Sunwaves 33 took the best of its iconic minimal experience and seamlessly brought it to the Mediterranean coast for its debut in Spain.
Sunwaves Festival has long been a must-attend event for fans of minimal and rominimal house music, and this edition’s move from Romania’s Black Sea to Spain’s Mediterranean coast proved that its charm could transcend locations. Held from September 12–16, the 33rd edition of Sunwaves found its new home at Las Salinas Beach in Roquetas de Mar, offering the same stripped-down experience that has made the festival a must-go. With a slightly smaller footprint and just three stages compared to the usual four, Sunwaves 33 still delivered that unique underground atmosphere on a beach.
Earlier this year, Sunwaves 32 delivered another unforgettable experience on the shores of Romania’s Black Sea in Constanța, where the majority of the festival editions have taken place. While Sunwaves has happened in other locations, including Dubai, this year’s Spanish debut marked a new chapter for the festival on the Mediterranean coast.
The move to Spain could have changed the festival’s dynamic, but the Sunwaves team did a fantastic job of maintaining its signature feel.
Like Constanța in Romania, Roquetas de Mar is a remote yet accessible beach destination. The nearest city, Almería, offered more amenities than Constanța, adding an appreciated level of convenience. Despite the new location, Sunwaves was able to stay true to its roots: minimalist production, a focus on music, and affordable food and drink options.
The venue setup featured three tents lined along Las Salinas Beach, with Tent 3 acting as the epicenter for minimal and rominimal sounds from Thursday to Monday. Although the festival was slightly smaller than Sunwaves 32, the vibe was as immersive as ever. Inside the tents, large sheets of colored cloth hung from the ceiling, and minimalistic artwork adorned the DJ booths, creating a familiar environment for those who may have been in the past. Sunwaves 33 proved that while the scenery had changed, the core experience remained intact.
One of the most impressive aspects of Sunwaves is its dedicated crowd.
Whether in Romania or Spain, the audience comes for the music, and Sunwaves 33 was no different. The energy in the crowd was fantastic, with plenty of room to dance both in front of the stages and backstage. People weren’t there for Instagram moments; they were there to soak in hours of house, minimal, and tech house.
The festival felt just as intimate as previous editions, with the same unspoken understanding among attendees that this was about enjoying the music. The smaller layout didn’t detract from the overall experience, and the vibe remained consistent with what fans have come to expect from Sunwaves over the years.
Despite moving to a new location, Sunwaves 33 retained the same top-tier sound system that has defined the festival in Romania.
The Funktion-One sound system was flawless, delivering impeccable audio quality across all three tents. In fact, some of the speakers still had stickers from previous editions in Romania, reinforcing the feeling that this was the same festival in a new setting.
The production was minimal but effective. Sunwaves has never been about flashy visuals or over-the-top effects, and this edition was no different. The focus remained on the music, with simple yet striking projection-mapped artwork and colored lighting creating an immersive atmosphere that drew all attention to the DJ booths.
Tent 3 was the place to be for fans of these genres, offering non-stop music from some of the best artists in the game.
As always, the lineup at Sunwaves 33 was stacked with both new and well-established names in the minimal and rominimal scenes.
While Tent 1 and 2 featured some of the bigger names, Tent 3 was where the magic really happened. Artists like SIT, Sepp b2b Nu Zau, Dewalta, and Arapu showcased the depth of talent in the minimal scene, playing both vinyl and digital, providing almost 100 hours of music that felt both familiar and fresh.
One of the standout moments came on the final day, when the Take Notes crew closed out Tent 2 with sets from Edi P b2b Kov, Brad Brunner b2b AG Swifty and others. Mahony, a DJ I’ve been following for the past two years, was another standout, showcasing what has now become his signature sound. Others like Archie Hamilton, known for his peak-time house sets, also delivered a standout performance that kept the crowd moving the day before.
Sunwaves 33 proved that location isn’t everything when creating an unforgettable festival experience.
The team behind the festival did an incredible job of maintaining the core elements that make Sunwaves so special: a dedicated crowd, minimal production, and a focus on delivering the best music possible. Even with one fewer stage and a new location, Sunwaves 33 managed to capture the essence of what makes this festival a must-attend for fans of underground house music.
If you haven’t yet experienced Sunwaves, now is the time to add it to your must-see festival list. Whether in Romania or Spain, the festival offers an unmatched combination of great music, impeccable sound, and an atmosphere that feels like a true escape from reality. Sunwaves 33 was a smashing success, and I can’t wait to see where the festival goes from here.
