15 SETS WE LOVED AT POLIFONIC
editor ELIANA CASA
For the past eight years, Polifonic Festival has returned to Masseria Capece, what used to be a sacred rural stone site tucked away in the Puglian countryside. Spread across a 35-hectare millenary olive grove, its five stages: Main Stage, Echoes, Sunrise, Magma, and Stone, feel less like conventional festival spaces and more like dialogues within the landscape, where electronic music unfolds at its own pace.
But Polifonic has never been confined to a single location or intention. This year's edition opened at Cala Maka and closed on the shores of Palme Beach, extending the experience beyond the main stage. We made the trip south to immerse ourselves in that ecosystem, and, in a way, become part of it too, with our Issue 14, LOVE, finding a home at the NSS Edicola.
What sets Polifonic apart isn't just its curation, but the way it dissolves the boundaries between music, art, design, food, and the territory. Time moved differently beneath centuries-old olive trees, where more than 35,000 people gathered every day, united by a shared love of music and community. Naturally, we left with a shortlist of the sets that stayed with us the most.
DJRUM
What better way to kick off polifonic than with British DJ and producer DJrum, whose vinyl-only set at Cala Maka brought together dubstep, drum & bass, breakcore, house, jazz, ambient, and classical influences.
DEE DIGGS
Dee Diggs was funky, joyful and exactly the shot of energy we needed. The New York DJ brought warm, groove-heavy selections that felt as radiant as Puglia's sunshine.
TIGA
At the main stage, the entire crowd was vibing to Tiga’s nostalgic club anthems, blended with modern electro and techno sounds: a perfect reflection of his signature approach to club music.
XDB B2B GIAMPMARCO ORSINI
Berlin-based Italian DJ Giammarco Orsini joined German DJ XDB on the magma stage for a hypnotic set, mixing deep, dub-inflected textures with timeless techno flow.
DONATO DOZZY
Right after his voices from the lake set, Italian visionary Donato Dozzy captivated us at the stone stage with an electronic psychedelic journey defined by meditative repetitions and expansive ambient spaces.
JOIAH
At the echoes stage, in collaboration with Rinse FM, our music editor Joiah brought her Italo-Colombian roots to the Valle d'Itria, curating a provocative, house-driven set filled with groove.
CHET FAKER
After four years, Australian singer Chet Faker returned to Polifonic, pulling the crowd in with his dreamy vocals while performing A Love for Strangers.
A GUY CALLED GERALD
A guy called Gerald brought decades of UK club heritage to Polifonic, fusing deep grooves, breakbeats, and acid-infused energy into his set.
DJ MARCELLE
Dutch DJ Marcelle was this year’s exquisite surprise. One moment we were lost in Berghain’s dark, hypnotic energy; the next, shifting into the chaotic joy of a Puglia local fair.
BEN UFO
Ben UFO is the music nerd friend we all want to have, the one with an endless record collection. His polifonic set reflected that, moving between genres, and leftfield club sounds.
TASH LC
If you didn’t know her before, now is your time to soak in Tash LC’s deep-digging selections, blending Angolan and Congolese rhythms with kuduro, soukous, and underground influences into irresistible global soundscapes.
SHACKLETON
With Euphoria Band, his latest release, Shackleton hypnotised us for over an hour with ambient, bubbling soundscapes intertwined with distorted elements, creating a surreal set.
SAMA ABDULHADI
Palestinian techno DJ and producer Sama AbdulHadi kept the crowd dancing until the sunrise with her raw, energetic set that called for a collective release and shared moment of connection.
LE MOTEL
Belgian producer Le Motel’s Polifonic set was a mix of global club influences and unexpected percussive details, creating a fluid, genre-bending momentum.
QUEST
At Le Palme Beach Club, Quest wrapped up the festival with a vinyl-driven journey through house, electro, and techno, curating a set full of groove and intricate textures.
