Entertainment is so full of options. Too many, some might say. The festival space is the epitome of such, with countless events, new and old, attempting to lure folk into their temporary world of overpriced beer, hype-laden line up’s and extravagant constructions. Some rely on their eclectic nature, while others bunker down on specialism. I tend to enjoy festivals less if they are linear, genre-speaking. I desire an amalgam of style, a capacious vessel of expression, a sonic circumference that stretches beyond similarity. Nevertheless, some things need to be appreciated on their own. Or, in the case of my espionage to Northern Italy, in coalescence with the unexpected. Art is multifarious and divisive, but when studied in depth it attracts a certain type of mind. Techno, the incarnation of musical animalism, comes in different shapes and sizes, but at its core keeps to a centric message of continuity and community. So what happens when you put them together?

I arrive in Turin at dusk on a humid Thursday night. Checking into my hotel – NH Collection, a gorgeous establishment built around a stunning central courtyard – I take a light stroll and enjoy the vibrancy of the streets, immediately fascinated by the quaint piazzas and spirited atmosphere amongst the locals. After enjoying a light beer and a delicious pizza, it’s time to call it a night and rest up before tomorrow, the inaugural day of Kappa Futur Festival, the reason for my visit to the Italian city.

In its 15 years of existence, Kappa has become revered for its idiosyncratic location; set against the backdrop of an old car factory-turned-park, its grand industrial aesthetic is a reflection of the city of Turin and its modern history. Once renowned for its car manufacturing, specifically in being the birthplace of Fiat, now the city’s reputation as a leading Northern Italian hub lies in its culture, its architecture and its tech industry, such as AI and Space tech. The festival’s musical focus mirrors this, with a panoply of DJ’s mainly categorised within the techno genre. This year’s line up provides as sprawling a cast as ever, with mainstream heavy hitters, cherished old school savants and hungry rising stars aggrandising a mouthwatering melting pot of four-on-the-floor festivity.

My trip, however, promises the opportunity to also learn about another trait of Turin’s excellence. I’m here for the festival’s ‘Art and Techno’ experience, which is, well, exactly what it says on the tin. Days spent exploring the city’s hidden gem art scene and eating in the finest restaurants gives way to nights of pure, unrefined hedonism; of pumping your firsts in the air with thousands of rapturous tech-heads.

Stirring from my slumber too late for the hotel breakfast, I saunter over to the rendezvous spot to begin the art tour. Our entourage is a fairly small and motley group, diverse in age and nationality. We circle together for La Moka Perfetta (a coffee workshop) at a nearby hotel, and have a quick espresso (strong, fragrant) to spruce us up for the elongated day of sightseeing ahead.

Our first arty outing is to the Mazzoleni Art Gallery, specialising in Post-war Italian and Contemporary art. It’s an eclectic showing, from creations of new languages combining colour, symbols and songs (David Reimondo, look him up) to expressionistic Futurisimo, an art movement that the festival itself takes its name from that has technology and dynamism sweeping through its identity. Following the private visit to the esteemed gallery, we’re escorted over to the stunning Caffè San Carlo for an comprehensive multi-course lunch of unexpected amuse bouche’s like chocolate-covered goat’s cheese ice cream, a risotto in a tin can, and sparkling wine on tap.

Hunger nullified and thirst well quenched, we’re next led to Museo Schneiberg for a hazy experience looking at some rugs. Not just any old rugs that is; it’s the largest global collection of Imperial Silk and Metal Carpets from the Qing Dynasty, China’s last between 1644 and 1911. The 36 carpets across eight rooms tell a story of enlightenment, of the Ying and Yang. My wine-fuelled emotional state can’t quite grasp it all intellectually, but spiritually it encompasses me, with the palatial and ambient church-like location (that apparently at one point was a school) and continuous, mediative background music releasing me into a fugue state of awe and adoration. I’m not the only one either – a jolly American fella seems convinced of extraterrestrial life by the time we’re finishing up.

Pulling myself through the mysticism, it’s a quick trip back to basecamp to freshen up and prepare for the second part of my day – the festival. After a slightly tedious jigsaw puzzle to get my wristband, I’m in, enjoying the VIP bar antics for a while before heading for a wander around the festival. A popular park spot normally, the grounds have been transformed into a colossal party, with five stages, all unique and towering in presence. Thousands of goers stumble around in the early evening sun, with the smell of early fest excitement rife in the air.

I catch segments of a few DJs, but the first set that I watch with intention is a special one. Four Tet, London’s electronic wizard, joined by Mancunian legend Floating Points for a thrilling b2b at The Voyager Stage, with huge backing screens offering stunning graphics to coincide with the hypnotic frequencies from the two legendary spinners. A little later on, I catch the Detroit techno legend himself Jeff Mills, a mesmerising performance both visually, with a stunning light show accompaniment, and musically, with Mills illustrating exactly why he is such a lauded name within the genre and the wider industry.

Waning in energy, I need a pick-me-up, so head to a far crevice of the site to find a big screen playing the Euros quarter final between France and Portugal. The festival is generally very mixed-nationality, and both countries are well represented. I sit fairly centrally, with the French on my left and their Portuguese rivals to my right. The atmosphere is electric, both sets of fans finding their voices progressively until the nail-biting penalty shootout, with the supporters to my left erupting at the final spot kick. Excitement over, I head back to the hotel for a decent night’s kip with another busy day to come.

The next breakfast-less (what am I like) morning sees the art crew back together for another exhibition. We visit Pinacoteca Agnelli & La Pista 500; a cascading building that was once the first Assembly Line established in Europe (and second in the world after Ford’s Detroit set-up) is now a multi-storied bonanza of shopping, entertainment and art. From a walk atop the rooftop where they used to test the cars after making them, we mosey a few floors down to a private art collection full of incredible pieces from the likes of Picasso, Matisse, and Bellotto, before finding my new favourite artist on a different floor in Thomas Bayrle – his work is funny, inventive and utterly compelling.

We have a light lunch in the same building, followed by Coffee Mixology with an expert with a wonderful moustache and equally dazzling character. He teaches us to make a signature espresso martini with a touch of grapefruit, and gifts us a glass to drink, which proves a subtle and refreshing afternoon treat. Next, it’s a pit stop back to the hotel before embarking on round two of the festival.

Firstly there’s a rather important event to witness: England’s quarter final against Switzerland. Hundreds cram into the relatively small field on the festival grounds, anticipation swirling in the air. A tense, rousing few hours ensue, full of highs and lows, until the now iconic penalty shoot out descends the crowd into giddy exhilaration; limbs flying, pints soaring through the air in every direction. It’s not a moment I’ll forget anytime soon, that’s for sure.

With the mood celebratory, I check out some tunes. Catching the back end of Chicago’s Honey Dijon and her anthemic spinning, I then head to one of the smaller stages, Nova, for a thrilling b2b of underground legends Special Request and Anz. I finish up with the magnetic Milan-to-Berlin duo Tale of Us, an immersive and trip-laden experience. With 13 after parties taking place over the weekend, I do my due diligence and attend one briefly following the festival’s end. I’m impressed by the location, but ultimately the novelty (and the beer) wears off and I slip off to bed.

The third and final day of arting around kicks off with a scenic drive up the Italian hills for a very special visit to a private collection in someone’s house. I’m completely overawed by the location, an elegant, jaw-dropping home completely secluded – the stuff of dreams, really. The art is carefully curated, often avant-garde in form and message, and literally everywhere, almost as if the house is one elongated art piece in itself. An incredible spectacle that I’m immensely grateful to have witnessed. Next, it’s a trip into town for lunch at the gorgeous Maggiora, then we frequent the studio of a cherished sculptor who takes us through his striking work that is influenced by classic works and Russian tattoo art, an amalgamation that makes for thrilling results. We then stop off at the hotel and head to for a pre-fest beer tasting session where salty, smokey and fruity beverages are engulfed.

To the festival, and I’m due a chat with Ukrainian DJ Miss Monique. Firmly cemented in the upper echelons of party starting, the rising artist is over a decade deep in her career and has found global acclaim of late with her progressive trance-tinged-techno that is dynamic and well-executed. “13 years every day, hard work,” she recalls, iconic green hair falling meticulously on her face, as we sit together in the media centre. “At the beginning I would play the small Ukrainian clubs. The first five years or so I didn’t have much attention and I was thinking about stopping, but then one of my videos hit one million views – now it has 11 million – and after that I realised that I can’t just leave it, I had to keep going and now I’m here.”

She’s often etching new landmarks into her success nowadays; the owner of Siona Records, a label with “the idea is to support young artists and to introduce my audience to new artists, especially Ukrainian artists.” Her focus is on continuing to build her revered reputation with “singles, collaborations and mixes.” And of course lives shows, one of which she finished half an hour ago; a huge 90 minute-long divulge into her sharpest artistry. “I’ve been smiling for 30 minutes,” she laughs. “It is a unique emotion that you can only get when something like this happens. The connection with the crowd is magical. Tonight I felt that every person on the dance floor gave me their emotional feedback.”

Her set came with a torrential downpour of rain at points, but Monique saw in front of her a crowd only further incentivised by the unfortunate meteorological conditions. “I had three parts to the set. First when we were starting, everything was perfect, the weather and the vibe was amazing. After that, crazy rain started and some people left, and I was a bit nervous that people wouldn’t stay, but I was surprised that people became even more energised, dancing like crazy. The third part was when everyone came back as the rain stopped and it was insane for a while. I can’t choose which part was my favourite because the whole thing was so special. It was an amazing journey for me.”

Wishing the DJ well, I decide it’s about time I tried out the complimentary restaurant in the VIP area, consuming a splendid portion of pasta. Then it’s music time, firstly catching the brilliant Brazilian Vintage Culture then keeping the hot streak with the immersive French duo The Blaze before taking in the dominant Carl Cox. The closing set is a highlight – The Blessed Madonna brings the festival to its conclusion in euphoric style, a fitting end to a solid — if somewhat safe — line up.

The next morning sees me up in time for breakfast (which doesn’t disappoint), and after a tad of tedious waiting around, I’m up in the air on my way back to London. So, art and techno, techno and art — do they work together? In short, yes. It’s a carefully curated day program which is full of fantastic art, food and company (shout out Monica, the tour guide), whilst the festival itself is blessed with a stunning location and a crowd pleasing line up, even if it felt somewhat one dimensional at points. So, if you’re like me and you enjoy the finer things in life, but also don’t mind getting down and dirty in a crowded park to mind-boggling music, then this might just be the trip for you. It’s worth it just for the carpets to be honest. Viva Turin!