A lot has been said about the recent rise of the Brazilian club scene in these pages, but the one club that's been doing it since the day dot is Sirena. Placing 23 in our first-ever clubs poll in 2007, chosen by the DJs, Sirena celebrates its 22nd birthday in 2015, making it the first club in Latin America's biggest nation to fly over top DJs. Carl Cox, Fatboy Slim and Sven Väth all played here during the early days, but today it's more concerned with inviting the stars of EDM to fill its enormous main room, with its giant LED-wall booth and many VIPs.
The main attraction, for us anyway, is the Pistinha (meaning outside) stage. Submerged deep in the jungle just a short walk from the gnarly surf of Maresias bay, the wooden floor boards of this open-air dancefloor is where cooler, more understated sounds get dropped. A stage where Amine Edge & DANCE headlined recently and where local “deep” talent like Alok, Vintage Culture and Gabe are given a forum to elevate minds more open to groove-based music. A lush green playground for adults, the vibe outside is always sexy, fun and carefree, especially when the sun rears its tropical head at 6am...