Search: Spirit Fest
Vera Sola releases gloomy and stunning video for new single 'The Colony'
New York-based vocalist, poet and multi-instrumentalist Vera Sola recently released the single 'Small Minds' and now, she brings us the follow-up in the form of 'The Colony'. Both songs will appear on...
Kahil El’Zabar Ethnic Heritage Ensemble
Fiftieth anniversaries call for spectacular celebrations, and that is just what Kahil El’Zabar’s Ethnic Heritage Ensemble are embarking on this year. To commemorate half a century of conti...
The Zawose Queens
Powerful, inventive and fiercely danceable, the music of The Zawose Queens contains spirit and fire. There's the vibrations of the ancestors, coming through on traditional instruments — soaring...
Richard Youngs (2017)
A librarian by day, Richard Youngs spends pretty much every other minute of his waking life making music. This sonic shapeshifter’s fascinations range from Syd Barrett’s oddball folk to Gr...
Kelly Lee Owens
Producer and musician Kelly Lee Owens is a cosmonaut in her own self-shaped zero gravity space. A space where machinery and ambience swell and orbit. Owens shapes this pliable universe to her liking,...
Linda Sharrock
Renowned for her work with guitarist Sonny Sharrock in the 60s and 70s, Linda Sharrock has become a leading light in the world of experimental jazz and avant-garde. Her vocal delivery is a hallmark of...
Visible Cloaks
As we struggle to keep up with a world enwrapped in digital technology, its influence on art and communication is often dismissed as harmful. Spencer Doran and Ryan Carlile's ambient project Visible C...
Fhloston Paradigm
Fhloston Paradigm is one of the many groundbreaking excursions of renowned Philly producer, musician and DJ King Britt. Hyperdub debut ‘The Phoenix’ and this year’s follow-up ‘...
Brian Case
Brian Case’s debut solo album ‘Tense Nature’ consists of abstract ambient tracks depicting a dark environment, built around tape loops and repetitive grooves. The Disappears-frontman...
Colin Stetson
Driven by trance-like repetition and adventurous spirit, Colin Stetson’s performances are an unworldly display of sonic inventiveness and emotional release. Exploring the full scope of his instr...
King Ayisoba
In recent years, Ghanaian star King Ayisoba ascended the West African pop charts with his futuristic approach of traditional styles. A master of the ancient kologo instrument - a two-stringed lute -,...
Ancient Shapes
Although best known for his work evoking the sounds of classic country music, Daniel Romano has always been a free and restless spirit, as well as a gifted and masterful musician. His new brainchild i...
Joe Cardamone
L.A. based experimental musician, producer, auteur and artist Joe Cardamone, formerly of The Icarus Line, stated ‘he doesn’t care about bands anymore’, so he began his own solo proje...
Cüneyt Sepetçi
Clarinet master Cüneyt Sepetçi and his Orchestra Dolapdere are among the greatest musicians Turkey has ever produced. Not just adept at blasting out Turkish gypsy music with firecracker fe...
Crack Cloud
Crack Cloud is a rather peculiar project: a multimedia collective that includes members from different cities, ethnicities and origins. Their debut release ‘Anchoring Point’ is based aroun...
Miranda Cuckson
Embracing music from both bygone and current eras, Miranda Cuckson is regarded as one of the most acclaimed performers of classical and modern music. The New York Times called Cuckson “a prodigi...
Richard Youngs
A librarian by day, Richard Youngs spends pretty much every other minute of his waking life living and breathing music. His fascinations reach all corners of the world, from Syd Barrett’s quirky...
Dur-Dur Band
The story of Somalia’s legendary Dur-Dur Band is one of regrouping and resilience. In the 80s, their vibrant Somali funk music embedded the nightlife of the capital of Mogadishu. Since dictator...
Ayalew Mesfin & Debo Band
Quintessential Ethio-groove performer Ayalèw Mesfin has joined forces with the renowned US-based ensemble Debo band for his first European live performance ever, and in truth, few collaboration...
Bridget Hayden
After initially cutting her teeth with critically-acclaimed drone ensemble Vibracathedral Orchestra, Bridget Hayden’s first solo outing ‘An Indifferent Ocean’ turned a lot of heads w...
Nicole Mitchell releases new album 'Maroon Cloud'
Today, improvisational composer and flutist Nicole Mitchell releases her new album 'Maroon Cloud' via FPE Records. The record sees Mitchell featured in a drumless chamber quartet together with so...
Kiko Dinucci
Revolt comes in all shapes and sizes for São Paolo-guitarist, producer and songsmith Kiko Dinucci. He cut his teeth in various punk and hardcore bands, filtered that subversive spirit through t...
Siti Muharam
On Zanzibar singer Siti Muharam’s shoulders rests the legacy of her great-grandmother, taarab music legend Binti Saad. Saad is credited as a true trailblazer, being the first woman in East Afric...
Midori Takada - [THUS TIME GOES BY]
[ THUS TIME GOES BY ] is a new durational sound work by Midori Takada, consisting of four parts, created especially for the Jacobikerk and Le Guess Who?. 1 – THUS TIME GOES BY is based on...
Performance: Ano Nobo - Live in Santiago, Cape Verde
In the small inland town of São Domingos on Cape Verde's Santiago Island, The Ano Nobo Quartet delivers a fresh take on Koladera, a guitar-driven, subtly rhythmic sound of a lighter spirit. The...
Performance: Siti Muharam - Live at Le Guess Who? 2021
On Zanzibar singer Siti Muharam’s shoulders rests the legacy of her great-grandmother, taarab music legend Binti Saad. Saad is credited as a true trailblazer, being the first woman in East Afric...
Muriel Grossmann Quartet
At the helm of her acclaimed Quartet, Muriel Grossman makes music to uplift those who listen to it. The Austrian composer and saxophonist, born in Paris, has been releasing her own work yearly for ove...
Lole Montoya
Spain’s history can be heard in Lole Montoya’s voice. Uncontained by the categories of ‘singer’ or ‘cantaora’, she emotionally discharges her spirit with unseen cou...
Scene Report: Venezuela
Since its founding in 1975, Venezuela’s System of Youth and Children’s Orchestras called “El Sistema”, has used music education as a vehicle for social change. It cultivates an...
Rose City Band
‘Porch music’, a term coined by acclaimed guitarist and vocalist Ripley Johnson, aptly describes his country psychedelic rock project Rose City Band. At first inspired by warmer months, Jo...
Bill Orcutt Guitar Quartet
‘Music For Four Guitars’, veteran improviser Bill Orcutt (of Harry Pussy)'s 2022 cut, has struck a chord with listeners on record. Now, the left-field LP, released in last year’s fal...
Phelimuncasi
Much like the South African bee after which they named their most recent album, once you get stung by the Durban trio Phelimuncasi’s music, it’s hard to keep still. Following their acclaim...
Sydney Lowell
Poet and spoken word artist Sydney Lowell is not afraid of tackling big themes and challenges. She is also known as a cultural agitator. In her show, a journey through time and space in which spoken w...
Sydney Lowell
Poet and spoken word artist Sydney Lowell is not afraid of tackling big themes and challenges. She is also known as a cultural agitator. In her show, a journey through time and space in which spoken w...
Rave voor de Rafelranden
Rave voor de Rafelranden organizes festive demonstrations to fight for more free spaces and non commercial culture in Utrecht. They highlight the importance of places that are created and shaped by a...
Raphael Rogiński presents Žaltys feat. Indrė Jurgelevičiūtė
The new album by Polish guitarist Raphael Rogiński, featuring Lithuanian singer and kanklės player Indrė Jurgelevičiūtė, is named after the grass snake Žaltys, a revered household spirit in Lithuanian...
COSMOS Embassy: London, UK
Touching Bass is the London-based musical movement, founded by Errol and Alex Rita. A community-come-club night, celebrated record label, staple NTS Radio show, concert series and curatorial studio. F...
COSMOS Embassy Film: London, UK
Touching Bass is the London-based musical movement, founded by Errol and Alex Rita. A community-come-club night, award-nominated record label, staple NTS Radio show, concert series and curatorial stud...
Lonnie Holley & Friends
“Do you know how to touch everything and be kind about it? To be strong. To keep all the life. A change is gonna come”. The closing words of Lonnie Holley’s latest album, Tonky, echo...
YHWH Nailgun
With their ecstatic and singular sound, experimental rock quartet YHWH Nailgun displays an innate ability to translate a primitive spirit into a modern form. It’s no coincidence that polyrhythmi...
COSMOS Embassy: Panama City, Panama
River Down Records is a label from Panama City, Panama, dedicated to documenting and developing the creative sound of Panama. With over 15 digital releases, River Down Records has produced new works a...
COSMOS Embassy Film: Panama City, Panama
River Down Records is a label from Panama City, Panama, dedicated to documenting and developing the creative sound of Panama. With over 15 digital releases, River Down Records has produced new works a...
Meet Spirit Fest: members of The Notwist and Tenniscoats offer delightful moments of nostalgia
Spirit Fest is an international dream collective of musicians spread across England, Germany, and Japan. The quintet is formed by Saya and Ueno, aka Tenniscoats; Markus Acher, best known as singer of The Notwist; Mat Fowler, who plays with Jam Money and Bons; and Cico Beck, who’s making music with Joasinho, Aloa Input, and The...
Revealing 46 program additions for Le Guess Who? 2021
It is true that making plans for shows and festivals in 2021 is a bit of a gamble. But Le Guess Who? believes that it’s important to have something to look forward to. In the spirit of cautious optimism, we are proud to announce the second round of confirmations for November 11-14 in Utrecht, The Netherlands. Le Guess Who?’s...
Listen: Tara Clerkin Trio announce 'In Spring' EP and release title track
Bristol-based group Tara Clerkin Trio have announced the new EP 'In Spring', to be released October 1st. It is the second release by the experimental trio that draws from jazz, folk, modern composition, trip hop and downtempo electronica, yet evading all of those categorisations. The EP's title track was released alre...
Listen: Cate Le Bon, The Notwist, Kate NV & more rework the music of Aksak Maboul on 'Redrawn Figures 1'
For over forty years, Belgian avant-garde group Aksak Maboul has been mixing and deconstructing genres to continuously re-invent themselves. In 2020, the group reappeared from a long hiatus with 'Figures', a double album hailed by critics as ambitious and mischievous. Now, the band release 'Redrawn Figures 1': an album of reworks, remixe...
Bertie Marshall releases new compilation 'Exhibit' featuring songs, spoken word, and poetry from the 80s & 90s
In the early 1980s, Bertie Marshall was the frontman for post-punk boundary-pushers Behaviour Red, a group that fed off sound experimentation, tribal drumming, searing vocals, and guitar feedback. In 1983, the group broke up, but Bertie continued sketching out atmospheric compositions, leading to his solo debut in the 1990s. Here, Bertie'...
Read via The Quietus: which records would Vanishing Twin seek out at the Mega Record & CD Fair?
We're very excited that this year, Le Guess Who? will coincide again (for the first time since 2018) with the Mega Record & CD Fair (November 13 & 14 in Utrecht), which is Europe’s biggest record fair. As a preview for both the festival as well as the fair, we're collaborating with The Quietus on a new series where we...
Vanishing Twin announce new album & share video for 'Big Moonlight (Ookii Gekkou)'
London's Vanishing Twin's mission is to ‘synthesize psychedelic traditions from around the globe’, inviting psych-jazz and psych-pop flavors from Europe to Southern America. Their previous records clearly signal a job well done, and later this year, they will follow-up with their new album 'Ookii Gekkou' (Japanese for Big Moon...
DRONE AT HOME: A one-time rebroadcast of the very first 24-HOUR DRONE at LGW14
With LGW & Basilica Hudson's in-person 24-HOUR DRONE postponed until April 2021, Basilica will continue with web-based DRONE programming taking place this weekend. In the continued spirit of creating music without borders, local and international partners will join forces to keep the drone dream alight. For this specia...
Basilica Hudson & LGW announce 24-Hour Drone line-up
2017 marks our biggest Drone yet, as our series also expands to Salford, UK, and Malmö, Sweden. An immersive event and all-encompassing experience, 24-Hour Drone is a roving, international serie...
12-Hour Drone in former factory Pastoefabriek: from sitar and cello bass drones to shamanic noise
An immersive event and all-encompassing experience, 24-Hour Drone is a roving, international series presented by Basilica Hudson and Le Guess Who?, featuring musicians and sound artists...
Basilica Hudson & LGW announce return of 24-HOUR DRONE + launch open call for artist submissions
24-HOUR DRONE is an immersive, all-encompassing event featuring an international roster of musicians and sound artists collaborating and working in experimental, classical, non-western/traditional, durational and other genres incorporating drone to create a full 24 hours of unbroken sound. Multidisciplinary arts center Basilica Hudson an...
Tracing the Roots: Kadri Gopalnath, a lifetime of pioneering Indian Carnatic music
Indian classical pioneer Kadri Gopalnath has devoted a lifetime to integrate the saxophone into the classical Indian genre of Carnatic music. We trace down the roots of this boundary-breaking art...
24-HOUR DRONE returns to Basilica Hudson in 2023
We're happy to announce that, after four years, 24-HOUR DRONE returns to Basilica Hudson in 2023 on May 27 & 28, to coincide with Drone Day. 24-HOUR DRONE is presented by Basilica Hudson and Le Guess Who? in collaboration with Sarah Van Buren, happening in-person for the first time since 2019. Tickets are available here. An immersive...
Jacco Gardner: "Mysteriously, the things I feel connected to just find their way onto my path"
Before debuting his immersive multimedia-performance Somnium at this year’s Le Guess Who?, we had an extensive chat with Dutch musician, songwriter, and composer Jacco Gardner. About Dutch explorers, silent film soundtracks, Zambian rock legends, strange peninsula’s and of course, his upcoming LP Somnium. Jacco Gardner, sitti...
Listen to Brian Case's new album 'Spirit Design'
Just one year after his debut, Disappears' Brian Case is already releasing his second solo album, entitled 'Spirit Design'. The record features intense drone, combined with ambient soundscapes and con...
Midori Takada to present new durational sound work [ THUS TIME GOES BY ] at LGW21, created especially for the Jacobikerk
Unfortunately, Midori Takada won’t be able to make it to Le Guess Who? 2021 due to ongoing Covid restrictions. But she will be with us in Sound & Spirit. "I really wanted to be here with you. Instead I fly my spirit to you and wrap you up in the warm vibrations of the music" - Midori Takada On Friday and Saturday, we p...
Interview: Joe Coleman: "My performance art is always a mirror image of my paintings"
Ahead of his performance at Le Guess Who?, shamanic painter Joe Coleman gives us a glimpse into his immersive work process. “Computers are very odd to me,” Brooklyn-based painter and perf...
Tracing the Roots: Art Ensemble of Chicago’s Great Black Music, Ancient To The Future
In the mid-1960s, Art Ensemble of Chicago sprung from the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). Ever since, they have been celebrated as one of the most remarkable free ja...
Read: Alice Coltrane’s Spirit Lives on Through the Sai Anantam Ashram Singers
In a recent interview with Noisey, the Sai Anantam Ashram Singers reflect on the inspiring and influential Alice Coltrane: "I hadn't really realized what an inventive music it was, and how special it...
Unearthed: An exclusive interview with Abdullah Ibrahim published by The Wire in 1984
This November, Le Guess Who? will feature a spellbinding solo piano performance by Abdullah Ibrahim, South Africa’s most eminent pianist, anti-apartheid activist and a world-respected master musician. Abdullah Ibrahim's effervescent music is instantly recognizable, taking the audience on a journey through gospel and jive, American j...
Daniel Romano's Ancient Shapes release new album 'Silent Rave'
Daniel Romano has always been a free and restless spirit, as well as a gifted and masterful musician. His new brainchild is Ancient Shapes: a fast and rebellious punk poetry outfit. Now, the...
Watch: The Breeders release homemade video for 'Nervous Mary', recorded in Nijmegen
In their artist bio, we describe The Breeders as 'one of the most playful and wayward acts to emerge from the 90s grunge scene'. Their playful spirit sure becomes apparent with a new homemade video th...
"Finding recovery in dancing post-punk": Loud And Quiet meet Crack Cloud
A multimedia collective that includes members from different cities, ethnicities and origins, Crack Cloud express themselves through quirky, pungent songs filled with adventurous spirit. Loud And...
Listen + watch: Alanis Obomsawin live at Le Guess Who? 2017
Filmmaker and songwriter Alanis Obomsawin performed songs from her 1985 album 'Bush Lady' live for the first time at Le Guess Who? 2017, featuring music of the Native American Abenaki people. The perf...
Constellation Records reissues Alanis Obomsawin's 1985 album 'Bush Lady'
Acclaimed filmmaker and songwriter Alanis Obomsawin performed songs from her 1985 album 'Bush Lady' live for the very first time at Le Guess Who? 2017, featuring original compositions as well as music...
Track of the Week #11: Ancient Shapes - 'Public Hymns'
Every week, we’ll bring you a must-hear track from the Le Guess Who? 2018 line-up. This week, we pick Ancient Shapes, a new project fronted by songwriter Daniel Romano. Always having been a...
Revealing new projects & program additions for Le Guess Who? 2018
In addition to the previously announced initial line-up and curators, we now reveals a range of special projects and performers for the festival: Future Feminism; 15 years of RVNG Intl.; ONCEIM; and t...
Stream DJINN's self-titled debut album
Newcomers DJINN are an alliance formed by musicians in Swedish outfits Hills and GOAT. The group creates a hypnotic brew of free-jazz, psychedelic music, and harmonious folk, with their name being derived from the Arab folkloristic creature of djinn, a supernatural and invisible force by the band interpreted as meaning "a being that...
Revealing the initial line-up for Le Guess Who? 2019
We're pleased to reveal the initial line-up for Le Guess Who? 2019, dedicated to boundary-crossing music from all over the world. The first 87 acts include very rare performances by Asha Puthli, Ustad Saami, and Ayalew Mesfin & Debo Band, as well as the curated programs by Jenny Hval, Moon Duo, Patrick Higgins and The...
Listen: YĪN YĪN releases 'One Inch Punch' 7"
Dutch psych/funk group YĪN YĪN is founded by Kees Berkers, drummer of Baby Galaxy, and Yves Lennertz, guitarist of Bounty Island: two familiar faces in the Maastricht underground scene. The band, whose music is inspired by South East Asian 60s and 70s music, has released a new two track 7" with the songs 'One Inch Punch' an...
ZONAL (Kevin Martin & Justin Broadrick) announces debut LP, shares 2 tracks
ZONAL is the collaborative noise, dub and industrial project of Le Guess Who? 2019 curator Kevin Richard Martin (The Bug, King Midas Sound) and Justin Broadrick (Godflesh, JK Flesh). The group now announces their debut full-length album, to be released this fall via Relapse Records. The first two tracks; 'Cage Version' and 'No Versio...
Read The Vinyl Factory's story about how Dur-Dur Band defined Somali funk
Somalia's legendary Dur-Dur Band played a major role in the 1980s nightlife of the capital Mogadishu. After reissues by Awesome Tapes From Africa and Analog Africa, Dur-Dur Band's mix of vibrant funk and traditional Somalian rhythms earned renewed recognition globally. The Vinyl Factory's longread tells the story about how the Somalian C...
Los Pirañas announce new album 'Historia Natural'
Los Pirañas have announced their new album 'Historia Natural', to be released 11 October via Glitterbeat Records. It's the third album of the Colombian band featuring Eblis Alvarez (Meridian Brothers), Mario Galeano (Frente Cumbiero, Ondatropica) and Pedro Ojeda (Romperayo, Frente Cumbiero). 'Historia Natural' was recorded li...
Donato Dozzy announces sound installation album '12H' on Lorenzo Senni’s Presto!? Records
Donato Dozzy has a rare ability to work his way into peoples’ minds in both contemporary and classical settings. Now, the Spazio Disponibile boss will debut on Lorenzo Senni’s Presto!? Records with a two-hour-long album titled '12H', due out on October 25. The music is a summary of the material that...
Watch: Ethiopian funk legend Ayalew Mesfin's first ever EU performance at LGW19, together with the Debo Band
After his music has gone unheard for 40 years, either on stage or on record, quintessential Ethio-groove performer Ayalew Mesfin gave his first ever European performance at Le Guess Who? 2019: a show that featured the Debo Band, who formed in 2006 to keep the spirit and craft of Ethiopia’s golden age of pop alive. A...
Listen to South African collective SPAZA's soundtrack album 'UPRIZE!'
South African collective SPAZA released their new album ‘Uprize!’ last month. It was recorded in 2016 as the soundtrack for Sifiso Khanyile's 2017 documentary of the same name, which tells the history of the 1976 uprisings in Soweto against the racist apartheid government. On the album, the SPAZA ensemble displays a mixture o...
Le Guess Who? presents the second edition of concert series Hidden Musics at 2021 festival
After an overwhelming first edition in 2019, the celebrated concert series Hidden Musics returns to Le Guess Who? from 11-14 November 2021 in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Hidden Musics presents international musical performances that are not usually experienced on stages or at festivals; these rich, often centuries-old musical traditions ar...
Black Country, New Road announce new album 'Ants From Up There' + share first single 'Chaos Space Marine'
Over the last months, Black Country, New Road have become a steadfast live sensation with their mixture of post-punk, ashen Slint-like minimalism and pastoral dark folk leanings. Following the release of their debut album earlier this year, the group now already announce the follow-up: 'Ants From Up There' will be released February 4 via...
Read via Bandcamp: "Five Ainu Artists Revitalizing Indigenous Japanese Music", featuring LGW22 artist OKI
OKI's identity, as a part of Japan’s northernmost indigenous people, is central to his person and his art. His music, as heard on this year’s ‘Tonkori in the moonlight’, celebrates Ainu folk - while blending it with reggae, dub, throat singing, and Irish, African, and Central Asian tradition. Now, Bandcamp h...
Watch: KeiyaA features in Solange's Saint Heron's short film 'Passage'
Neo-soul sensation, singer and producer KeiyaA stars in Solange's Saint Heron's 'Passage', a short film created in collaboration with avant-garde collective Standing on the Corner. The short was recorded to celebrate the 2021 International Woolmark Prize, an award that honors fashion talents from around the world who showcase th...
Watch a video portrait of Egyptian Zar ensemble Mazaher
Mazaher are a small group of mostly women musicians and singers who play Zãr music: chanting songs and playing hypnotic polyrhythms traditionally used as a purification and exorcism ritual to help pacify and cleanse the human spirit. Zar practitioners have been stigmatized because of this exorcist tradition and the aim of...
Vrije Geluiden broadcasts 3 live sessions with LGW OFF artists
In the weekend of 14 & 15 November, Dutch broadcaster VPRO Vrije Geluiden recorded live sessions with artists who were supposed to perform at LGW OFF. At Utrecht's De Nijverheid, Vrije Geluiden captured performances of Indu Panday, Andy Moor & Yannis Kyriakides, and Sun-Mi Hong & Alistair Payne. For many years Le G...
Stream 'Offering', Nicole Mitchell & Moor Mother's special live collaboration at LGW18
As part of her curation at Le Guess Who? 2018, Philly-based noise artist, activist and wordsmith Moor Mother invited flutist, composer, poet and educator Nicole Mitchell for a performance at the festival. It ended up not being a solo performance though, but an exclusive and improvised collaboration between herself and Moor Mother. No...
Listen to highlights from Ayalew Mesfin's LGW set + view Photo Series of his EU premiere by Melanie Marsman
Following our video of Ethiopian funk legend Ayalew Mesfin's triumphant show at Le Guess Who? 2019, we can now release some highlights of his performance as audio stream, recorded by Marc Broer, together with a stunning photo series by Melanie Marsman of Mesfin's first ever European performance, after his music has gone unheard for 40 yea...
Noori & His Dorpa Band - Live at Le Guess Who? 2022
Sudan's Noori & His Dorpa Band performed live at Le Guess Who? 2022, presented in collaboration with Ostinato Records. Below, you can relive the performance with our video of a part of the concert, as well as the audio of the full show, with a spirited introduction by Ostinato's Vik Sohonie before the band came on stage. Additionall...
Listen to ZONAL's debut album 'Wrecked', in collaboration with lyrical poet Moor Mother
ZONAL is the collaborative noise, dub and industrial project of Le Guess Who? 2019 curator Kevin Richard Martin (The Bug, King Midas Sound) and Justin Broadrick (Godflesh, JK Flesh). Now, the group release their debut album 'Wrecked' via Relapse Records, containing several collaborations with lyrical poet (and LGW18 curator) Moo...
Zonal share title track of upcoming album 'Wrecked'
ZONAL has shared the title track to their forthcoming album 'Wrecked', which is out on 25 October via Relapse Records. ZONAL is the collaborative noise, dub and industrial project of Le Guess Who? 2019 curator Kevin Richard Martin (The Bug, King Midas Sound) and Justin Broadrick (Godflesh, JK Flesh). The album contains...
Watch: La Blogothèque's Take Away Show with Kate NV, captured in Utrecht during LGW18
During Le Guess Who? 2018, the La Blogothèque team captured a stripped down and intimate Take Away Show with Moscow-based musician Kate NV. On her latest solo LP ‘для FOR’, Kate NV reflects on daily life in her native Moscow; creating an atmospheric soundscape filled with surreal, playful arrangements. During the sessi...
Éliane Radigue: a personal quest in exploration of sound
On Thursday, 8 November (the opening night of Le Guess Who? 2018), French experimental orchestra ONCEIM will perform twice in Utrecht’s iconic Dom church; a collaboration between Le Guess Who? a...
Beverly Glenn-Copeland: “I was making music for a generation that had yet to be born”
A classical singer. A multi-instrumentalist. A transgender artist. An experimental pioneer of electronic music. A children’s show composer and actor. A Buddhist practitioner. A psychotherapy co-...
Introducing: Canada collective Crack Cloud construct something radically new out of post-punk’s past
Crack Cloud is not what you should consider a regular band. A self-described ‘mixed media collective’, they take shape as a fluid collective of numerous individuals from Alberta, Canada wi...
The Quietus premieres recordings of Linda Sharrock live at LGW17
Expressive jazz singer Linda Sharrock performed live at Le Guess Who? 2017, as part of the program curated by Jerusalem In My Heart. Now, The Quietus premieres the recordings of the performance, featu...
Listen: Lost Horizons release debut album 'Ojalá'
The two very gifted musicians Simon Raymonde (Cocteau Twins) and Richie Thomas (Dif Juz) found each other in a stunning new project named Lost Horizons. Their debut is out now, and features an impress...
Lost Horizons' share video for 'Score The Sky' + new song 'I Saw The Days Go By'
Lost Horizons, the collaborative project formed by Simon Raymonde of Cocteau Twins and Richard Thomas of instrumental quartet Dif Juz, will release their new album 'Ojalá' this Friday via Bella...
Explore James Holden's curated program for Le Guess Who? 2017
(Artwork by Raimund Wong) Playing live following ‘The Inheritors’ was a complete new experience for James Holden; improvising with live drums, sax and synths opened a new world for Holden...
Explore Grouper’s curated program for Le Guess Who? 2017
(artwork by Grouper's Liz Harris) Liz Harris aka Grouper is one of the most prominent and inspiring musicians exploring the space between sound and song. While mostly ambient based, her compositions...
Listen to James Holden's new track 'Each Moment Like the First'
After offering a first taste of his new album 'The Animal Spirits', electronic explorer James Holden now shares the second track from the album, 'Each Moment Like the First'. Listen below. ...
Pharoah Sanders & Peter Brötzmann featured in Pitchfork's Best Albums of the 1960s
Pitchfork have just published their list of best albums of the 1960s - no less than 200 choices, that include jazz icon Pharoah Sanders' influential and cosmic 'Karma', as well as The Peter Brötz...
Meet avant-garde guitarist/composer Patrick Higgins, live with Netherlands Chamber Orchestra
Patrick Higgins may be best known as guitarist for the noise-rock band Zs, which New York Times called "one of the strongest avant-garde bands of New York", but his solo work is just as striking. From...
Les Amazones d’Afrique: making a big noise for women in a world run by men
Les Amazones d'Afrique are a gathering of some of the most powerful female voices of West-Africa. These performers use their music as a weapon to address the disempowerment of women across Africa and...
Listen: Junun live at Le Guess Who? 2016
The Line of Best Fit shares the full audio of Junun’s electrifying performance at Le Guess Who? 2016, featuring Shye Ben Tzur, Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood and Indian ensemble The Rajasthan...
Playlist: explore Jenny Hval's curated program for LGW19
Norwegian multidisciplinary artist Jenny Hval is one of the curators for Le Guess Who? 2019. Hval will host her very own program at the upcoming edition of the festival, inviting a.o. Japanese musician and sound artist Haco; Canadian-born, Los Angeles-based ambient artist Sarah Davachi; French sound sculptor Felicia Atkinson; Glasweg...
Listen to Devendra Banhart's personal playlist for his curated program at LGW18
Eclectic songwriter Devendra Banhart hosts his very own program at Le Guess Who?, inviting a selection of (surprising) inspirations and interests. Now, he has put together a personal playlist wit...
Explore the 3rd edition of Hidden Musics at Le Guess Who? 2022, aimed at deeply localized music
In 2019, the concert series Hidden Musics originated between Le Guess Who?, Chris Eckman of Glitterbeat Records and GRAMMY Award-winning producer and writer Ian Brennan, from the shared belief that it is important to platform underrepresented artists, and magnify music produced far from the mainstream. In 2022, we are proud the present th...
Watch: Zanzibar singer Siti Muharam's European live debut at LGW21, premiered by Songlines
Zanzibar singer Siti Muharam performed live at Le Guess Who? 2021, marking her European live debut. In 2020, she received the prestigious Songlines Awards for African Artist of the Year following the release of her album 'Siti of Unguja'. Now, Songlines premieres the concert film of Siti Muharam's performance at Le Guess Who?, featur...
Read: a personal introduction to Czech duo Irena & Vojtěch Havlovi's haunting music, by Pavel Klusák
Ever since they started working together in the mid-eighties, Czech artists Irena & Vojtěch Havlovi have traveled far and wide, crossing continents, cultures and mediums with styles of European classical music ranging from the Renaissance to contemporary. In the process, the duo made fans which include Sufjan Stevens, The National's...
Watch: VPRO Vrije Geluiden sessions with Etran de L'Aïr, Víctor Herrero, Ored Recordings, Mazaher & Mario Batkovic at LGW21
During Le Guess Who? 2021, VPRO Vrije Geluiden recorded live sessions with multiple artists who performed at the festival. All sessions are now online, featuring Etran de L’Aïr, Víctor Herrero, Mario Batkovic, Mazaher, and Zaur Nagoy in collaboration with Jrpjej, presented by Ored Recordings. Mazaher, Ored Recordi...
Watch/read: Mazaher live at LGW21, premiered by Pan African Music
Chanting songs and playing hypnotic polyrhythms, Egyptian ensemble Mazaher gave a rare performance at Le Guess Who? 2021. It was their first European show in over 15 years. Mazaher is an Egyptian ensemble, a small group of mostly women musicians and singers who play Zãr music: a combination of chanted songs and hypnotic polyrhythm...
Watch Noori & His Dorpa Band live at LGW22 + read Pan African Music interview
Sudan's Noori & His Dorpa Band performed live at Le Guess Who? 2022, presented in collaboration with Ostinato Records. Below, you can relive the performance with our video of a part of the concert, as well as the audio of the full show, with a spirited introduction by Ostinato's Vik Sohonie before the band came on stage. Additionall...
Listen & relive: Asher Gamedze live at Le Guess Who? 2022
Asher Gamedze is a cultural worker based in Cape Town, working mainly as a musician, writer, organizer and an educator. With his band, he performed live during the opening night of Le Guess Who? 2022. You can now listen to three tracks that the group performed live from their 'Dialectic Soul' album (2020): 'Eternality', 'Siyabulela...
Watch: Lole Montoya - Live at Le Guess Who? 2022
From the minute when flamenco innovator Lole Montoya stepped onto the stage at the Jacobikerk during Le Guess Who? 2022, we knew we were in for a magical moment in time. Together with guitarist Juan Carmona, she gave a rare and very touching performance as part of the Hidden Musics project. Luckily, you can relive it now with our concert...
El Kontessa releases new album 'Nos Habet Caramel'
As El Kontessa, producer, DJ, and multidisciplinary artist Fajr Soliman deconstructs Cairo’s soundscapes and combines them with accelerating polyrhythms, echoing Mahraganat percussion, vocal hits and bursts of synths, turning them into multilayered sonic explorations. Since debuting in 2018, El Kontessa has been a staple of Egypt&...
Listen/read: Ndox Electrique root their sound in Senegal's healing ceremonies
You can also listen to this story – below or via your favorite podcast app. On the closing day of Le Guess Who? 2023, the festival features the first international performance of Ndox Electrique, whose music is inspired by an ancient ritual of the spirit-world originating from Senegal’s n’döep ceremonies. ...
Listen/read: How seven trailblazing LGW artists reimagine their cultural & musical heritage
You can also listen to this story – below or via your favorite podcast app. Words by Julian BrimmersAudio by Cheri PercyCover photo by Gianfranco Bello For 16 years and counting, Le Guess Who? has strived to create a space for generations of music lovers and makers to come together. A podium, where icons of their trade n...
Bill Orcutt Guitar Quartet release 'Four Guitars Live', recorded at LGW23
At Le Guess Who? 2023, veteran improviser Bill Orcutt (of Harry Pussy) was joined live by an all-star team of seasoned guitarists, made up of Wendy Eisenberg, Ava Mendoza, and Shane Parish. The four tackled Orcutt’s rhythmic tapestry released on 'Music For Four Guitars' (2022), following the intricate composition’s thread wh...
Watch: Niño de Elche live at Le Guess Who? 2023
"This is flamenco punk", said Niño de Elche towards the end of his performance at Le Guess Who?. It's a fitting statement: the Spanish musician, who is also called a 'singer, poet and omnipresent master of ensorcelling souls' has been challenging conservative and picturesque perceptions of flamenco for over two decades. You can re...
Announcing the first COSMOS 2024 Embassy: Santuri East Africa
COSMOS x Santuri announce first 2024 Embassy Ahead of their first-ever electronic music summit, Kilele, COSMOS sits down with Santuri co-founder and director David Tinning as well as Nairobi staples Nyokabi Kariũki and KMRU. For a full decade, the Santuri organisation has been supporting, highlighting, and releasing a mix of con...
Read: Jori Collignon talks running Gris Gris Records with Tânia Baldé
Having spent many years touring and drawing inspiration from many corners of the world, Jori Collignon has at last found a home in the idyllic Palmela, Portugal. It is here where you can find a home complete with a guesthouse, garden, studio, and a vibrant hub where artists from different parts of the world come together to exchange ideas...
Le Guess Who? & U? present Sydney Lowell
Sydney Lowell is a creative spirit, human, artist and entrepreneur from Amsterdam. She mainly operates as a poet, but recently started incorporating music and movement into her creative practice. Next to that, she’s a teacher, voice actor, host, and co-founder/producer of creative platforms We The People and 2PHRASE. Sydney sees...
Indofuturist Sanctuary: A COSMOS Goa Residency Recap
In the spring of 2023, COSMOS – Le Guess Who’s? global music community – organized its first artist residency in Goa, India. Over the past few years, Goa has become a sanctuary for artists and freewheeling spirits of all kinds, including REProduce-founder Rana Ghose. In collaboration with Rana, COSMOS created a space for...
Photo series: COSMOS Residency in Goa, India
Last week, COSMOS' first international residency started in Goa, India. Composer, sound artist and improviser Hardi Kurda from Kurdistan-Iraq was invited by curator and filmmaker Rana Ghose to work at the new studio and gallery space 999. For two weeks, Hardi collaborates with a number of local artists to explore themes relating to m...
COSMOS Embassy Announcement: UMA (Detroit, USA)
COSMOS x Underground Music Academy announce their 2024 Embassy in Detroit, USA A place to learn about the past, present, and future of dance music. With the Underground Music Academy, Detroit’s own Waajeed has created a utopian space for the city's aspiring musicians. Among music fans, few places occupy a similar space in the coll...
Listen: Kahil El’Zabar Ethnic Heritage Ensemble live session at BBC Radio 6
Fiftieth anniversaries call for spectacular celebrations, and that is what Kahil El’Zabar’s Ethnic Heritage Ensemble are embarking on this year. To commemorate half a century of continuously shifting gears and tempos in the jazz-blues continuum, the band is embarking on a new world tour. Before they do so, they visited the BBC...
Le Guess Who? Reveals Program & Embassy Partners for COSMOS 2024
With the ethos of Listening is the Way Forward, Le Guess Who? is widely considered to be one of the most forward-thinking festivals around. Le Guess Who? exists to promote sounds that are often overlooked, and to platform fresh perspectives on what is possible in music. Artists from all over the world push the boundaries of expectations...
Revealing the Guest Curators & Initial Line-Up for Le Guess Who? 2024
Le Guess Who? exists to promote sounds that are often overlooked, and to platform fresh perspectives on what is possible in music. Artists from all over the world offer an insight into the unprecedented diversity of human creativity. Le Guess Who? returns 7-10 November 2024 for its 17th edition in Utrecht, The Netherlands. We&rsq...
Watch: Phelimuncasi live at Le Guess Who? 2023
Durban-based Gqom futurists Phelimuncasi (Nyege Nyege Tapes) brought their life-affirming energy to Le Guess Who? 2023, providing ample space to dance and sweat at TivoliVredenburg's Pandora stage. Relive the performance with our concert film below. About Much like the South African bee after which they named their most recent a...
Listen: COSMOS on Refuge Worldwide with Erika Angell and Touching Bass
Every first Monday of the month, COSMOS broadcasts episodes of their radio show on Refuge Worldwide, highlighting their deep-running network of partners from around the world. On Monday, 5 August, from 5-7 PM, COSMOS returns with two new episodes. The first hour is curated by our friends from POP Montreál. The iconic Canadian fest...
Seni Reak Juarta Putra bring ritual trance ceremony to Le Guess Who? 2024
The village of Cileunyi, located in the mountainous areas surrounding Bandung, West Java, is home to Reak, a spiritual trance ritual that has existed in the region for hundreds of years. Seni Reak Juarta Putra, an original community of the Reak ceremony, offers this year’s Le Guess Who? audience a rare glimpse into the ritual. Th...
Explore the line-up of U? 2024 with our official playlist
U?, the freely accessible city program of Le Guess Who?, celebrates local and creative communities based in the Netherlands, with a strong focus on Utrecht. U? 2024 includes music, workshops, films, exhibitions, shared meals, discussions, and much more, spotlighting the diversity of the creativity from Utrecht and beyond. Now that the fu...
Read: A Dream of Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto, by Julián Mayorga
On Friday, 8 November 2024, Le Guess Who? will witness the magic of legendary Cumbia and Gaita ensemble Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto. To say that we are excited about welcoming them to Utrecht would be a massive understatement. In fact, the influence of this Grammy-winning, generations-spanning band on the trajectory of Latin American musi...
COSMOS Embassy Announcement: Touching Bass (London, UK)
COSMOS x Touching Bass announce their 2024 Embassy in London, UK Touching Bass is a London-based musical movement founded by Errol and Alex Rita, comprised of a community-come-club night, record label, staple NTS Radio show, concert series and curatorial studio. Since its inception, Touching Bass has steadily established itself as...
Photo series: Touching Bass presents INNA at LGW24 by 36framez
Touching Bass is a London-based musical movement founded by Errol and Alex Rita, comprised of a community-come-club night, record label, staple NTS Radio show, concert series and curatorial studio. Since its inception, Touching Bass has steadily established itself as one of London’s most important musical incubators, gaining cult s...
Listen: Raphael Rogiński presents Žaltys featuring Indrė Jurgelevičiūtė & Shahzad Ismaily at LGW24
Polish guitarist Raphael Rogiński presented his album Žaltys live at Utrecht’s Pieterskerk during Le Guess Who? 2024, accompanied on stage by Lithuanian singer and kanklės player Indrė Jurgelevičiūtė and American multi-instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily. You can now listen to the full performance, which was co-curated by Unsound as pa...
Le Guess Who? Reveals Embassy Partners for COSMOS 2025
COSMOS is Le Guess Who?’s hybrid platform that highlights independent music scenes from around the world. Here we invite vibrant music communities from every corner of the map to become COSMOS Embassies, and to share their stories–both online and offline–through mixtapes, film, live radio, conversations and performances....
Mazaher - Live at Le Guess Who? 2021
Chanting songs and playing hypnotic polyrhythms, Egyptian ensemble Mazaher gave a rare performance at Le Guess Who? 2021. It was their first European show in over 15 years. Mazaher is an Egyptian ensemble, a small group of mostly women musicians and singers who play Zãr music: a combination of chanted songs and hypnotic polyrhythm...
Nicole Mitchell & Moor Mother - Offering (live at Le Guess Who? 2018)
As part of her curation at Le Guess Who? 2018, Philly-based noise artist, activist and wordsmith Moor Mother invited flutist, composer, poet and educator Nicole Mitchell for a performance at the festival. It ended up not being a solo performance though, but an exclusive and improvised collaboration between herself and Moor Mother. No...
Linda Sharrock - Live at Le Guess Who? 2017
Expressive jazz singer Linda Sharrock live at Le Guess Who? 2017, featuring three improvisational pieces. This performance was curated by Jerusalem In My Heart. About Linda Sharrock: Renowned for her work with guitarist Sonny Sharrock in the 60s and 70s, Linda Sharrock has become a leading light in the world of experimental jazz a...
Junun feat. Shye Ben Tzur, Jonny Greenwood and the Rajasthan Express - Live at Le Guess Who? 2016
Junun featuring Shye Ben Tzur, Jonny Greenwood, and the Rajasthan Express was the closing act of Le Guess Who? 2016. Relive their magical performance. About JununInside a 15th century Mehrangarh fort in Rajasthan, India, Israeli composer Shye Ben Tzur and Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood met the Rajasthan Express: an Indian ensemble...
Siti Muharam - Live at Le Guess Who? 2021
Zanzibar singer Siti Muharam performed live at Le Guess Who? 2021, marking her European live debut. In 2020, she received the prestigious Songlines Awards for African Artist of the Year following the release of her album 'Siti of Unguja'. Now, Songlines premieres the concert film of Siti Muharam's performance at Le Guess Who?, featur...
Ayalew Mesfin & Debo Band - Live at Le Guess Who? 2019
After his music has gone unheard for 40 years, either on stage or on record, quintessential Ethio-groove performer Ayalew Mesfin gave his first ever European performance at Le Guess Who? 2019: a show that featured the Debo Band, who formed in 2006 to keep the spirit and craft of Ethiopia’s golden age of pop alive. A...
Alanis Obomsawin - Live at Le Guess Who? 2017
Filmmaker and songwriter Alanis Obomsawin performed songs from her 1985 album ‘Bush Lady’ live for the first time at Le Guess Who? 2017, featuring music of the Native American Abenaki people. The performance was curated by Jerusalem In My Heart, and also included 2 never recorded songs: 'La Berceuse' & 'The Spirit Of The R...
Asher Gamedze - Live at Le Guess Who? 2022
Asher Gamedze is a cultural worker based in Cape Town, working mainly as a musician, writer, organizer and an educator. With his band, he performed live during the opening night of Le Guess Who? 2022. You can now listen to three tracks that the group performed live from their 'Dialectic Soul' album (2020): 'Eternality', 'Siyabulela...
Lole Montoya - Live at Le Guess Who? 2022
From the minute when flamenco innovator Lole Montoya stepped onto the stage at the Jacobikerk during Le Guess Who? 2022, we knew we were in for a magical moment in time. Together with guitarist Juan Carmona, she gave a rare and very touching performance as part of the Hidden Musics project. Luckily, you can relive it now with our concert...
Niño de Elche - Live at Le Guess Who? 2023
"This is flamenco punk", said Niño de Elche towards the end of his performance at Le Guess Who?. It's a fitting statement: the Spanish musician, who is also called a 'singer, poet and omnipresent master of ensorcelling souls' has been challenging conservative and picturesque perceptions of flamenco for over two decades. You can re...
Bill Orcutt Guitar Quartet - 'Four Guitars Live'
At Le Guess Who? 2023, veteran improviser Bill Orcutt (of Harry Pussy) was joined live by an all-star team of seasoned guitarists, made up of Wendy Eisenberg, Ava Mendoza, and Shane Parish. The four tackled Orcutt’s rhythmic tapestry released on 'Music For Four Guitars' (2022), following the intricate composition’s thread wh...
Phelimuncasi - Live at Le Guess Who? 2023
Durban-based Gqom futurists Phelimuncasi (Nyege Nyege Tapes) brought their life-affirming energy to Le Guess Who? 2023, providing ample space to dance and sweat at TivoliVredenburg's Pandora stage. Relive the performance with our concert film below. About Much like the South African bee after which they named their most recent a...
Raphael Rogiński presents Žaltys featuring Indrė Jurgelevičiūtė & Shahzad Ismaily - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024
Polish guitarist Raphael Rogiński presented his album Žaltys live at Utrecht’s Pieterskerk during Le Guess Who? 2024, accompanied on stage by Lithuanian singer and kanklės player Indrė Jurgelevičiūtė and American multi-instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily. You can now listen to the full performance, which was co-curated by Unsound as pa...
Le Guess Who? 2018 Press Archive
The Netherlands 3FM: Eva Koreman nieuwe presentator 3voor12 radio 3FM: Le Guess Who? 2018: Ralph-Herman snapt niet wat Colin Stetson doet3FM: Timo op Le Guess Who: van gevoelige liedjes in een kerk tot stoned rappers3voor12: Kijk terug: James Holden & The Animal Spirits op Le Guess Who? 3voor12: Festivals willen dat je een kaart...
Le Guess Who? 2019 Press Archive
“With the able steer of festival curators Jenny Hval, Moon Duo, Fatoumata Diawara, and Iris Van Herpen, this year’s boundary-crossing festival Le Guess Who?? welcomed visitors from over 60 countries and proved that even in times of political divide, music and art can bring us together into a more hopeful future.” - The...
Le Guess Who? 2020 Press archive
The Netherlands 3voor12: Dit zijn de vijftig belangrijkste festivals van Nederland3voor12: Le Guess Who? slaat 2020 over3voor12: Beverly Glenn-Copeland blijft onverstoorbaar hoopvol3voor12: Le Guess Who? organiseert fysiek en online evenement3voor12: Le Guess Who? maakt volledige line-up LGW OFF bekend3voor12: Alternatie...
COSMOS Embassy: London, UK
In partnership with Touching Bass Touching Bass is the London-based musical movement, founded by Errol and Alex Rita. A community-come-club night, celebrated record label, staple NTS Radio show, concert series and curatorial studio. Founded in 2016, it has steadily established itself as one of London’s most important musical...
COSMOS Embassy Film: London, UK
In partnership with Touching Bass Touching Bass is the London-based musical movement, founded by Errol and Alex Rita. A community-come-club night, celebrated record label, staple NTS Radio show, concert series and curatorial studio. Founded in 2016, it has steadily established itself as one of London’s most important musical...