Ortigia Sound System
BY Vivian Yeung
Based in Sicily, Ortigia Sound System is a smaller festival with a local feel, framed by the wonderful gastronomy in the area. Its afterparties take place in an unnamed countryside location, truly off the beaten path.
Chosen for: Preserving Culture and Innovation.
Taking place in July each year, Ortigia Sound System is an annual celebration of electronic music and art, hosting a roster of international and local acts in the old town of Syracuse, on Ortygia island in eastern Sicily. Though there’s an international presence on the line-up, the festival’s team is made up of Sicilian natives or those from neighbouring areas. As a result, Ortigia manages to retain a low-key atmosphere, bringing cutting-edge acts to a local audience.
The location is breathtaking too, with the festival utilising the natural wonders of its surroundings to compelling effect. There are three main highlights: in the hot, sweltering afternoons, festival-goers venture to the Lido at Riviera Dionisio II Grande for a few sun-drenched hours. Here, they sprawl on the sunbeds, dance to Italian selectors – such as Lamusa II – have a knees up to unpredictable, thrilling sets from artists such as Kelman Duran; or opt to take a swim in the silky, warm waters of the Mediterranean sea.
Sicily is renowned for its food, and in the evenings a mixture of festival-goers and artists can be seen dining and enjoying fresh seafood delights; there’s sea urchin linguine, tuna tartare and bowls of mussels dotted around the tables near the festival’s main site. Up on a hill in the Old Town, the festival stages a line-up of forward-thinking electronic artists, such as Lyra Pramuk and Loraine James. Then, there’s the afters. A minibus ride away, festival-goers are transported to a remote area in the countryside. The space is so unknown that it doesn’t have a name. Much like its surroundings, Ortigia feels like a dose of zen. The highlights of Sicilian culture are a key feature here, with a castle located by its stage in the evening. At Ortigia, the hedonism of rave culture is paired with wonderful gastronomy and languid summer afternoons.
Ortigia Sound System takes place at Siracusa, Italy, on 26-30 July 2023.
