🇫🇷 La version française de cet entretien est disponible ici.
Tucked away between an industrial zone and a slice of paradise on the banks of the Siagne river, it is in Mandelieu-la-Napoule that the Decadance collective has, over the past six years, established itself as a cornerstone of France’s independent electronic scene.
From this original stronghold to Parisian clubs, and even as far as Georgia or the Netherlands, the collective has since taken over diverse locations to spread their vibes across France and abroad. With a musical identity forged at the crossroads of the arts and a consistently multidisciplinary vision, Decadance has made every event into a meeting ground for international artists and emerging talents from the South of France.
But as we enter 2026, everything is being reinvented. While losing their historic site in Mandelieu last year could have spelled the end of the journey, the opposite has happened. New opportunities are emerging and fresh projects are being launched, signaling a true rebirth for Decadance.
Today, founder Sacha speaks with us to recount his experiences, share his vision for the future, and talk about the people who have been building Decadance since day one. As a bonus, he shares a deeply personal podcast from his archives and plunges us into the heart of the collective’s sonic identity.
Can you take us back to the early days of Decadance? What made you want to launch this project, and in what context did it happen?
In the beginning, we started from nothing. My close friend and collective DJ, Karim, and I used to just set up a pair of speakers at the end of the sea wall. We had become passionate about DJing for hours in my bedroom or his apartment. We simply wanted to share our music, plain and simple.
You have to remember that back then—and even more so today—the nightlife in Nice was limited to a single club and a few scattered events. I think we were filling a void rather than following a tangible ambition to lead a major musical project. It also started by slowly gathering enough gear to build our own sound system. That gave us autonomy; we were practically independent, able to decide to throw a party whenever and wherever we wanted.
It was a bit later, after meeting Ali (Alich) and Ayoub (Ayo’B) at various events, then Téo (Shin O) and Franck (the landowner) in Mandelieu, that we decided to found a real project with Isabelle (coordinator), Germain (the jack-of-all-trades), and Karim. Even later, we developed a specific sonic and visual identity with Louis and Antoine (Antwan Stk). A real collective was born, and shared visions gave us a concrete direction. The core was formed, and we could move forward by counting on each other.
The history of the Decadance festival is closely tied to the Mandelieu site, where you’ve hosted many memorable parties by the river. Can you tell us the story of this place? How does it embody the spirit of Decadance?
It is the very essence of Decadance, first and foremost as a collective.
When I met TĂ©o, he wanted advice on moving from a DJ controller to a real setup. One thing led to another, and we started hanging out at his place, eventually becoming part of the life of that house. As events happened, we always tried to put the interests of the site first. It was important to us to improve it as much as possible, ensuring everyone found their place and took part in both major decisions and small daily improvements.
As for the festival, it wasn’t originally supposed to happen in Mandelieu. But Franck always opened his doors to us whenever we faced setbacks—and there were many every time we tried to organize something elsewhere in the region. That’s why the collective and the festival are inextricably linked to that house, that river, and the encounters that happened there. We did what we could to keep it a place of music and sharing, a sanctuary for artists and the public alike.
Since 2020, you’ve also organized events in Paris (Péniche Cinéma, Canal Barboteur, Marbrerie…), as well as in Georgia and the Netherlands. Was domestic and international expansion always part of the plan?
As I mentioned, the members of the collective shaped our ambitions. After the first few years, as we returned to “normal” life, many of us were living in Paris, so it seemed logical to host events there. The connections we made along the way allowed us to travel.
La Marbrerie (Montreuil)
We quickly got a taste for it, and some moments are etched in our memories forever—like a Péniche Cinéma with DJ Tjizza, a day party at Dock B with an almost exclusively live line-up, or a b2b with Ayo at Unum in Albania.
There seems to be a strong link between the Nice and Marseille electronic scenes. How did that connection form? Would you say it’s actually one and the same scene?
When we started, the Marseille scene was nothing like the thriving one we see today. There were very few venues playing our music and only a handful of active collectives. It was a small world we already knew well before launching our events on the Coast. We traveled back and forth constantly from the start.
Back then, you could say Mandelieu-La-Napoule was just on the outskirts of Marseille. But times have changed. I once believed we would soon form one giant scene between Marseille, Corsica, Italy, Lyon, and the Riviera. I hope that dream isn’t dead and that we will all continue to work actively toward it for many years to come.
After three successful editions, the 2025 Decadance festival had to be canceled at the last minute. In your cancellation statement, you mentioned this would force you to “rethink the very foundation of the association.” How do you see the future of Decadance now?
I have to admit, after seven years of living and partying in Mandelieu, we never imagined it would end. I might have had a melodramatic streak at that moment. I feared we were only united through our events and that the collective would slowly wither away.
However, a renewal is actually peeking through. We’ve restructured and are about to move into a new venue which we can’t wait to reveal. Our goal remains the same: to establish an independent festival that stays true to our roots: a free but responsible party, exploring the further reaches of electronic music.
Regarding the music, many talented DJs and producers have emerged from the Decadance community. Can you name a few?
We have to start with the pillars: Alich, Ayo’B, and Téo/Shin O. They are the veterans who shaped our sonic identity:
We also felt very close to Tibahuult and Nathanael, who quickly became staples:
And to represent the “6-0” (Nice area), I have to mention Nut’s, Viktor Mercier, and Wooka:
While we can’t take credit for their rise, we could also talk about the live sets of Paul Lution, Paul Tellimerg, and P.O., or artists like Dawidu, Felix, Nils, Solal, and Gaga… the list is long.
We are also proud to have collaborated with like-minded collectives like Technicentre, Mad Gone, Kumquat, Gate 9, Locked In, and Chat Noir.
Last year, you launched the label Domus Creatio Divinatio. What is the idea behind it?
The idea is simply to continue offering artists a platform to express themselves. Yesterday it was events, today it’s a label, and tomorrow, perhaps a physical space where all these elements can come together. The label is a natural continuation of our work. We’ll certainly be announcing new releases later this year.
On March 21st, you’re organizing an event at 109 in Nice with the REF festival. How did this collaboration come about?
We celebrated our 5th anniversary at 109 in April 2025. It was a great experience, even though the scene in Nice for this specific sound is still being built. We happily accepted the invitation from REF and Panda to perform there again, but in a different format with hours better suited to our music. We will always support initiatives that promote the local scene.
The line-up includes Cabanne, Wooka (live), and Decadance co-founders Sacha and TĂ©o. What can we expect?
Our programming has long been driven by Louis (AD of Nostromo and Decadance). Hosting Cabanne is very symbolic for us; he was a pivotal entry point into certain sounds for us during long Paris weekends. We’re excited to be on the other side of the booth this time. Wooka represents a prolific, talented generation we strive to highlight—his creative drive is uncompromising and built for the dancefloor. As for us, we’ll do what we do best: get everyone to the boiling point so they can fully enjoy the music.
A huge thanks, Sacha, for the podcast you sent us, what can you tell us about it?
The mix is called “Intel Relief.” I recorded it in October 2024 with records I particularly love for their rhythms. I rarely overthink what I’m going to play; I usually go by feel. For the first time, I selected tracks for how they interacted with each other, creating a continuous hour-long piece for when I’m working or driving. I never knew back then that I’d eventually make it public.
