32 photos of SXM Festival's proud return to paradise
SXM Festival 2019 brings fresh underground sounds to the Caribbean
Widely regarded as one of clubland's most stunning and bohemian getaways, SXM Festival on the island of St. Martin in the Caribbean is an experience that excels in bringing gorgeous line-ups of underground talent to paradise for five-days of unremitting revelry and love.
The event comes a year after SXM had to postpone its 2018 event following Hurricane Irma- the tropical storm that decimated the island in late 2017 and damaged over 90 per cent of all its structures; 60 per cent of which were deemed totally uninhabitable.
Following an extensive rebuilding process - which the SXM team participated in wholeheartedly - St. Martin is back to the paradise it once was with brand new hotels, villas, clubs, pristine beaches, restaurants, casinos and more.
Welcoming the global party elite back to the island for its much-anticipated return, the 2019 edition of SXM Festival locked in a bounty of house and techno all-stars for this tremendous, 120-hour dance music ordeal.
Setting up shop at various breathtaking locations throughout the island, the line-up boasted talent such as Guy Gerber, Francesca Lombardo, Marco Carola, Axel Boman, Nicole Moudaber, Blond:ish, Rebolledo and more.
Among the festival's highlights were Stranger Than Boat Party with Thugfucker and M.A.N.D.Y as well as Francesca Lombardo and Molly's b2b on the newly revamped Ocean Stage at the festival's hub in Happy Bay.
The Jungle Party presented by London's FUSE crew at the private nature reserve, Lotterie Farm, was also an unforgettable affair. Drawing power from their lush surroundings, the label's conductors Seb Zito, Archie Hamilton and Enzo Siragusa threw down a sensational demonstration of their signature sound.
The festival's main stage, The Arc at Happy Bay, was controlled by an onslaught of riveting DJs who kept the crowd gliding across the stage's sandy dancefloor from sun up to sun down. Sounding off from Saturday night into Sunday morning, Sonja Moonear, Zip and Ricardo Villalobos regaled everyone with memorable performances that left the crowd both dizzy and elated. The final night at the Arc Stage was wrapped up by Apollonia and Dubfire who gave SXM Festival 2019 a proper sendoff with a blazing and sincere sonic intensity.
Paradise is not easily found... but with each passing edition, clubland loyalists and roving electronic music fanatics alike find that SXM Festival is the slice of Eden they've been searching for. An event filled with rare energy, adventure and some of the most engaging dance music on earth, it's a trip to paradise that is well worth making.
Check out 32 photos of SXM Festival's 2019 event below.
Cameron is Mixmag's Jr. Editor. Follow him on Twitter
[Photos: Michael Poselski, Alec Donnell Luna, Geoffrey Hubbel]
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