We felt quite spoiled last Sunday at our party at the Rivington. The weather was perfect and we couldn’t have asked for a better view or a better crowd. This was the first event we’ve had on the hotel’s rooftop – a refreshing change of atmosphere from the panoramic Penthouse room a floor below. Highlights of the evening included the watching the orange sunset, night gazing at the glistening Manhattan skyline and dancing to the deep, sultry grooves provided by our tasteful line up of talented locals. Slow Hands, Bruce Tantum, Soul Kitchen and Federico Maccherone, each delivered a flavorful set of moods and grooves from slow-chugging disco house to warm soul and classic garage hits. We do have to give a special shout out to Slow Hands for dropping Crystal Water’s “Gypsy Woman” and Robin S’s “Show Me Love” – some of our favorite old school tunes. Judging by the packed, spirited dance floor we weren’t the only ones enjoying the music…so thank you all for your support and great energy, the party hit the spot and we hope you felt the same, too!

This September, Sonar Festival – the long-running electronic music and arts festival in Barcelona – will be returning to the US for the second time since 2009. Destination: Chicago. Reputed as one of the premier festivals for modern music, Sonar’s objective has always been to give experimental and alternative artists at the forefront of the movement a platform to shine away from conventional dance music acts. The tentative line up for Sonar Chicago includes a colorful palette of unique artists such as Detroit’s electro pop wunderkind, Jimmy Edgar, Iceland’s ambient experimentalist Ben Frost and the Dutch dubstep pioneer Martyn – along with several other performers you can check out here.

The objective of Sonar Chicago is to spread the festival philosophy successfully received in its Barcelona birthright. The fest has setting up scaled down versions for years in select cities across the globe (past locations have been New York, Washington, Rome, Seoul and Sao Paulo). Unlike the majority electronic music marathons, Sonar belongs in the pool of smaller, progressive fests such as Mutek, Communikey, Decibel and Unsound – events that celebrate modern music through a creative program of interactive workshops, film, lectures along with late-night concerts and performances. It’s a clever attempt to make sure attendees come away from the experience with more than just a sore festival hangover and serious sleep debt.

Sonar Chicago is just around the corner! For more information on the program, artists and festival tickets please go to http://www.sonarchicago.com.

AUTOBRENNT Recommends: Red Bull Music Academy Radio.

Welcome to the crème de la crème of music sites: Red Bull Music Academy, the epicenter where musical universes across the globe and across generations unite on one platform, both online and on stage. We first discovered RBMA by way of their radio branch – the Academy’s main magnet for online traffic, which hosts a gold mine of exclusive and recorded mixes, live sets and “Fireside chats.” The Academy has their ear to the underground being the first and only online site we know of that gives the music we love and listen to – from Detroit to Berlin – a well-deserved spotlight alongside musical legends and mainstream talent. Their library of shows is extensive and comprehensive – it’s like browsing through an aural candy store, except everything is free to listen to. Scroll through their categorized search engine and take your pick – Michael Mayer’s set from Movement fest or a recording of Lee Scratch Perry’s live performance in Barcelona? Or how about listening to an hour of Massive Attack or an exclusive interview with Chuck D? As an influential source forefront of our global music community, RBMA is a wonderful place to tune into. You’ll never miss a beat. Quality guaranteed!