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The first in the series, N’écoutez pas la musique des noirs: De-archiving the Sounds of Haiti, is a unique zine that explores Haiti’s musical richness through a critical and postcolonial lens. This disruptive archive centers Haitian rhythms, their history, and the questions surrounding their disappearance from the global cultural space.
Active Listening — a series called Escucha Jonda, created to practice deep, shared listening. We spin vinyl on the city’s finest sound system. Inspired in Pauline Olivero´s Deep Listening philosophy. Hosted by Músicas Sospechosas.
Interview with me as editor of Músicas Sospechosas, exploring music as anti-imperial epistemology and ontology, and the journey behind the creation of the project.
A sonic journey through Africa’s musical resistances to neoliberalism. Created and taught by me at La Casa Encendida, Madrid, exploring rhythms, voices, and stories of defiance.
A vibrant session of shared listening, spinning my favorite vinyls, where rhythms connect us and every groove tells a story.
A radio program with Xavier Cazeneuve, celebrating the beauty of film music from the Mare Nostrum.
A sound activation evoking Maya Deren’s exploration of Vodou, rhythm, and trance in Haiti (1947–1954) at the Ethnology Museum of Barcelona. Presented by Músicas Sospechosas – Sarah Ardite and Anabel de la Paz.
In September, Sarah Ardite presented the first fanzine of the Músicas Sospechosas collection in Paris, tracing Haiti’s political, philosophical, and musical history and its major artists. This is the interview by Radio Barbès
Music reveals the Mediterranean’s invisible connections between Africa, Europe, and beyond, fostering dialogue, unity, and resistance to division and conflict. A radio program hosted by Músicas Sospechosas for Radio Flouka in Paris
A sonic excavation of Haitian vinyl reveals sound as memory and resistance through centuries of colonial aftermath. Led by Sarah Ardite, Pol Armengou & Anabel de la Paz
A podcast with Camino al Sol exploring the vibrant music of Haiti, from rara to compas, through the ears of its Dominican neighbors
A wokshop exploring Haitian and Dominican musical traditions as expressions of history and cultural connection across the island. Led by Sarah Ardite, Edgar Molina & Alex Contreras.
Sarah Ardite invites reflection on thinkers like Mudimbe, Fanon, Césaire, Mbembe, and Davis, exploring African diaspora philosophies that challenge power and inspire critical understanding today.
BihotzBeats is an AI-driven platform and installation reshaping listening by highlighting diverse sonic cultures, challenging mainstream music logic, and fostering discovery and connection. Created by Alberto Labarga & Sarah Ardite
A critical conversation unpacking the political economy of mega music festivals, cultural policy, and excluded communities, envisioning alternative musical futures. Featuring Nando Cruz & Sarah Ardite
“Island Sounds” — a curated vinyl session of Dominican and Haitian grooves by @edgar.molina & @musicas.sospechosas at El Rey del Falafel, Santo Domingo, celebrating the island’s rich musical heritage
A radio program exploring soundtracks in politically engaged African and diaspora cinema, featuring Peck, Maldoror, Sembène, and others. In collaboration with Xavier Cazaneuve & Músicas Sospechosas.
An event in the Dominican Republic exploring root music as epistemology and cultural reflection, connecting ancestral and contemporary rhythms. Curated by Músicas Sospechosas & Anabel de la Paz. Featuring Roldán Mármol, Ana Karen & other
Explore salsa’s golden era in NYC through a fanzine launch and vinyl set, tracing vibrant neighborhoods and iconic artists. Curated by Músicas Sospechosas with Marcelo Arroyave the author of the zine and Marcelo Rosero.
At La Conxita, Sants, explore Angolan rapper Isis Hembe’s powerful verses that reveal life’s truths and challenge power, inspired by kuduro and semba. Artwork by @usuaryorafa.
A sonic journey through 10 Dominican tracks—hip hop, dembow, jazz & more—curated by Sarah Ardite at Biblioteca Vapor Vell. Music as a lens for thought, culture, and discovery.
Black Market’s radio program marks the launch of Músicas Sospechosas’ first fanzine, exploring Haitian music and necropolitics through critical sounds and stories.
A heartfelt podcast honors Discos Fuentes’ 90-year journey, celebrating its pivotal role in shaping Latin American music. Voices include Tony Peñarredonda & Ángel Villanueva, in collaboration with Black Market.
Bossa No More,with Priscilla Barbosa & Músicas Sospechosas, a radio mix diving into Brazilian sounds beyond Bossa Nova — featuring Mateus Aleluia, Mart’nália and more.
An interview held at La Deskomunal with La Delio Valdez—on how a self-managed cumbia orchestra from Argentina takes their powerful sound around the world, one dance floor at a time.
A course inquiring time, urban musics, samplers, queer listening, and decolonial epistemologies through genres like hip-hop and global sounds. Led by Adriano Galante, Marina Hervás, Rodrigo Laviña, Nando Cruz & Sarah Ardite.
A joyful vinyl journey with @re_sister and @musicas.sospechosas at @fango.kids. Spinning vibrant sounds and rhythms, inviting little ears to explore diverse musical worlds at La Monumental.
A five-session course exploring desert soundscapes and musical traditions of nomadic cultures like the San, Tuareg, and Bedouin across continents. Led by Músicas Sospechosas, Issa Najem & Violeta Silvestre
What is the Orient, and where does it begin? A public talk exploring Arab music as knowledge, emotion, and invention—when music tells more than history or politics ever could.
A portrait of Cuban pianist Omar Sosa—his life, journeys, and sonic explorations. Creation, for him, is a bold act: the will to cross borders, listen deeply, and see what’s on the other side.
A course exploring music from the Maghreb to the Mashriq—voices, rhythms, and life experiences across Arab geographies and histories.
500 million farmers on strike: a sonic journey into the world’s largest protest in the hisotory of huamanity. Agrarian struggles, neoliberal reforms, and the voices of resistance from India through peacefull resistance and the philosophy of the commons empancipation
A vibrant collaboration for Radio Relativa, this mixtape brings unexpected sounds and fresh vibes, blending bold beats and rhythms that challenge and delight listeners.
A public talk exploring the vibrant evolution of African music, tracing the journey from Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat roots and soukous from Congo to today’s global Afrobeats movement. Presented at Festival Altaveu
A selection of intimate talks with musicians at FMM Sines, Tanjazz, New Morning Paris and Jazztrónica. Interviews with Lajkó Félix · Luedji Luna · Maryam Saleh Maurice Louca & Tamer Abu Ghazaleh · Meridian Brothers · Meszecsinka · Monsieur Doumani · Maruja Limón · Niño de Elche · Oliver Mtukudzi · Sara Tavares · Seward · Sons of Kemet · Sona Jobarteh · Susana Travassos · Susheela Raman · Super Mama Djombo · Tabanka Djaz · Taraf de Caliu · Tinaariwen · Timbila Muzimba · The Wanton Bishops · Vaudou Game · Vieux Farka Touré · Širom · Rodríguez Vangama · Sumeet Anand · Eulàlia Cuxart · Paulo Bragança · Lakha Khan · Mickeline Laudun Denis · Efrem López Sanz · Jeff Mills · Quantic · DJ Spinna · The Jungle Brothers · Roni Size · Kamaal Williams · Soichi Terada · The Jazz Defenders ·
Ninth in the series, this article examines the problem of the social through Aristotelian philosophy and its relevance to contemporary thought.
Fourth in the series, this article explores voluntary madness and resistance to systemic discomfort through the thought of Berardi, Santiago López Petit, and Chakrabarty.
At La Inexplicable bookstore in Barcelona, we held a public talk and DJ set celebrating jazz made by women—voices, horns, and stories that have reshaped the rhythm and soul of this music forever.
Fifth in the series, this article delves into Rosi Braidotti’s posthuman philosophy and her rethinking of subjectivity beyond the humanist legacy.
Third in the series, this article traces ideas of inequality through Wollstonecraft, La Boétie, Rousseau, Marina Garcés, and Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o.
From the rooftop of Casa Paco in Assilah, Morocco, I shared a DJ set woven with coastal winds, golden light, and soulful beats drifting over the Atlantic—a sonic evening under North African skies.
A selection of intimate talks with musicians at FMM Sines, Tanjazz, New Morning Paris and Jazztrónica. Interviews with AMMAR 808 · África Negra · A Garota Nāo · Antibalas · António Marcos · Bab L’Bluz · Bulimundo · Bonga · Carmelo Torres y Su Cumbia Sabanera · C4 Trío · Chico César · Daymé Arocena · Dobet Gnahoré · Dominique Fils Aimé · Eneida Marta · Etuk Ubong · Flávia Coelho · Ghorwane · Gili Yalo · Guy One · Imarhan · Inner Circle · JP Bimeni & The Black Belts · Jupiter & Okwess · Keziah Jones · Ladaniva · Ladysmith Black Mambazo · Mari Kalkun · Anna Ferrer
At Prole bookstore, this three-part workshop explores sonic landscapes in literature—featuring works by Maryse Condé, Forugh Farrokhzad, and Johan Mijail, voices beyond the page.
Tenth in the series, this article explores on what is real and what isn’t, reflecting on the importance of discerning reality in life and art.
Explore the less known vibrant sounds of the Caribbean: Soca, Bullerengue, Konpa, Calypso, and Merengue amongst many. A journey through styles, histories, and cultural roots in this engaging course of 5 sessions.
A portrait of Cuban pianist Omar Sosa—his life, journeys, and sonic explorations. Creation, for him, is a bold act: the will to cross borders, listen deeply, and see what’s on the other side.
A summer gathering in Galicia’s rías, where roots music and DJ Karma set the tone for a sonic journey across the Atlantic—seeking freedom through shared sound.
A vibrant back-to-back session at Lisbon’s iconic Club B.Leza, where Músicas Sospechosas and Indi Mateta blended deep grooves from Guiné-Bissau and São Tomé into one soulful, tropical night.
Artificial Intelligence challenges traditional music creation—can algorithmic, emotionless compositions be called music? Exploring AI, copyright, and the human role in creativity.
At Womex Lisbon, Músicas Sospechosas, Toni Polo (Groovalización) & artist Toty Sa’Med discussed Angola’s rich musical heritage—from semba to kuduro and new sounds shaped by memory, exile & return
An inquiry into wars and peace—through the voices and songs of Tempest, Ferlosio, Vikings Martinique, Inclán, Innerarity, Della Mela, Jahanbegloo, and V. Jara.
Radio Contrabanda marks 30 years of free, anarchist radio. Join us for live music, DJs, and a bold conversation on expression and freedom at Ateneu Nou Barris. Love is in the air.
At Centre Cultural Albareda, Sarah Ardite led a hands-on workshop to learn the basics of digital DJing using Serato and a mixer. From music selection to first blends, an open door into the art of mixing.
Thirteenth in the series, this article explores questions on war and peace through the thoughts of Gandhi, Mishra, Innerarity, García, and Jahanbegloo.
First in a series, this article explores postcolonial theory through Said, Mbembe and Spivak. Written for the Master in Philosophy – Contemporary Challenges at Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) led by Marina Garcés with Gozalo-Salella and more.
Second in the series, this article explores how Deleuze, Foucault, Mbembe, and Chomsky approach the question of difference as a problem in political and philosophical thought.
At Barcelona’s Vapor Vell library, Music Spy Club presents Afropéen Sounds — a curated session exploring the vibrant fusion of African and European musical rhythms, bridging cultures through sound.
A sonic and visual journey through imagined Martian soundscapes—from Coltrane to Kraftwerk to the Kalahari. Narration and music curation by Sarah Ardite, visuals by RAFA. At CCCB / Albareda.
A radio dialogue with Mr Goose on Seattle’s grunge scene—its raw sound, quiet rebellion, and what it meant to grow up when guitars got muddy and everything cracked open.
With my colleagues from Kimbara Collective, we turned La Cantina, an old train station into a lively vermut—spinning deep grooves and eclectic beats that filled the air with timeless energy.
Talk on Chabuca Granda’s legacy : her poetry, the role of cajón in flamenco, and her Afro-Peruvian influence. With playlist, visuals, and archive recording by Sarah and RAFA.
Moçambique Dreaminess: a narrated listening session with Paulina Chiziane and Mia Couto’s words and songs by Ghorwane, Wazimbo, Mingas, Eyuphuro & Selma Uamusse. A sonic tribute to “Voces Anochecidas”. @ficab als barris.
A talk by Sarah Ardite exploring desire, body, and vulnerability. Inspired by Carolin Emcke, it questions sexual norms and challenges the silence around diverse desires. Visuals by RAFA. @goetheinstitut barcelona
A 7-session course exploring Pan-African music festivals from 1966 to today: Dakar ’66, Algiers ’69, Zaire ’74, Festac ’77, and contemporary legacies through music and thought.
A public talk exploring music as a path to possible truths — sonic thinking beyond facts and fictions. Part of Press Play Festival, with a recorded radio session.
Twelfth in the series, this article critiques the Spanish electrical system’s complexity with insights from Saurí and Delle Fammine.
Sixth in the series, this article explores Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi, weaving her voice with Judith Butler, Silvia Federici, and Paul B. Preciado on truth of women, body, and resistance.
A podcast exploring the multifaceted work of Tiganá Santana—philosopher, poet, and musician—delving into his reflections on beauty, afroculture, and the power of artistic expression.
What does music sound like after silence? Chosen, forced, or fleeting — we explore this through songs by Maryam Saleh, La Bembeya, and more.
Eighth in the series, this article reflects on water’s key role in life with Vandana Shiva, Arne Naess, and Ben Okri.
Seventh in the series, this article analyzes how AI reshapes musical creation, drawing on insights from Manuel Padilla and Damon Krukowski.
A sound capsule from Zimbabwe: this is a journey through the music of The Four Brothers, Chiwoniso, Sungura Boys, Ephat Mujuru, The Bundu Boys, Dumisani Maraire & Thomas Mapfumo.
Public talk on Angela Davis—thinker, icon, and muse. From Sons of Kemet to global voices, music echoes her radical ideas on justice, freedom, and power.
Post-screening debate
Part of the Festival Internacional de Cinemes Africans de Barcelona
A conversation on music, memory, resistance, and the life of Fela Kuti — following the screening of this powerful portrait of one of Africa’s most iconic artists.
For several years between 2018 and 2022, I produced a series of radio programs for Contrabanda FM, Barcelona’s free and independent station. These broadcasts were conceived as spaces for active listening—spaces where music thinks, remembers, and resists.
These are some of the artists whose work formed part of this shared sonic archive: Abdullah Ibrahim, Fanta Damba, David Zé, Dollar Brand, Sathima Bea Benjamin, Dorsaf Hamdani, Zied Ghassa, Thandi Ntuli, Maria Arnal, Tara Tiba, Romualdo Brito, Diego El Cigala, Silvia Tomás Trío, TKZEE, El Cabrero, John Coltrane, Rafael Solano, Fefita la Grande, Max Roach, Nina Simone, Ruy Mingas, Miriam Makeba, Franco Luambo, Sam Manguana, Francis Bebey, Ali Farka Touré, Afel Bocoum, Sona Jobarteh, E.T. Mensah, Sanaa Moussa, Eugéne Mona, Ismael Rivera, Paulo Flores, Bembeya Jazz National, Ahmet Kaya, Ray Lema, Simón Díaz, Gil Scott-Heron, Umm Kulthum, Keziah Jones,Winston Mankunku….
At Wismad Gallery’s art opening in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, I played a DJ set of ethio-jazz and golden age Ethiopian grooves—painting the air with rhythm as vivid as the canvases around us.
A tribute in sound—this mixtape explores the rich musical soul of Guinea-Bissau, where rhythm meets resistance, and the spirit of Amílcar Cabral still pulses through every beat and melody.
Coranimal invites Músicas Sospechosas for a sonic dive into African sounds on Radio Contrabanda.
A musical drift from the shores of the Mediterranean to the heart of Persia. This talk follows the voices, rhythms, and stories of women across cultures — from flamenco echoes to Anatolian chants, from Levantine ballads to Iranian modal traditions. A journey in sound, desire, and beauty.
A workshop series in Barcelona high schools exploring why reggaeton and trap resonate so deeply with today’s youth. Does language create realities? We ask them.
A live radio café with Sarah Ardite, Warie Porbeni, David Maestro, and Aaron Feder. Conversations and sounds of highlife, afrobeat, and the urgent rhythms of West Africa.
On the Byzantine coast of Portugal, at Magic Cactus beach, I closed the Sines World Music Festival with a tribute to Cabo Verde—mornas, funaná, and saudade flowing into the Atlantic breeze.
A six-session course exploring African music and thought—from gumbe to rumba—with voices like Fela Kuti, Miriam Makeba, Franco, and Mapfumo, through rhythm and philosophy
The first in a series of tributes, this DJ set at La Sínia honored Zimbabwe’s Oliver Mtukudzi—his deep voice, soulful guitar, and timeless messages echoing through a night of rhythm and memory.
Explore the cosmic melodies of Alice Coltrane, whose harp and piano weave a spiritual tapestry. This talk journeys through her sacred sounds—music as a path to inner awakening. By Sarah Ardite artist in residence at CC Albareda.
A 7-session course to discover sounds from Nigeria, Angola, Congo, South Africa, Ethiopia, and Sudan. Hosted in Badalona’s Escola de Música Moderna and Can Casacuberta Library
A public talk exploring the vibrant sonic landscapes of Lagos, Johannesburg, and Luanda—unveiling how music shapes urban identity, culture, and the pulse of these dynamic African cities.
A mixtape honoring Commander-in-Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe and the golden age of Nigerian Juju and Fuji music—where horns sway, guitars shimmer, and joy flows deep through the palm wine grooves
At CCAD in Barcelona, film meets sound in a cycle of screenings where I curate live music selections—dialoguing with images, moods, and moments across borders and genres.
Course in five sessions tracing the sound of African independences and how music shaped new identities and political imaginaries across the continent.
The first mixtape in a three-part series exploring the sounds of Luanda and Kinshasa. We begin with rebita—elegant steps, brass flourishes, and echoes of Luanda’s golden dance floors.
Músicas Sospechosas reflects on how globalization and anglosaxon dominance reshape musical landscapes—erasing voices, flattening rhythms, and challenging how we listen, speak, and dance today.
In the second chapter of our tribute series at La Sínia, we celebrated Rachid Taha—punk raï, rebellion, and exile turned into sound. A night of distortion, poetry, and electric Maghreb fire.
Explore libertarian thought—from Bakunin to Goldman, Chomsky to La Boétie—through music and ideas, tracing Spain’s rich anarchist legacy and its ongoing quest for freedom. Held at Centre Cultural Albareda as part of the Musicalment Parlant series.
Spinning beats amid the walking trees of Isla Fuerte, near Sant Bernardo del Viento, I opened Fecisla festival with vibrant Caribbean rhythms that echoed the soul of the coast and its walking trees.
A collaboration between Músicas Sospechosas and Radio Hamabipulgada, this mixtape offers an unexpected journey through sounds and stories.
An exploration of Mia Couto’s literary world, where magic and reality blend. His stories reveal Mozambique’s soul, history, and resilience through poetic and powerful narratives.
A tribute to Elias Dia Kimuezo, the Angolan maestro known as the King of Semba. His powerful rhythms and melodies honor Angola’s rich musical heritage with timeless energy and soul
Explore the rich soundscapes of six African cities — Johannesburg, Luanda, Ouagadougou, Dakar, and more — uncovering how music shapes identity, culture, and social life across the continent.
On El Gran Quilombo (RNE Radio 3), Consol Sáez and Músicas Sospechosas dive into reggaeton and urban rhythms as tools of joy, identity, and a porn industry related business
A critical public talk unpacking the myths of “world music” — its colonial echoes, market logics, and the power of naming. Hosted by Músicas Sospechosas.
Radio show with Caipirinha Libre & Músicas Sospechosas, sharing powerful African sounds live from Contrabanda FM, Barcelona
Urban Echoes: Contemporary Sounds from African Cities. A multi-session course tracing the music scenes of Accra, Lagos, Dakar, and Johannesburg—guided by Sarah Ardite through sound, context, and contemporary rhythms.
Live from Paris’ vibrant Alimentation Générale, this DJ set spins a rich tapestry of beats—melding global rhythms and urban grooves that electrify the night and move the soul.
A soulful drift across tides and memory—this mixtape gathers Bonga’s most haunting songs, where liberdade, colonial pain and resistance pulse in every breath of Angola’s winds.
We closed the tribute series at La Sínia with the soul of Hugh Masekela—his trumpet calling freedom, love, and joy. A journey through jazz, exile, and the unstoppable rhythm of South Africa.
Curated and hosted by Músicas Sospechosas, this session explored Mali’s musical legacy through stories, vinyls, and deep listening with Florent Mazzoleni.
An intimate look at the legendary Ghanaian musician Ebo Taylor, whose passion for highlife shaped a vibrant legacy. His music bridges tradition and innovation, celebrating culture with every note.
Five DJs, five recommendation—each one reshaping the dancefloor with bold blends of tradition, bass, and future sound. A handpicked selection to move minds and bodies alike.
In the heart of West Africa, women griots weave songs of memory and rhythm—echoes of ancestry flowing through voices that dance between tradition and the winds of today.
A golden era reborn—this mixtape revives the majestic sound of Africa’s great orchestras, where brass, rhythm, and soul once lit up dance floors from Dakar to Kinshasa.
In this Scanner FM podcast, we share the creative pulse behind Making Africa in Barcelona and dive into Sketches of Soweto, a DJ set I crafted—echoes of memory, movement, and modern Africa.
The second mixtape takes you No Candongueiro—through Luanda’s streets with Paulo Flores’ sembas. Songs of love, struggle, and memory ride the beat of everyday life.
From Angolan roots to global stages, Bonga’s music blends traditional semba with stories of exile, hope, and resistance, making him a timeless emblem of his nation’s heart and history.
Músicas Sospechosas opened the night at Hotel Epic Sana Luanda with a DJ set before Elias Dia Kimuezo & Banda Movimento lit up the stage. A night full of Franco Luambo and other legends songs.
The final mixtape reimagines semba through new grooves and old soul—honoring pioneers like Elias Dia Kimuezo, where the spirit of Angola keeps dancing into tomorrow.
Every Sunday at The Piano Bar in Cape Town, AfroLatin Sundays brought dancers together in the warm flow of kizomba and semba—sultry rhythms, close embraces, and pure connection on the floor.
Las Congas (Sarah Ardite & Ángela Ramírez) share a journey made by songs from the Pan African Market in Cape Town for Pan African Space Station.. A set of rhythms, roots, and resonances from our latin thing.
In Eswatini/Swaziland’s lively DJ battle of non-professionals, Andrew Waititu took the crown, while I brought the spirit of Angola with Bonga’s timeless songs, making the night unforgettable and joyful.
