Boys' Playground

Aside from on-site practices, Terraforma also collaborated with various architecture and design studio on some long-term projects on the restoration of Villa Arconati’s landscape. Over the past few years, they restored a pre-existing 18^th century hedge labyrinth with local flora from scratch and reforested the camping area by planting more than 100 saplings on the event’s territory. Almost all the facilities (tables, benches, bins and shower cabins) and architectural structures inside the venue were made out of woods. This year, Terraforma took the project even one step further. Together with an avant-garde architecture studio Space Caviar, they built a new stage, Vaia. Named after the extreme weather event that occurred in northeastern Italy in 2018, the stage was constructed by wood from the tree fell from the Vaia storm, making use of the substantial amount of lumber that the community has invested in removing from the distressed area.

With the motto “For once we only dance”, Terraforma 2022 is a music festival with no talks, no panels, no workshops and a small self-caring yoga session between sets, putting a special focus on the musicians’ creation post-pandemic. Talents from all over the world gathered in Villa Arconati, pulled out a three-day music galore that is full of diversity, creativity and experimentation. The range of the music genre is wide, spanning from more fashion-oriented acts that fit to Milan’s ambience, to some authentic techno and house sets that stimulate festivalgoers’ impulse to dance. By having only one act at a time, the festivalgoers were transformed (or terraformed if you will) into one nomadic collective drifting between the stages together over the course of the weekend. This collective experience gave the proceedings an intimacy that is rarely found at festivals. Delving between the woodlands, the stunning Villa Arconati, and the labyrinth, one had an almost psychedelic sensation of shifting between dimensions; this was accentuated further still by the diversity of the music.

Representing CAP 72024, my colleague Harvey and I participated in the Saturday’s event. Dog days haven’t started yet but Milan was quite warm already, the afternoon sun had us hidden under tree shadows. Thanks to the successful reforestation they’ve been doing over the years, we enjoyed the whole afternoon of music shaded. Our experience started with the performance of EXPAT, a 9-month old band with no recorded music focuses on intense, dramatic and theatrical live show. Chanting political-related catchphrases like “White supremacy causes climate changes” with grating guitar sound; their provocative performance sent the crowd boiling. The afternoon proceeded with Milan-based electronic music producer Piezo’s DJ set and charismatic alternative and art rock inspired sound of London-based band Moin before the ravers swung to the hedge labyrinth grooving with Birmingham-based musician High Intelligence Agency’s electronica set, a true masterpiece mixing his 90’s classic with his new release.

Then it was MC Yallah & Debmaster. The duo stepped on the newly constructed Vaia stage at nightfall. Hailing from Uganda, the Kenyan rapper Mc Yallah made her Italian debut in Terraforma. Pairing with French producer Debmaster, they blended the explosive rap with some powerful sounds. Carrying a hint of African exoticness, the performance had the audience swooned in the evening breeze.

The night culminated when the closing DJ of the day, Berlin-based PLO Man started to play, drawing all the ravers to the spacious Alpha Stage for some 4-hour long dance marathon. His exceptional DJ set took the ravers from Milan to Berlin in a split second, indulging in the most authentic and orthodox Berlin electronic atmosphere. For Harvey and I, there was no better way to end our Terraforma experience than with some perfect beats from PLO Man.

Overall, our experience this year is phenomenal. Coming back to festivals after two years of hiatus is great, and to start our post-pandemic rave marathon with Terraforma is even greater. Deep from my heart, I truly wish to hear more from them in the near future. Not only because of the excellent lineup they have built, but also the endeavor of their sustainability movement.