been playing together for some time now, and their delivery is always seamless. This time was no different, the king and queen of Italy had their subjects fan-clacking into Sunday afternoon to tribal and deep trippy techno.
A highlight of any event is seeing people you admire play for the first time. While I already love his production, it was my first time properly seeing Objekt, and he blew us away. Objekt is a wizard on the decks, possessing an endearing poker face that never wavers, whether he is delivering curls, bends or grime-spiked tracks that make you pull that face. Within the first 30 minutes, the majority of the crowd had crawled out from the shade to the very front.
At the LAB on Sunday, we were treated to a meaty three-hour extended set from Jane Fitz and R.P.R Soundsystem’s Rhadoo, and settled in for the duration. Both were on fire with Jane grinning ear to ear. Sprawling deep house and Italo Disco blends were the soundtrack to our afternoon. Dukwa’s recent release ‘Gave It To You’ and synth-pop classic Heaven 17’s ‘Let Me Go’ were welcomed by cheers from the crowd. We were also lucky to catch Rhadoo’s rominimal techno set at the afters on Sunday morning and the end of his Kosmo set too. Chef’s kiss.
The after-parties are a must, and the choice is vast. KFF boasts a stacked line-up across the city’s clubs, including Audiodrome, Azimut, Bunker, Centralino, Notorius, Q35 Warehouse and ONE, as well as the modern art museum, Castello di Rivoli. Our new hyperfixation came when we least expected it, before Adiel and Quest’s B2B at the after party at Azimut, when Zerø graced us with his electric high-energy set—an obvious weekend highlight. He piqued our interest with UK Garage, we were doodling hearts in our notebook at ‘Mood Swings’ by Little Simz, and by the time he handed over to Adiel and Quest with ‘Tuff Stuff’ by Brink, we were smitten Instagram followers. Bravo, Zero.
Next, we need to talk about Speedy J’s STOOR Live sessions, which closed the LAB stage on Friday and Sunday. Each performance saw Speedy J joined by two artists for an improvised live set, with the trio facing one another on separate rigs, meaning no one could touch anyone else’s set-up. I ask Speedy J if they rehearse beforehand and he gives the low down: “Every STOOR Live session is improvised, there are no rehearsals and we meet in that particular constellation for the first time during sound check. That’s when we make sure all our gear works together technically and syncs up properly. It’s the first time we hear what the possibilities are for that group. All we bring is our gear, our experience and intuition. When the show starts we press play and trust it will work out somehow, and it always does. It’s about trusting each other and trusting the process. It’s a matter of just surrendering to the unknown and having fun.”
The format requires a huge amount of trust and communication. Essentially operating like a live orchestra. They take turns to play, relying on visual cues to battle off each other’s energy like a ping-pong match, building tension and a highly-skilled improvised set. Perfection.
In some ways, KFF is a young person’s rite of passage (like the UK’s Parklife or Reading and Leeds) but it doesn’t stop there. A huge 152 nationalities made the pilgrimage to Kappa this year because it’s the perfect blend of city break, sun and a stellar line up. Think Primavera for the techno besotted. Sounds perfect, right? It is. See you beneath the structures.
