Search: The Sweet of Release of Death
The Sweet Release of Death
The Sweet Release Of Death triumph over doom-and-gloom with a pinch of dark humor and a penchant for stretching guitar-based music’s outer peripheries. The group forms a maelstrom of ear-splitti...
Argentinian "giant of musique concrète" Beatriz Ferreyra, curated by Lucrecia Dalt for LGW21, releases new album 'Canto+'
Beatriz Ferreyra is an 84-year-old composer and sound artist from Argentina, currently living in Hameau de Hodeng, France. Recently dubbed a "giant of musique concrète" by Pitchfork, Ferreyra has now released her new album 'Canto+' via Room40, the follow-up to last year's 'Echos+'. The album collects five pieces...
COSMOS Embassy: Seoul, South Korea
In partnership with Seoul Community Radio Seoul Community Radio (SCR) is South Korea’s premier community radio station. Established in 2016, Seoul Community Radio (SCR) is a multi-platform online broadcaster at the center of Asia’s fast-growing electronic music community, created by the scene for the people that make it great...
Vladimir Ivkovic presents: 20 years after Suba / Rex Ilusivii's death
In 1995, Serbian-born, Brazil-based producer Mitar Subotić – also known as Suba and Rex Illusivii – created ‘Wayang’, an album that would be considered visionary even by today&...
Jenny Hval's The Practice Of Love
Whether it’s a stage, a computer screen or a page from a book: Jenny Hval’s multi-disciplinary work aims to break beyond these confining zones to form a deeper connection with her audience...
Judith Clijsters: Bored To Death
Belgian dancer and choreographer Judith Clijsters isn’t just someone who constructs and performs a dance movement. She observes. More specifically, she observes our bodies, and how we use them....
DJ Fitz & DJ Quesadilla
DJ Quesadilla and DJ Fitz, two swashbuckling archeologists of music who habitually turn dancefloors all over the world into journeys of sweet sonic oblivion. The former is one of the most prominent fi...
Kickstarter x Kapitaal (Le Guess Who? Official Hang Out)
Through live interviews, listening sessions, art exhibitions with select LGW? performers and all things print and sound, Kapitaal will transform into a three-day meeting place for craftsmanship and de...
Listen to African Head Charge live at Le Guess Who? 2023
African Head Charge performed live on the opening night of Le Guess Who? 2023 following the release of their new album 'A Trip To Bolgatanga'. You can now relive the performance with the full audio of the show, which is assured to put a smile on anyone's face. About'A bad attitude is like a flat tire - you can't go anywhere until...
Attila Csihar & Iggor Cavalera
Le Guess Who? 2025 guest curator Ziúr brings together unique super-duo Attila Csihar & Iggor Cavalera. On drums is the co-founder of legendary Brazilian band Sepultura, whose groundbreaking...
Dedekind Cut
Fred Warmsley was once a vital member of Joey Bada$$'s Pro Era crew under the moniker Lee Bannon. Gradually however, the Sacramento native started to veer into more amorphous sonic territories. Under...
Devendra Banhart
Once dubbed the ‘High Priest of L.A. Freak Folk’, Devendra Banhart leaves a swirling trail of mystic folk, raga spirituals and Latin-American rock in his wake. With his weird and wonderful...
Dry Cleaning
London's Dry Cleaning's debut LP is filled to the brim with unheard-of snark, courtesy of vocalist Florence Shaw's quick-witted lyrics. Last year’s 'New Long Leg' follows their acclaimed 2019 EP...
CTA Tickets
Le Guess Who? takes pace across 20 locations in the city center of Utrecht; ranging from churches and galleries to theaters and pop venues. Most are within walking distance from each other. Here are a couple highlighted.
Painkiller Party
Welcome to the world of PAINKILLER PARTY! This band revitalizes Electronicore with a mix of heavy breakdowns, quirky electronics, sweet melodies, and deep growls from a female voice. Think deathcore m...
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...
Listen: Anoushka Shankar traces her heritage with lesser-known recordings by her father Ravi
In a new episode of Red Bull Radio's Open End, sitar player Anoushka Shankar traces an arc of Indian classical music, from lesser-known recordings by her father Ravi to modern works. Equally, in...
Birth of Manuel
Birth of Manuel is a Faxe-powered punk band from the Utrecht underground scene. Founded by members of Throwing Bricks, Ontaard (performed at U? 2023) and Ciao Bon Jovi Jon Bon Jon Jovi Jon, with the g...
Black Country, New Road share stripped back, acoustic version of 'Track X'
Following the release of their debut album 'For the first time' earlier this year, the enigmatic Black Country, New Road now display a new, more intimate side of the band with a stripped back and acoustic version of their single 'Track X', retitled into 'Track X (Guest)'. Listen below. "This version is where the lyri...
The Sound Of One Computer Thinking
Presented by IMPAKT - Centre for Media Culture The Sound Of One Computer Thinking invokes a paradox or question that is essentially unanswerable. Are love, death or humour uniquely human or biologica...
Lili Boulanger - 'Du fond de l’abîme' performed by Radio Philharmonic Orchestra
Lili Boulanger (1893) is a unique and prodigious case studies in music history, taking up singing, organ, piano, violin, cello and harp at the premature age of five. In 1913, she became the first woma...
Listen to 'Dark Out' from upcoming Chromesthesia compilation album
On Friday, 8 November 2024, the compilation album Chromesthesia: the Colour of Sound Vol. 1 is set to be released. Brainchild of British-Egyptian historian Hannah Elsisi (NYU AD, Cambridge), Chromesthesia—aptly named "the colour of sound"— tracks afro-diasporic rhythms from the Whole Mangrove World. Following the collaborati...
Read: Tender hearts in tough (Aussie) harnesses
Hard in style, soft in core. For Luna van der Laan (Looney Lunatic) and Carlos Kok (Boot 122), their passion for noisy, fast music stems from a broad artistic (self-)schooling, high levels of passion for music and, above all, an open mind. With a DIY-mentality, a grounded aversion of the establishment and a substance-over-style-approach,...
Brooklyn post-punk five-piece Gustaf share video for new single 'Best Behavior'
Brooklyn post-punk group Gustaf have generated quite the buzz for a band which hasn’t been around for more than a few years. On October 1st, the five-piece will release their long awaited debut album 'Audio Drag For Ego Slobs' via Royal Mountain Records. Following the release of first song 'Book' last month, Gust...
Read via The Quietus: which records would Felix Kubin 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...
Lord Spikeheart
Vocalist Martin Kanja (or Lord Spikeheart), has become a nominal head in the Kenyan metal scene - first with speed-core group Lust of a Dying Breed, and later alongside Le Guess Who? alumnus Duma. Now...
Film: Knit’s Island
In an entirely virtual, post-apocalyptic game world, the filmmakers talk to the people behind the digital avatars. From death squad member to church leader to solitary wanderer.IDFA (International Doc...
Tashi Wada
‘What Is Not Strange?’ asks Los Angeles-based performer Tashi Wada on his first solo album’s title. As its name suggests, the artist’s latest work - his most ambitious and impa...
Mount Eerie
Phil Elverum's latest Mount Eerie album ‘A Crow Looked At Me’ opens with the words "Death is real/someone's there and then they're not". The album is a deeply personal document of grief, h...
Sun Ra Arkestra
The legendary Sun Ra Arkestra isn’t so much an ensemble as it is an ideology passed on from generation to generation. Founder Sun Ra (visionary pianist, poet, electronica pioneer and composer He...
Richard Fearless
‘What’s in a name?’, they say. In Richard Fearless’ case, a lot. He’s the mastermind behind Death In Vegas, not to mention an accomplished producer and DJ whose scope ext...
Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares - Live at Le Guess Who? 2017
Bulgarian women's choir Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares performed music from their new album 'BooCheeMish' live at Le Guess Who? 2017, in Utrecht's iconic Dom church (dating back to the 13th century). The performance was curated by Perfume Genius for the festival. About:The famous Bulgarian women's choir Le Mystère des Voix...
破地獄/Scattered Purgatory
Taiwan duo Scattered Purgatory is named after a Taoist ritual that redeems and releases souls from a state between life and death. As it turns out, they adopt this notion quite literally in both perfo...
Curator: John Dwyer
With over twenty releases under a closely-related variety of names – Orinoka Crash Suite, OCS, Orange County Sound, The Ohsees, The Oh Sees, and Thee Oh Sees, and now just Oh Sees – f...
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...
Beatrice Sberna + Gabriel de Oliveira
Improvisation and songwriting entangle through a plurality of voices, languages, strings, and unidentifiable noises. Songs of all forms sprout. Sberna's vocals shine and blaze fiercely in a dark warmt...
Tropical Fuck Storm (2019)
Tropical Fuck Storm’s wailing backing harmonies sound like a coven chanting hellish incantations, and the filthy percussive thrusts, the otherworldly synth flourishes of the band’s debut L...
Gorgonn & Utku Önal present Six Paths
According to Japanese Buddhism, when someone dies they are brought down one of six paths depending on the karma amassed in previous lives. On his full-length debut, ‘Six Paths’, Gorgonn mu...
Ill Japonia & Masumi Saito
Ill Japonia, the trap/bass music alter-ego of Bo Ningen's frontman Taigen Kawabe, collaborates with movement artist Masumi Saito. They blend London's eclectic music scene and Rave culture with Masumi'...
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...
Rachika Nayar
In just two years, the Brooklyn-based composer and producer Rachika Nayar’s digitally processed guitar compositions have rewritten both the instrument and electronic music conventions. Following...
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...
Nusantara Beat
Amsterdam-based six-piece Nusantara Beat has quickly amassed a cult following, largely due to their exciting new take on Indonesian tradition. By infusing the sounds of traditional Indonesian songs fr...
Myriam Gendron
Before the release of her first record a decade ago, Quebecois musician Myriam Gendron was busking in Paris, singing Leonard Cohen songs. In a striking full-circle moment, the artist’s newest re...
The Guardian interviews Farida Mohammad Ali, "the mother of all maqam"
Farida Mohammed Ali's mastery of the ancient maqam discipline - a lifetime’s pursuit - is truly extraordinary. In execution, this traditional singing technique requires full command of comp...
LGW & Nature and Environment Federation Utrecht collaborate for sustainable roof at Hof van Cartesius
Since 2022, Le Guess Who? partners with the Nature and Environment Federation Utrecht to offset CO2 emissions from international air travel by artists and visitors. Thanks to collaboration in 2023, a sustainable roof at Utrecht’s Hof van Cartesius, a unique circular workspace for creative entrepreneurs, has now been realized. Hof va...
Tarta Relena
In our opinion, by the time November rolls around, Catalan duo Tarta Relena should head a-many top-of-year lists thanks to ‘Pack Pro Nobis’. The release, an expanded edition of prior works...
Listen: Shabaka Hutchings' personal playlist for his curated program at LGW18
Jazz superforce Shabaka Hutchings curates his own program at Le Guess Who? 2018, hosting a variety of inspirations, interests and like-minded artists. Now, he has put together a personal playlist...
Le Cri du Caire - Live at Le Guess Who? 2023
One year ago, Le Cri du Caire released their hauntingly beautiful, self-tilted debut album. We are now thrilled to share the recording of their mesmerizing performance at Utrecht's Jacobikerk during Le Guess Who? 2023, where the group performed the majority of the album, as well as new material. AboutSinger, writer, poet, and expressio...
Lonnie Holley feat. Nelson Patton - Live at Le Guess Who? 2018
During Le Guess Who? 2018, we spent a weekend with musician and visual artist Lonnie Holley in Utrecht. On the opening night of the festival, Lonnie performed with expressive trombone & drums duo Nelson Patton; the next day, he gave us a guided tour through the city of Utrecht, showing the many unique ways of how Holley experiences hi...
Line Up 2019
Le Guess Who? 2019 Line-up Le Guess Who? 2019 featured programs curated by Jenny Hval, Fatoumata Diawara, Iris van Herpen & Salvador Breed, Moon Duo, Patrick Higgins and The Bug. View the full line-up via the link below. LE GUESS WHO? 2019 LINE-UP
Listen: FLOHIO releases new single 'Whiplash'
Followiung the release of her mixtape 'No Panic No Pain' back in November, FLOHIO is now back with a new, one-off single called 'Whiplash'. The UK based, Lagos-born rapper wrote on her Instagram, “I can’t lie this is gonna be nuts. I love you and I’m proud we are in this together. Friday I’ll drop somethi...
Listen & relive: Galya Bisengalieva live at LGW21, presented by Uncloud
Kazakh-British composer and violinist Galya Bisengalieva performed her latest album 'Aralkum' in full live at Le Guess Who? 2021, as part of the program presented by Uncloud. You can now listen & relive the entire performance. "It has been speculated how the current environmental crisis we face will inspire musicians, the sam...
Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe releases Sonambient recordings
The ever-versatile Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe is a soul that keeps creating, with each undertaking achieving new depths, textures and vocabularies. Now, Lowe releases his new 12" called 'Levitation Praxi...
DJ Fitz (2021)
Having participated in pretty much every edition of the festival thus far, internationally recognized DJ Fitz, is by now basically Le Guess Who? royalty. One of the world’s primary authorities o...
Myriam Gendron (2022)
Ottawa-born Myriam Gendron settled in Montreal at age sixteen, working as a book dealer. Her kinship with literature resulted in her first release ‘Not So Deep As Well’, being a nine-track...
Cheikha Rabia & Esraa Warda - Live at Le Guess Who? 2022
Renowned rai singer Cheikha Rabia & Esraa Warda, a prolific dancer expert in traditional North African dance forms, performed live at Le Guess Who? 2022 as part of the Hidden Musics project. Relive the mesmerizing performance at TivoliVredenburg's Pandora via our concert film below: AboutCheikha Rabia and Esraa Warda both hail from...
Watch: GRAMMY Award winner Arooj Aftab live at Le Guess Who? 2021 concert film
Earlier this week, Brooklyn-based, Pakistani singer Arooj Aftab won the GRAMMY Award for Best Global Music Performance for her song ‘Mohabbat’. She performed live at Le Guess Who? 2021, the international festival for boundary-crossing music & culture, as part of her first ever European tour. Arooj Aftab is the first Pakis...
"Surfbort want to move you": Read Crack Magazine's interview with Brooklyn glam punkers
Brooklyn-based punk band Surfbort's supercharged vintage 80s glam punk sensibility is a potent and passionate vessel for addressing addiction, mental health and sexuality. Now, Crack Magazine publishes an interview with Lead singer Dani Miller, who explains how Surfbort originated, growing up, the release of their debut 'Friendship M...
Every Thought Flies (Time is the Teacher)
‘Every Thought Flies (Time is the Teacher)’ is a short documentary coinciding with the archival release of Italian pianist, composer and performer Tiziano Popoli’s ‘Burn The Ni...
Abdullah Miniawy
Abdullah Miniawy, who previously graced the LGW stage with Le Cri du Caire, is an Egyptian expressionist, writer, singer, composer, who has performed worldwide at renowned venues and festivals, includ...
Pankisi Ensemble - Live at Le Guess Who? 2023
Georgia's Pankisi Ensemble performed live at Le Guess Who? 2023 as part of the Hidden Musics program. Now, you can relive this touching performance with the full audio of the show, recorded at Utrecht's Jacobikerk during the festival. AboutThe Pankisi Ensemble goes against the typical 'ethno-fusion' grain in two ways. First, by not res...
Lost Girls - Live at Le Guess Who? 2023
Lost Girls is the Norwegian duo made up of experimental guitarist Håvard Volden and former LGW curator Jenny Hval. Their latest album, 2023's Selvutsletter, continues the intuitive, late night feel of the group's previous work with topics such as cities after dark, music rituals, band practices of the ‘90s, and the early days...
Kelman Duran releases new album 'A Night In Tijuana' on Scorpio Red
Dominican-American producer Kelman Duran has released his new album 'Night In Tijuana'. The album is the first release on his own label Scorpio Red, that he started together with visual artist Annie Mackinnon. Apart from music, the label will also release commissioned essays and prints by artists. Over the past years,...
Goat announce new album 'Oh Death'; listen to new track 'Under No Nation'
*Update: Goat have now released their new album 'Oh Death'. Stream below: Goat announce the release of their upcoming album ‘Oh Death’ and share one of the tracks entitled ‘Under No Nation.’ A fascinating blend between 70s funk and 80s post-punk, ‘Under No Nation’ transports listeners to a colourful,...
Baltimore experimental rock quartet Horse Lords announce new album + share video for 'Mess Mend'
*Update: Horse Lords have released their new album 'Comradely Objects' in full - listen below: Something special happened this year while we were working on this year's program: our guest curators Animal Collective and clipping. both had Baltimore experimental rock quartet Horse Lords on their wishlist to perform at the festival. Needl...
Ale Hop & Laura Robles present Agua Dulce
Alejandra Cárdenas, or Ale Hop, and Laura Robles grew up houses apart in Lima, Peru, without ever meeting each other; now, the two musicians, currently based in Berlin, are presenting ‘Ag...
Listen/read: Flamenco innovator Lole Montoya: “I would not be able to sing something I’m not feeling”
Already at an early age, Lole Montoya decided that she wanted to dedicate her life to singing. But not only did she indeed become a singer, she also redefined the flamenco genre by bringing in new influences, genres and poetry. Her skill has been displayed across a long repertoire, which includes her work as part of the renowned duo Lole...
Devon Rexi
Amsterdam-based group Devon Rexi, founded by Nic Mauskovic (AKA Nicolini, former Le Guess Who? artist) and Nushin Naini, create dubby, playful experimental music. The fried-Farsi vocals are sung in th...
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...
bar italia
Dean Blunt’s label World Music’s output is often shrouded in mystery - much like the founders themselves. When it comes to their 2021 release ‘Quarrel’, put out under the name...
Volunteering
Each year, we work with a big team of volunteers, consisting of enthusiastic music-lovers from all over the world. We'll update this page as soon as we have more information about volunteering at Le Guess Who? 2025. If you have any questions concerning volunteering at Le Guess Who?, please send us an e-mail. Superkracht This year, we...
Insecure Men
Insecure Men is the wacky side project of Fat White Family-member Saul Adamczewski and Ben Romans-Hopcraft (Childhood). First release ‘Karaoke For One’ contains nine stripped cover songs d...
Watch: Ex-Easter Island Head shares video for 'Twenty-Two Strings'
After the release of their album 'Twenty-Two Strings' last year, UK-based musical collective Ex-Easter Island Head now share the video for the title song of the album, filled with abstract images and...
Read: Noisey on The Unexpected Rise of Zeal & Ardor's Spiritual Black Metal Blues
Swiss-American musician Manuel Gagneux funnels the spells of black metal into howls of Tom Waits-esque juke joint blues. A strange request at the notorious 4chan forum lead to Zeal & Ardor's...
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...
FRKWYS: Ian William Craig & Daniel Lentz
FRKWYS is a series initiated by Brooklyn-based independent record label RVNG Intl.; aimed at an ambitious and unique pairing of modern artists and their musical predecessors for the creation of a coll...
Stream 'Tommy'; Klein's new EP for Hyperdub
Following the release of her EP 'Lagata' last year, London producer Klein now shares 'Tommy', her first release for Hyperdub. Listen in full below and read Tiny Mix Tapes' review here. "Klein d...
Blanck Mass
Since the release of his self-titled debut in 2011, Benjamin John Power, aka Blanck Mass, has demonstrated his versatility as an experimental drone/ambient musician and producer. Apart from being one...
The Big Takeover premieres 'Dig A Hole', an exclusive track from 'BC35'
Starting off with a deep, sludgy bass line, 'Dig A Hole' is a new, bold track from the 'BC35' album, which celebrates the 35-year Anniversary of the BC Studio (the legendary recording studio founded b...
Introducing: Black Midi: storming UK’s underground with piercing, tense noise rock
We would like to introduce you to Black Midi: part band, part mystery. Despite the fact that they've got almost no online presence and are still unsigned, the group has already garnered praise from me...
Introducing: Alabaster DePlume: a graceful blend of poetry, jazz and British folk
Ever since their performance at Le Guess Who? 2018 has been confirmed, Alabaster DePlume's latest record 'The Corner of a Sphere' has been on high rotation in our office. We'd now like to introduce yo...
De Schuurman
De Schuurman’s 2021 release – ‘Bubbling Inside’, a collaboration between Kampala-based label Nyege Nyege Tapes and Rotterdam’s platform Pantropical – centers around...
Le Guess Who? venues
Le Guess Who? takes pace across 20 locations in the city center of Utrecht; ranging from churches and galleries to theaters and pop venues. Most are within walking distance from each other. Here are a couple highlighted.
Anoushka Shankar & Manu Delago with Metropole Orkest Strings - Live at Le Guess Who? 2018
Continuing the legacy of her father, the legendary Ravi Shankar, Anoushka Shankar is considered to be one of the world’s most renowned sitar players. In 2018, she performed at Le Guess Who?, together with Austrian percussionist and Björk collaborator Manu Delago and the 27-member string section of the Metropole Orkest, conducte...
Nia Archives
Nia Archives, one of the most talked-about newcomers to the jungle scene, is busy crafting every introverted extrovert's dream soundtrack. After teaching herself how to produce at sixteen, the prodigi...
The Master Musicians of Jajouka led by Bachir Attar - Live at Le Guess Who? 2022
The Master Musicians of Jajouka, led by Bachir Attar, performed live at the opening night of Le Guess Who? 2022 as part of the Hidden Musics project following the release of their new album 'Dancing Under The Moon', released earlier in 2022 via Glitterbeat Records. You can listen to and relive the full performance below. About B...
Ryley Walker x Kikagaku Moyo - 'Deep Fried Grandeur', live at Le Guess Who? 2018
Chicago-based songwriter and guitarist Ryley Walker and Japanese psych-rockers Kikagaku Moyo gave a special collaborative performance at Le Guess Who? 2018. Now, the artists release the recordings of that show called ‘Deep Fried Grandeur’; two lengthy, kaleidoscopic jams featuring a revolving cast of folk jazz, acid rock, and...
Girl Band release new track 'Salmon Of Knowledge'
Girl Band will release their sophomore album, 'The Talkies' on 27 September via Rough Trade. The Irish post-punk group already shared 'Shoulderblades' and 'Going Norway' from the record, now they are back with new track 'Salmon Of Knowledge'. The track is named after a creature from Irish mythology, and was once in the running for the tit...
COSMOS Embassy: Athens, Greece
In partnership with stegi.radio. stegi.radio is a 24/7 online radio station produced by Onassis Stegi and it is based in Athens. The radio’s conception was based on the values of freedom of movement and the idea of cross-culturalism, aiming to reflect a growing awareness of the power stemming from creating, maintaining and pa...
Listen: Swamp Dogg's Fireside Chat with Red Bull Radio, captured at LGW18
Swamp Dogg, one of the quintessential outsider figures in American music, was the closing act of Le Guess Who? 2018, following the release of his latest album ‘Love, Loss, and Auto-tune’. Before his performance at the festival, Julian Brimmers sat down with the Southern soul maverick for a 'Fireside Chat', which is now availab...
Listen or read: a personal introduction to Egypt’s Mazaher, bearers of the Zar tradition, by Nadah El Shazly
This November, Le Guess Who? will feature a rare performance (their first European show in over 15 years) of Egypt’s Mazaher: a small group of mostly women musicians and singers who play Zar music: chanting songs and playing hypnotic polyrhythms used in a ceremonial event to cleanse the spirits and to clear away illness and discomfo...
Lucrecia Dalt
With each of her releases, Berlin-based experimenter Lucrecia Dalt unbolts a new sonic door. She is led by assorted references, informed curiosity (the same which has led her to embark on many cross-d...
Niño de Elche
Niño de Elche’s music is part brain, part heart. The Spanish musician, who is also called a ‘singer, poet and omnipresent master of ensorcelling souls’ has been challenging co...
Watch: Japanese ambient composer & sound designer Hinako Omori releases new video
Earlier this year, Hinako Omori released her new album, 'a journey...'. Now, the Yokohama-born, London-based electronic composer and sound designer releases a live video for 'The Richest Garden in your Memory' from the album. It was filmed at London's Omved Gardens, in collaboration with director Jessie Rodger. The video, as mysterious an...
Mong Tong 夢東
What you seek you shall find in Taipei sample-based psychedelic sibling duo Mong Tong 夢東’s music. Psychedelic journeys into the depths of Taiwanese folklore? Musings on the eighties’ med...
Watch Damon Locks' Black Monument Ensemble perform 'The Body Is Electric' live at LGW21
Damon Locks' Black Monument Ensemble performed live at Le Guess Who? 2021. Curated by Matana Roberts for the festival, it marked the group's European live premiere. Now can now relive the performance with this video of the ensemble performing 'The Body Is Electric' from their latest & acclaimed album 'NOW'. AboutThe past and...
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...
Photo series: Ustad Noor Bakhsh by Asa Wahag
This year, Le Guess Who? presents the fourth edition of Hidden Musics, a project that focuses on deeply localized music and features artists embedded in rich, often centuries-old musical traditions that have been developed with little or no outside influences. The first series was initiated in 2019 by Le Guess Who? in collaboration with C...
Irreversible Entanglements release new album ‘Protect Your Light’
Irreversible Entanglements, the free jazz collective hailed by NPR as “Perhaps the most thrilling band in jazz right now,” has released their new album Protect Your Light. Released through Impulse! Records, this album marks a significant milestone in the world of experimental jazz. The group is comprised of vocalist Cama...
Le Guess Who? & U? present Khorshid Dadbeh
Khorshid Dadbeh is an Iranian instrumentalist, improviser and composer based in Rotterdam. She presents her music by performing Tanbour, Tar, and Setar. Tanbour music belongs to the category of mystic and Sufi music that has more than five thousand years of history behind it. She learned this music from the masters who formed a bridge bet...
Revealing the full program for Le Guess Who? 2023
Le Guess Who?, considered to be one of the most forward-thinking festivals around the world, returns to Utrecht, the Netherlands, from 9-12 November for its 16th edition. We now reveal the full 2023 line-up, after previously announcing festival curators Heba Kadry, Nala Sinephro, Slauson Malone 1 and Stereolab, as well as performances by...
Military Genius previews upcoming album 'Scarred For Life'
Musician, singer-songwriter and producer Bryce Cloghesy announced his second album as Military Genius: Scarred For Life, out on the 1st of November via Unheard of Hope. The record is a genre-flexing mix of bass-heavy R&B, spaced dub, and jazz that is newly grounded within a traditional rock framework and centered on lyricism. Together...
Annemiek Schravesande
Annemiek Schravesande crafts transient art from sugar. Her candy paintings, meant to be licked, embody impermanence. This approach showcases the duality of innocence and adulthood, inviting adults to...
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...
Joanna Sternberg
New York City singer-songwriter Joanna Sternberg has made a delightful splash this year, with the release of their second album ‘I’ve Got Me’, which music critics were quick to showe...
Listen: Myriam Gendron live at Le Guess Who? 2024
Montreal-based artist Myriam Gendron performs live at Le Guess Who? 2024, featuring music from across her three albums: Not So Deep as a Well, Ma délire - Songs of love, lost & found, and 2024's Mayday. About Before the release of her first record a decade ago, Quebecois musician Myriam Gendron was busking in Paris, singi...
Still House Plants
Beneath Still House Plants’s post-rock skin thumps a glowing pop heart, and this year’s ‘If I don't make it, I love u’ reveals the UK trio’s anatomy better than any previ...
Listen: Edna Martinez Presents Picó: Sound System Culture From The Colombian Caribbean
Hand-painted sound systems, often adorned with dazzling colours and striking imagery, each with its own name and sonic identity: for decades, the Picó mobile discos have become the heart of neighbourhood bailes on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. The sounds of genres like champeta, highlife, soukous, mbaqanga, zouk, soca, and cumb...
Elias Rønnenfelt
For the last 16 years, musician and poet Elias Rønnenfelt has fronted Danish band Iceage. This month, he’ll release his first solo album, ‘Heavy Glory’. This work is the sound...
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...
Military Genius
With Military Genius, Canadian musician Bryce Cloghesy flexes his world-building prowess, a talent documented throughout boundary-pushing discography dating back to 2016. In his music, dream logic rei...
Alpha Maid (2022)
Leisha Thomas is Alpha Maid, a guitarist, vocalist, and producer hailing from South East London. Her first solo release on the C.A.N.V.A.S. collective label, 2021's 'CHUCKLE', garnered significant cri...
Dirar Kalash's Sonic Front
Pianist, sound artist and multi-instrumentalist Dirar Kalash works across a wide range of musical and sonic practices, moving between composed and improvised forms of free jazz and avant-garde. His wo...
LGW Hangout
Utrecht's independent print workshop Kapitaal, once again hosts the official Le Guess Who? Hangout through all things print and sound. The program is a culmination of print, live music, DJ's, pizza's...
COSMOS Embassy: Bethlehem, Palestine
In partnership with Radio AlharaRadio Alhara presents an unprecedented collaboration between Beirut-based multi-instrumentalist and puppeteer Yara Asmar, electronic musician Sary Moussa, and Bethlehem-based tenor of the Greek Orthodox chorus of the Nativity church Laurence Samour. The experiment is as much an attempt to apprehend an unfor...
COSMOS Embassy: Bangkok, Thailand
WTF Gallery & Café was founded in 2010. The gallery has consistently embraced progressive thinking and pushed the barriers of what a small independent art space can sustain and present in terms of diverse art forms. A pioneering successful independent space, WTF is a vital meeting point for local artists and offers a rare platf...
Arts of Resistance x Linangan
Linangan and Arts of Resistance are hosting a multi-media exhibition combined with a public program in Bibliotheek Neude, Utrecht as a part of U?, the free program connected to Le Guess Who festival....
COSMOS Embassy: Slemani, Kurdistan-Iraq
In partnership with Space21Hardi Kurda, a sound artist and curator of Kurdistan-Iraq’s first experimental festival, Space21, takes us on a listening journey to the city of Slemani and its cultural and art activities. Here, the view of the mountains and nature mix with the urban sonic environment. The sound of power generator noises...
COSMOS Embassy: Bethlehem, Palestine
In partnership with Radio AlharaRadio Alhara presents an unprecedented collaboration between Beirut-based multi-instrumentalist and puppeteer Yara Asmar, electronic musician Sary Moussa, and Bethlehem-based tenor of the Greek Orthodox chorus of the Nativity church Laurence Samour. The experiment is as much an attempt to apprehend an unfor...
Listen: The Brother Moves On release new album '$/He Who Feeds You…Owns You'
The Brother Moves On is the captivating South-African performance art ensemble from Johannesburg, famous for the way the artists masterfully draw from past, present and future within music. Now, the group releases an uplifting and inspirational new album entitled '$/He Who Feeds You…Owns You' via Shabaka Hutchings' Native Rebel Rec...
Future Feminism
Johanna Constantine presents "Rise"&Kembra Pfahler and the Girls of Karen Black present "Fuck Island" Founded by New York-based artists Kembra Pfahler, Johanna Constantine and Anohni, Future Femi...
Photo series: Liliane Chlela presents I, the hybrid and the antidote at LGW24 by Juri Hiensch
I, the hybrid and the antidote, a project presented by Liliane Chlela, celebrated its world premiere at Le Guess Who? 2024. On stage, Chlela was joined by Utrecht’s string ensemble Flare Quartet, Cairo’s producer/violinist Nancy Mounir, and Montreal-based producer/musician Radwan Ghazi Moumneh. Our residential photographer Ju...
COSMOS Embassy: Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
Ajabu Ajabu is a screen, a studio, and a collective devoted to the preservation, production, and presentation of audio-visual art forms in Tanzania. For COSMOS, they presented "A Stream of Consciousness" - a hybrid audio-visual festival taking place at the Ajabu Ajabu Audio-Visual House ft., a digital stage from COSMOS alongside li...
A Study of a Shared Meal
A Study of a Shared Meal is an invitation to come together in the preparation and sharing of a meal. Inspired by Harney and Moten’s idea of “study” as what you do with other people,...
Listen: Roadburn release recordings of Backxwash's European live debut
Born in Lusaka, Zambia, rapper and producer Backxwash's work is based in the horrorcore, hip-hop and industrial metal genres, and includes a culmination of themes around the intersection between faith, identity, and queerness. In April, the magnificent Roadburn Festival in Tilburg hosted Backxwash's European live debut with two special s...
Film: United Screens for Palestine
United Screens for Palestine is an open and decentralized collective of programmers, cultural workers and venues, responding to the paralysis brought about by the ongoing genocide as well as the incre...
Christmas In Mourning
Christmas In Mourning is a collaboration between Beirut’s electronic musicians Sary Moussa and Abed Kobeissy, and the Greek Orthodox tenor of the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem’s Lauren...
Film Screening + Q&A: ‘Memori Dia’
In the wake of an old family snapshot, Azka, now a young adult, embarks on a voyage down the corridors of their childhood—a sacred time when the seeds of awareness were sown, both of the externa...
Moin release 'Clocked Off', new EP with outsider jams
"Moin are subtly but brilliantly reinventing rock music", wrote Pitchfork last year in their review of the London three-piece's album Paste. Rest assured, they keep doing exactly that with the release of their new EP Clocked Off, self-described as "Outsider jams that rolled out of the studio. Part experiments, part sketches." Compr...
The Phantasmagoria of Jathilan
At the time of Dutch colonial rule, trance was a lifeline for the Javanese people, pulsating with fervor as an expression of their yearning for freedom. Now, Indonesian duo Yennu Ariendra and J. Mo'on...
COSMOS Live: The Phantasmagoria of Jathilan
At the time of Dutch colonial rule, trance was a lifeline for the Javanese people, pulsating with fervor as an expression of their yearning for freedom. Now, Indonesian duo Yennu Ariendra and J. Mo'on...
Listen & relive: Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul live at Le Guess Who? 2022
Ghent-based duo Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul performed live at Le Guess Who? 2022 following the release of their acclaimed debut album 'Topical Dancer'. You can listen to & relive their performance with 3 tracks: 'Mantra', 'Ceci n'est pas un cliché', and 'Thank You'. About Cultural appropriation, misogyny, rac...
Keys of Light - Open Piano
Keys of Light is a piano installation for everyone; it allows the audience to co-create the work by playing the piano. Every note that is played creates a pulse of light or visual element th...
Psych folk collective Maya Ongaku release debut LP 'Approach to Anima'
Hailing from the seaside communities surrounding Enoshima, a small island located 50 km southwest of Tokyo, Maya Ongaku is a collective of local musicians offering a transcending brand of earthy psychedelia. The group have just released their debut LP Approach to Anima via Guruguru Brain, the label founded by members of Kikagaku Moyo, wh...
Seein' Red
The legendary Amersfoort hardcore punk trio Seein' Red formed around 1989 from the ashes of Lärm. The band quickly found their line-up consisting of brothers Paul & Olav van den Berg, on guit...
PUNK CONNECTIONS: music, art & activism through DIY ideology
Because of the eagerness in broadening the intersectionality of the punk scene and approaching a more interdisciplinary approach, community curator Bibi Bannink has invited, in collaboration with dB's...
Raziyah Heath
Raziyah Heath is an independent curator (a.o at Metro54), programmer, curious cat, hater, organizer, killjoy, lover, DJ and artist. At the moment she mainly delves into sonic realms/dimensions, and us...
Playlist: Club Cuts - explore the club-affiliated music of Le Guess Who? 2018
Le Guess Who? 2018 features a wide variety of club & dancefloor-oriented music, which we've now brought together in one playlist for you to explore. Check out the 'Club Cuts of Le Guess Who? 2018'...
Exhibition: Jan Hoek & Jip Jansen & Charity Charly
While shooting photographs, Jip Jansen tries to capture a feeling. To portray an emotion. The images are timeless. Almost all the photos are shot in the Slachthuis, the most beautiful café in H...
Brooklyn's Gustaf, curated by John Dwyer for LGW21, release video for 'Book' from upcoming album
Gustaf are New York's 'hardest working…and most reliably fun bands' according to BrooklynVegan. Now the five-piece announce their new album 'Audio Drag For Ego Slobs', out October 1st via Royal Mountain Records. As a result of their magnetic live show, the band caught the attention of a.o. Beck (who had the band open...
Mirusi Mergina
Enter the enigmatic realms of Mirusi Mergina, where unpredictability, darkness, and eclecticism converge to create a mesmerizing musical journey. At the core of her compositions lies a deep fascinatio...
Faster than light, always
Ramallah, Palestine-based interdisciplinary artist Julmud collaborates with British-Palestinian movement creative Sasha Shadid on a piece that speaks about the aesthetics of the Cremisan Valley in Pal...
Uncloud presents Degeneracy Regeneracy
Degeneracy Regeneracy is an immersive audiovisual exhibition of five interconnected artworks, each unfolding like a chapter in a larger narrative. Set within a single space, it explores the cyclical r...
Read: Questions of Home by Raziyah Heath
Raziyah Heath is an independent curator (a.o at Metro54), programmer, curious cat, hater, organizer, killjoy, lover, DJ and artist. At the moment she mainly delves into sonic realms/dimensions, and uses DJing under the name Chinnamasta as a medium for research and discoveries. Their work aims to uncover the cross pollinations of Afro-dia...
COSMOS Embassy: Bethlehem, Palestine
In partnership with Radio AlharaRadio Alhara presents an unprecedented collaboration between Beirut-based multi-instrumentalist and puppeteer Yara Asmar, electronic musician Sary Moussa, and Bethlehem...
COSMOS Embassy: Marrakech, Morocco
In partnership with LE 18 LE 18 is a multidisciplinary cultural and residency space established in 2013 and located in the medina of Marrakesh, Morocco. It aims to provide time and space for research, creation, encounter, mutual learning, and the cross-pollination of knowledge. The space has developed organically and through a collaborat...
GAISTER announce first collaborative album + share debut single 'Sento'
Invited by Bo Ningen to perform at Le Guess Who? 2024, GAISTER announce their self-titled LP and share the first single Sento. The song’s repeated line "I feel everything, everything, everything can be felt" encapsulates the running themes across the record. All the elements - the layers of the earth's crust, the fire of the volcano...
Nusaqueer Diaspora
Nusaqueer Diaspora, or Indo*queer Diaspora is an open-structured platform for the queer diasporic community of the Southeast Asian Archipelago with a focus on Indonesia. It brings together the diaspor...
The Strangeness of Dub
Music as Spectral Infrastructure Writer, researcher and musician Edward George’s radio show The Strangeness of Dub combines critical theory, social history, a cross-genre musical selection, and...
De Mannen Broeders (Colin H. van Eeckhout x broeder Dieleman) release collaborative album 'Sober Maal'
In 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new collaboration was initiated between Amenra's Colin H. van Eeckhout and idiosyncratic folk artist broeder Dieleman. With a live premiere scheduled at LGW that year, unfortunately this has to be cancelled last-minute due to COVID restrictions, but the duo did record a collaborative album, support...
Listen: COSMOS on Refuge Worldwide with ICRN and Buh Records
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, 2 September, from 4-6 PM, COSMOS returns with two new episodes. Buh Records The first hour is curated by Peruvian avant-garde stalwarts Buh Records who...
Film: Lee Scratch Perry’s Vision Of Paradise
‘Vision Of Paradise’ is the thrilling, poetic story of the legendary Lee Scratch Perry, a fairy tale documentary rather than a biography. The film is a mind-blowing encounter with the inve...
Unfinished Conversations
Moments of encounter carry worlds within them. An exchange of intimacy, laughter, care – sometimes even a sense of community. For YUMNA, creating meaningful moments for Muslim women is therefore...
Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali
The improvised singing practice of qawwali is one of the most exhilarating genres to experience live. This year, our audience can dive into it through the three-day residency of legends Rizwan-Muazzam...
Art Ensemble of Chicago
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 jazz mo...
Scene Report: Hermel, Lebanon
Jaafar Touffar is a prominent Arabic Hip Hop artist from Lebanon. He has created a unique sound mixing Rap with Ataba (a traditional Arabic musical form) and Folkloric music that couldn't be studied i...
The Bug feat. Flowdan & Manga Saint Hilare
Together, the most revered merchant of noise and two of the most resounding voices in grime form an alliance of gritty UK fringe music that simply knows no equal. These three artists will stretch the...
GAIKA releases debut album 'Basic Volume'
Exploring a multitude of musical influences and concepts about contemporary black British music, GAIKA releases his debut album 'Basic Volume' today. Reflecting on dark, uncertain times with a co...
Efterklang - Live at Le Guess Who? 2019
Whether it’s the early, more electronic-driven beginnings or excavating field recordings at an abandoned settlement in the Arctic Circle, Danish pop adventurers Efterklang express boundless enthusiasm with each radical new undertaking. The band performed on the opening night of Le Guess Who? 2019, following the release of their new...
Ongehoorde Geluiden
‘Ongehoorde geluiden’ hands the mic to people who courageously, and sometimes barely, brave daily life in the city of Utrecht. They’ve been homeless for some time and make little or...
Talk: Sonic Bodies
Josephine Zwaan, artist, producer, researcher and founder of a platform for female and non-binary music producers named Rosetta will lead a conversation with Deborah X, one of the founders of DJ and p...
Watch/Read: Studio Wantia at Hof van Cartesius by Rogier Boogaard
For U? 2024, Hof van Cartesius presents a diverse program created together with the artists that are located in this unique circular workspace for creative entrepreneurs. Photographer Rogier Boogaard documented two artists who will be part of this year's festival program. First up: Sophie Wantia. Sophie Wantia is the founder of Studio...
Ô Vallée de la Vallée
An intimate portrait of the circumstances surrounding the creation of Jerusalem In My Heart’s live recording of “Wa Ta’atalat Loughat Al Kalam” (The language of speech has brok...
Listen: The Vinyl Factory in conversation with Hello Skinny's mastermind Tom Skinner
For Vinyl Factory's monthly Soho Radio Show, Hello Skinny's mastermind Tom Skinner joined VF editor Anton Spice to introduce his latest LP 'Watermelon Sun', alongside a handful of its influe...
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...
Ex-Easter Island Head - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024
When UK-based experimental collective Ex-Easter Island Head steps on stage, the electric guitar - an instrument whose possibilities sometimes seem to have been exhausted - is born anew. Mechanical preparations, extended techniques; call it what you want, but, to us, it's more like auditory magic. Watch our concert film of the group...
COSMOS Embassy: Mexico City, Mexico
In partnership with Sonido ConfirmacionMEXPOSURE, a simulation of a pirate television signal disguised as an institutional TV channel, is a place where independent artists come to find a space to expr...
Podcast: listen to Part 1 of 'DJ Fitz: The Birth of a Scene'
Le Guess Who? presents 'The Big Playback', a podcast about all things music. For the occasion of Le Guess Who’s 15th Edition, we pay tribute to DJ Fitz- the man, the legend, the only artist to have been on every single lineup. In this two part series we dig first into Fitz’s illustrious past in NYC as a DIY show or...
Film Screening by LYZZA
Chasing a sense of connection, LYZZA has been world-building and paving her way towards a sense of belonging through music in the age of information. The electro-pop avant-gardist slips into a surreal...
Kankawa Nagarra
Nobody can tell the story of Kankawa Nagarra better than the artist, educator, and activist herself. Born on the traditional lands of the Gooniyandi and Walmatjarri peoples of north-western Australia,...
The Como Mamas
Hailing from the small town of Como, Mississippi, this vocal trinity of gospel singers perform their spirituals together with musicians from the Daptone family. Each heartwarming voice has its own set...
Scene Report: Amman, Jordan
Music has always been missed in Amman… Or at least this is what we thought to be true. Amman is not a musically loud city; it's not Cairo and definitely not Beirut. The music scene changed afte...
Asmâa Hamzaoui & Bnat Timbouktou (U?)
A new wave is washing over Gnawa, the traditional North African music genre started by the Gnawa people of Morocco. Despite being an essential part of the tradition, only now female bands are appearin...
Photos 2012
Photo Gallery Our photo team captured a lot of special moments during Le Guess Who? 2012. Take a scroll through our 2012 photo archive: VISIT PHOTO GALLERY
COSMOS Embassy: Montréal, Canada
In partnership with POP Montréal. POP Montréal International Music Festival is an annual not-for-profit curated cultural event that champions independence in the arts by pres...
Playlist: Devendra Banhart's Ten Finest Tracks
With roots in both Venezuela and L.A., Devendra Banhart has been making highly singular music for a long time. Over the decades, he has shown us that he is an eclectic artist capable of both reinventi...
Jota and Shekina present Tanda Panameña
Jota Ortiz is a collector, selector and musician from Panama. He has been roaming his hot and humid homeland for the past 10 years searching for lost gems on vinyl to preserve for future generations....
Hinako Omori
Via therapeutic frequencies, forest bathing, and binaural sound, Hinako Omori's solo work is more akin to immersive cartography of the mind in ambient tradition than a plain recording. The Yokohama-bo...
Le Guess Who? Treasure Guide 2022: Explore some of Utrecht's loveliest hidden treasures
With its cosy and colourful atmosphere, picturesque canals, breathtaking medieval city centre and buzzing nightlife, the city of Utrecht is a hidden gem full of lovely people and stunning places. Selected with great care, Le Guess Who? would like to introduce you to the 2022 edition of the festival's Treasure Guide. In the mood for...
The Body & Dis Fig - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024
The Body & Dis Fig performed live on the opening night of Le Guess Who? 2024. Relive the full, overwhelming - sonically as well as physically - performance below. A crossover between American duo The Body, who have been tinkering with noise and metal since 1999, and Berlin-based DJ, producer, and vocalist Felicia Chen (AKA Di...
Le Guess Who? pays tribute to Pharoah Sanders with world premiere of The Harvest Time Project
Following the release of our initial line-up for 2023, and our Special Projects, we now announces the world premiere of The Harvest Time Project: A Tribute to Pharoah Sanders, which celebrates the legacy of Pharoah Sanders and his seminal composition, Harvest Time (1977). The Harvest Time Project is an ever-evolving concert which will ha...
Le Guess Who? participates in TIMES: The Independent Movement for Electronic Scenes
TIMES (The Independent Movement for Electronic Scenes) is a cooperative project that brings together different European festivals to create original performances that combine music and visual arts. As well as shared programming of artists and the project's original creations, TIMES aims to support, promote, and improve diversity and susta...
Colleen announces new double LP; listen to 'Subterranean (Movements I-II-III)'
French artist Cécile Schott, aka Colleen, is fearless when it comes to her willingness to explore new ways of expressing herself as a solo performer. Now, she announces Le jour et la nuit du réel: her first double LP and the follow-up to the glistening ambient pop of 2021's The Tunnel and the Clearing. Le jour et la...
Listen: Sonos Radio speaks to Phil Elverum ahead of his curation & performance at LGW21
Ahead of his curation & performance with the Microphones at Le Guess Who? 2021, Phil Elverum spoke to Sonos Radio's Elia Einhorn about his pursuit of existential meaning via art, the unfairness of the streaming economy, and his desire to always be doing something new. In the interview, Elverum also revealed his plans to release a care...
Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and Radio Choir performing Delius’ A Song of the High Hills
As prominent as the English are in pop music, their role in symphonic music is modest. At most about five composers have made a bit of a name for themselves. These include Frederick Delius. The Englis...
Gert Wessels
Driven by chance and unpredictability, Utrecht-based artist Gert Wessels creates work that emerges intuitively and reactively. In his process, form takes precedence, without being guided by a rigid th...
The Brother Moves On - Live at Le Guess Who? 2022
The Brother Moves On, the captivating South-African ensemble famous for masterfully drawing from past, present and future, performed at Le Guess Who? 2022 following the release of '$/He Who Feeds You…Owns You' via Shabaka Hutchings' Native Rebel Recordings. You can now listen to & relive the full performance. AboutTher...
Watch: Panda Bear & Sonic Boom - Live at Le Guess Who? 2022
Panda Bear & Sonic Boom performed at Le Guess Who? 2022 as part of Animal Collective's curation, following the release of their latest album 'Reset'. Relive the performance below with our concert film, which features the songs Everyday, Edge of the Edge, Danger, and Livin’ in the After. AboutSix years ago, Peter Kember,...
LGW continues collaboration with Dutch Council for Refugees & Buddy to Buddy for 'Grant an Entry'
(Nederlandse versie hieronder) As part of Le Guess Who? 2023, we are once again initiating the 'Grant an Entry' concept. This initiative gives festival visitors the opportunity to purchase an extra day ticket for people who are also interested in visiting the festival, but do not have the financial resources themselves to do so. V...
Listen to the Sai Anantam Ashram Singers perform the music of Alice Coltrane live at LGW17
Le Guess Who? 2017 celebrated the life & work of Alice Coltrane with the Sai Anantam Ashram Singers performing her ecstatic music live at the festival. Listen to three tracks of the performan...
BizarreWebWide
BizaarWebWide is a collection of happenings curated and hosted by Raouf Alaïa, member of the BizaarWebWide collective. This event transforms the venue Kapitaal to a universe of outlandish express...
Read via The Quietus: which records would Duma 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...
U? presents first Utrecht residency with 45ACIDBABIES
(scroll naar beneden voor de Nederlandse tekst) U?, the freely accessible city program of Le Guess Who?, returns in 2023 for its third edition. The program of U? is created for, but especially with the city of Utrecht, to celebrate the city’s creativity in all its diversity. With U? we aim to let Utrecht residents come in contact...
Rafael Toral
Since his teenage years growing up in Portugal, Rafael Toral has felt enticed by the potential of sound. Rising to prominence via his nineties guitar work, the experimental musician set the instrument...
DE BRUJAS Y FANTASMAS by Kianí del Valle with Ziúr
Dancer and performer Kianí del Valle brings us the performance DE BRUJAS Y FANTASMAS, scored by experimental composer Ziúr. The captivating piece (whose title translates to Of Witches an...
Le Mini Who? (2018)
As a spin-off festival of Le Guess Who?, Le Mini Who? transforms many of Utrecht’s local bars, restaurants, venues and warehouses into improvised venues for (mainly) Dutch underground bands to p...
"The perfect place to run away to": COSMOS goes Behind the Scenes in Goa, India
COSMOS: Behind the Scenes in Goa, India Following different collaborations with Le Guess Who?, including for LGW Embassy: Goa, India which debuted last November, COSMOS talks to Rana Ghose (REProduce) about risk-taking as a focus area; instinct as a curatorial aspect and how Goa differs from the rest of India. As one artist chimes in: "E...
Julie Byrne
Julie Byrne's lucid and enchanting folk songs speak immensely to the imagination, providing visions of the stars of the high desert, the fatigue of change, the wild flowers of the California coast, as...
Context: Little Blue Nothing - A portrait of Vojtech & Irena Havlovi by Vincent Moon
Little Blue Nothing is an intimate journey into the world of Irena & Vojtech Havlovi, two low-profile Czech viola players who live in the suburbs of Prague, out of society. The two musicians recor...
HKU Music & Technology Showcase
After a successful pilot last year, U? will once again collaborate with the students of Utrecht’s University of the Arts (HKU) department ‘Music & Technology’. Under guidance of...
Sons Of Kemet with Special Guests
Sons of Kemet’s latest record, ‘Black to the Future’, was released in May – mostly recorded after the murder of George Floyd. For The Guardian’s Kitty Empire, the album f...
Video 2019
Relive performances from LGW19 We captured some performances by Aldous Harding, Ayalew Mesfin & Debo Band, Efterklang, Girl Band, Makaya McCraven and Minyo Crusaders on video. Watch below: WATCH THE VIDEOS Press Archive Our archive includes news, reports and interviews for LGW19. Relive the edition with...
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...
Rats and Daggers
A powertrio in search of the razor-sharp edge between heavy and punk. Rats and Daggers focuses the intention of IDLES, the schwung of QOTSA and the fuck-it-all attitude of Amyl and The Sniffers into f...
Tune in to our LGW25 Announcement Show, 24 May on Refuge Worldwide
On Saturday 24 May, starting at 11:50AM CEST, you can tune in to Refuge Worldwide for a special radio broadcast about Le Guess Who? 2025 and context around the program of this year's festival edition. Listen back now: Following our initial line-up announcement, the Le Guess Who? program team gives an insight into the curatorial...
Human Dogfood
Born from the ashes from other unknown bands, Human Dogfood is a three-piece punk group hailing from the suburbs of Paris. Music-wise, two vocalists scream and shout on fast three-chord (max) songs. T...
Photo series: Backxwash at LGW23 by Melanie Marsman
Rapper and producer Ashanti Mutinta, aka Backxwash gave a life-affirming performance at TivoliVredenburg's Ronda during Le Guess Who? 2023. Our residential photographer Melanie Marsman was present to capture some of the special moments, on stage as well as backstage. View the full photo series "Stark warnings of viewer discretion mark...
The Homesick
This summer’s lively ‘Soola’ is The Homesick announcing themselves back, renewed and reshaped. The Frisian trio, made up of Erik Woudwijk on the drums, Elias Elgersma on the guitar a...
Saâdane Afif: Black Chords
Centraal Museum presents Black Chords is an installation by the French ‘post-conceptual’ artist Saâdane Afif, which consists of thirteen electric guitars and the same number of ampl...
Sudanese/London collective The Scorpios release new single 'Mashena'
Having fled from the fundamentalists in their home country of Sudan, the original members of psychedelic group The Scorpios established themselves in London during the 80s. After releasing their self-...
Listen: Mala collaborates with Joe-Armon Jones and Nubya Garcia on new track 'Scratch & Erase'
Responsible for some of dubstep’s most iconic cuts, DJ, producer and label owner Mala is now part of a select group of producers taking it to thrilling forward-thinking pastures. His newest track is a collaboration with Joe-Armon Jones and Nubya Garcia. 'Scratch & Erase' is part of the compilation album 'Unti...
Scene Report: Sake Town, Congo
This video is about a young cultural group composed of the youth of two families in Sake Town. In just the last 20 years, Sake inhabitants have been forced to displace from their town, fearing conflic...
Le Guess Who? wins prestigious European Jazz Network Award for Adventurous Programming
The European Jazz Network (EJN) is the Europe-wide association of 170+ organizations and promoters from 34 countries who specialize in creative music, contemporary jazz and improvised music. Every year since 2012, the EJN awards a European promoter who succeeds to create visionary and fascinating musical programs. Le Guess Who? is...
COSMOS Reveals 2023 Embassies and Live Program at Le Guess Who?
COSMOS is Le Guess Who?’s globe-spanning initiative that amplifies exciting music scenes from around the world. Through films, interviews, performances, and artist residencies, COSMOS connects international music communities and shares their stories. Now, COSMOS reveals the 2023 Embassies, together with its first-ever live program,...
Deena Abdelwahed announces new album 'Jbal Rrsas'
Deena Abdelwahed draws as much from clubbing as she does from the avant-garde scene. Since the release of her debut LP Khonnar, the DJ and producer has been showered with praise for the fine-drawn ways in which her work paints the diversity of Arabic music. On 8 September, Abdelwahed will release her new album Jbal Rrsas, which she...
Exhibition: Dianne Verdonk, Michelle Vossen & Roald van Dillewijn
Dianne Verdonk, Michelle Vossen and Roald van Dillewijn present and perform their new interactive installation bromwol. Literally meaning humming wool, they have mainly experimented with carded wool m...
Amirtha Kidambi's Elder Ones
Amirtha Kidambi’s music is grounded by a deep commitment to social practice. The composer and her ensemble Elder Ones confront and resist systems of oppression with compositions of sonic activis...
Watch: FACT Magazine pays Richard Fearless' shipping container studio a visit
Located inside a shipping container and overlooking the river Thames, FACT Magazine paid the studio of producer, DJ and Death in Vegas-founder Richard Fearless a visit. In this video, Fearle...
Dudu Tassa and Jonny Greenwood release collaborative album 'Jarak Qaribak'
Celebrated Israeli singer, musician and producer Dudu Tassa and award-winning composer and guitarist Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead, The Smile) have teamed up for the collaborative album Jarak Qaribak, which is released today via World Circuit Records. Jarak Qaribak translates, more or less, as ‘Your Neighbour Is Your Friend. It&r...
The Congos
Get ready for a great reggae celebration with the exceptional vocal harmonies of The Congos. As one of the last iconic Jamaican bands to retain their original lineup since the 1970s, they embody unity...
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...
"Tired of having a plan": COSMOS goes Behind the Scenes in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam with Rắn Cạp Đuôi
COSMOS: Behind the Scenes with Rắn Cạp Đuôi In 'Behind the Scenes', COSMOS dives into local stories from across the world together with our global partners. Vietnamese experimental music collective Rắn Cạp Đuôi have been expanding their vast auditory spectrum since forming back in 2015. On their first two albums, Ngủ N...
Read: LGW x The Wire special, ft. Theo Parrish, Wadada Leo Smith, Nadah El Shazly + more
Ever since 1982, The Wire stands out as one of the best independent, in-depth print and online music magazines. The Wire celebrates and interrogates the most visionary and inspiring, subversive and radical, marginalized and undervalued musicians on the planet, past and present. Leading up to Le Guess Who? 2024 we're very honored to...
Listen: Raja Kirik release 'Phantasmagoria of Jathilan'
Raja Kirik is the Indonesian duo of Yennu Ariendra and J. Mo'ong Santoso Pribadi, two radical artists who draw on Java's rich cultural traditions and its history of struggle against colonial oppression to create music that surprises, challenges and educates in equal measure. Now, the group shares their new release: The Phantasmagor...
Film: Luzmila and the Birds
The documentary Luzmila and the Birds explores the life and work of one of the most important women in Latin America: the world-renowned Bolivian and Indigenous singer Luzmila Carpio. The film capture...
Patrick Higgins - Hyperborea & Gesualdo’s Tenebrae Responsories for Holy Saturday
Composer, guitarist and producer Patrick Higgins (also a member of New York avant-garde outfit Zs) will perform with string ensemble of the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra. The performance will feature...
Lombok Festival (2018)
Cycle or walk through Utrecht suburb Lombok's main street, and you're immediately welcomed by Turkish and Moroccan grocery stores, bakeries, the smell of kebab, and huge piles of colorful fruits sold...
Iris van Herpen & Salvador Breed
Fashion designer Iris van Herpen and sound artist Salvador Breed curate a lineup of artists and performances symbolizing their highly intertwined aesthetics, developed over years of collaborating on n...
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...
Angry Blackmen
Just shy of the start of the decade, Brian Warren and Quentin Branch presented Angry Blackmen with the EP ‘TALKSHIT!’. Since then, the pair has amassed a well-earned cult following among h...
Read: Pitchfork spend a day in the life of Mount Eerie’s Phil Elverum
"He recorded these songs in Geneviève’s room, too, mostly on acoustic guitar and with just one microphone and a laptop, at night when his daughter was sleeping or in stolen moments when s...
COSMOS Embassy Film: Karachi, Pakistan
In partnership with Honiunhoni Honiunhoni, meaning "Impossible Possibilities," is an independent music production collective and record label founded in 2022 by musician and anthropologist Daniyal Ahmed. Rooted in the ethos of ethnographic research, Honiunhoni celebrates Pakistan's cultural richness and diversity through meticulous curat...
Sex Swing (U?)
Southeast Asia's Golden Triangle sits between the mountainous regions of Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand. The locals call it Sop Ruak - miles and miles of rocks, and, well, opium. London’s Sex Swing...
Carme López
You don’t often hear ominous droney landscapes coming from traditional instruments. In the specific case of Carme López, Galician bagpipes move through a totally unknown field, disconnect...
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...
Listen to Gruff Rhys' full surprise performance at LGW17, via The Line of Best Fit
Welsh musician, composer, producer and author Gruff Rhys (Super Furry Animals) was one of the artists to give a surprise performance at Le Guess Who? 2017. It was an an intimate solo show which t...
Track of the Week #10: Devendra Banhart - 'Fig in Leather'
Every week, we’ll bring you a must-hear track from the Le Guess Who? 2018 line-up. This week, it's a synth-driven song by singer-songwriter Devendra Banhart, with nonchalant nods to disco. ...
Talk: The Music Journalist as Gatekeeper
As music and media are so closely connected, we often underestimate the role of the music journalist in the distribution of music. At one point, a portal from obscurity to recognition, music journalis...
"It feels like you have done your part": COSMOS goes Behind the Scenes in Khartoum, Sudan
COSMOS: Behind the Scenes in Khartoum, Sudan We discuss LGW Embassy: Khartoum, Sudan with Hassan Kamil: a talk about portraying another image of the continent, the country, and the city; how music in Khartoum grew to be ‘a form of resistance’; and how it is home to a rich array of meaningful, beautiful, and unique sounds; dif...
Watch the concert film of Estrella Morente & Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra live at Le Guess Who? 2022
During Le Guess Who? 2022, flamenco icon Estrella Morente and Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra came together for a magic showcase of warmth and joy. You can now watch the full concert film of the stunning performance at Utrecht's Jacobikerk, presented in collaboration with Ud Festival. The daughter of world-famous Enrique Morente,...
Selda Bagcan - Live at Le Guess Who? 2014
Selda Bağcan is a legendary Turkish singer and political activist. Her first singles, about political struggle and the demands of the working class, sold over 1 million copies. Selda’s psychedelic interpretations of traditional Turkish folk music and her political views have lost Selda her passport and caused her to be repeatedly im...
Christopher C. King
Hidden Musics Christopher C. King’s relationship with the folk traditions of Epirus, a mountain region connecting Greece with the southern parts of Albania, occupies a special place in his hear...
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...
Front / SPEAK 2021
Le Guess Who? x Front As part of our new, hybrid platform COSMOS, we once again collaborated with Dutch music platform Front to bring you live sessions with rising Dutch artists. Watch and listen to the live sessions + interviews with Dutch post-punk outfit Private Bankingand and Anna van Rij. LE GUESS WHO? X FRONT
Sarathy Korwar
Born in the US, Sarathy Korwar grew up in Ahmedabad and Chennai in India. He began playing tabla aged 10, but was also drawn to the American music that he heard on the radio and leaking through the do...
Photo series: Sophie Nzayisenga by Serrah Galos
This year, Le Guess Who? presents the fourth edition of Hidden Musics, a project that focuses on deeply localized music and features artists embedded in rich, often centuries-old musical traditions that have been developed with little or no outside influences. The first series was initiated in 2019 by Le Guess Who? in collaboration w...
Interview: Charity Charly & Nadine Haselier on 'Tra Fasi'
Charity Charly is a self-taught filmmaker and artist who focuses on making the invisible layers in society visible. She is currently working on her debut as a director for her first film ‘Tra Fa...
Tomo Katsurada
From the warm cocoon of Dream of the Egg begins the new, deeply personal, journey of Tomo Katsurada, known for his work with the Japanese psychedelic band Kikagaku Moyo. It’s the first of five a...
Maya Al Khaldi & Sarouna feat Dina Mimi
Layered vocals, electronic experimentation, field recordings and film intertwine for a special performance influenced by the present, to imagine a sonic future for Palestine. Experimental singer-songw...
Kikagaku Moyo announce new album 'Masana Temples'; share first track 'Gatherings'
Japanese for "geometric patterns", Kikagaku Moyo serves heavy-improv psychedelia with elements of German Krautrock, classic Indian raga and acid folk. The band have just announced the follow-up to 201...
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...
Open Call: participate in U?, the freely accessible day program of Le Guess Who?
(scroll naar beneden voor de Nederlandse tekst) U? is the freely accessible day program of Le Guess Who? In 2023, U? takes place on 11 & 12 November. With this open call, we want to give everyone with ideas the opportunity to participate. The program of U? consists a multitude of events and activities which are c...
"If you keep something to yourself, you kill it": COSMOS goes Behind the Scenes in Slemani, Kurdistan-Iraq
COSMOS: Behind the Scenes in Slemani, Kurdistan-Iraq Following their broadcast during Le Guess Who? 2022 as part of COSMOS, we talk to Space21's Hardi Kurda about the concept of illegality; the musical cacophony of Slemani; the US-led invasion of Iraq, which happened twenty years ago, and also how it led to surprising musical discoveries...
Mark Leckey
English contemporary artist Mark Leckey makes use of a variety of media, including film, sound, sculpture, and performance. His versatile practice focuses on the relationship between popular culture a...
Revealing the full program for Le Guess Who? 2022
From 10-13 November, Le Guess Who? returns to Utrecht for its 15th Anniversary Edition. We now proudly reveal the full 2022 line-up, with new additions joining the likes of Abdullah Ibrahim, Low, Lole Montoya, Nia Archives, as well as festival curators Animal Collective, clipping., and CURL. General program Joining Le Guess Who?&rsquo...
Warung Pas
The word Pas in Bahasa (Indonesian) roughly means “just right.” It is an informal way of expressing that something fits your preferences perfectly or happens at just the right time. P...
U? Centraal presents: MOḌA Sawa
To celebrate both MOḌA, an exhibition at Centraal Museum that showcases the artistic work and personal stories of cutting-edge designers and artists from Morocco and the Moroccan diaspora in the Nethe...
Los Wembler's de Iquitos
Like a magic spell, the psychedelic groove of Peruvian legends Los Wembler’s de Iquitos pulses deeper than ever. Creators of the Amazonian cumbia, this group has been among the pioneers of psych...
ICP Orchestra
The incomparable Instant Composers Pool Orchestra are like the Jedi Knights of improvisation: a collective of musical marvels hacking the conventions of their individual instruments, setting an arena...
The Mauskovic Dance Band
Hailing from Amsterdam, The Mauskovic Dance Band is a brainchild of producer and multi-instrumentalist Nic Niggebrugge, a.k.a Nicola Mauskovic. After years of playing drums for bands like Jacco Gardne...
ONCEIM & Éliane Radigue present 'Occam Océan'
The ‘Orchestre de Nouvelles Créations, Expérimentations et Improvisations Musicales’ (ONCEIM) is an orchestra of 34 musicians dedicated to the art of creation and experimenta...
A Future Feminist Discussion with Kembra Pfahler and Johanna Constantine
In collaboration with Future Feminism New York-based performance artists Kembra Pfahler and Johanna Constantine call for the emergence of a feminine collective consciousness with their project Future...
Patrick Higgins
He reimagines classical composers like Bach with modern-day instrumentation. He interrogates the role of individuality in the digital world. He tackles the cataclysms of climate change. Indeed, music...
Watch: 'Representing the Underrepresented', a film about Le Guess Who? by Canal180
During Le Guess Who? 2018, the Portuguese platform Canal180 traveled to Utrecht to capture a film in collaboration with the festival. Titled 'Representing the Underrepresented', it reveals the story and ideology behind Le Guess Who? and, following its March 29 premiere at MIL Festival in Lisbon, the film is now available to watch online....
COSMOS Embassy: Detroit, USA
In partnership with Underground Music Academy. “KNOW THE PAST. CHANGE THE FUTURE.” Operating under this slogan, Detroit’s Underground Music Academy is a place to learn about the past, present, and future of dance music. A utopian space for the city's aspiring musicians, created by a team of idealists brought toge...
LGW24 curator Arooj Aftab releases new album 'Night Reign'
For Le Guess Who? 2024 guest curator Arooj Aftab, the night is a big source of inspiration: to the night she dedicated the new album Night Reign, out now via Verve Records. "There is an exhilarating sense of potential on Night Reign: dew glistens and flowers prepare to bloom as Aftab opens herself up to new love. Throughout the alb...
The story of the Ellendigenkerkhof (city walk)
Outside the Catharijnepoort, where today you’ll find the Smakkelaarsveld, the Ellendigenkerkhof (the churchyard of the wretched) was situated between 1402 and 1664. A burial ground for those who...
Film: The Invaders
‘The Invaders’ talks about a generation of civil rights activists who originated from Memphis in 1967, consisting of students, Vietnam veterans, musicians and intellectuals who were inspir...
The Library Music Film
Chasing Reels presents; dir. Paul Elliott & Sean Lamberth ‘The Library Music Film’ is a quest for some of the most original, but largely unnoticed music ever recorded. In the document...
The Scorpios
Having fled from the fundamentalists in their home country of Sudan, the original members of psychedelic group The Scorpios established themselves in London during the 80s. Once there, they built a gr...
Playlist
Facts & Figures Browse through our Facts & Figures magazine, in which we offer you an insight into the impact and results of LGW ON/OFF, with data from both events, photos, and quotes from media. Press Archive Our archive includes press previews, reports and interviews for ON/OFF. Have a look at all published articles...
Radio Philharmonic Orchestra perform Alexander Scriabin's ghostly 'Le Poème du Feu' with light organ at LGW21
Le Guess Who? 2021 will see the festival joining forces with the esteemed Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, founded in 1945. It's not the first time we're collaborating though: in 2017, the orchestra performed Lili Boulanger's towering 'Du Fond De L'Abîme' at our festival. This year, the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra will honor...
The Man Is The Music
dir. Maris Curran As a prolific artist, musician and lover of Mother Earth, Lonnie Holley treasures the discarded. Nurturing the neglected, he finds healing in the transformative power of art. This s...
Program 2016
Program & Other Guides Dive into our 2016 Program Guide with artists biographies; info on Satellite Events like Le Mini Who?, Le Gig Poster and Le Bazarre; and Juri Hiensch's Photo Exhibition on 10 Years of Le Guess Who?. You can also read our 2016 Treasure Guide: our festival newspaper with background stories on arti...
COSMOS Embassy: Khartoum, Sudan
In partnership with Hassan Kamil & AndariyamagKnown for its strong rhythms, melancholy lyrics, and bittersweet taste, the Sudanese music scene is more active than ever. This Embassy features a sel...
Alex Zhang Hungtai - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024
Over the years, Taiwanese-born, Montréal-hailing Alex Zhang Hungtai (formerly Dirty Beaches) has dived fully into the role of composer. Tinkering with the saxophone, synthesizers, percussion, and piano, Zhang has embraced the free form, focusing on explorations of improvised music, free jazz, and ritualistic music of liminality....
Stella Chiweshe (2017)
In her home country of Zimbabwe, music icon Stella Chiweshe is endearingly called The Queen of Mbira, becoming the first female artist to gain widespread recognition for a strictly male-dominated disc...
Vivien Goldman
Throughout her chronicle of life, it’s easy to understand how Vivien Goldman earned the title ‘Punk Professor’. In the 70s, Goldman wasn’t simply satisfied standing on the side...
BCUC - Live at Le Guess Who? 2018
The South African, Afro-psychedelic collective BCUC gave an ecstatic performance on the opening night of Le Guess Who? 2018, curated by Shabaka Hutchings. Relive the full set below, and watch the video for the group's performance of 'Yinde': About:BCUC (Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness) started out as a social gathering in their nati...
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...
The Bug vs Dylan Carlson of Earth
‘Concrete Desert’ is a colossal masterpiece created by The Bug (Kevin Martin) and Earth's Dylan Carlson. On this tandem project, Carlson and Martin plunge into deep sonic abysses, with dro...
Listen: Grouper shares new song 'Children'
After the release of 'Paradise Valley' 7" last year, Grouper now shares contemplative new song 'Children'. The track was recorded around the time of the sessions for her latest album, 'Ruins'. "I pus...
Jerusalem In My Heart Orchestra presents 'Don't Say The Moon Has Set'
The audio-visual happening of Jerusalem In My Heart has roots in both Montréal and Beirut, also combining the best of both worlds. Figurehead Radwan Ghazi Moumneh has been nursing the craft of...
Listen: Saul Williams shares new single 'The Flaw You Worship'
The shamanistic Saul Williams is a singer, rapper, poet, actor, screenwriter and renowned harbinger of noise poetry and hip hop futurism. At the moment, Williams is working on his Kickstarter film pro...
Track of the Week #8: DRINKS - 'Corner Shops'
Every week, we’ll bring you a must-hear track from the Le Guess Who? 2018 line-up. This week, it's 'Corner Shops' by Tim Presley (White Fence) and Cate Le Bon, who together form the pleasan...
Curator: CURL
Le Guess Who? curator collective CURL is made up of sonic eccentrics Mica Levi, Brother May, and Coby Sey, among others. A tightly-knit community of artists and musicians from the London underground,...
Brian Jackson - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024
Brian Jackson performed live during the closing night of Le Guess Who? 2024, featuring a string of classic tracks such as The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, Home Is Where the Hatred Is, and Winter in America. You can now listen to, and relive, the full performance below. As one-half of power duo Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jac...
Listen: The Sweet Release of Death releases new album 'The Blissful Joy Of Living'
Today, Rotterdam's noise pop revisionists The Sweet Release Of Death make their much-anticipated return with third LP 'The Blissful Joy Of Living', out now via Subroutine Records. The album could be considered a playful counter-statement to their own name. Over the span of six songs, it offers an acute glimpse of a band mired in tota...
Dance with Ping Pong
Finish off your U? journey with Ping Pong Club's all-day Sunday event. Visit one of Utrecht's last bars in the iconic train maintenance buildings around the city. They will have some of their local se...
Scene Report: Moscow, Russia
A walk and talk with Moscow locals about their experience of these fractured times. Independent artists and entrepreneurs share their stories of ups and downs, weaknesses, and inspirations, which make...
Wu-Lu - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024
South London's Wu-Lu, spearheaded by musician/vocalist Miles Romans-Hopcraft, performed live at Le Guess Who? 2024 as part of Bo Ningen's curated program for the festival. Below, you can watch the group perform the tracks Ten & Blame from the album LOGGERHEAD, released via Warp Records. “Powered by artistic freedom and sens...
Bant Mag. publish Zoom conversation between Matana Roberts and Moor Mother about new paths, music and racism
Ahead of Le Guess Who? 2021, Turkey's Bant Mag. hosted a Zoom chat between irreverent saxophonist and LGW21 curator Matana Roberts and LGW18 curator and musician/activist Moor Mother. During their conversation, the artists talk about new ways to reinvent and produce music during the pandemic, the music industry and Black Lives...
Midnight Sister
The slinky, cinematic music of Midnight Sister is brought to you by the isolating landscape of the San Fernando Valley — its colors, its diners, its lunatics, its neon lights. The duo of Juliana...
Devendra Banhart & Tim Kinsella talk literature, spirituality and friendship in Talkhouse Podcast
After recently covering each other's music, Devendra Banhart and Joan Of Arc's Tim Kinsella now discuss Kinsella's novels, Banhart's poems that originated while ashram-hopping in India, spir...
Introducing: BASIS - a sanctuary for house/techno lovers at Utrecht's medieval canals joins LGW18
This year, Le Guess Who? will feature three new venues for the official music program: WAS., BASIS, and Poema. All of them are part of Utrecht’s buzzing nightlife and are among the most prominent clubs in town. This time, we introduce you to BASIS: an Utrechtian sanctuary for house and techno lovers. "BASIS is located at a unique v...
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...
Freely Accessible U? Programme Highlights
U? is Le Guess Who’s participatory and freely accessible day program, made for–and with–the city of Utrecht. With U?, Le Guess Who? extends its mission to enrich people through music and culture even further to the city. From 10 to 13 November 2022, U? returns for its second edition. The program is made with, or even ent...
Talk: Reframing "World Music"
“Unfamiliar” sounds, from “unknown” parts of the world. Exoticizing entire cultures from a global North perspective, such are the traditional descriptors attached to so much of...
Listen & relive: Sarathy Korwar live at Le Guess Who? 2022
Sarathy Korwar performed live at Le Guess Who? 2022 on the night preceding the release of his new album 'KALAK'. You can now relive the full performance below, which includes tracks from that album, as well as 'Coolie', performed live together with Alabaster dePlume. AboutBorn in the US, Sarathy Korwar grew up in Ahmedabad and Ch...
Dumama as part of ‘Questions of Home’ curated by Raziyah Heath
In an richly textured blend of sound and re-imagining of the poetic music traditions of the Xhosa people of South Africa, Dumama joins forces with saxophonist and synth artist Pachakuti, and drummer-v...
Treasure of Grundo
Treasure of Grundo had many different configurations, but is now back to its original form, just Yannick Tinbergen in a room full of synthesizers. Between the debut and the sophomore album, a lot of c...
U? Mega Jam
Prepare for a giant meeting of improv artists. The copper horns of Stichting BUI, a celebrated gathering of titans of improv, will come shoulder to shoulder with poetry performer Wordbites and beatbox...
Joan Of Arc
Chicago stalwart Tim Kinsella initially made his mark with emocore trailblazers Cap ’n Jazz. Over the past twenty years, Joan Of Arc has been the primary instrument of his limitless imagination....
DEAD SYMBOLS
Le Guess Who? 2025 guest curator Asher Gamedze invites a Cape Town-based critical sound collective committed to dangerous thinking and sonic vandalism. DEAD SYMBOLS situates its practice at the inters...
Boys of Summer
Boys of Summer take you into the world of Americana with warm guitar sounds. The nostalgia covered songs of well-known bands such as The Rolling Stones and heroes such as Springsteen and Neil Young. A...
Waterschade
Waterschade is a young punk band from Haarlem who do not like patriarchy, racism and, of course, capitalism. They express this with tight bass lines, hard riffs and lots of screaming. With a mix of ha...
L.A. Sagne
L.A. Sagne is totally punk - like a Marshall amp cranked up to make your ears bleed. Their newest EP, ‘L.A. SANGE II’ (2024), released on Geertruida Label, consists of humorous figments of...
Rediscovery of our Memory
Multidisciplinary artist and researcher Joshua Schoonen will take over SETUP, a venue where artists and experts from various disciplines work to develop installations, images and vocabulary that make...
33EMYBW & Joey Holder
Producer 33EMYBW uses abstract dance music to explore the mysteries of humanity and its evolution. Her deconstructed club compositions draw inspiration from IDM, folk music and a wide range of visual...
Sun Ra Arkestra - Live at Le Guess Who? 2017
With their cosmic jazz celebration, Sun Ra Arkestra was one of the closing acts of Le Guess Who? 2017. We're pleased to now bring you the full recording of this show, spanning decades of the Sun Ra legacy. The song 'Discipline 27-II' features a special guest appearance by King Khan. Read on below for the astonishing story 'Sun Ra Ar...
Alogte Oho & His Sounds of Joy
When Alogte Oho was a boy, all he ever dreamt of was to join the church choir. When he turned thirteen, he did so and quickly ascended to stardom as a Frafra-Gospel artist. But in his twenties, a seri...
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...
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...
Talk: History of Cutting Electronic Music and it’s Modernization
Heba Kadry is a mastering & vinyl cutting engineer born in Egypt and currently based in Brooklyn. She has worked with notable artists such as Björk, Holly Herndon, Nicolás Jaar and man...
Jespfur (U?)
On the decor of a desolate and rain-soaked pavement wanders a one-man orchestra, equipped with a scratched up sampler, a bunch of guitar pedals, and a tender falsetto. There’s a touching and com...
33EMYBW & Li Jianhong
Le Guess Who? 2025 guest curator Tianzhuo Chen invites two influential figures of the Chinese music scene to perform and improvise together on stage. Groundbreaking guitarist Li Jianhong is a pioneer...
Kathryn Mohr
The music of Kathryn Mohr exists in a liminal space of auditory dissociation. Whether led by guitar or synth, her art chases the ephemeral nature of humanity through dark ruminative songs. Her latest...
Farida & The Iraqi Maqam Ensemble
Farida Mohammad Ali's mastery of the ancient maqam discipline - a lifetime’s pursuit - is truly extraordinary. In execution, this traditional singing technique requires full command of complex m...
Les Amazones d'Afrique
Les Amazones d’Afrique are a gathering of some of the strongest artistic voices of West-Africa campaigning for gender equality. These musicians and vocalists have joined together to create a for...
Mario Batkovic (2017)
It's kind of funny how one of Mario Batkovic's most well-known pieces is called Restrictus, as ‘restricting’ is quite the opposite of his enthralling mastery of the accordion. The Switzerl...
Sons of Kemet XL
With Sons of Kemet, sax wizard Shabaka Hutchings takes cues from Afro-Caribbean carnival to contemporary UK grime and hip hop. This is music played with punk drive, the immediacy of club music and rid...
Maria Chavez
Maria Chavez approaches the turntables as an instrument of transmission. This Peruvian artist doesn’t opt for just its function of mixing different types of music. Her approach is more primordia...
Orchestra Of Spheres
“Ceramic popcorn exploding in craniums.” This is just one of many lyrics that encapsulates Orchestra Of Spheres’ strange but infectious experimental pop, sounding like a Moebius sci-...
Mario Batkovic - Live at Le Guess Who? 2017
Accordeon maestro Mario Batkovic has performed twice at Le Guess Who?; in 2016, his performance was curated by Savages, and last year, he returned to festival at the invitation of by James Holden. You can stream that full, mesmerizing performance below. AboutIt's kind of funny how one of Mario Batkovic's most well-known pieces is calle...
Not Waving & Dark Mark
This blood pact marries the ink-black, minimal productions of Alessio Natalizia (aka Not Waving and member of Kompakt stalwarts Walls) with the smoke-suffused vocal drawl of alt-rock minstrel Mark Lan...
Listen to Art Ensemble of Chicago's full performance at LGW18, curated by Moor Mother
In the mid-1960s, Art Ensemble of Chicago sprung from the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). Moving far beyond jazz, avant-garde and performance art, the ensemble has created a realm that is entirely original. On the opening night of Le Guess Who? 2018, and on the eve of the Art Ensemble of Chicago’s 50t...
Urban Stories of U?
As a resident photographer for LGW and a resident of Utrecht, Juri Hiensch has been rediscovering the city of Utrecht. He has captured the unique character of several neighborhoods outside the city ce...
Listen: Jenny Hval shares new song 'High Alice' from upcoming album 'The Practice of Love'
Norwegian singer, producer, novel writer and Le Guess Who? 2019 curator Jenny Hval has released a new song called 'High Alice'. It is taken from her upcoming album 'The Practice of Love', which will be released in September. In a statement accompanying the release of the song, Hval says that 'High Alice' felt like the narra...
Listen: Efterklang release new album 'Altid Sammen'
'Altid Sammen' is the fifth album from Danish pop adventurers Efterklang, marking their first release in seven years. It's a record full of sonic experimentation, which the trio are known for, and examines the relationships that connect us from nature to death and much more in between. 'Altid Sammen', out now via 4AD, is the t...
COSMOS Embassy: Mexico City, Mexico
In partnership with Sonido ConfirmacionMEXPOSURE, a simulation of a pirate television signal disguised as an institutional TV channel, is a place where independent artists come to find a space to express themselves. It will explore the idea of territorial demarcations and territorial division of Mexico City and will enhance the multicultu...
Listen: composer Flore Laurentienne announces new album 'Volume II' and shares the first single
Flore Laurentienne announces the release of his new album 'Volume II' and shares the first single 'Navigation IV'. With this single, the composer reveals the mood and concept of the new album. Flore Laurentienne is the project of Canada-based composer Mathieu David Gagnon. His score-like string compositions meet analog synthesizers in an...
COSMOS Embassy: Cairo, Egypt
In partnership with B-62Egyptian artists Khaled and YUNIS take us on a tour through the music scene of Cairo. Through meetings, conversations and live performances with different artists, we’ll...
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...
The Wire premieres video recordings of Mary Margaret O'Hara's rare live performance at Le Guess Who? 2017
During Le Guess Who? 2017 in Utrecht, The Netherlands, Canadian singer-songwriter Mary Margaret O’Hara gave a very rare live appearance, curated by Perfume Genius for the festival. We are extremely proud to now be able to share the video recordings of the performance, premiered by The Wire. Declared a ‘cult hero’ by The...
Meshell Ndegeocello - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024
Meshell Ndegeocello is a true multitalented and multifaceted artist: singer-songwriter, rapper, bassist, collaborator, GRAMMY-winner, neo-soul movement igniter. Yet, even when sinking seamlessly into each one of her many roles, she has always worn her artistry and identity as a proud Black queer woman on her sleeve. You can now rel...
Listen/watch: Faust IV live at Le Guess Who? 2021, premiered by The Wire
The cult album Faust IV was the fourth studio album released by the German krautrock group in 1973. Reimagining the music from the iconic album, Faust IV was performed live at Le Guess Who? 2021 as part of the curated program by OSEES' John Dwyer. Faust IV Live! captured the strange magic that then and now defines Faust as an entity unto...
Listen: Pankisi Ensemble live at Le Guess Who? 2023
Georgia's Pankisi Ensemble performed live at Le Guess Who? 2023 as part of the Hidden Musics program. Now, you can relive this touching performance with the full audio of the show, recorded at Utrecht's Jacobikerk during the festival. AboutThe Pankisi Ensemble goes against the typical 'ethno-fusion' grain in two ways. First, by not res...
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...
Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra & Arion de Munck present 'Hadra Immersive' at LGW24
During the opening night of Le Guess Who? 2024, Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra & multidisciplinary artist Arion de Munck (Ombak-Lab) present Hadra Immersive, an experience in which Water, Harmony and Light play a central role. The climax of Hadra is not just a musical peak; it is a moment of collective transcendence, in which those pr...
Listen: COSMOS on Refuge Worldwide with LE 18 and Underground Music Academy
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, 7 October, from 2-4 PM, COSMOS returns with two new episodes. LE 18 For the first hour, we tapped our 2024 Embassy partners LE 18 for a guided tour thr...
Listen: full performance of Actress live at Le Guess Who? 2024
Electronic luminary Darren Cunningham aka Actress, whose work merges and morphs elements of techno, electro, R&B and concrète, performs at Le Guess Who? 2024 following the release of Statik, and just a couple of days ahead of the release of his new mixtape Дарен Дж. Каннінгем, out now via Smalltown Supersound.&nbs...
HOUSE OF DAAN
Introducing HOUSE OF DAAN, a crochet and ceramic studio crafting unique, taboo-challenging items. They redefine love, sexuality, and the human body through vibrant wool, yarn, and porcelain creations....
Watch: Meshell Ndegeocello - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024
Meshell Ndegeocello is a true multitalented and multifaceted artist: singer-songwriter, rapper, bassist, collaborator, GRAMMY-winner, neo-soul movement igniter. Yet, even when sinking seamlessly into each one of her many roles, she has always worn her artistry and identity as a proud Black queer woman on her sleeve. You can now rel...
James Massiah
James Massiah may now master multiple channels of artistic expression - producer, rapper, DJ and radio host are some of the hats he wears - but his first love, he says, is poetry. This passion is crys...
Press Enter to Space
Press Enter to Space brings a full arsenal of synths and vocoders to blast you straight into the dimension of dance. With a keytar full of synth riffs and a laptop full of beats, their performance wil...
YoungWoman
YoungWoman is an Amsterdam-based Egyptian DJ, producer and cofounder of Amsterdam’s first T4T Collective: Los Angles. With sets that feel like drinking an energy drink and hopping on a rollercoa...
COSMOS Embassy: Karachi, Pakistan
Honiunhoni, meaning "Impossible Possibilities," is an independent music production collective and record label founded in 2022 by musician and anthropologist Daniyal Ahmed. Rooted in the ethos of ethn...
COSMOS Embassy: Marrakech, Morocco
LE 18 is a multidisciplinary cultural and residency space established in 2013 and located in the medina of Marrakech, Morocco. It aims to provide time and space for research, creation, encounter, mutu...
COSMOS Embassy: Nairobi, Kenya
Santuri East Africa is a community-focused music innovation hub based in Nairobi, Kenya. Their goal is to bring about a more equitable, authentic, and diverse music industry. For a full decade, the...
COSMOS Embassy Film: Karachi, Pakistan
Honiunhoni, meaning "Impossible Possibilities," is an independent music production collective and record label founded in 2022 by musician and anthropologist Daniyal Ahmed. Rooted in the ethos of ethn...
COSMOS Embassy Film: Nairobi, Kenya
Santuri East Africa is a community-focused music innovation hub based in Nairobi, Kenya. Their goal is to bring about a more equitable, authentic, and diverse music industry. For a full decade, the...
Usta/Olgun/Ekincioglu
Representing the cutting edge of Istanbul’s vibrant improvisational music scene, this brand new trio tells stories of humanity, spirituality and community. Through the tension of jazz experiment...
The Mad Laboratory of Anti-Matter
Raw, industrial and unfiltered, The Mad Laboratory of Anti-Matter makes happy music for angry people. This Swiss-Lebanese duo of multi-instrumentalists Nadia Daou and Paed Conca combine intense beats,...
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...
Voice Actor
Step into an audiovisual realm of words as mirrors, in a framework of clatter. Welcome to Voice Actor’s pavilion. Surrounded by offering of poetry and recorded introspections, a small-scale cons...
Luisa Almaguer
The harmonies of singer-songwriter Luisa Almaguer flow with the warmth and vibrancy of a celebration shared with the chosen family. Drawing from Mexican musical traditions, her voice carries both stre...
Thisquietarmy
Monolithic and majestic, elusive Montreal guitar drone wanderer Thisquietarmy presented a whopping forty releases over the past twelve years. One of the more recent, ‘The Democracy of Dust&rsquo...
Listen to Protomartyr's new album 'Relatives in Descent'
"Now, on its fourth album, the band is moving toward an idiom that’s more flexible and contrasty yet just as gripping: Protomartyr’s own post-post-punk. Its expanded vocabulary includes re...
Joe Coleman
Joe Coleman is a performance artist, collector and painter whose hyper-detailed works depict celebrities, historical figures and artists with the same graceful iconography as the Gods and prophets of...
Through The Eyes of Lonnie Holley
Please note: limited capacity, sign up (between 5-7 November) via bit.ly/lgwlonnie Since 1979, Lonnie Holley has devoted his life to the practice of improvisational creativity through drawing, painti...
Maâlem Houssam Guinia & Band - Live at Le Guess Who? 2017
Moroccan Gnawa master Maâlem Houssam Guinia performed live at Le Guess Who? 2017. This performance was curated by James Holden for the festival: About:Maâlem (or ‘master musician’) Houssam Guinia is the son and successor of the late Mahmoud Guinia, an emblematic figure in the practice of West-African Gnawa music. Gna...
Mythic Sunship
Equally adept at noisy, feedback-laden jams as spaced-out, repetitive voyages, Mythic Sunship's self-styled "anaconda rock" has been described as one of the most riveting movements of the European psy...
Isokratisses
Hidden Musics Female vocal ensemble Isokratisses both uphold and reinterpret one of the world’s oldest remaining folk music traditions: the polyphonic songs of Epirus. Thanks to the vast mounta...
Eva Spierenburg - Disappearance In Slow Motion
Presented by Centraal Museum Visual artist Eva Spierenburg from Zeist is the winner of the K.F. Hein Stipendium 2018. Physicality is omnipresent in Spierenburg’s work. Whether it is the visuali...
Lombok Festival
Lombok Festival, one of Le Guess Who?’s satellite events, returns on Friday 8 November. The freely accessible festival is a celebration of the cultural diversity of this city’s district, i...
Track of the Week #13: Shintaro Sakamoto - 'Let's Dance Raw'
Every week, we’ll bring you a must-hear track from the Le Guess Who? 2018 line-up. This week it is Japanese cult star Shintaro Sakamoto, a former member of legendary psychedelic band Yura Yura T...
Eleanor Friedberger releases video for 'Are We Good?'
On her latest LP, the 80s Goth disco-inspired ‘Rebound’, Eleanor Friedberger creates a cinematic and eccentric dimension by adding layers of repetitive drums, sweltering synths, muted...
Velvet-Rebel
Velvet-Rebel’s dynamic and energetic sounds carry an important message of living fully with a mysterious dark edge. His use of a tight rhythmic spine of drums combined with bass with acceleratin...
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...
Alabaster dePlume - Live at Le Guess Who? 2021
Musician and poet Alabaster dePlume was Le Guess Who? 2021’s Artist in Residence and can be described as many things: a cleric of the written word, a maverick of sound, a conductor of communion. He garnered a substantial breakthrough in 2020 with his gorgeous compilation album ‘To Cy & Lee: Instrumentals Vol. 1’, a c...
Sarathy Korwar - Live at Le Guess Who? 2022
Sarathy Korwar performed live at Le Guess Who? 2022 on the night preceding the release of his new album 'KALAK'. You can now relive the full performance below, which includes tracks from that album, as well as 'Coolie', performed live together with Alabaster dePlume. AboutBorn in the US, Sarathy Korwar grew up in Ahmedabad and Ch...
LGW19 curator Jenny Hval releases new album 'The Practice Of Love'
Jenny Hval’s output has been consistently evolving throughout the years. In her music, moments of melodic beauty light up like quivering candles within a pitch black solitude of sonic abstraction. Hval's new album, 'The Practice of Love', is no less ambitious and proves a thrilling exploration of Hval’s unique examination of t...
Introducing Siti Muharam, the 'golden voice of Zanzibar' & great granddaughter of taarab legend Siti Binti Saad
Zanzibar singer Siti Muharam, the great granddaughter of famed taarab singer Siti Binti Saad, brings a modern twist to taarab on her debut album ‘Siti of Unguja'. Her show at Le Guess Who? 2021 will mark her first ever European performance. Taarab is a popular music genre in Tanzania and Kenya, combining musical elements from A...
Kenya's Duma, curated by Phil Elverum for LGW21, release new single 'Cannis/Mbukinya' via Sub Pop
Duma's Martin Khanja (aka Lord Spike Heart) and Sam Karugo are figureheads of the flourishing Nairobi underground metal scene. After releasing an overwhelming debut album last year through Uganda's Nyege Nyege Tapes, the duo now return with new single 'Cannis/Mbukinya' for Sub Pop's Singles Club. Listen to both songs via the emb...
Volledige programma U? 2024 onthuld
U?, het gratis toegankelijke stadsprogramma van Le Guess Who?, viert lokale en creatieve communities, met een sterke focus op Utrecht. U? keert van 8-10 november 2024 terug voor de vierde editie. U? onthult nu het volledige programma voor 2024, met op zaterdag 9 november een festival-playground in het Cartesiusgebied, en daarnaast veel a...
COSMOS Embassy: Karachi, Pakistan
In partnership with Honiunhoni Honiunhoni, meaning "Impossible Possibilities," is an independent music production collective and record label founded in 2022 by musician and anthropologist Daniyal Ahmed. Rooted in the ethos of ethnographic research, Honiunhoni celebrates Pakistan's cultural richness and diversity through meticulous curat...
Listen: Dry Cleaning release new single 'Don't Press Me' from upcoming album 'Stumpwork'
*update: the band have now released their new album 'Stumpwork'. Stream below: Just a year after 'New Long Leg', which was filled to the brim with unheard-of snark, courtesy of vocalist Florence Shaw's quick-witted lyrics, London's Dry Cleaning have announced the follow-up to their debut album. 'Stumpwork' is out October 21 via 4AD. T...
Listen: Rotterdam four-piece Lewsberg release new cassette 'Sweets'
For their upcoming tour, Rotterdam-based band Lewsberg has put together a unique, extremely limited cassette tape 'Sweets', featuring two new indie pop gems. To accompany the catchy 'Sweets' song, Lewsberg also pieced together a sweet, captivating DIY video that's assured to lift you up. While the track 'The Playground' offers list...
COSMOS Embassy: Bangkok, Thailand
WTF Gallery & Café was founded in 2010. The gallery has consistently embraced progressive thinking and pushed the barriers of what a small independent art space can sustain and present in t...
Listen: Raja Kirik release 'Phantasmagoria of Jathilan'
Raja Kirik is the Indonesian duo of Yennu Ariendra and J. Mo'ong Santoso Pribadi, two radical artists who draw on Java's rich cultural traditions and its history of struggle against colonial oppression to create music that surprises, challenges and educates in equal measure. Now, the group shares their new release: The Phantasmagor...
dragonchild x Sunken Cages
For this unique crossover, two worlds collide; that of dragonchild, the solo project of Debo Band’s Ethio-American saxophonist D.A. Mekonnen, and that of Sunken Cages, the moniker of Indian-born...
Alessandro Cortini
As Nine Inch Nails' keyboard, guitar, and bass player, Alessandro Cortini has carved out for himself a reputation as one of the foremost figures of contemporary electronic music. However, one would be...
South African drummer & composer Tumi Mogorosi announces new album 'Group Theory: Black Music'; listen to 'The Fall'
*Update: the full 'Group Theory: Black Music' album is out now: Ever since his debut album 'Project Elo' in 2014, Tumi Mogorosi has built a reputation of being one of the most captivating young creatives in the South African scene, collaborating with Shabaka & the Ancestors along the way. This July, the Johannesburg-bas...
Volunteering applications for LGW23 now open
We got an amazing amount of enthousiastic responds to our call for volunteers, so therefore we closed the registrations for now. However, schedules always change and there is a chance that a spot will open up. That's why we opened a waiting list. You can sign up for the waiting list here.Please keep in mind that being on the waiting list...
Premiere: Old Time Relijun share video for 'Break Through', from upcoming album 'Musicking'
After more than a decade of silence, we're absolutely thrilled to announce the return of Old Time Relijun, "one of the most distinctive and feral rock groups", in the words of The Stranger. Headed by the idiosyncratic Arrington de Dionyso, the group is celebrated for their raw and life-affirming songwriting. After qui...
Reflecting nature and tradition: the legacy of Luzmila Carpio
With her Quechua pop music, songwriter Luzmila Carpio has been one of the most influential artistic and spiritual ambassadors of Andean communities. Between innovation and ancient tradition, she spreads messages of indigenous struggle, female empowerment and love for the environment around us. Luzmila Carpio is bringing her iconic voice t...
Resident Permission (Film Screening)
Many creatively inclined Indians are moving to Goa, united by a desire to find out if the reasons are personal or reflective of a broader shift in what it means to make things in this country. ...
Listen/read: Cheikha Rabia: a destiny tied to the continuous reinvention of rai, by Lafawndah
This November, Le Guess Who? will feature a special performance by Cheikha Rabia, a renowned singer with over five decades of experience in reinventing rai music. Her performance will be a collaboration with Esraa Warda, a prolific dancer expert in traditional North African dance forms. Both artists hail from Algeria, but currently, Cheik...
Film: Queendom
Born and raised in Magadan, a city in the far east of Russia notorious for its gulag past, 21-year-old non-binary Gena combines radical performance art with activism. At the risk of her own life.IDFA...
HYPER GAL release new album 'After Image'
Blending soft vocals with harsh industrial beats, HYPER GAL summon a brave new sonic world in which maximalism and minimalism are no longer sworn enemies. The duo now release their new album After Image, the group work with a canvas larger than ever before, fearlessly alternating bold, avant-garde strokes with intimate, deliberate gesture...
Watch: Ndox Electrique live at Le Guess Who?
Relive Ndox Electrique live at Le Guess Who?, the first international performance of the genre-blurring musical ensemble that originated in Senegal, and whose music is inspired by an ancient ritual of the spirit-world originating from Senegal’s n’döep ceremonies. About How does one put Ndox Electrique into mere...
African Head Charge release 'A Trip To Bolgatanga', first album in 12 years
Founded in 1981, pioneering dub-reggae ensemble African Head Charge has gone on to achieve cult status with epic live shows and 13 albums under their belt. Now, the group returns to On-U Sound with A Trip To Bolgatanga, their first new album in twelve years. A Trip To Bolgatanga is described as a musical journey to founding member,...
In Solidarity With
Le Guess Who? stands for unity through music. The global violence unfolding against innocent people at the moment is truly heartbreaking, and our hearts go out to those affected, whether in Palestine, Ukraine, Israel, Sudan, or anywhere else. As an organization, we condemn violence against civilians and stand in solidarity with those liv...
Tirzah (2018)
With ‘Devotion’, UK-based producer and songwriter Tirzah has created one of the most critically-acclaimed and downright magnetic debut records of 2018. A childhood friend of Mica ‘Mi...
M(h)aol share new album and KEXP session
Through their electrifying live performances, intersectional feminist firebrands M(h)aol are fostering an environment of unity and strength, and gaining a reputation that brought them to the iconic KEXP sessions stduio. In their performance, vocalist and drummer Constance Keane fearlessly drives the trio as they tackle the systemic oppres...
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...
Errol & Sammseed
Out of this year’s Touching Bass curatorship comes a thrilling end-of-week back-to-back featuring two of the South London-based movement’s leading lights - Errol and Sammseed. Touching Bas...
Demdike Stare
As Demdike Stare, Sean Canty and Miles Whittaker’s encyclopedic knowledge of music - a result of their voracious appetite for crate digging in their youth - is made crystal clear. Hailing from t...
Nídia (2019)
Príncipe Discos presents, hosted by FACT “Her music is dazzling in all senses, a trance-inducing tangle of boxy drums, vivid swirls of synthetic melody and buzzsaw grime bass,” The...
Kelman Duran & FRANKIE
On the same day as his Nick León b2b, LA-based abstract electronic music icon Kelman Duran is linking up with multi-faceted artist Franziska Aigner, AKA FRANKIE. There is a lot of crossover in...
Catching Cultures Orchestra
Catching Cultures Orchestra (CCO) is an Utrecht-based organization of committed musicians with diverse cultural backgrounds, in particular newcomers, who create high-quality intercultural musical offe...
Mau's Acid Machine
Maurice, AKA Mau’s Acid Machine, is a Rotterdam based performer and DJ. Combining a passion for tinkering and electronic music, Maurice was put on a path of patching and modulating to build his...
Dua Rasa with Insan Larasati
Dua Rasa, meaning “Two Flavors” in Indonesian, represents the collaborative efforts of Ezanneo, an undergrad cultural researcher, specializing in food and space design, and Samsara, an art...
S*an D. Henry-Smith
S*an D. Henry-Smith is a poet, photographer, performer and collaborative practitioner, engaging the legacy of Black diasporic experimentalisms.This performance is part of the program curated by Raziya...
Tucker Zimmerman
Songpoet is what American folk artist Tucker Zimmerman identifies himself as on the cover of his 2006 album, home to the acoustic folk gem 'She’s an Easy Rider.' Zimmerman is one of America&rsqu...
bela with Theresa Baumgartner
South Korean musician and performance artist bela arrange the collision of worlds; traditional sonics withstanding the test of wild modern age Korea and grimy metal bars come together in 2024’s...
Microscopic Erotic
Sri Lankan multi-disciplinary artist Tehani Amarasuriya and Minneapolis-born, Rotterdam-based co-creater of a tattoo, textile, and photography studio - dedicated to providing gender affirming, body em...
Wilfred Guerrero
Wilfred Guerrero is the heart and soul of El Dragón Turbo Láser, one of Colombia’s most iconic picós. Inherited from his father, who founded the system in the 1960s, it serv...
One Leg One Eye
One of the founding members of Lankum, Ian Lynch has found another captivating way to channel Irish history and musical traditions, merging them with the powerful aesthetics of black metal, noise and...
Mohammad Mostafa Heydarian
Some music instruments carry a whole world of tradition, faith and culture. It’s the case of the tanbur, a millenia-old lute strongly tied to the city of Kermanshah (western Iran). Its practice...
Merope with Shahzad Ismaily
Merope’s roots lie deep in the soil of Lithuania’s folk songs, vividly evoked through the resonant sound of the kanklės (a traditional string instrument) and their ancestral singing. Joine...
Hüma Utku presents Dracones
With her new album, Dracones, Istanbul sound artist Hüma Utku ventures through chaos, transformation and the intimate unknown. As medieval explorers would mark uncharted, dangerous places on maps...
Quinton Barnes + Black Noise Ensemble
Inspired by Afropessimist thought and the work of economist Jacques Attali, alternative hip-hop artist Quinton Barnes became interested in noise and its function within the context of Black music. He...
DJ Marcelle
You might have seen her walking around festival terrains around the globe, with a bag full of vinyls and a big smile on her face. Inventive collector and selector DJ Marcelle brings her iconic three-t...
Zeal & Ardor
Swiss-American musician Manuel Gagneux funnels the spells of black metal into howls of Tom Waits-esque juke joint blues. Suffice to say, results are nothing short of spectacular. Debut album ‘De...
Brötzmann/Leigh
Over the span of two albums, the dynamic of pedal steel player Heather Leigh and brass/woodwind maestro Peter Brötzmann has become truly transcending: a continually evolving high-energy exchange...
Listen to Destroyer, Faust and The Notwist live at Le Guess Who? 2015
The Line of Best Fit, The Skinny and The Quietus share recordings from three of last year's performances: Listen to the full set of Destroyer live at Le Guess Who? 2015, premiered by T...
Jenny Hval
In her enigmatic avant-pop excursions, Jenny Hval breaks free from rigid concepts of sex, mortality, biology and pop culture. Her concept album ‘Blood Bitch’ occupies a fractured but heroi...
Matana Roberts (2017)
Jazz musician, composer and visual artist Matana Roberts nosedives in concepts of ancestry and creative expression. The stories she tells through music; of human experiences, spirituality, improvisati...
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...
Hieroglyphic Being
Jamal Moss, better known as Hieroglyphic Being, is one of the most distinct figures from Chicago's rave scene. Throughout his impressive output, Moss’s glitchy style draws from the roots of spir...
The Como Mamas release new single 'Count Your Blessings'
Gospel trio The Como Mamas from Mississippi just released their new single 'Count Your Blessings'. Their album 'Move Upstairs' will follow in May. It's "the kind of gospel that can move and save...
Sudan Archives (2017)
Violinist and vocalist Sudan Archives writes, plays, and produces her own music. Drawing inspiration from Sudanese fiddlers, she is self-taught on the violin, and her unique songs also fold in element...
Paddy Steer
Sonic tinkerer Paddy Steer dives into the realms of lo-fi pop, new age, acid jazz and cosmic funk like a kid with a new box of crayons. With a multitude of instruments at his disposal, this Manchester...
Pan Daijing presents: 'Fist Piece'
Born and raised in China and currently residing in Berlin, Pan Daijing is a groundbreaking artist, composer and storyteller who creates a raw and rare mixture of noise music, performance art, dance an...
John Maus announces new album & shares first single 'The Combine'
Six years after the release of his last album, avant-pop maestro John Maus finally returns. He now announces his new album 'Screen Memories', to be released 17 October via Ribbon. A first taste is giv...
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 -,...
ONCEIM & Stephen O'Malley present 'Gruides'
The ‘Orchestre de Nouvelles Créations, Expérimentations et Improvisations Musicales’ (ONCEIM) is an orchestra of 34 musicians dedicated to the art of creation and experimenta...
Cass McCombs
Once labeled as one of the greatest songwriter of his time, California-based artist Cass McCombs has made quite a name for himself. On his ninth studio album ‘Mangy Love’, the songwr...
Valley Maker
Seattle-based singer-songwriter Austin Crane (aka Valley Maker) has one of the most remarkable voices in contemporary pop music. Accompanied by heartfelt, wistful acoustic guitar arrangements, Valley...
Miho Hatori
Co-founder of celebrated poly pop duo Cibo Matto and collaborative partner of influential acts as Gorillaz and The Beastie Boys, Miho Hatori is a rare and inimitable talent from New York City. As prol...
Listen to Den Sorte Skole's Mixtape for Le Guess Who? 2017
Denmark's Den Sorte Skole create magical, musical storytelling across time and space. For Le Guess Who? 2017, the duo have put together a special mixtape with artists performing at the festival. Liste...
Yves Tumor
Before our very eyes, the mysterious Yves Tumor suspends set expectations of music and performance into a vortex of sheer disbelief. His unforgettable show at last year’s Le Guess Who? was a bre...
Listen: James Holden's brand new album 'The Animal Spirits' is out now
Today, James Holden & The Animal Spirits release their brand new album. Built around Holden's modulair synths, it is inspired by spiritual jazz and Moroccan Gnawa: "Legendary jazz band leaders&nbs...
Future Feminism Performance Archives
In collaboration with Future Feminism This screening event dives into the performance archives of Future Feminism, giving an insight in the project’s history of creating explicit and extreme pe...
Fatoumata Diawara
Over the past decade, Malian, Grammy-nominated artist, musician, and actress Fatoumata Diawara has been universally praised as one of Africa’s most trailblazing and outspoken voices. Diawara&rsq...
Conrad Tao
Conrad Tao first touched a piano as a one-year-old toddler, and by the age of eight, he already performed Mozart’s Concerto No. 12. So, becoming one of the most exciting new faces in classical m...
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...
Abdel Karim Shaar - Live at Le Guess Who? 2017
Lebanese legend Abdel Karim Shaar performed live at Le Guess Who? 2017 for his 2nd show outside his home country, curated by Jerusalem In My Heart. About Abdel Karim Shaar:Abdel Karim Shaar is the last of his generation still performing classical ‘Tarab’ repertoire: a musical form that expresses a state of emotional transit...
Premiering Sun Ra Arkestra's LGW17 recordings, spanning decades of the Sun Ra legacy
With their cosmic jazz celebration, Sun Ra Arkestra was one of the closing acts of Le Guess Who? 2017. We're pleased to now bring you the full recording of this show, spanning decades of the Sun Ra le...
“Living on Wit”: Popmatters interview Vashti Bunyan
In 2014, Popmatters published an in-depth interview with the legendary singer-songwriter Vashti Bunyan. Leading up to to release of her last album ‘Heartleap’ that same year, Vashti Bunyan...
Blazing Suns (live)
Blazing Suns is an ever-evolving entity of artists, musicians, audiofreaks and sound explorers orbiting around it. At Le Guess Who?, the quartet of Salvador Breed, Boris Acket, Nick Verstand and Maart...
Listen: Sons of Kemet release new album on Impulse!
In March 2018, Shabaka Hutchings and his comrades of Sons of Kemet released their new LP ‘Your Queen Is A Reptile’ on the prestigious Impulse! label, known for jazz greats like John Coltra...
Track of the Week #1: Kojey Radical – 'If Only'
Every week, we’ll bring you a must-hear track from the Le Guess Who? 2018 line-up. First up is a current LGW office favorite, from the British-Ghanaian poet-turned-rapper who is already being ha...
HHY & The Macumbas
Porto collective HHY & The Macumbas compose mind-blowing permutations of experimental jazz, dubbed-out noise, and hypnotic African folk. Lead by artist Jonathan Saldanha and a rotating cast of pla...
Stranded FM
Having become somewhat of a mainstay in Utrecht, Stranded FM celebrate and share music from all over the globe, becoming the city’s bastion for discovering fresh sounds. During their four-year r...
Breakdown: The Thriving & Roaring Sound of Colin Stetson
In this new breakdown-series we analyse and extract the groundbreaking work of pioneers in their line of musical duty. In this article, we explore Colin Stetson’s unconventional approach to the...
Deerhoof & Tigue play 'Friend Opportunity'
Deerhoof is one of those fantastic beasts the world has been lucky to find, an anomaly of a band that can twist any crunch of noise into saccharine hook-heavy pop euphoria. Their wide-eyed trial-and-e...
Short doc: meet Katy Red, the Queen of Bounce
In a short documentary, The Avant/Garde Diaries introduces you to the renowned Queen of Bounce Katey Red. As a transgender, Red was one of the first openly gay artist within the masculine bounce...
Track of the Week #5: Beverly Glenn-Copeland - 'Ever New'
Every week, we’ll bring you a must-hear track from the Le Guess Who? 2018 line-up. This week, it's the new age & folk-jazz pioneer who has been curated by Devendra Banhart as well as Moor Mo...
Track of the Week #6: Sons of Kemet - 'My Queen Is Harriet Tubman'
Every week, we’ll bring you a must-hear track from the Le Guess Who? 2018 line-up. This week, it's one of the projects of jazz superforce & festival curator Shabaka Hutchings, who released t...
Gabrielle Goliath - Elegy
Presented by Le Guess Who? & Centraal Museum Initiated in 2015, Elegy is a long-term commemorative performance project by South African artist Gabrielle Goliath. Staged in various locations...
Angel Bat Dawid & Patricia Kaersenhout
Presented by Le Guess Who? & BAK - basis voor actuele kunst Le Guess Who? and Jeanne van Heeswijk connected the Chicago-based pianist, clarinetist and composer Angel Bat Dawid with visual artist,...
Sorry to Bother You
Presented by Le Guess Who? & Springhaver The directorial debut from Boots Riley presents an alternate reality of present-day Oakland, California, when telemarketer Cassius Green finds himself in...
Track of the Week #9: Hailu Mergia - 'Yefikir Engurguro'
Every week, we’ll bring you a must-hear track from the Le Guess Who? 2018 line-up. This week, it's Ethio-jazz legend Hailu Mergia with a contemplative solo piano track. Together with the Wa...
Listen to Circuit des Yeux cover Catherine Ribeiro + Alpes' 1969 song 'Soeur de Race'
In a new episode of Red Bull Radio's Open End, Circuit des Yeux premiered her cover of 'Soeur de Race', from French-Portuguese avant-garde singer Catherine Ribeiro. With her band Alpes, Ribeiro r...
Black Mother
Presented by Le Guess Who? & Springhaver Part film, part baptism, in Black Mother director Khalik Allah brings us on a spiritual journey through Jamaica. Soaking up its bustling metropolises and...
Keys of Light - Vicky Chow
Before Vicky Chow's performance in TivoliVredenburg's Hertz (curated by Patrick Higgins), the Canadian piano virtuoso will perform at Domplein as part of the Keys of Light project,...
Premiere: Jozef van Wissem shares new song 'Bow Down' & presents new album at LGW18
Enter the dark, mythical world of minimalist composer and acclaimed lute-player Jozef van Wissem. Accompanied by his baroque instrument, Van Wissem creates highly distinctive sonic soundscapes by blen...
Orchestra of Spheres share first single 'Koudede' from upcoming album 'Mirror'
Orchestra of Spheres send their listeners on a reflective voyage of sonic discovery on their new song 'Koudede'. With the track, the adventurous psych pop group share their love for the Tuareg and Nig...
Lyra Pramuk
In 2020, Lyra Pramuk published a picture of her vocal cords on Instagram – a display-case of the force behind her debut album ‘Fountain’, arranged entirely from the sound of her...
John Surman & Alexander Hawkins
John Surman’s career recently entered its sixth decade, an impressive feat of which this composer, one of the most prolific to emerge from the British Isles in recent memory, can be proud of. Ma...
Track of the Week #23: The Scorpios - 'Mashena'
Every week, we bring you a must-hear track from the Le Guess Who? 2018 line-up. As the festival is getting closer and closer, we dive deeper and deeper into this year's worldly, prismatic line-up. This week, we highlight the elated mix of Arabic rhythms, raw Eastern funk and vintage psychedelia of The Scorpios. Having fled from the...
Interview: Future Feminism with Johanna Constantine
On a sinking ship penetrated by patriarchy, what do you “choose” to do?: Future Feminism with Johanna Constantine This year, Le Guess Who? collaborates with Turkey's Bant Mag. The independent magazine, based in Istanbul, has been bringing together new and exciting tendencies about music, film, arts and culture since 2004. Sta...
Video portrait: 'Through The Eyes of Lonnie Holley: A Weekend in Utrecht'
During Le Guess Who? 2018, we spent a weekend with musician and visual artist Lonnie Holley in Utrecht. On the opening night of the festival, Lonnie performed with expressive trombone & drums duo Nelson Patton; the next day, he gave us a guided tour through the city of Utrecht, showing the many unique ways of how Holley experiences hi...
Trio SonCe
An international musical threesome made up of members from Ukraine, Catalunya, Turkey, and, all of them also, the Netherlands, comes together in Trio SonCe, who present 'Five Seasons' – a fascin...
Makaya McCraven - Live at Le Guess Who? 2019
Makaya McCraven is one of Chicago’s most versatile and in-demand drummers. At Le Guess Who? 2019, McCraven, together with his stellar live band, gave a wonderfully free-spirited performance. As debut of the show, the group played the brand new song 'In These Times', which you can view below, as well as listen to the entire perf...
TV Guide & photo series
LGW ON TV Guide For the broadcasting times of all programs, have a look at the TV Guide or download and print your own PDF version. BROWSE THROUGH THE TV GUIDE
Moon Duo announce new album; share title track 'Stars Are The Light'
Psychedelic/krautrock mystics and LGW19 curators Moon Duo have risen up as one of the most intoxicating live acts of this decade. Now, the group announce their new album 'Stars Are The Light', to be released by Sacred Bones on 27 September and produced by Sonic Boom. The Oregon band’s trademark sound is as much acqu...
Documentary + Press Archive
Representing the Underrepresented During LGW18, Canal180 shot a documentary of our festival. “Who is a headliner? Everyone has his personal headliner and I think that’s what music should be”. And that makes us reflect on what role a music festival should play nowadays. It should be a place for discovery where viewe...
Oiseaux-Tempête share video for new single 'He Is Afraid And So Am I'
Oiseaux-Tempête will release their new album 'From Somewhere Invisible' on 18 October: a collaboration with former Le Guess Who? artists Radwan Ghazi Moumneh (Jerusalem In My Heart, also LGW17 curator) and Jessica Moss (Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band), as well as G.W. Sok (King Champion Sounds, for...
Galya Bisengalieva - Live at Le Guess Who? 2021
Kazakh-British composer and violinist Galya Bisengalieva performed her latest album 'Aralkum' in full live at Le Guess Who? 2021, as part of the program presented by Uncloud. You can now listen & relive the entire performance. "It has been speculated how the current environmental crisis we face will inspire musicians, the sam...
Moundabout
Although this Ireland-centered collaboration between Paddy Shine of GNOD and Phil Masterson of Los Langeros, Damp Howl, and Bisect, is technically “new folk”, the listener should tread car...
Panda Bear & Sonic Boom - Live at Le Guess Who? 2022
Panda Bear & Sonic Boom performed at Le Guess Who? 2022 as part of Animal Collective's curation, following the release of their latest album 'Reset'. Relive the performance below with our concert film, which features the songs Everyday, Edge of the Edge, Danger, and Livin’ in the After. AboutSix years ago, Peter Kember,...
Noura Mint Seymali - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024
Noura Mint Seymali performed on the opening night of Le Guess Who? 2024 as part of the program curated by Arooj Aftab. You can now listen to, and relive, the full performance below. Noura Mint Seymali is a nationally adored Mauritanian musical star, born into a prominent line of Moorish griot; West African praise singers, poets a...
Stories of Lombok (Buurttour)
Through the Buurt tour, you will explore the neighborhood Lombok and discover some favorite spots of De Voorkamers’ community members. They will match Dutch speaking with non-Dutch speaking part...
Lewsberg - Live at Le Guess Who? 2022
Lewsberg, hailed as "Rotterdam’s answer to The Velvet Underground" by NME, performed live on the opening night of Le Guess Who? 2022. We now share the track 'The Corner' from that performance (taken from their 2021 album 'In Your Hands') just as the band are about to go on an international tour which will bring them to Germany, USA,...
Listen to Suuns' newest album, 'The Witness'
Avant-rock group Suuns' relationship with Le Guess Who? goes way back; the three-piece Montreal band has always positively surprised us with their releases and their newest, 'The Witness', their first for Joyful Noise Recordings, is yet another impressive step of their sonic universe. Produced and recorded over the course of 2020 at ...
Read via The Quietus: which records would Ana Roxanne 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...
Film: Cosmic Chant. Niño de Elche
Singer, performer and artist Niño de Elche is renowned for his groundbreaking vision of flamenco. Playfully provoking his audience, he invites them to consider a question: What can flamenco be?...
Damon Locks discusses Black Monument Ensemble's 'NOW' with Nombuso Mathibela for PAM
Pan African Music (PAM)'s contributor Nombuso Mathibela had the opportunity to interview Damon Locks Black Monument Ensemble about their latest album, 'NOW', which features Erica Rene, Tramaine Parker, Richie Parks, Phillip Armstrong, Eric Tre’von, Monique Golding, and Angel Bat David (clarinet) and Ben LeMar Gay (cornet and me...
Listen: Model Home release collaborative album with Saint Abdullah
Washington-based experimental hip-hop duo Model Home have released a new collaborative album with Iranian dub duo Saint Abdullah. 'Invasive Inclinations' is described as a meeting of forces from "two similar planets in different galaxies but interchangeably habitable". The album was recorded in one day at Pioneer Works Center F...
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...
COSMOS Embassy Film: Vilnius, Lithuania
In partnership with ICRN Bringing together DIY broadcasters from the Baltics and beyond, the Independent Community Radio Network (ICRN) has created an impactful platform that proves once more, that there is always strength in numbers. In 2022, a handful of activists and community radios from the Baltic-Nordic region joined forces t...
Podcast: listen to Part 2 of the episode 'What's Behind The Mask?'
Le Guess Who? presents ‘The Big Playback’, a conversational, in-depth podcast about all things music. In the second episode of ‘The Big Playback’, host Margaret Munchheimer talks to four different musicians about the shifting relationship between Art and Identity and who in some way explore the self as a mediu...
Irreversible Entanglements, curated by Matana Roberts for LGW21, announce new album + share video for 'Open The Gates'
Irreversible Entanglements is a jazz collective from Philadelphia, New York, and Washington, DC, who have successfully cultivated jazz and associated Black music through a gripping form of avant-garde and free jazz. The group have just announced their new album 'Open The Gates', which will be a split release between the labels Internation...
'Donate a Ticket' for Le Guess Who?
(Nederlandse versie hieronder) Every year we give visitors the opportunity to 'Donate a Ticket'. This initiative gives festival visitors the opportunity to purchase an extra day ticket for people who are also interested in visiting the festival, but do not have the financial resources themselves to do so. Visitors can donate a ticket vi...
Hatis Noit
Hatis Noit’s vocal awakening came at the age of sixteen, during a trip to Nepal in which she was moved by a female monk’s chant. This experience led her to begin exploring the visceral pow...
U? venues
In 2024, U? Festival takes place on Saturday, 9 November, in the Cartesius area. U? Projects are separate, stand-alone events in other areas and on different dates. In 2024 vind U? Festival plaats op zaterdag 9 november in het Cartesiusgebied. U? Projects zijn op zichzelf staande evenementen op andere dagen en locaties.U? Venues
Het Grote Gebeuren: Nemo Vos
The Amsterdam-based artist Nemo Vos (Tibor de Jong) graduated from St. Joost School of Art & Design, Breda, in 2015. You may know him from his digital video work for Obey Clothing or the animated...
Coby Sey, part of LGW22 curators CURL, releases debut album 'Conduit' + shares Sunday Mix for Crack Magazine
South East London producer, vocalist and DJ Coby Sey excitingly intersects contemporary club, DIY-art, and music production. After performing at Le Guess Who? in 2017, he now returns as part of the London collective & guest curators CURL, together with Mica Levi and Brother May. This week, Coby Sey released his debut album 'Con...
Scene Report: Beirut, Lebanon
Maltash is a Lebanese experimental musician currently based in Brussels, Belgium. He mostly works in the realm of deconstructed metal, industrial, as well as the tradition of tarab, and reshapes them...
Photo series at U? 2022
Utrecht based photographer Rogier Boogaard captured documentary photo series of artists involved in the festival.De Utrechtse fotograaf Rogier Boogaard heeft artiesten die betrokken waren bij het festival vastgelegd in documentaire fotoseries.
Liliane Chlela presents I, the hybrid and the antidote
When electronic producer, DJ, and performer Liliane Chlela relocated from Lebanon to Canada in 2021, she was faced with a tough choice; as an artist from the diaspora navigating a mostly white music m...
The Messthetics & James Brandon Lewis
It was in the year of 2021 that Joe Lally’s The Messthetics (his instrumental trio with former Fugazi bandmate and drummer Brendan Canty and guitarist Anthony Pirog) met their match: James Brand...
The Fiery Furnaces
When Blueberry Boat (2004) was released, Pitchfork described it as “a record for the overgrown part of our brain that craves engrossing complexity”. At the time, The Fiery Furnaces, consis...
Eucademix (Yuka Honda) shares new EP 'Farm Psychedelia II'
You could describe Eucademix (Yuka Honda) as an electronics instrumentalist, composer, and producer, but mostly, she enjoys calling herself a "decomposer". The artist just released her new EP Farm Psychedelia II. the follow-up to an EP that was released earlier this year, in a further creative burst of "Sensory Music" - again, in her on 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...
COSMOS Embassy Film: Detroit, USA
“KNOW THE PAST. CHANGE THE FUTURE.” Operating under this slogan, Detroit’s Underground Music Academy is a place to learn about the history, creation and business behind electronic mu...
COSMOS Embassy: Detroit, USA
“KNOW THE PAST. CHANGE THE FUTURE.” Operating under this slogan, Detroit’s Underground Music Academy is a place to learn about the history, creation and business behind electronic mu...
Listen to Kelly Lee Owens' cover of Aaliyah's 'More Than A Woman'
Having performed the song live for some time, Kelly Lee Owens now shares the full studio version of her cover of Aaliyah's 'More Than A Woman'. The single also features her own remix of the...
The Staples Jr. Singers
In 1975, family group The Staples Jr. Singers released their first and only album: ‘When Do We Get Paid’ - recorded when the gospel band’s youngest members were in their early teenag...
The Bug feat. Dis Fig, Flowdan & Logan
Last year, Kevin Martin released his first non-collaborative full-length LP in seven years. 'Fire', brought out into the world via Ninja Tune, is maybe his heftiest yet, and already a landmark in his...
Scene Report: Caracas, Venezuela. Part III
Over the past few years, the alternative music scene in Caracas, the Venezuelan capital, has been plummeting amid the country’s economic collapse – and the COVID-19 pandemic has just added...
Zsela releases debut album 'Big For You'
With her raw, vulnerable and forceful music, Zsela established herself as a singer-songwriter of cavernous depth. Anticipated by the singles Lily of the Nile, Fire Excape and Not Your Angel, Zsela now releases her debut album Big For You on which she's built a sonic landscape that flows between grandiosity and intimacy. Refl...
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...
RP Boo & Armand Hammer team up for Sun Ra tribute 'Blood Running High'
This week, Red Hot releases Outer Spaceways Incorporated: a Sun Ra tribute compilation album lead by Kronos Quartet with many guest contributions. Leading up to the release, the track Blood Running High is now shared: a collaboration between Le Guess Who? 2024 artists RP Boo and ELUCID (who is one half of LGW23 artist Armand Hammer). ...
Khorshid Dadbeh
Alternately playing the tar, the tanbour, and the setar, Iranian musician Khorshid Dadbeh is seasoned far beyond her years. She began her musical journey early, having grown up in an artistic family a...
Listen: CHELA - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024
Often titled an 'Asian guitar army', CHELA performed live during the closing day of Le Guess Who? 2024, curated by Bo Ningen. Relive the full performance below, with the duo performing music from their 2023 album Diagonal Drift. Made up of long-time friends and collaborators Ajay Saggar (Bhajan Bhoy) and Kohhei Matsuda (Bo Ningen), CHE...
Freestyle Football with Freestyler Guido
Have you always wanted to learn the coolest movements & tricks with a football? Then this is your moment. During the freestyle football workshop you will learn the basics of this sport & art f...
Watch: Mabe Fratti featuring Shards - Live at Le Guess Who?
As part of her curation at Le Guess Who? 2024, experimental cellist and vocalist Mabe Fratti performed live at the festival together with London-based vocal group Shards. Watch the concert film of the performance, featuring the tracks Kravitz, No Se Ve Desde Acá and Desde el Cielo: With her hypnotic pieces, Mabe Fratti comb...
Read: The Quietus' 10 points of entry to the work of Keiji Haino
"Even in the strange world of the Japanese underground, there’s never been anybody quite like Keiji Haino. Improviser, noisemaker, guitarist, jazz man, poet, vocalist - he’s none of them a...
Line-up
Le Guess Who? 2018 Line-up Le Guess Who? 2018 featured programs curated by Devendra Banhart, Moor Mother and Shabaka Hutchings. View the full line-up via the link below. LE GUESS WHO? 2018 LINE-UP Audio Recordings There are lots of recordings available in our audio archive, including BCUC, Neneh Cherry, Kadri Gopalnath, The Scor...
Listen: Pink Siifu releases new album 'GUMBO'!'
Rapper and producer Pink Siifu has released new album 'GUMBO'!', the follow-up to his 2020 release 'NEGRO' (which got expanded to 'NEGRO DELUXE' earlier this year). 'GUMBO'!' features guest appearances from a.o. Georgia Anne Muldrow, Bbymutha, Nick Hakim, Liv.e, and Maxo. Production comes from a.o. the Alchemist, Monte Boo...
Listen & relive: The Master Musicians of Jajouka led by Bachir Attar live at Le Guess Who? 2022
The Master Musicians of Jajouka, led by Bachir Attar, performed live at the opening night of Le Guess Who? 2022 as part of the Hidden Musics project following the release of their new album 'Dancing Under The Moon', released earlier in 2022 via Glitterbeat Records. You can listen to and relive the full performance below. About B...
Watch: Goat - Live at Le Guess Who? 2022
Swedish psych outfit Goat performed live at Le Guess Who?'s 15th Anniversary Edition in 2022, following the release of their latest album 'Oh Death' via Rocket Recordings. You can now relive part of the performance via our concert film below, which features the tracks 'Under No Nation', 'Gathering of Ancient Tribes', 'Do The Dance', 'Disc...
Seni Reak Juarta Putra
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...
The Body & Dis Fig
A crossover between American duo The Body, who have been tinkering with noise and metal since 1999, and Berlin-based DJ, producer, and vocalist Felicia Chen (AKA Dis Fig) was bound to make the earth s...
Modulation: Elektortek & The Music Machine
Modulation is Utrecht’s own accessible night of live performances and concerts centered around modular synthesizers and other hardware electronic instruments. A place for newcomers as well as ve...
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...
The Domkerk, Utrecht's most majestic and historic icon, will finally be part of LGW
Utrecht's Domkerk is the first Dutch gothic cathedral, dating back to the 13th century. With its 112 meters towering above the city skyline it is not just the highest building in Utrecht, it is also t...
The Body Electric (Koen Delaere)
The performative character of the work of painter Koen Delaere can be compared to experiencing a live music performance or to making music in which meaning evolves while listening and playing. A spont...
Oiseaux-Tempête & Friends - Live at Le Guess Who? 2019
Oiseaux-Tempête & Friends gave an overwhelming and immersive performance at Le Guess Who? 2019, joined on stage by G.W. Sok (King Champion Sounds, formerly The Ex), Jessica Moss (Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band), Mondkopf and Radwan Ghazi Moumneh (Jerusalem In My Heart, also LGW17 curator). Oiseaux-...
The Late Frique Show
The Late Frique Show, hosted by Arp Frique, is a late night talk show highlighting the music and artists you need to discover in order to grow and glow. The Dutch synth funkster making waves in the in...
Revealing the full line-up for Le Guess Who? 2021 with 70 new program additions
Le Guess Who? exists to bring people together through art and music, and despite the uncertainty of the times we have continued to work toward that end. Some things might change, and some things will change, but we have put together a festival for 2021 that we are extremely proud of, and will bring it to you in whatever form possible.&nbs...
Scene Report: Moengo, Suriname
Cottica Territory is Now Only in Memory is a short documentary about the Marron music & culture of the Cottica area. After the internal war, many villagers stayed in Moengo on their return from th...
AZEEMA speak to Esraa Warda about decolonising dance and reviving the rebellious roots of Rai
This year, Le Guess Who? has partnered with AZEEMA, a publication that explores women and non-binary folk within West Asia, North Africa and South Asia, diasporas and beyond. Leading up to the festival, Dalia Al-Dujaili talks to North African dancer and educator Esraa Warda. Exploring the artist's talent of decolonizing dance as well as r...
The Cromagnon Band
London’s The Cromagnon Band had made a splash before releasing any work; prior to their debut LP’s launch via We Stay True, the trio had featured on compilations from Andy Votel and Doug S...
W.I.T.C.H.
Once upon a time, W.I.T.C.H. ruled Zambia. In the seventies, the band responsible for pioneering ‘zamrock’ often needed police to control the crowds riled up by lead singer Jagari (whose n...
Pixel Paradise x Something Happening Somewhere
Prepare yourselves for a special event: Pixel Paradise x Something Happening Somewhere, unfolding within the cozy confines of dB’s. This one-of-a-kind event is brought to you by Something Happen...
Listen: Brian Jackson - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024
Brian Jackson performed live during the closing night of Le Guess Who? 2024, featuring a string of classic tracks such as The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, Home Is Where the Hatred Is, and Winter in America. You can now listen to, and relive, the full performance below. As one-half of power duo Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jac...
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 Film: Utrecht, The Netherlands
U? is the freely accessible city program of Le Guess Who?. Now in its fourth edition, U? celebrates local and creative communities based in the Netherlands, with a strong focus on Utrecht. The festiva...
The Wire Magazine interviews
The Wire is an independent, monthly music magazine celebrating and interrogating the most visionary and inspiring, subversive and radical, marginalised and undervalued musicians on the planet, past an...
De Line Up
In collaboration with Centraal Museum The Colombian ambient producer Lucrecia Dalt composed a commissioned piece for the exhibition De Line Up, which displays a rich overview of the power of drawing...
Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids
In the early 70’s, free-jazz evangelists Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids sprung from the tutelage of the great Cecil Taylor. Drawing furthermore from the vast cosmos of Fela Kuti, Pharaoh Sand...
Mali Blues
Presented by Le Guess Who? & Springhaver Lutz Gregor’s documentary Mali Blues takes a vivid look at the West-African nation’s rich and diverse musical fabric, following folk star Fato...
The Fire Harvest
The Fire Harvest balances beautifully between slow core, country-noir and post-rock. They master the art of dosage, of giving substance to their music in the right way so that tension is preserved. Wh...
Thank you!
Thank you for your donation! With your support, we're able to continue to showcase underrepresented sounds that otherwise would not be heard. Photo: Loop at Le Guess Who?, by Erik Luyten.
About
Le Guess Who? exists to bring people together through music and culture. U? is its participative and freely accessible city program celebrating local and creative communities. Le Guess Who? heeft het doel om mensen samen te brengen door middel van muziek en cultuur. U? is het gratis toegankelijk stadsprogramma van Le Guess Who? met een...
COSMOS Embassy: Pernambuco, Brazil
In partnership with Coquetel MolotovRecife’s Coquetel Molotov teamed up with music producer Benke Ferraz (Boogarins) and launched a musical incubator for artists outside Pernambuco’s capital - an open call focused on artists to produce new music. Ten names were selected and brought to Caruaru for three days of immersion with B...
Four new projects added to Le Guess Who? 2022
Following the announcement of the curated programs and the initial names for the general program of Le Guess Who? 2022 last month, we are now adding four special projects to the program. These include the third edition of Hidden Musics and programs hosted by Coco Maria, GNOD, and Uncloud. Hidden Musics Le Guess Who? proudly presents the...
Listen & relive: Duma live at Le Guess Who? 2021, curated by Phil Elverum
Kenya's Duma, figureheads of the flourishing Nairobi underground metal scene, performed live at Le Guess Who? 2021 as part of the program curated by Phil Elverum (The Microphones/Mount Eerie). Martin "Lord Spike Heart" Khanja and Sam Karugo released their self-titled album in 2020 through Uganda’s Nyege Nyege Tapes and were i...
MIKE shares new single 'Red Jacket 6'
New York City rapper MIKE releases new single ‘Red Jacket 6’, which he produced with DJ Blackpower, Tony Seltzer and RedLee. It is his first material since the release of last year's 'Beware Of The Monkey'. The new single arrives ahead of MIKE’s Young World festival. In July, the freely accessible festival returns t...
Photo series: The Good Ones by Marilena Umuhoza Delli
This year, Le Guess Who? presents the fourth edition of Hidden Musics, a project that focuses on deeply localized music and features artists embedded in rich, often centuries-old musical traditions that have been developed with little or no outside influences. The first series was initiated in 2019 by Le Guess Who? in collaboration w...
Listen: Lewsberg performs 'The Corner' live at Le Guess Who? 2022
Lewsberg, hailed as "Rotterdam’s answer to The Velvet Underground" by NME, performed live on the opening night of Le Guess Who? 2022. We now share the track 'The Corner' from that performance (taken from their 2021 album 'In Your Hands') just as the band are about to go on an international tour which will bring them to Germany, USA,...
Nusantara Beat announce second EP ‘Kota Bandung / Layung’
Nusantara Beat is an Amsterdam-based six-piece, consisting of members of EUT, Altın Gün, Jungle By Night, POM and Surf Aid-Kit. Through Swiss label Les Disques Bongo Joe and Indonesian label La Munai Records (who are also one of our COSMOS Embassies this year), they now announce the release of their second EP, on which they breathe n...
Keenan Mundane
When Dutch rapper Keenan Mundane grabs the mic, there’s no choice but to listen. Inspired by the sounds of foreign agents such as JPEGMAFIA, Earl Sweatshirt, and MF Doom, Mundane chews up his in...
Watch: Dry Cleaning - Live at Le Guess Who? 2022
London's Dry Cleaning performed live at Le Guess Who? 2022 following the release of their sophomore album, the John Parish-produced Stumpwork. You can now relive the performance with our concert film below. It features the Stumpwork-tracks No Decent Shoes For Rain, Don’t Press Me, Conservative Hell and Driver’s Story as well a...
Antipop Consortium
Le Guess Who? is lucky enough to host the reunion of legendary alternative hip-hop group Antipop Consortium. The foursome first made a shocking dent on the rap scene with their debut album ‘Trag...
Vumbi Dekula
Born with in the Kivu province of North Eastern Congo, Kahanga "Vumbi" Dekula grew up in a Swedish missionary home where he picked up the guitar at an early age. Listening intently to the radio, he le...
"What does music mean in society?": COSMOS goes Behind the Scenes with Sharjah Art Foundation
COSMOS: Behind the Scenes with Sharjah Art Foundation In 'Behind the Scenes', COSMOS dives into local stories from across the world together with our global partners. Located in Sharjah’s historic Art and Heritage Areas, Sharjah Art Foundation activities and events take place throughout the year and include exhibitions featuring t...
Tashi Wada releases first solo album 'What Is Not Strange?'
With his music, Tashi Wada explores resonance, dissonance and alternative tunings to create rich and unanticipated effects. Now, the Los Angeles-based composer and performer releases What Is Not Strange?, his first full-length solo album via RVNG Intl. The album - his most ambitious and impassioned yet - finds him rummaging through a puz...
Guest curators & initial line-up announced for Le Guess Who? 2025
Le Guess Who? returns 6-9 November to Utrecht, The Netherlands, taking place across different venues in and around the city. We now reveal the guest curators and the initial line-up for the 2025 festival edition. More than ever, the program creates a space where the margins become the center, where the overlooked are elevated and where t...
Listen: Gibrana Cervantes - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024
London-based Mexican violinist, composer, and improviser Gibrana Cervantes performed live at Le Guess Who? 2024, as part of the program curated by Mabe Fratti. You can listen to the full performance below, featuring two unreleased tracks: ‘Blur of Memories’ and ‘Verdad vs. Error’, as well as ‘Moving Through...
Annie & The Caldwells
Everyone is aware of the power of gospel music, but, to truly feel its electricity, one has to be charged in person. Annie & The Caldwells arrive from West Point, Mississippi to kindly and mightil...
Betsayda Machado & DJ Babatr
At the invitation of Chromesthesia, another special collaboration takes the stage at this year’s Le Guess Who?. Betsayda Machado is an iconic Venezuelan folk artist who has been initiating liste...
GNOD + MC Sissi
In early 2021, GNOD’s Paddy Shine (one of the two ever-present members of the psychedelic noise-rock collective) crossed paths with MC Sissi at an artists’ residence nestled between the Po...
Film: iwoyi: within the echo
Tayo Rapoport and Rohan Ayinde present their debut collaborative project, titled iwoyi: within the echo (2024). This innovative film investigates the radical potential of Black British music in e...
COSMOS Embassy: Utrecht, The Netherlands
U? is the freely accessible city program of Le Guess Who?. Now in its fourth edition, U? celebrates local and creative communities based in the Netherlands, with a strong focus on Utrecht. The festiva...
The Cosmic Tones Research Trio
Through saxophone, cello, piano, and flutes, The Cosmic Tones Research Trio offers the chance to engage with songs intended for healing. At its heart, it’s meditation music, with gospel and blue...
The Space Lady
Transcendentally beautiful, The Space Lady’s music is once again gracing planet Le Guess Who?. Transmitting messages of peace and harmony, she began her odyssey on the streets of Boston in the l...
Ben Frost shares 'Ionia' from new album 'The Centre Cannot Hold'
Today, Ben Frost shares a new track of his upcoming album 'The Centre Cannot Hold', which will be released september 29th via MUTE. Listen to 'Ionia' here - it follows the release of the title tr...
Aldous Harding
Pop music canon has always compelled the listener to unravel the mystery behind the song. But the music of Aldous Harding inspires something arguably more powerful: an individual whose voice can seaml...
Listen to Farida & The Iraqi Maqam Ensemble's full performance at Le Guess Who? 2017
Hailed as 'The Mother of All Maqam', Farida Mohammed Ali gave an immersive performance at Le Guess Who? 2017 together with the Iraqi Maqam Ensemble. This performance was curated by Jerusalem In My Hea...
CTA Tickets
Le Guess Who? takes pace across 20 locations in the city center of Utrecht; ranging from churches and galleries to theaters and pop venues. Most are within walking distance from each other. Here are a couple highlighted.
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...
Rival Consoles - Live at Le Guess Who? 2022
London-based producer Ryan Lee West, aka Rival Consoles, performed live at Le Guess Who? 2022 as part of the program curated by clipping., following the release of latest album ‘Now Is’. You can now listen to and relive the full performance below. AboutThroughout his critically acclaimed fifteen-year career, Rival Con...
Kamilya Jubran - Live at Le Guess Who? 2023
Palestinian-born, Paris-based musician Kamilya Jubran, one of the most revered figures in the experimental and alternative Arabic music scenes, performs at Le Guess Who? 2023, curated by Heba Kadry. Relive the mesmerizing performance with our concert film. About Raised by her music-loving parents in Galilee, for 20 years she was...
Read via The Quietus: which records would Lucrecia Dalt 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...
Knekelhuis Presents: four artists you don't want to miss at Le Guess Who? 2021
Knekelhuis is an Amsterdam-based independent record label that heightens the aesthetic similarities between different genres, eras, and scenes, including wave, punk, synth-pop, industrial, ambient, techno, and abstract electronics. This year, Knekelhuis is presenting an international selection of label-related artists and dear friends th...
Merchandise
Official Le Guess Who? merchandise, including t-shirts, sweaters, and more, is available here.
Straight / Wandering
Straight / Wandering is a sound installation specially created by composer, sound artist, live performer and sound engineer Renato Fiorito, and architect and Post-Doc researcher Chiara Mazzarella, for...
Watch OSEES perform 'Turned Out Light' live at LGW21 + listen to Bent Arcana's full set at the festival
Multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter, visual artist and record label owner John Dwyer was one of the curators for Le Guess Who? 2021, presenting his personal program with inspirations and fellow like-minded artists. As part of the curation, Dwyer also performed twice himself on the final day of the festival: first with jam-loving c...
Announcing U?, Le Guess Who?'s largest free day program to date
U? is Le Guess Who’s participatory and freely accessible day program, made for–and with–the city of Utrecht. With U?, Le Guess Who? extends its mission to enrich people through music and culture even further to the city. From 10 to 13 November 2022, U? returns for its second edition. This year, even more neighborhoods a...
Photo series: Trailblazing artists of LGW23 by Melanie Marsman & Juri Hiensch
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 not just pass the baton to those that carve out a new path – but where they engage on eye-level. In 2023, Le Guess Who? once again boasted an array of young artists...
Kevin Richard Martin & KMRU release collaborative album 'Disconnect'
Following a mutually respectful relationship, initially held in Instagram DMs and reciprocal admiration for each other’s work, we should be thankful for the invitation sent by Kevin Richard Martin (The Bug) to Joseph Kamaru (KMRU) to collaborate on a new album. Today, the results of that collaboration are released in the form o...
Watch Alan Sparhawk debut new songs at Le Guess Who? 2023
Last November, Alan Sparhawk returned to Europe to play some select solo shows, the first being a performance at Le Guess Who?. Three decades ago, Sparhawk co-founded the band Low alongside vocalist and drummer Mimi Parker, who sadly passed away in late 2022. Their music derived elemental power from its fearless exploration of quiet, ge...
Read: The Quietus interviews Still House Plants
Enmeshing R&B, slowcore and pop influences, Still House Plants’s latest album If I don't make it, I love u is the band’s fullest embodiment of the UK trio’s sound to date. Critically acclaimed, the record marks the post-rock outfit's decade of friendship and consolidates their research for a richer, deeper sou...
Phantom Wizard
Nature, afrofuturism, jazz, and hip-hop have come together to form Phantom Wizard’s ethereal work. The artist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist of Surinamese descent was born and raised in th...
Listen: 'Songs In The Key Of Growth' by The Growth Eternal
The Growth Eternal release their new EP Songs In The Key Of Growth, "a collection of radically reinterpreted cover songs". In these ethereal four tracks, the multi-instrumentalist re-imagines and mixes songs by Steve Lacy, Tyler, The Creator + Frank Ocean, Stevie Wonder, Dijon & Mk.Gee as well as an avant-garde jazz rendition of Chron...
COSMOS Embassy Announcement: U? (Utrecht, NL)
COSMOS x U? announce their 2024 Embassy in Utrecht, the Netherlands For the first time since its inception, U? – Le Guess Who’s freely accessible city program – enlists five Community Curators from different cities, to bring fresh new perspectives to the Utrecht’s subcultural network. What they all have in common...
Concert film: Marina Herlop live at Le Guess Who? 2022
Catalan artist Marina Herlop performed live at Le Guess Who? 2022 as part of the program curated by Animal Collective, following the release of her latest album 'Pripyat'. Relive the mesmerizing performance with our concert film below, featuring the songs miu, doiloi, abans abans and shaolin mantis. AboutOn ‘miu’, a s...
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...
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...
The Growth Eternal
The Growth Eternal is a spiritual, afro-surrealist bass & vocoder music project. Tulsa, Oklahoma native Ghalani started the project in 2018, disillusioned with academia while trying to connect wit...
Dina El Wedidi
Egyptian singer and composer Dina El Wedidi was brought to the world’s attention through her participation in 2012’s The Nile Project, a 14-musician collaboration linking African artists l...
Lamin Fofana
This Sierra Leone-born artist’s approach is threefold; Lamin Fofana is as much a DJ and music producer as he is a philosopher of sorts. His work’s socio-cultural depth cannot be understate...
Watch/listen: Maurice Louca's Fera - Live at Le Guess Who?
Fera is a wild and adventurous new work that Egyptian artist Maurice Louca wrote over a four-year period. It was performed live at Le Guess Who? 2024 together with Ayman Asfour as part of Chromesthesia, curated by Hannah Elsisi. Below, you can watch Barĩy from the captivating performance and listen to the full audio of the show. ...
Beginners Graffiti Workshop by Julien King Juju and Azzurra
Graffiti is increasingly being recognized as a valuable art form in our society. Not only is it an exciting activity, but it also offers a powerful way to express yourself. In this Beginners Graffiti...
COSMOS Embassy: Vilnius, Lithuania
Bringing together DIY broadcasters from the Baltics and beyond, the Independent Community Radio Network (ICRN) has created an impactful platform that proves once more, that there is always strength in...
COSMOS Embassy Film: Vilnius, Lithuania
Bringing together DIY broadcasters from the Baltics and beyond, the Independent Community Radio Network (ICRN) has created an impactful platform that proves once more, that there is always strength in...
Sara Persico & Mika Oki present "Sphaîra"
Designed for contemplation, Sphaîra is an immersive sensory experience and an audiovisual interpretation of sound artist Sara Persico’s homonymous album. It incorporates field recordings f...
The Soft Moon
Born and bred in the isolated, outstretched emptiness that's the Mojave desert, The Soft Moon’s Luis Vasquez projects equally desolate imagery to voice his darkest fears. Each album peels away a...
James Holden & The Animal Spirits
Electronic explorer James Holden is not only a musician, he’s also a producer, remixer, and the founder of the Border Community label, where he releases the music of equally genre bending electr...
The Star Pillow
The Star Pillow is a drone/ambient moniker of Italian guitar impressionist Paolo Monti. Monti's craft is mainly informed by his research on the relation between sound, space and human emotion. On stag...
The Bug ft. Miss Red
Do you know what total destruction sounds like? It’s sounds like MC/singer Miss Red, aka Sharon Stern, and producer The Bug, alias Kevin Martin, hitting the stage. The Bug’s monstrous, all...
Track of the Week #2: Rodrigo Amarante - 'Tardei'
Every week, we’ll bring you a must-hear track from the Le Guess Who? 2018 line-up. This week, it's the Brazilian singer-songwriter who wrote the theme song for Netflix hit series 'Narcos'. But,...
Greg Fox - Drummer in Residence
Collaboratorium The cartoon physics of Brooklyn experimental outfit Zs, the Lovecraftian doom tandem Ex Eye with Colin Stetson, the blast beat barrages of Liturgy; Greg Fox has an uncanny knack for t...
Track of the Week #7: Katey Red - 'Where Da Melph At'
Every week, we bring you a must-hear track from the Le Guess Who? 2018 line-up. This week, it's a high-energy celebration of New Orleans bounce from one of the first openly gay artists within the...
Daniel Romano's Ancient Shapes shares video for 'Giant Comma' ahead of LP release
Daniel Romano's frantic power pop project Ancient Shapes will release the follow up last year's self-titled album on 5 October via You've Changed Records. Entitled 'Silent Rave', the album was pr...
Photo 2017
LGW17 Photo Archive Our photo team captured a lot of special moments during Le Guess Who? 2017. Take a scroll through our 2017 photo archive: VISIT PHOTO ARCHIVE
Maria Reis
Grit is something Lisbon-based Maria Reis has in spades, which captured the attention of Animal Collective’s Panda Bear. After the success of Pega Monstro, the punk band created with sister J&ua...
Listen: spiritual soul sensation Gabriels release new single 'Blame'
With their last record 'Love and Hate in a Different Time', released earlier this year, neo-soul sensation Gabriels seek to address hate, hardship and war, but most of all how to push through. The album received praise from the likes of Elton John, Gilles Peterson, and Virgil Abloh. The group, featuring vocalist Jacob Lusk ...
Pa Salieu teams up with slowthai for new single 'Glidin'
Gambian-British grime/hip-hop artist and BBC Sound of 2021 winner Pa Salieu is one of the most exciting new voices in Britain’s flourishing hip-hop scene. Following the release of his celebrated 'Send Them to Coventry' last year, Pa Salieu now teams up with UK rapper slowthai to deliver the new single 'Glidin'. Watc...
LGW? Student Exhibition: Celebrate
At De Havenloods you’ll be able to visit an art exhibition made for the Le Guess Who? Education Program. The exhibition features work made by five classes from three high schools from Utrecht: X...
Oiseaux-Tempête release LGW19 performance for Bandcamp Friday, featuring Jessica Moss, Mondkopf, and Radwan Ghazi Moumneh
Oiseaux-Tempête gave an overwhelming and immersive performance at Le Guess Who? 2019. For Bandcamp Friday, the cross-cultural, multi-genre improv group now officially release the recordings of Oiseaux-Tempête & Friends live at Le Guess Who? 2019. For this special performance, titled Oiseaux-Tempête & Frien...
Scene Report: Kyiv, Ukraine
Ivanov Down is one of the main representatives of the Ukrainian 90's avant-garde music scene, influencing the trajectory of post-punk and the new wave movement in Ukraine. A film by Worn Pop. Kyiv,...
Scene Report: Caracas, Venezuela. Part II
In Caracas, Venezuela, one of the Caribbean’s most vibrant salsa countries, musicians continue to make art, despite the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the music industry. In this...
Ruhail Qaisar
Ruhail Qaisar’s debut album, ‘Fatima’ which The Quietus dubbed ‘haunting’, is a ‘requiem for a dead future’. On the record, released earlier this year via Swi...
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&...
Faiz Ali Faiz
Having been born to seven consecutive generations of qawwals (those who perform the ancient form of religious Sufi music from Pakistan and Northern India - Punjab - known as qawwali), Pakistani singer...
Goat celebrate 10th Anniversary of debut album 'World Music' with limited edition remastered LP
Ever since the release of their debut album 'World Music' in 2012, Swedish psych/fusion group Goat remain a mystery and ghostly presence on the music scene. However, shortly after the release of the album, public and critical praise quickly caught up with them, with Happy Mag naming the record one of the greatest psychedelic rock albums o...
DJ Stingray 313
Detroit native DJ Stingray 313, real name Sherard Ingram, is a menacing node in the vast tangle of electronic music's history, present, and future. His eyes, which shine behind the mask which otherwis...
Photo series: Rəhman Məmmədli by Azad Alizade & Sitara Ibrahimbayli
This year, Le Guess Who? presents the fourth edition of Hidden Musics, a project that focuses on deeply localized music and features artists embedded in rich, often centuries-old musical traditions that have been developed with little or no outside influences. The first series was initiated in 2019 by Le Guess Who? in collaboration w...
Armand Hammer release new album ‘We Buy Diabetic Test Strips’
New York rap virtuosos billy woods and ELUCID, collectively known as Armand Hammer, are back with their much-anticipated album, We Buy Diabetic Test Strips. This release serves as a follow-up to their 2021 cult hit Haram, produced by the Alchemist. Listeners can also expect some familiar sounds of Le Guess Who?, as the duo has invited th...
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...
Cami Layé Okún
A relentless crate-digger, Cuba-born Cami Layé Okún’s work as a DJ goes beyond curatorship; be it behind the booth - the artist has performed across landmark stages such as the one...
ZULI & Omar El Sadek present λ - Live at Le Guess Who? 2023
The work of multi-talented sound artist ZULI has spilled over Cairo's borders onto the rest of the world, garnering support from the likes of Aphex Twin and Autechre. Recently, the artist released his new album Lambda; leading up to the release, the musician and producer, who is determined to uplift other Middle Eastern creative voices, p...
Concert film: Slauson Malone 1 live at Le Guess Who?
Festival curator Slauson Malone 1 performed live at Le Guess Who? 2023 following the release of his latest album EXCELSIOR via Warp Records. On stage, he is joined by cellist Nicky Wetherell. Relive the performance with our concert film: Speaking about his role as curator at the festival, Slauson Malone 1 (real name: Jasper Marsalis) s...
Library Card
Library Card came to be when four musicians from the lively Rotterdam music scene became friends. Lot van Teylingen, Mitchell Quitz, Kat Kalkman, and Emre Karayalçin soon emerged together as li...
SANAM release debut album 'Aykathani Malakon صنم - أيقظني ملاكٌ'
Today, the Beirut-based free-rock post-folk sextet SANAM releases their debut album, 'Aykathani Malakon صنم - أيقظني ملاكٌ'. The album is mixed by Radwan Ghazi Moumneh (Jerusalem in My Heart), who was one of the guest curators for Le Guess Who? 2017, and mastered by Heba Kadry, who is one of the guest curators for Le Guess...
The Village Presents
After a successful Village Festival celebrating their 12.5-year anniversary in September, The Village is back at the Branderij with their intense blend of heavy music and delightful coffee.Na een succ...
A behind-the-scenes look into visa processes for Le Guess Who? 2024
As we near the start of Le Guess Who? 2024, we’d like to share the behind-the-scenes struggles and frustrations we are experiencing in trying to obtain visas for the artists we’ve invited to Utrecht. At Le Guess Who?, our focus and dedication has long been on developing a diverse and inclusive program, also through extensive...
Read: Queer Ecology: Who Says Nature is Binary?
Have you ever heard of Roy and Silo, the famous male chinstrap penguins, who formed a pair at New York's Central Park Zoo? What about the red flour beetles who engage in same-sex relationships simply to practice mating? Did you know that clownfish can change their sex if needed? Or that among bonobos (who share almost 99% of their DNA wit...
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...
Read: Land or Death - United Screens for Palestine at LGW24
United Screens for Palestine is an open and decentralized collective of programmers, cultural workers and venues, responding to the paralysis brought about by the ongoing genocide as well as the increasing policing, censorship and criminalisation of everything Palestinian. As a collective, they aim to make each screening a space for conve...
Listen & relive: Alabaster dePlume's full performance at Le Guess Who? 2021
Musician and poet Alabaster dePlume was Le Guess Who? 2021’s Artist in Residence and can be described as many things: a cleric of the written word, a maverick of sound, a conductor of communion. He garnered a substantial breakthrough in 2020 with his gorgeous compilation album ‘To Cy & Lee: Instrumentals Vol. 1’, a c...
Shabjdeed & Al Nather
Coming from Ramallah, Palestine, Al Nather has been making waves in the Arab hip-hop scene both as a producer, DJ and rapper. Raised in Jerusalem, songwriter and rapper Shabjdeed rose to fame in the M...
Quinton Barnes releases new album 'Black Noise'
Montreal-based artist Quinton Barnes releases his new ambitious album Black Noise. Released via Watch That Ends The Night Records, the record takes an assuredly different approach to radically innovate his methods of expression. It presents a bold sonic evolution and showcases the talents and efforts of a diverse collective of Montreal-ba...
Listen: COSMOS on Refuge Worldwide with IDGK and Scene Noise
For the May episodes of COSMOS' monthly show on Refuge Worldwide, we're checking the pulse of Istanbul’s creative scene in the midst of crisis, and reconnect with the bustling underground in the MENA region. Our sonic guides this time are IDGK, an Istanbul-based collective and production company, and our long-time partners fr...
Sary Moussa presents The Wind, Again
Sary Moussa weaves his work slowly, patiently, allowing for the textures for which it is known to take shape little by little. The Lebanon musician, sound designer, producer, and engineer, who is a fi...
Bibi Bannink
Bibi Bannink is an 18-year-old Audiovisual Media student at HKU (The Utrecht School for the Arts). Active in the field of feminist punk, she is eager to invest in broadening the intersectionality of t...
AIR: Pip Passchier + Youri Alvites
Kunsthal Kloof is an exhibition space that creates new connections in Utrecht's cultural landscape through experimentation. In this exhibition, Kunsthal Kloof focuses on the relationship to our living...
Photo series: Mabe Fratti's curation at LGW24 by Melanie Marsman
Two years after her stunning Le Guess Who? performance, the Guatemalan-born, Mexico-based vocalist and cellist Mabe Fratti returned in 2024 as a performer as well as festival curator. As part of her curation, Mabe Fratti presented some very special Mexican and South American acts that have influenced her personal development. Our residen...
DJ Anderson do Paraíso
At the age of 27, Anderson do Paraíso - or ‘queridão’, meaning ‘the dearest’ - has made himself a legend in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The seminal artist is known fo...
Birdcage Radio presents
Birdcage Radio is a creative community and daily online radio that focuses on forward thinking events and dance music. Next to the events Birdcage is also a record label and collaborates with visual a...
Film: Sadaa Sound Syndicate presents: Sawt Syria
Sadaa Sound Syndicate presents Sawt Syria, a two-part essay film that delves into the inner worlds of the alternative music scene in Syria and its exilic diaspora in Europe. Through intimate conversat...
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...
Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti & Frank Rosaly
Partners in marriage and art, Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti and Frank Rosaly’s ‘MESTIZX’ builds upon the sounds of their respective ancestral roots in Bolivia, Brazil, and Puerto Rico....
Dive into the latest releases from gyrofield's curation of leftfield electronic artists at LGW25
Hong Kong producer gyrofield is a rising star whose influences span a.o. drum & bass, ambient, techno, hyperpop, grime and dubstep. After a period in Bristol, they have recently moved to Utrecht, and their curation at Le Guess Who? 2025 features musical heroes and like-minded artists. Together with fellow DJs & producers Ciel, Cal...
Tiago Caetano
With a brush dipped in optimism, Tiago Caetano paints the melancholic Breton coast to turn it into the colourful palette of Brazil; luckily that warm wind will blow all the way to Utrecht for Le Guess...
Saint Abdullah & Jason Nazary
When Saint Abdullah linked up with drummer and composer Jason Nazary, something electric sparked. Drawn to the Tehran-born brothers’ music, Nazary contacted them and not only did they discover t...
Nayi Lokura
Nayi Lokura, also known as La Crespa del Perreo, is a live performer who has carved out her space in the underground picó world of the Colombian Caribbean, traditionally dominated by men. Drawi...
Kat Válastur - Dive Into You
Inspired by the deep, resonant tones of the wooden percussion instrument semantron, the performance Dive Into You unfolds as an oracle, seeking to connect us with our most secret and tender part, unde...
Al Wootton & Youmna Saba
Composer and musicologist Youmna Saba explores the intersection of electroacoustic music and the Arabic language in its sung form, as well as the resonances of instruments and spaces. Blending voice,...
Ancient Indigenous Africans
“The past meets the future in the present” in this urgent collaboration, born at the roots of the Nile, between turntablist and producer Mutamassik, and vocalist and narrator Lengai Loita....
Shabaka & The Ancestors
At last year's Le Guess Who?, British jazz stalwart Shabaka Hutchings performed with free jazz futurists The Comet Is Coming. This time around, Hutchings seeks out ghosts of the past with his South Af...
Alexander von Schlippenbach & Han Bennink
Alexander von Schlippenbach is the founder of the famous free jazz super-ensemble Globe Unity Orchestra, which at different points featured Peter Brötzmann, the late Jaki Liebezeit, Paul Rutherfo...
CTA Festival App
Le Guess Who? takes pace across 20 locations in the city center of Utrecht; ranging from churches and galleries to theaters and pop venues. Most are within walking distance from each other. Here are a couple highlighted.
Ben Frost announces new album 'The Centre Cannot Hold', shares first video
Following the release of new EP 'Threshold of Faith' last week, Australian-born, Iceland-based composer Ben Frost now announces his new album. 'The Centre Cannot Hold' will be released via M...
Islam Chipsy & EEK
Islam Chipsy’s hyperactive keyboard mashing and drum duo EEK’s chaotic bliss rev up crowds into utter frenzy. This mighty Egyptian alliance is without question one of the most rowdy live a...
Maja S. K. Ratkje
Renowned for her extraordinary vocal range, The Chicago Reader described Maja S. K. Ratkje as “one of the most astonishing singers on the planet.” Even more of an accomplishment when you t...
The Avonden
The Avonden is the brainchild of prolific Dutch musician and visual artist Marc van der Holst (ex-Hospital Bombers and Spilt Milk). Debut LP ‘Nachtschade’, issued on Subroutine Records, ta...
Red Light Radio
Hidden among the rabble-rousing tourists and historic canals, Red Light Radio (RLR) is an online seminal DIY radio booth squat and international music platform based in the middle of Amsterdam’s...
Wire Magazine shares Q&A's with Jerusalem In My Heart and The Bug & Dylan Carlson at LGW17
The Wire is an independent, monthly music magazine celebrating and interrogating the most visionary and inspiring, subversive and radical, marginalised and undervalued musicians on the planet, past an...
Deerhunter
During this decade, Atlanta art-punkers Deerhunter have further established themselves as one of the finest bands alive, consolidating an unmistakable sound with restless reinvention. The electronic-d...
Vincent Moon & Priscilla Telmon present SACRED✚S (with special guests Angel Bat Dawid & The Brothahood)
Priscilla Telmon & Vincent Moon are a collaborating multidisciplinary artist duo working as independent filmmakers and sound-explorers. Together they produce ethnographic experimental films and mu...
Interview: The Quietus meets musical maverick Paddy Steer
In an interview with Paddy Steer, The Quietus talk to the musical maverick about making your own costumes, designing the arse-controlled wah wah pedal, and much more. Read the full interview...
Stream: Roger Eno releases new album 'Dust Of Stars'
Known for his minimal approach, Roger Eno crafts an ambient sound rooted in classical music. After collaborations with a.o. John Cale and his brother Brian, Eno now releases his new album 'D...
Read: Emel Mathlouthi on why she doesn't want to be classified as 'voice of the Tunisian revolution'
Singer-songwriter and producer Emel Mathlouthi gained global recognition as a protest singer when her recording 'Kelmti Horra (My Word Is Free)' became an anthem of the Arab Spring. But, in a recent i...
Kikagaku Moyo releases genre-bending psychedelic single 'Dripping Sun'
Destined to provide our world with a fitting, psychedelic soundtrack, Kikagaku Moyo are set to release their forthcoming full-length 'Masana Temples' on October, 5th via Guruguru Brain. Leading u...
Track of the Week #16: JPEGMAFIA - '1539 N. Calvert'
Every week, we bring you a must-hear track from the Le Guess Who? 2018 line-up. Last week, we highlighted a classical and timeless hip hop track of Georgia Anne Muldrow. This week, we shift phase...
Le Mini Who? returns as part of LGW18; 10th Anniversary edition marks move to Rotsoord
Le Mini Who? returns as part of Le Guess Who? 2018 on Saturday, 10 November. As a spin-off festival of Le Guess Who?, it transforms many of Utrecht’s local bars, restaurants, venues and warehous...
Track of the Week #22: Cüneyt Sepetçi - 'Sebastien'
Every week, we bring you a must-hear track from the Le Guess Who? 2018 line-up. This week, we dive into Cüneyt Sepetçi's rowdy take on Turkish gypsy music. Hailing from the dist...
Playlist: An Introduction to Art Ensemble of Chicago, compiled by Ben Ratliff
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 jazz movements to arise from Chicago’s already rich jazz heritage. Moving far beyond jazz, avant-garde and performance art, the ensemble...
Blak Saagan
If you could paint the world black, rediscover it with a flashlight illuminating every single detail and turn each finding into an obsession while gliding across the murk, then you might stumble into...
Cass McCombs performs 2 new tracks for La Blogothèque's Take Away Show, captured during LGW18
Hailed as one of the greatest songwriter of his time, California-based artist Cass McCombs performed twice at Le Guess Who?, leading up to the release of his new album 'Tip of the Sphere' (out February 8th via ANTI- Records). Right after his second show (on the Sunday of the festival, as part of our Collaboratorium in Kytopia), McCombs he...
Cate Le Bon - Live at Le Guess Who? 2019
Cate Le Bon performed live at Le Guess Who? 2019, following the release of her latest album 'Reward'. You can now relive the performance with a video of Cate Le Bon performing 'Home To You' from her latest album, as well as the songs 'Love Is Not Love' and 'Wonderful' from 2016's Crab Day. Additionally, you can stream the full performance...
Mary Ocher
For a decade and a half, Mary Ocher has been weaving thought-provoking and often challenging art concerning authority, identity, and conflict. The artist's musical output encompasses everything from t...
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...
Dry Cleaning - Live at Le Guess Who? 2022
London's Dry Cleaning performed live at Le Guess Who? 2022 following the release of their sophomore album, the John Parish-produced Stumpwork. You can now relive the performance with our concert film below. It features the Stumpwork-tracks No Decent Shoes For Rain, Don’t Press Me, Conservative Hell and Driver’s Story as well a...
Read via The Quietus: which records would Pink Siifu 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...
COSMOS Embassy: Utrecht, The Netherlands
U? is Le Guess Who? participatory and freely accessible day program created for and with the city of Utrecht. During U?, programs are made with, or even fully by, local initiatives, entrepreneurs, social institutions and community centers. With U?, Le Guess Who? further promotes its festival mission throughout the city of Utrecht: present...
Pink Siifu releases video for 'lng hair dnt care' from upcoming album 'GUMBO’!'
Rapper and producer Pink Siifu has a mercurial talent for intersecting styles and culture. Following the release of 2020's 'NEGRO' (which got expanded to 'NEGRO DELUXE' earlier this year), Pink Siifu is now already preparing his follow-up, entitled 'GUMBO’!', out August 3. The album will feature contributions by Nic...
Le Cri du Caire
Singer, writer, poet, and expressionist Abdullah Miniawy became, in the wake of the revolution, an artistic emblem for Egypt’s agitated youth. Alongside Peter Corser on the saxophone and Karsten...
"Champion of an obscure Ainu lyre": Read Songlines' feature on OKI
As a part of Japan’s northernmost indigenous people, OKI celebrates Ainu folk, while blending it with reggae, dub, throat singing, and Irish, African, and Central Asian tradition. Songlines recently featured the artist in their magazine, focusing on the tonkori, the rare lyre instrument traditionally played by the Ainu, and h...
Pedro Ricardo
For every record he spins, Pedro Ricardo takes on new challenges. The artist, who will be doing a DJ set at Le Guess Who?, relies on the strength of the grooves he plays, bringing forth a feeling of i...
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...
Rotterdam's The Sweet Release of Death shares new single 'Sick Girl'
Rotterdam's beloved The Sweet Release of Death have announced their return with new album 'The Blissful Joy Of Living', out October 10th, via Subroutine Records. The album finds the band reaching for their core instincts, channeling the brimming energy of their live shows. You can now listen to new single 'Sick Girl', which is a...
Revealing the full line-up for Le Guess Who? 2019
Following the announcements of the curated programs by Fatoumata Diawara, Iris van Herpen & Salvador Breed, Jenny Hval, Moon Duo, Patrick Higgins, and The Bug, we are now proud to reveal the full program for Le Guess Who? 2019. New additions include the premiere of AEAEA (Patrick Higgins & Nicolas Jaar), Aldous Harding, Deerh...
Suuns - Live at Le Guess Who? 2021
Avant-rock group Suuns have always surprised us with their releases and their newest, ‘The Witness’, on Joyful Noise, is yet another impressive step of their sonic universe. Following the release of the album, Suuns performed at Le Guess Who? 2021, and we're happy to now share the concert film of this performance as well as th...
Track of the Week #3: Ebo Taylor - 'Love And Death'
Every week, we’ll bring you a must-hear track from the Le Guess Who? 2018 line-up. This week, it's a song from Ghanaian Highlife legend Ebo Taylor. Over the last six decades, 81-year-old Ta...
EIGEN RISICO share new single 'Divine Intervention Ceremony'
EIGEN RISICO is a Groningen-based experimental art project that switches form- from one day to another without regards to genre whatsoever. Now, the group release 'Divine Intervention Ceremony' the first single from their new mixtape that will be released soon. The track was produced by EIGEN RISICO & Gerrie Hendrix and is released by...
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-...
Mount Eerie announces '(after)', recorded live at Le Guess Who? 2017
Mount Eerie has announced the release of '(after)', a new live album recorded live at Le Guess Who? 2017. The performance was curated by Perfume Genius for the festival, and took place at the Jacobike...
Podcast: listen to part 3 of 'For the Record'
Le Guess Who? presents 'The Big Playback', a podcast about all things music. Episode 3 is a four-part series entitled 'For the Record', exploring the role of the archivist from all angles, released in weekly installments. In this new series, host Margaret Munchheimer talks to an independent archival collective in Indonesia; a sound and p...
Tropical Fuck Storm release live album 'Inflatable Graveyard'
Trailblazing and exhilarating: previous Le Guess Who? visitors will already know Tropical Fuck Storm’s powerful live performance. After many years touring around the globe, the Australian band now release their first live album Inflatable Graveyard via Three Lobed Recordings. The record captures the band's 2022 show at Chic...
Support
Thanks to supporters like you, Le Guess Who? has been able to grow into a leading international festival, known for the inspiring way in which groundbreaking music is presented and praised by artists, visitors, media and industry alike. Le Guess who? celebrates music as an art form, one that transcends languages, borders and cultur...
Mount Eerie releases new live album '(after)', recorded at Le Guess Who? 2017
Mount Eerie has released his new live album '(after)', which was recorded in full at Le Guess Who? 2017. The performance was curated by Perfume Genius for the festival, and took place at the Jaco...
Listen: Valley Maker releases sophomore album 'Rhododendron'
In the mood for some sweet, melancholia-filled folk music? In that case, you should definitely give Valley Maker - aka Austin Crane - a spin. Today, he released his second full-length a...
Listen to Dedekind Cut's new track 'unknown [ Katla edit ]'
Under the moniker of Dedekind Cut, Fred Warmsley occupies that sweet spot between contemporary hip hop and Brian Eno’s ambient experimentations. The Sacramento native just released his new...
Watch: Contour - Live at Le Guess Who?
South Carolina-based artist Khari Lucas is a multifaceted creator. Making music as Contour is only one of his many artistic exploits, among which he includes film scoring, fashion work, radio programming, and more. Contour is a vessel for his musical research, songwriting, and production. Via soundbites and references, Contour draws in hi...
Listen: Efterklang shares new single 'Uden Ansigt'
The musical trademark of Danish trio Efterklang is a tapestry of acoustic and electronic elements. The group will release their new album 'Altid Sammen' on September 20th via 4AD; now, they share the third single from the album, titled 'Uden Ansigt'. 'Altid Sammen's songs are about belief and togetherness,' frontman Casper Clausen s...
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...
Video / Photo 2021
Video Recordings Relive the festival; watch live performances by Mazaher and Suuns. The upcoming time, we'll be sharing more performances on this website and our social media. VISIT VIDEO ARCHIVE
'7: Triple Moon': an ode to female power in choreography, a 3-D art installation, and magical ritual
This year's Le Guess Who? features a project which is like nothing we ever brought to you before. Choreographer Nicole Beutler directed '7: Triple Moon': an interdisciplinary project with a combinatio...
Listen: Richard Fearless' one-hour NTS set full of dub, reggae and roots
Last week, the mastermind behind Death in Vegas Richard Fearless returned to the NTS studio to deliver a relaxing live set filled with dub, reggae and roots. Listen to the one-hour set below...
Read: Istanbul’s Creative Scene Unites in Times of Crisis
Interview: Ozan Tekin x IDGK “İstanbul’u Dinliyorum Gözlerim Kapalı” is the title of a poem by Turkish poet Orhan Veli Kanık. It beautifully describes a city best experienced with all senses wide open. A sentiment that our 2025 COSMOS Embassy IDGK shares so much, that they’ve borrowed their name acronym from...
Interview: DRINKS: "Nonsense is a good reaction to everything that’s going on"
DRINKS are set to return to Le Guess Who? with a fresh batch of offbeat psych pop vignettes. We linked up with eternal nomads Cate Le Bon and Tim Presley via FaceTime to talk about living off the grid...
Tracing the Roots: Vashti Bunyan and her mystical trails
Dive deep into the mystical trails and the long, weary road that made Vashti Bunyan's career even more mythical. After a hiatus lasting over thirty years, her musical career finally got back on t...
Test your sustainable or social innovation at Le Guess Who? 2023
Test your sustainable or social innovation at Le Guess Who? 2023Test jouw duurzame of sociale innovatie op Le Guess Who? 2023
Innofest x Le Guess Who? 2023
Test your sustainable or social innovation at Le Guess Who? 2023Test jouw duurzame of sociale innovatie op Le Guess Who? 2023
Watch: Alabaster DePlume - Live at Le Guess Who? 2022
Alabaster DePlume gave a special performance on the opening night of Le Guess Who?'s 15th Anniversary Edition, joined on stage by a.o. Jeff Parker (Tortoise) on guitar and Asher Gamedze on drums. Revisit the performance with our concert film, featuring ‘What’s Missing’, ‘Visit Croatia’, ‘Mrs Calamari&rs...
"We construct a different narrative": COSMOS goes Behind the Scenes in Athens with stegi.radio
COSMOS: Behind the Scenes in Athens with stegi.radio In 'Behind the Scenes', COSMOS dives into local stories from across the world together with our global partners. The scene in Greece has undergone a renaissance of sorts, with Athens becoming a hotspot for creative minds from around the world. Needless to say, this development hasn't...
"It was the right place at the right time": COSMOS Goes Behind the Scenes in Montréal, Canada
COSMOS: Behind the Scenes with POP Montréal In 'Behind the Scenes', COSMOS dives into local stories from across the world together with our global partners. Ever since Le Guess Who?'s very first edition, there's been a strong bond with POP Montréal’s 20+ year long history of platforming cutting-edge music. Fo...
The 17 favorite performances of LGW17, as chosen by you
Every year in our visitors survey right after the festival, we ask you what your favorite performance of the festival. Below are your 17 choices of Le Guess Who? 2017. We're pleased to also share the...
Revealing the curators & initial line-up for Le Guess Who? 2018
We're very pleased to present you the curators and initial line-up for Le Guess Who? 2018. A gentle reminder: current 4-Day Festival Passes are available until Thursday, 7 June, and will increa...
Listen: Dutch outfit Plague Organ live at Le Guess Who? 2021
A nice surprise came our way recently. The sound engineer at De Helling during Le Guess Who? 2021 was able to capture the intense performance of Dutch outfit Plague Organ. Or at least, almost the entire performance: apparently the engineer was so overwhelmed upon the start of the show that he was about half a minute late with starting the...
LGW x IDFA: film program during LGW22 at Slachtstraat Filmtheater
This year, LGW is collaborating with IDFA, one of the world's leading documentary events. IDFA believes in the power of documentary film as a high-quality, artistic form of information and reflection. We’re presenting a film program on Friday, Saturday & Sunday during LGW22. This program is screened at Slachtstraat Filmtheater...
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...
Listen: ZONAL and Moor Mother team up on 'On The Range'
Philly-based noise artist, activist and wordsmith Moor Mother (Camae Ayewa) returns to Le Guess Who? for the third consecutive year. After being curated by Jerusalem In My Heart (2017), and being a festival curator herself (2018), she now teams up with ZONAL, the project of Justin Broadrick (Jesu, Goldflesh, Napalm Death) and Kevin M...
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...
The Bug feat. Dis Fig, Flowdan & Logan - Live at Le Guess Who? 2022
The Bug performed live as one of the closing acts of Le Guess Who? 2022, accompanied on stage by MC's Dis Fig, Flowdan and Logan to bring the buzzing energy found on The Bug's record to life. Relive part of the performance with our concert film below, featuring Fat Mac and Dirty/I Luv You (Freestyle) feat. Flowdan, Take feat. Dis Fig and...
Le Mini Who? announces full line-up
Le Mini Who? is a spin-off festival of Le Guess Who?. It transforms many of Utrecht’s shops and bars into improvised venues for (mainly) Dutch underground bands to play, where people jostle for...
Read: The Guardian on 'cult hero' Mary Margaret O'Hara & her 1988 album 'Miss America'
As part of Perfume Genius's curated program, Mike Hadreas has invited Canadian singer-songwriter Mary Margaret O’Hara to Le Guess Who? 2017 for a very rare live appearance. Besides Per...
Oumou Sangaré cancels her performance at LGW17; Sun Ra Arkestra graces our line-up instead
We regret to inform you that Oumou Sangaré has to cancel her performance at Le Guess Who? 2017. But we’re also pleased to announce that Sun Ra Arkestra will grace our line-up instead, bri...
Listen to Moor Mother's FACT mix 593
Working from her base in Philadelphia, Camae Ayewa, aka Moor Mother, has taken a wide range of influences and distilled them into an essential, idiosyncratic sound best evidenced on last year’s...
Watch: Gorgonn & Utku Önal present Six Paths
As part of Bo Ningen's curation at Le Guess Who?, the Japanese psych-rock outfit invited Gorgonn & Utku Önal to premiere their overwhelming audiovisual project Six Paths live at the festival. We now have the honor to share the extended teaser of the project: an intense experience with audio recorded live at Le Guess Who?,...
COSMOS Embassy: Accra, Ghana
In partnership with Oroko Radio. Oroko is a not-for-profit independent internet radio station based in Accra, Ghana. We aim to connect, inspire and empower through conversation, collaboration and community. Oroko Radio provides a stage for musicians, DJs, thinkers, moderators, and content creators: an independent hub for expression...
Privacy statement
Version April 2025 Le Guess Who Foundation (hereafter referred to as LGW) wishes to explain how it handles and uses your personal data. LGW values the privacy of visitors, volunteers, artists, and all employees, and is responsible for all provided data, while ensuring the protection of the data being handled. We will treat data confident...
Moon Duo release disco & groove-oriented album 'Stars Are The Light'
Today, psych/kraut mystics and Le Guess Who? 2019 curators Moon Duo release their new album 'Stars Are The Light' via Sacred Bones. Taking disco as its groove-oriented departure point, the album shimmers with elements of ’70s funk and ’90s rave. 'Stars Are The Light' is one large hallucinogenic, repetitive trip,...
Listen: LGW22 curators clipping. release new remix EP 'CLBBNG Vol. 1'
West Coast-based hip-hop trio clipping. have refined their horror-inspired sound through multiple acclaimed releases over the years. In November, they will not only take the stage at Le Guess Who?, but they have also put together a personal and eclectic program for the festival ranging from rap to noise, from footwork to doom. ...
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...
MHYSA shares new album 'Release Control'
MHYSA is the underground popstar alter ego of multidisciplinary artist E. Jane. In her experimental club tracks, she channels the legacies of Black women icons into visions of utopias. Born in Maryland, E. Jane was enamored with singing form an early age, performing at church and school. Since 2015, they has been developing the perf...
Jerusalem In My Heart release new album 'Daqa'iq Tudaiq', co-commissioned by Le Guess Who?
Jerusalem In My Heart is an audio-visual happening with roots in both Montréal and Beirut, combining the best of both worlds. Figurehead Radwan Ghazi Moumneh has been nursing the craft of...
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...
Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto release live album recorded at Le Guess Who? 2024
During Le Guess Who? 2024, we witnessed the magic of legendary Cumbia and Gaita ensemble Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto, thanks to festival curator Mabe Fratti who invited them to Utrecht. Dubbed "the authentic masters of traditional Colombian Music" by the New Yorker, Latin GRAMMY-winning Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto have toured the world f...
Tickets
Le Guess Who? 2025 6-9 November in Utrecht, The Netherlands We also offer tickets for CJP members & U-pas members.Not a CJP member and still under 30? Click here to order a CJP pass.Please note: CM.com (formerly Yourticketprovider) is the only official ticket provider of Le Guess Who?. The only secure way to buy tickets from someo...
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...
Listen: K Á R Y Y N shares new release 'QUANTA 1:11'
K Á R Y Y N is a producer, composer and vocalist who makes textured and emotional music, counting Björk among her admirers. Now, she shares the third installment of her 'QUANA'-series: a t...
Amsterdam-based indie rock crusaders Personal Trainer release new song 'Former Puppy'
*Update: Personal Trainer have released their debut album 'Big Love Blanket' in full, listen below: Big Love Blanket by Personal Trainer Just a week before Le Guess Who? 2022, Personal Trainer will release their debut album 'Big Love Blanket'. It's as euphoric, energetic and colorful as the band itself is, and to whet your appetite, the...
Watch: Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul release new spellbinding video for 'Mantra'
Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul are a Belgium-based duo famous for exploring topics such as cultural appropriation, racism and post-colonialism through their music. They prove themselves to be rare tale-tellers in electronic music, funneling the zeitgeist into playful synth concoctions. Now, the duo release a new kaleido...
Asher Gamedze with Another Time Ensemble - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024
In 2020, Cape Town, South Africa-based drummer Asher Gamedze found himself in Cairo assembling a quintet made up of some of the capital’s finest improvisers; Maurice Louca, Alan Bishop, Cherif El-Masri, and Adham Zidan. Another Time Ensemble had come to be. In 2024, the group performed live at Le Guess Who? 2024 as part of Chromes...
New Zealand's Orchestra Of Spheres release new album 'Mirror'
Filled with whimsical forays into glossed up afro-funk, psychedelic disco and sprawling electronics, New Zealand's Orchestra Of Spheres have released their new, bewildering album 'Mirror' via Fire Records. Opening with the almost-ten-minute-long title track, their album is a mainly instrumental exploration of energies and atmospheres...
Watch Marina Herlop perform 'La Alhambra' live at Le Guess Who?
Catalan artist Marina Herlop performed live at Le Guess Who? 2022 as part of the program curated by Animal Collective. Last year, we released the concert film with tracks from her 2022 album 'Pripyat'. Now that its follow-up is out, 2023's 'Nekkuja', we release the video of 'La Alhambra', one of the tracks from that new album. "T...
Listen & relive: Rival Consoles at Le Guess Who? 2022
London-based producer Ryan Lee West, aka Rival Consoles, performed live at Le Guess Who? 2022 as part of the program curated by clipping., following the release of latest album ‘Now Is’. You can now listen to and relive the full performance below. AboutThroughout his critically acclaimed fifteen-year career, Rival Con...
YĪN YĪN celebrate release of new album 'The Rabbit That Hunts Tigers' at LGW19; listen to first single 'Pingpxng'
Using South East Asian music from the 60s and 70s as their main inspiration, Dutch psych/funk group YĪN YĪN combines these influences with disco, funk, and electronic music for a blend that they like to call "Thaichedelic". After two remarkable singles released through Bongo Joe Records, they now announce their new album 'T...
Accessibility
Le Guess Who? aims to present a festival that is accessible for everyone, but unfortunately not all festival venues are equally accessible. Please have a look below or at the specific venue pages for more information. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us via accessibility@leguesswho.com. Website accessibili...
COSMOS Embassy: Sharjah, UAE
In partnership with Sharjah Art Foundation. Located in Sharjah’s historic Art and Heritage Areas, Sharjah Art Foundation activities and events take place throughout the year and include exhibitions featuring the work of Arab and international artists, performances, music, film screenings and artist talks as well as exte...
Mabe Fratti featuring Shards - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024
As part of her curation at Le Guess Who? 2024, experimental cellist and vocalist Mabe Fratti performed live at the festival together with London-based vocal group Shards. Watch the concert film of the performance, featuring the tracks Kravitz, No Se Ve Desde Acá and Desde el Cielo: With her hypnotic pieces, Mabe Fratti comb...
Listen: noise dissidents Lightning Bolt release loud, fun and abrasive new album 'Sonic Citadel'
More than two decades after Lightning Bolt's acclaimed self-titled LP, they still know how to pulverize and pummel listeners into submission with their deafening interpretation of noise rock music. Today, the Rhode Islanders release their seventh LP 'Sonic Citadel' via Thrill Jockey. Bassist Brian Gibson and drummer/vocalist Bri...
Autechre - Live at Le Guess Who? 2014
English IDM group Autechre performed live at Le Guess Who? 2014. Thanks to the group themselves, who captured the full performance, you can now stream or purchase the recording as a download via their website or stream below. The show was captured on Saturday, 22 November 2014, at TivoliVredenburg's Ronda. "Yes, Autechre com...
Gilla Band - Live at Le Guess Who? 2019
Irish wrecking crew Gilla Band has become one of the most fearsome live units of the decade thanks to their intense and propulsive performances. And somewhere down the dark corridors, you can hear the demented straitjacket howls of frontman Dara Kiely, an unrelenting fury waiting to detonate at the slightest prick. The group perfor...
Listen: Mudhoney release 10th album 'Digital Garbage'
Even after thirty years of pioneering the grunge movement, the Seattle icons of Mudhoney still got enough fire left in them; a big, raging wildfire, in fact. Mudhoney's 10th studio album 'Digital Garb...
The Mauskovic Dance Band release ecstatic new track 'Things To Do'
While The Mauskovic Dance Band, brainchild of producer and multi-instrumentalist Nic Niggebrugge, is based in Amsterdam, the group create an ecstatic and exotic fusion of Colombian rhythms, 70’s afro-beat and hypnotic disco. To celebrate their UK debut mini-tour, the group is set to release a 7" single;...
Decisive Pink (Kate NV & Deradoorian) release debut album 'Ticket To Fame'
Much like the Wassily Kandinsky painting which inspired their band name, the music of Decisive Pink (the duo made up of Angel Deradoorian (formerly of Dirty Projectors) and Russian experimental pop artist Kate NV) is a colorful puzzle, bursting with joy and romance. Now, Decisive Pink release their debut album 'Ticket To Fame', on...
Taiwan psych duo Mong Tong 夢東 release new album 'Tao Fire 道火'
Mong Tong 夢東 is the Taiwanese psychedelic group formed by brothers Hom Yu and Jiun Chi, whose music is heavily influenced by Southeast Asian culture, including its mythology and folklore, as well as 60s and 70s psychedelic music. Now, the siblings release their newest album, Tao Fire 道火, via the Kikagaku Moyo-ran Japanese label Gurug...
Voice Actor release new album ‘Fake Sleep’
In October last year, the duo of Noa Kurzweil (Supertalented) and Levi Lanser (Ludittes) released their genre-defying three-and-a-half hour debut, Sent from my Telephone, under the moniker of Voice Actor. Now, the experimental pop duo shares what can be considered a condensed version of their debut. Consisting of 13 tracks chosen from th...
Bedouin Burger release debut album 'Ma Li Beit'
Made up of Syrian vocalist, composer and musician Lynn Adib and Lebanese underground pioneer, music producer and multi-instrumentalist Zeid Hamdan, Bedouin Burger is a duo who mesh classical and Arabic folk music with streaks of modernity, braiding narratives between past, present, and future. After releasing their debut single 'Taht El...
Shabjdeed & Al Nather release new track 'INTIDAB'
Cutting edge Palestinian rapper/producer duo Shabjdeed & Al Nather released their collaborative album SULTAN earlier this year: an album "full of abstract poetics, existential reflections about daily life in Palestine, and cutting commentary that holds all systems and authorities accountable," in the words of GQ Middle East. Now, the...
The Breeders release ‘All Nerve’, the band’s first album in ten years
Last March, the beloved nineties alt-rock band The Breeders released a new album; the band's first in ten years. With the iconic ‘Last Splash’ line-up brought back together, their new full...
Watch: Emel Mathlouthi releases stunning video for 'Kaddesh'
Tunisian singer-songwriter and producer Emel Mathlouthi combines the vibrant sounds of psychedelic folk with heavy electronics and atmospheric melodies. Following the release of her album 'Ensen' last...
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...
"Maybe we can rebuild something here": COSMOS goes Behind the Scenes in China
COSMOS: Behind the Scenes in China We discuss LGW Embassy: China with Ivan Zhang two days before the Chinese New Year: a talk about BIE Music’s COSMOS collaboration and the diversity found in local music scenes across China; how going back to basics can also be a way forward; and how China is not the cloistered cultural island many...
Podcast: listen to part 4, the final part of 'For the Record'
Le Guess Who? presents 'The Big Playback', a podcast about all things music. Episode 3 is a four-part series entitled 'For the Record', exploring the role of the archivist from all angles, released in weekly installments. In this new series, host Margaret Munchheimer talks to an independent archival collective in Indonesia; a sound and p...
clipping. - Live at Le Guess Who? 2022
During the 15th Anniversary Edition of Le Guess Who? in 2022, West Coast hip-hop trio clipping. performed live as part of their guest curation at the festival. We're thrilled to now share the concert film of the performance, with clipping. performing tracks from throughout their discography, including fan favorites such as ‘N...
LGW & Gaudeamus collaborate to present ONCEIM in Utrecht's stunning Dom Church
Thursday 8 November, on the opening night of this year’s festival, we present two performances by ONCEIM in the Utrecht Dom Church, in collaboration with contemporary music organization Gaudeamus. ONCEIM, short for ‘Orchestre de Nouvelles Créations, Expérimentations et Improvisations Musicales’, is a French...
Watch: Kim Gordon - Live at Le Guess Who?
Watch our concert film of Kim Gordon performing live at Le Guess Who? 2024, curated by Crystallmess, following the release of her latest, acclaimed album The Collective via Matador Records. "The album's daring beats and improvised guitar are marks of a lifelong radical still at the peak of her powers.” – The New Yorker...
Watch James Holden's video for the title track of new album 'The Animal Spirits'
Following the release of first two tracks 'Pass Through The Fire' and 'Each Moment Like the First', electronic explorer James Holden now shares the video for the title track of his new album 'The Anim...
Listen: Damon Locks' Black Monument Ensemble release new song 'Keep Your Mind Free'
Chicago's Damon Locks' Black Monument Ensemble have released a new song from their upcoming album 'NOW', to be released on April 9th. With a mix of pulsing trumpet sounds, 'Keep Your Mind Free' originated from the reflection that Covid-19 has different outcomes for each group of society, especially for people in prison...
Listen: Kinshasa's KOKOKO! release new EP 'Elongi na Elongi'
Hailing from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, the collective of KOKOKO! was born from radical youth protest. Known for rewiring and up-cycling materials such as metal, cans, engine parts, and plastic containers, the group provide the perfect soundtrack for the Congolese city’s harsh, yet explosively creative, reality. KO...
Watch: King Champion Sounds release new video 'Memory Is Imagined'
Leading up to their forthcoming album 'For A Lark', set to be released on the exact same day as their performance at Le Guess Who?, King Champion Sounds has shared a new video for 'Memory Is Imagined'. Premiered via Louder Than War, this track is a deeply psychedelic and transformative song featuring heavy guitar action courtesy...
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...
Jane Weaver announces new EP 'The Architect'
Following the release of her acclaimed album 'Modern Kosmology' earlier this year, Manchester figurehead Jane Weaver new announces her new EP 'The Architect', featuring the title track (stream be...
Dutch-Turkish psych rock band Altin Gün release their first single
Anatolian psych folk revivalists Altın Gün are, most simply put, a power pact between members of Jacco Gardner and Jungle By Night, who wound up crossing paths with musicians Erdinç Ecevit...
Listen to Richard Youngs' newest release
Youngs has been tirelessly recording music every since he became captivated as a kid by that good ol’ reel-to-reel tapemachine. Today he released his new album 'Foot Guitar Vol. 3', stream it vi...
The Bug vs Dylan Carlson (Earth) release 'Concrete Desert'
On this year's collaboration album 'Concrete Desert', Earth's Dylan Carlson and The Bug put their powers together to create a consciousness about the state of the world we're living in. Immerse y...
Maral, curated by Animal Collective for LGW22, announces new album + shares first track 'Feedback Jam'
*Update: Maral has now released her album 'Ground Groove' in full; listen below: Ground Groove by Maral LA-based, Iranian-American DJ and producer, Maral, announces the release of her upcoming album ‘Ground Groove’ and shares one of the tracks entitled ‘Feedback Jam.’ Featuring captivating electric guitar and bas...
BITOI release debut EP
Following rave reviews of their debut performance at Intonal Festival, BITOI (Bass Is The Original Instrument) is steadily capturing the curiosity of audiences across the globe. Helmed by Cassius Lambert, BITOI have now unveiled their debut EP -O-. Joining Lambert is a choir composed of Alexandra Shabo, Anja Tietze Lahrmann, and Lise Kro...
Lost Girls (Jenny Hval & Håvard Volden) release new album 'Selvutsletter'
Lost Girls, the Norwegian duo made up of former LGW curator Jenny Hval and Håvard Volden, released their sensual debut LP Menneskekollektivet in 2021, which was named one of the year’s best releases by Pitchfork, The FADER, Brooklyn Vegan, Paste, and more. Now, they return with their second album Selvutsletter, released throug...
Merope release new single 'Lopšinė'
There's a sense of spontaneity and playfulness present around Merope's upcoming album Vėjula. Before the album reaches your ears in full on 5 November (released via Stroom), the duo of Lithuanian singer and kanklės player Indrė Jurgelevičiūtė and guitarist/producer Bert Cools share their latest, soothing single Lopšinė. Lopšinė...
Listen: ZULI & Omar El Sadek present λ at Le Guess Who? 2023
The work of multi-talented sound artist ZULI has spilled over Cairo's borders onto the rest of the world, garnering support from the likes of Aphex Twin and Autechre. Recently, the artist released his new album Lambda; leading up to the release, the musician and producer, who is determined to uplift other Middle Eastern creative voices, p...
Watch: Eddie Chacon live at Le Guess Who? 2021
Eddie Chacon performed live at Le Guess Who? 2021 following the release of his latest album ‘Pleasure, Joy and Happiness’, made in collaboration with producer John Carroll Kirby. You can now watch & listen to four tracks from the performance below. AboutAs part of the soul duo Charles & Eddie, Eddie Chacon exper...
Prana Crafter announces new split-LP 'Symbiose'; stream 'Jagged Mountain Melts at Dawn (part I)'
From eerie detuned piano atmospherics to smouldering avant-blues licks, Prana Crafter’s sonic spells are enveloped by a dense and rugged charm. Following the release of 2018's 'Bodhi Cheetah’s Choice', hailed by Aquarium Drunkard as "an alchemist of dark voodoo boogie that is entrancing and hypnotic", Prana Crafter now an...
Tropical Fuck Storm - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024
Melbourne foursome Tropical Fuck Storm's fiery flavor can be savored through a string of releases dating back to 2019 - but there is nothing quite like devouring the thunderous delicacy live, as we experienced again at Le Guess Who? 2024. Watch the concert film below. The group's new album 'Fairyland Codex' is out now via Fire Records.&nb...
Read: Pitchfork interviews Neneh Cherry on the records meant the most to her throughout her life
Ahead of the release of her new album ‘Broken Politics’ this Friday, Pitchfork has interviewed Neneh Cherry, stating that “even by pop vanguard standards, it’s fair to say Nene...
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...
Photo series: W.I.T.C.H. at LGW23 by Juri Hiensch
Once upon a time, W.I.T.C.H. ruled Zambia. In the seventies, they were the driving force behind the decade's 'zamrock' movement, blending traditional African rhythms with garage rock. In 2023, W.I.T.C.H. performed at Le Guess Who? following the release of their new album Zango, their first in nearly four decades. Our residential photogra...
The Washington Post: "In Escape-ism, Ian Svenonius knows the future of rock-and-roll"
Rock 'n Roll visionary Ian Svenonious currently performs with his solo project Escape-Ism, and will release his second disc of solo-sneers titled 'The Lost Record' on 7 September. Talking to The Washi...
The Breeders perform 'Wait In The Car' and 'Cannonball' on Jools Holland
Earlier this week, The Breeders returned to Later… with Jools Holland after the release of their latest album 'All Nerve'. With the iconic ‘Last Splash’ line-up together a...
Listen: Balochistan's Benju maestro Ustad Noor Bakhsh releases debut solo album ‘Jingul’
Ustad Noor Bakhsh, the Benju maestro from the Makran Coast of Balochistan, has just released his debut solo album 'Jingul'. Named after a bird that often visits Noor’s house and whose songs were the inspiration behind the last song of the release, 'Jingul' leaves listeners with a warm and tender feeling accompanied by hope and happi...
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...
Psych/kraut mystics Moon Duo share new single 'Eternal Shore' from upcoming album 'Stars Are The Light'
Oregon psych/kraut mystics and Le Guess Who? 2019 curators Moon Duo have risen up as one of the most intoxicating live acts of this decade, embracing everything from 80’s disco, occult literature, electronic music and film soundtracks, armed with a mountain of effect pedals, shreds of reverberations, hallucinating gui...
Maurice Louca's Fera with Ayman Asfour - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024
Fera is a wild and adventurous new work that Egyptian artist Maurice Louca wrote over a four-year period. It was performed live at Le Guess Who? 2024 together with Ayman Asfour as part of Chromesthesia, curated by Hannah Elsisi. Below, you can watch Barĩy from the captivating performance and listen to the full audio of the show. ...
Phil Elverum's The Microphones announce 'Foghorn Tape' LP featuring "100% background noise"
Following his impressive 'Microphones in 2020' LP last year, Phil Elverum has announced the next release under his moniker of The Microphones, entitled 'Foghorn Tape'. In Phil's own words: "Literally just the noisy fuzzed out tape loop of a “fog horn” (actually a distant pitch-bent bass) that plays through-out the backgro...
Relive FLOHIO live at Le Guess Who? 2021; listen to the full performance
Following the release of her debut ‘No Panic No Pain’, south London rapper FLOHIO performed at TivoliVredenburg’s Ronda during Le Guess Who? 2021. You can now relive the performance; listen to the full show below: "Lagos born, South London based MC, Flohio is ready to rage her way to the top of rap, passing by grime,...
Footwork legend RP Boo announces new album ‘I’ll Tell You What!’
The originator of footwork music and one of Chicago’s finest producers RP Boo will release his new album ‘I’ll Tell You What!’ on 6 July via Planet Mu. Leading up to his new LP...
GAIKA reveals video for new track 'Crown & Key'
Next month, on July 27th, genre-bending vocalist and producer GAIKA will release his debut album 'BASIC VOLUME' via Warp Records. Today, he offers a new taste of the LP with the masterful video for&nb...
Listen to Italia 90's frenzied post-punk on new track 'An Episode'
South London's four-piece Italia 90 returns with the release of 2019 'An Episode': a fierce post-punk track and the first single from their upcoming EP, 'Italia 90 III', which will be out later this year. The distinctive vocal is paired with frenzied and textured guitar work, propulsive percussion and a distorted and dogged...
COSMOS Embassy: Lisbon, Portugal
East Side Radio is an online radio platform streaming from Lisbon’s East Side, Portugal. It’s designed to be a hub connecting widely recognised domestic and international talent. This COSMOS Embassy was the first happening by East Side Radio after a long pause, during which a new broadcast studio was designed and constructed,...
The Breeders share new video for 'Spacewoman' via Tidal
Following the release of legendary foursome The Breeders' new album 'All Nerve' (their first in 10 years), the group now share their new video for 'Spacewoman' in collaboration with Tidal. Directed by...
Listen: Vera Sola shares new song 'The Cage'
The day after her performance at Le Guess Who? this Thursday, Vera Sola will release her debut album 'Shades' via Spectraphonic Records. Prior to the album release, Sola shares a new track, entitled 'The Cage': a dark and intense song with an equally powerful video. Watch and listen below: "New track ‘The Cage’ comes comple...
Joe Cardamone shares video for new track 'East Side No One'
L.A. based experimental musician Joe Cardamone, formerly of The Icarus Line, is now performing under his own name and preparing the release of 'Holy War Collection'. He now releases a new single...
Mudhoney announce new album 'Digital Garbage', share first single 'Paranoid Core'
Seattle icons Mudhoney have announced their new album, to be released on 28 September via their home base Sub Pop. 'Digital Garbage' will be the band's tenth record, with even more reason to celebrate...
Liars share exclusive new track 'Fountain and Repeat'
Liars' Angus Andrew has shared an exclusive track that was made available for Thirty Days of Yes, appearing on a subscription mixtape that will release a song a day over 30 days. Listen to&n...
Watch Shabazz Palaces' Tiny Desk Concert for NPR
Seattle-based hip hop voyagers Shabazz Palaces produce transcendental albums from an intuitive frame of mind. Following the release of their two new 'Quazarz'-albums, Ishmael Butler, Tendai Marai...
Sevdaliza reveals new track 'Mad Woman'
For Sevdaliza, rigid concepts of sex, gender, image and ethnicity are as fluid as her employment of musical boundaries. Following the release of het debut LP 'Ison', she now reveals her new track 'Mad...
Dedekind Cut announces new album; shares title track 'Tahoe'
Fred Welton Warmsley III aka Dedekind Cut has announced his new album 'Tahoe', for which he signed to Kranky. The album's release is scheduled for February 2018, although you can stream the title trac...
Protomartyr share new song 'Don't Go To Anacita'
This Friday, Detroit's Protomartyr will release their new album 'Relatives in Descent'. Following first songs 'A Private Understanding' and 'My Children', the band now share third song, entitled 'Don'...
Big|Brave's new record is out now; stream in full
Montreal's Big|Brave merge guitar torrents, withered noise bursts and shamanic yelps. Now, the trio release their new album 'Ardor' via Southern Lord Records. Stream it in full below: 3 slowly de...
Listen: Weyes Blood covers Soft Machine and Fred Neil on new single
Following the release of her acclaimed album 'Front Row Seat To Earth', multi-instrumentalist and singer Natalie Mering aka Weyes Blood now reveals her new single, featuring two cover songs: Soft...
METZ announce third album, share new track 'Mess of Wires'
On September 22nd, METZ will release their third studio album 'Strange Peace'. Earlier on, the band already released new songs 'Cellophane' and 'Drained Lake Ahead'. Now, they share 'Mess of Wires fro...
Klein announces new EP 'Tommy'
Following the 'Lagata' EP last year, Klein is now preparing a new release for Hyperdub. The 'Tommy' EP is to be released September 29, and a first cut called 'Run Reprise' is now published - watch bel...
Listen: Shabazz Palaces share '30 Clip Extension' & 'Julian’s Dream (ode to a bad)'
It seems like Shabazz Palaces has another surprise for you. They'll not release just one new album this year, the previously announced 'Quazarz: Born On A Gangster Star', but yet another album, entitl...
Stream Jane Weaver's new record 'Modern Kosmology'
After critical acclaim in a.o. MOJO Magazine, Uncut, Q Magazine, and The Guardian, Jane Weaver finally release her new album 'Modern Kosmology' today: an album that melde modern psychedelia, the...
Listen: Moon Duo share new album 'Occult Architecture Vol. 2'
Moon Duo makes inflammatory music that submerges and manifests within the subconscious like a living rorschach drawing. The psychedelic duo now release their new album 'Occult Architecture Vol. 2...
Stream Mario Batkovic's new, self titled album
After touring with BEAK>, Bosnian accordion master Mario Batkovic was signed up to Geoff Barrow’s Invada Records, leading to the release of his latest, self titled record. You can stream the...
Stream Visible Cloaks' new album 'Reassemblage'
"Visible Cloaks’ hard-to-classify ambient music is a fascinating mix of organic and synthetic, past and future." - Pitchfork Today, Spencer Doran and Ryan Carlile release their new album a...
Stream Muddersten's debut album in full now
Jazz trio Muddersten consist of three skilled musicians, mixing tuba, guitar, percussion and electronics into an soundscape with gyrating drones, white noise and dissonant tones. now, the trio release...
MIKE teams up with Wiki and The Alchemist for collaborative album 'Faith Is A Rock'
Aged only 24, MIKE's demeanor, voice, rhyme technique and release schedule are that of a veteran. Following his latest solo album Beware of the Monkey and several guest verses - most recently on Sentry by Earl Sweatshirt and Alchemist - the New York City rapper now joins forces with Wiki and legendary producer the Alchemist once again for...
DJ Haram shares new single 'Distress Tolerance'
A genre-defying force in the world of rap and electronic music, producer DJ Haram is equally celebrated for her bass and club music heavy DJ sets, detail oriented analogue sound design, electronic-folk Middle Eastern production and abrasive rap collaborations. The DJ and producer recently announced her debut album Beside Myself, and now s...
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...
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...
Interview: Emel Mathlouthi: "The most important thing is to be truthful"
Ahead of her performance at Le Guess Who?, we catch up with Tunisian singer, musician & artist Emel Mathlouthi while on her way to a performance in Washington DC. It became a talk about being challenged by collaborators, the Arab Spring and the role of social media, being categorized by singing in Arabic, and the importance of being t...
"Lifting each other up to cross the finish line": COSMOS goes Behind the Scenes in Accra, Ghana with Oroko Radio
COSMOS: Behind the Scenes with Oroko Radio In 'Behind the Scenes', COSMOS dives into local stories from across the world together with our global partners. Within the first two years of their existence, Oroko Radio has come from a beautiful idea to a globally renowned fixture in independent broadcasting, connecting the dots between Accr...
Read: Antipop Consortium are hip-hop's most notorious futurists
Coming up at the turn of the century, when underground rap was all about dusty loops and intricate battle rhymes, Antipop Consortium mixed an experimental, electronically charged sound palette with lyricism sharpened on the NY poetry scene. While they quickly summoned a cult following stateside, Europe’s alternative music circuit to...
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...
Listen/read: Rats on Rafts' David Fagan: "If we're gonna do a live show, let's try and do something special"
Ever the experimentalists, Rotterdam post-punk quintet Rats on Rafts bring their multi-disciplinary spectacle, Visions of Chapter 3, to Le Guess Who? for its first public-facing debut. And, as frontman David Fagan admits, there’s no telling just quite how it will all pan out…
Breakdown: Paddy Steer's Otherworldly & Wonderful DIY Weirdcraft
To fight the ordinary, Paddy Steer does the extraordinary. Surrounded by knobs, wires, keys, and wearing self-made, Sun Ra-inspired costumes, Paddy Steer looks and sounds like a music wizard from anot...
COSMOS Embassy Mix Vol. 1: Rắn Cạp Đuôi Collective (HCMC, Vietnam)
This year, COSMOS once again proudly partners up with acts, institutions, and collectives from around the globe. The 2023 Embassies are located in Vietnam, Australia, Indonesia, Canada, Greece, UAE, Peru and Ghana. In order to introduce the amazing talents behind these collaborations, we're starting a new interview & music series call...
Listen/read: AMPFEMININE: "Your excuse of ‘there aren’t that many good female and non-binary DJs’ is not valid"
You can also listen to this story – below or via your favorite podcast app. Words & audio by Cheri PercyPhotography by Tengbeh Kamara Rotterdam based-DJ collective AMPFEMININE scours its diverse database to bring an evening of fresh feminine energy to this year’s Le Guess Who? proving that female and non-b...
A Genre In Motion: Lydia Lunch & New York No Wave
Le Guess Who 2018 will host the influential Lydia Lunch and her Big Sexy Noise. How did Lunch become the revered anti-establishment figure she is today? This article offers a brief exploration of the...
Photo series: The Harvest Time Project at LGW23 by Juri Hiensch
As one of the special projects of Le Guess Who? 2023, the festival celebrated the legacy of spiritual jazz icon Pharoah Sanders and his seminal composition, Harvest Time (1977). During the closing day of the festival, The Harvest Time Project: A Tribute to Pharoah Sanders brought together Irreversible Entanglements, Domenico Lancellotti,...
Kapitaal & Stranded FM host official LGW23 Hangout
We're thrilled to let you know that the great Kapitaal, Utrecht's independent print workshop, together with online radio station Stranded FM, will once again host official Le Guess Who? 2023 Hangout on Friday, Saturday & Sunday during the festival. Find Kapitaal at Paardenveld 5B (behind the palmtree!), where they host live per...
Video portrait: the legacy of Germán Bringas, "father of Mexican experimental music”
As part of her curation at Le Guess Who? 2024, Mabe Fratti presents some very special Mexican and South American acts that have influenced her personal development, including experimental jazz artist Germán Bringas. The short documentary Caminatas, created by Smiling C, dives into the life and work of the multi-instrumentalist and...
Track of the Week #21: Lonnie Holley - 'Sometimes I Wanna Dance'
Every week, we bring you a must-hear track from the Le Guess Who? 2018 line-up. This week, we highlight a track of acclaimed improvisational maverick and storyteller of the highest order: Lonnie Holle...
Listen to Lost Girls (Jenny Hval & Håvard Volden) live at Le Guess Who? 2023
Lost Girls is the Norwegian duo made up of experimental guitarist Håvard Volden and former LGW curator Jenny Hval. Their latest album, 2023's Selvutsletter, continues the intuitive, late night feel of the group's previous work with topics such as cities after dark, music rituals, band practices of the ‘90s, and the early days...
Watch: Tom Skinner pays homage to Abdul Wadud at Le Guess Who? 2023
Tom Skinner performed live at Le Guess Who? 2023 as part of the program curated by Stereolab, following the release of ‘Voices of Bishara’. Relive the magnificent show with our concert film, and listen to the full audio of performance, in which the group also pays homage to American cellist Abdul Wadud with interpretations o...
Listen: Pan African Music premieres the recordings of Les Filles de Illighadad at Le Guess Who? 2016
In collaboration with Vrije Geluiden, we recorded one of the performances of Niger's Les Filles de Illighadad at Le Guess Who? 2016. Pan African Music now premieres these recordings, ahead of the rele...
U?, freely accessible city festival for and with creative Utrecht, returns for third edition
U?, the freely accessible city program of Le Guess Who?, returns to Utrecht on 11 and 12 November 2023 for its third edition. This program is created for, but especially with Utrecht, to celebrate the city's creativity in all its diversity.The festival aims to let as many Utrecht residents as possible come in contact with the sounds, pers...
Concert film: W.I.T.C.H. live at Le Guess Who? 2023
W.I.T.C.H., the band responsible for pioneering zamrock, returned to the stage during Le Guess Who? 2023 following the release of their new album 'Zango', their first in nearly four decades. On stage, they were joined by a.o. Jacco Gardner, Michael Rault and Nico Mauskoviç. Relive the performance below with our concert film and the...
U? keert terug naar Utrecht voor vierde editie
U?, het gratis toegankelijke stadsprogramma van Le Guess Who?, keert terug naar Utrecht voor de vierde editie. U? viert lokale en creatieve communities gevestigd in Nederland, met een sterke focus op Utrecht. Onze missie: Amplifying local communities from the fringe, U? is Utrecht’s radical playground for experimentation, co-creati...
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...
Blanck Mass amongst final line-up additions + announcing venue hosts
Today, we announce three final line-up additions for Le Guess Who? 2018, including a performance by British electronic musician/producer Blanck Mass. We are also sharing some venue hosts during the festival; find their descriptions below & see when/where they are hosting in our downloadable time schedules. Blanck Mass Sin...
Listen & relive: The Brother Moves On live at Le Guess Who? 2022
The Brother Moves On, the captivating South-African ensemble famous for masterfully drawing from past, present and future, performed at Le Guess Who? 2022 following the release of '$/He Who Feeds You…Owns You' via Shabaka Hutchings' Native Rebel Recordings. You can now listen to & relive the full performance. AboutTher...
Watch/listen: SANAM - Live at Le Guess Who? 2023
Lebanese free-rock, post-folk sextet SANAM performed live on the opening night of Le Guess Who? 2023, following the release of their debut album 'Aykathani Malakon'. Relive the performance with our concert film, and the audio recording of the show below: About SANAM's music is akin to a ritual, somewhere between a marriage and an exorc...
Linton Kwesi Johnson - Live at Le Guess Who? 2017
Linton Kwesi Johnson's impressive body of work includes stints as reggae poet, political orator, recording artist, and author/journalist. His 1978 reggae album Dread Beat an' Blood is a statement akin to Gil Scott-Heron's The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. A vocal personality who fights oppression against black youth, the Jamaica-born...
Cass McCombs announces new album 'Tip of the Sphere', shares lead single 'Sleeping Volcanoes'
Labeled as one of the greatest songwriter of his time by New York Times, California-based artist Cass McCombs is a creator of sublime, hazy pop songs, taking you deep down into realms of experimental soul, twisted psychedelia, and mesmerizing rock. Just before his performance at Le Guess Who?, McCombs now announces his new album 'Tip...
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...
Luaka Bop releases reissue of Pharoah Sanders' 1977 album 'Pharoah'
Released with Pharoah Sanders’ blessing, Luaka Bop now presents the definitive, remastered version of Pharoah, the trailblazing saxophonist’s seminal record from 1977. Misunderstood upon its release, the album has long been a holy grail and has been bootlegged for years. Featuring two previously unreleased live performances...
Listen: Alex Zhang Hungtai - Live at Le Guess Who?
Over the years, Taiwanese-born, Montréal-hailing Alex Zhang Hungtai (formerly Dirty Beaches) has dived fully into the role of composer. Tinkering with the saxophone, synthesizers, percussion, and piano, Zhang has embraced the free form, focusing on explorations of improvised music, free jazz, and ritualistic music of liminality....
Marina Herlop - Live at Le Guess Who? 2022
Catalan artist Marina Herlop performed live at Le Guess Who? 2022 as part of the program curated by Animal Collective, following the release of her latest album 'Pripyat'. Relive the mesmerizing performance with our concert film below, featuring the songs miu, doiloi, abans abans and shaolin mantis. *Update: following the release...
Mourning [A] BLKstar - Live at Le Guess Who? 2022
Mourning [A] BLKstar performed live on the opening night of Le Guess Who?'s 15th Anniversary Edition in 2022. The collective, made up of musicians, writers, and multimedia artists, has a bountiful track record, amassing several releases under its belt since 2015. Their music is for both eulogies and revolutions, as they expand upon contem...
Playlist: LGW23 curated by Stereolab
As a hallmark of Le Guess Who?, the festival each year invites trailblazing creatives to curate their own dedicated programs, highlighting fellow like-minded artists and those that have inspired them. Anglo-French avant-pop group Stereolab have been hailed as one of the most influential and fiercely independent groups of the 90s. For Le...
Read: Drowned In Sound interviews Saul Williams ahead of his LGW performance
Ahead of his one-off, improvised, and non-rehearsed performance with King Britt at Le Guess Who?, Drowned in Sound interviewed musician, poet, actor and screenwriter Saul Williams about what we c...
Watch: They Hate Change - Live at Le Guess Who? 2022
Tampa rap duo They Hate Change performed at Le Guess Who? 2022 as part of the program curated by clipping., following the release of Finally, New; their debut album for Jagjaguwar. Relive the ecstatic performance below with our concert film, featuring two unreleased tracks produced by John Carroll Kirby and Zach Witness: AboutTampa&rsq...
Watch: Ex-Easter Island Head - Live at Le Guess Who?
When UK-based experimental collective Ex-Easter Island Head steps on stage, the electric guitar - an instrument whose possibilities sometimes seem to have been exhausted - is born anew. Mechanical preparations, extended techniques; call it what you want, but, to us, it's more like auditory magic. Watch our concert film of the group...
Listen: Idris Ackamoor releases avant-garde / Afro-jazz recordings from the 70s
From the archives of Idris Ackamoor comes the first ever vinyl release of Ackamoor's debut avant-garde / Afro-jazz recordings from 1971 with The Collective entitled 'Idrissa's Dream.' Released via Strut Records on double 12" LP and digital formats on November 4th 2022, 'Idrissa's Dream' is exactly what the title implies - dreamy and...
Read/listen: The Face interviews Nia Archives, "the red-hot jungle producer taking over the UK's dancefloors"
Nia Archives is bent on taking space in jungle as a young black woman, representing her Jamaican roots - and succeeding, becoming one of the most talked-about newcomers to the jungle scene. In March, she released her 'Forbidden Feelingz' EP, with the title track becoming a future classic. In that same month, she won the NME Award for Best...
Playlist: Kim Deal's personal introduction to The Breeders
Gaining worldwide recognition with their smashing, gummy hit single ‘Cannonball’, The Breeders were a leading figure in the 90s grunge scene. After a ten-year hiatus, they recently release...
James Holden announces new album, shares first track 'Pass Through the Fire'
Electronic explorer James Holden has just announced his new album 'The Animal Spirits', to be released 3 November via his own Border Community label. The album follows 2013's acclaimed The Inheritors....
Le Guess Who? & U? present Nusantara Beat
Nusantara Beat are a psych-groove sextet from Amsterdam. The group has quickly amassed a cult following, largely due to the deep connection to their Indonesian roots and a passion for honoring their cultural heritage. Photography by Juri Hiensch
Read via The Quietus: which records would Angel Bat Dawid 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...
Photo and Video 2014
Photo Archive Our photo team captured a lot of special moments during Le Guess Who? 2014. Take a scroll through our 2014 photo archive: VISIT PHOTO ARCHIVE
The Homesick unveils self-titled album
The Homesick, originating from the quaint Dutch town of Dokkum, is boldly entering their "weirdopop" era with their new self-titled album, released almost a decade after their first EP Television.Departing from their guitar-driven roots, the trio, comprising of Elias Elgersma, Jaap van der Velde, and Erik Woudwijk has been recognized...
Asher Gamedze previews new album 'Constitution'
Drummer, composer, and bandleader Asher Gamedze formed a new 10-piece ensemble: The Black Lungs. Together they announce the new album Consitution, to be released on the 30th of August via International Anthem. The expansive double album - recorded in a one-day-session in Cape Town – is an elaboration of the possibilities of autonomo...
Listen to Jacco Gardner's new track 'Levania' ahead of his appearance at LGW18 tonight
Le Guess Who? 2018 is in full swing, and tonight sees the debut of Jacco Gardner's 'Somnium' experience. That's not the only premiere Gardner has in store for you though, as we have the honor to share the second track from his upcoming, instrumental album. 'Levania' is a highly uplifting and catchy track, marked by Gardner’s si...
Watch serpentwithfeet & the Heritage Orchestra's hauntingly beautiful performance at BBC Proms
As the boundary-breaking serpentwithfeet, New York producer and songwriter Josiah White bridges the gap between the sensual and the spiritual with a blend of experimental R&B,...
Interview: The Quietus speak to Baltimore quartet Horse Lords
In an interview for The Quietus, Jakub Knera speaks with Baltimore experimental rock quartet Horse Lords. Days before the release of their upcoming album 'Comradely Objects,' Horse Lords open up about their new record, politics and architecture in their music and how the pandemic changed the way they play. Read the full interview here, an...
Watch: Vinyl Factory premieres videos of Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares live at LGW17
Bulgarian women's choir Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares performed music from their new album 'BooCheeMish' live at Le Guess Who? 2017, in Utrecht's iconic Dom church (dating back to the 13th centu...
Stream Colin Stetson's horrifying 'Hereditary' film score
Recently, Colin Stetson has been teasing his new soundtrack for the far-from-typical horror film 'Hereditary'. You can now stream Stetson's full horrifying score below. While you're at it, you can als...
Senyawa announce new LP 'Sujud'; listen to an album sampler
Hailing from Jogjakarta, Senyawa pushes traditional Indonesian music and experimental music far, far beyond their accustomed boundaries, resulting in a thrilling blend of their cultural heritage,...
Stream Kikagaku Moyo's new album 'Masana Temples' in full
Tokyo-based group Kikagaku Moyo forges heavy-improv psychedelia, including elements of German Krautrock, classic Indian raga and acid folk. Kikagaku Moyo - Japanese for "geometric patterns" - finds a...
Listen: JK Flesh releases new EP 'In Your Pit' via The Bug's PRESSURE label
"With his pioneering industrial metal band Godflesh, Justin Broadrick writes songs built on concussive beats, apocalyptic riffs, and feral howls. It’s music made for an audience who, during live shows, reward the storm of sound with rapt attention. But when Broadrick performs in techno clubs as JK Flesh, he wears a hoodie that...
Alabaster dePlume shares new instrumental song 'Bean', available via Bandcamp for 24 hours only
Today, Friday 5 March, is Bandcamp Friday again, meaning the platform waives its fess in order to help artists and labels impacted by the pandemic. Jazz musician, songwriter and poet Alabaster dePlume takes the occasion to release the beautiful new instrumental track 'Bean' that is only available via his Bandcamp page for 2...
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...
Watch + listen: Suuns live at Le Guess Who? 2021
Avant-rock group Suuns have always surprised us with their releases and their newest, ‘The Witness’, on Joyful Noise, is yet another impressive step of their sonic universe. Following the release of the album, Suuns performed at Le Guess Who? 2021, and we're happy to now share the concert film of this performance as well as th...
RVNG Intl. announces Ka Baird & Pekka Airaksinen's collaborative album 'Hungry Shells', written & recorded in Utrecht during LGW18
In 2018, as part of a program presented by Brooklyn-based independent record label RVNG Intl., Finnish electronic music composer Pekka Airaksinen (known for his work with ultra-radical, proto-noise group The Sperm) and NYC-based multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Ka Baird convened in Utrecht to write, rehearse, record and perform live.&n...
DJ Fitz, LGW resident DJ, releases FITZ MIX: a cassette with rare melancholic jams from around the world
DJ Fitz is a regular guest of Le Guess Who? and to be considered our resident DJ, seeing that he has participated in pretty much each edition of the festival. Fitz is also one of the world’s primary authorities in making obscurities part of a larger canon, and he has now released a cassette with super rare melancholic jams...
Letters from musicians: Bant Mag. talk to Phil Elverum
As it’s been a whole year under the pandemic conditions, Bant Mag. reached out to a number of musicians to hear about their varying feelings, realities and experiences. Next up in this series is songwriter and LGW21 curator Phil Elverum of Mount Eerie and The Microphones, who discuss time restrictions for his creative processes...
Read Bant Mag.'s track by track interview with Black Country, New Road
Even with just limited material out, the enigmatic Black Country, New Road became a steadfast live sensation with their mixture of post-punk, ashen Slint-like minimalism and pastoral dark folk leanings. Ahead of their performance at Le Guess Who? 2021, Turkey's Bant Mag. did a track by track interview with the British ban...
COSMOS / U? 2021
COSMOS As an international festival, Le Guess Who? has always worked with a borderless and boundary-crossing ethos. Now, the organization further enhances this focus with the launch of COSMOS: a new, hybrid platform that connects the local, physical festival environment with exclusive content that is available for worldwide, online strea...
Slumberland feat. Sainkho Namtchylak - Live at Le Guess Who? 2021
Belgian musician, composer, and instrument maker Jochem Baelus aka Slumberland and experimental Tuvan singer Sainkho Namtchylak gave a collaborative performance during Le Guess Who? 2021 at Utrecht’s Jacobikerk. With Slumberland, Belgian musician, composer, and instrument maker Jochem Baelus creates hypnotic krautrock and post punk...
Bremer/McCoy share insight in their songwriting process with 'Utopia' video
Jonathan Bremer and Morten McCoy are two Danish musicians knee-deep in many different endeavours, performing under the name Bremer/McCoy. On October 18, they duo released their new album 'Utopia' via David Byrne's Luaka Bop label. Now, the group release an accompanying video giving insight into their creative processes and their way of ma...
"How Rizan Said became the King of Keyboard": video interview by Cairo Liberation Front
Over the past two decades, Rizan Said has made a name for himself as composer for all kinds of Syrian artists, as well collaborating extensively with Omar Souleyman. In the process, his distinctively...
Listen: King Britt shares new Fhloston Paradigm track 'Run'
King Britt / Fhloston Paradigm's music features impulsive experimentation, cosmic ambience as well as more structured techno leanings. Britt now releases a new Fhloston Paradigm track, entitled 'Run'. Set on embodying afro-futurist ideals, this pulsating track has a threatening, ongoing drive which haunts you down to the ve...
Watch: Eli Keszler performs new album ‘Stadium’ live
Having dismantled the idea of a drum's sound for over a decade, New York-based composer Eli Keszler released his ninth solo album ‘Stadium’ on 2 October via Shelter Press. The inspiration for the album came from his recent move from Brooklyn to Manhattan and reflects the feeling of disorientation in overwhelmingly overcrowded...
Vera Sola reveals video for new song 'Small Minds'
Vera Sola is a New York-based vocalist, poet and multi-instrumentalist. Her musical endeavours in recent years have included performing with Elvis Perkins as well as writing several film and...
Introducing: SASAMI: synth-subdued songcrafting from prolific L.A. collaborator
Sasami Ashworth, also known as SASAMI, is a prolific contributor to the Los Angeles music scene. Having recently left indie rockers Cherry Glazerr in pursuit of a solo career, her synth-subdued single...
Le Guess Who? 2018 included in Songlines' International Music Festival Guide
"There is a wealth of truly wonderful music waiting to be discovered; yet music is also about politics, history, ethnicity, the environment and so much more". With those inspiring words, Songlines in...
Listen to two versions of Kevin Morby's new song 'Baltimore'
Kevin Morby's latest albums 'Singing Saw' and 'City Music' were two companion pieces. Now, the songwriter releases two versions of his new song 'Baltimore'. 'Baltimore (Sky At Night)' was written...
Listen to Ben Frost's 'Selections' playlist for Crack Magazine
As a preview for his performance at Le Guess Who? 2017, Ben Frost has put together a 'Selections' playlist for Crack Magazine. As we wrote in his festival biography: "Ben Frost’s interests are a...
Sudan Archives shares new track 'Water'
Violinist and vocalist Sudan Archives writes, plays, and produces her own music. Drawing inspiration from Sudanese fiddlers, she is self-taught on the violin, and her unique songs also fold in el...
Listen to Cairo-based Nadah El Shazly's new track 'Afqid Adh-Dhakira (I Lose Memory)'
Nadah El Shazly is one of the most versatile and progressive Egyptian musicians, channeling traditional Egyptian vocal techniques through genres like jazz, classical, blues, punk rock and el...
Prurient to reissue 'Unknown Rains' on vinyl for the first time
Following his more subtile record 'Frozen Niagara Falls' and his techno records under the moniker of Vatican Shadow, Prurient's Dominick Ferrow is now set to reissue is last Prurient album 'Unkno...
Read: Fractured Air interviews Instanbul's Ekin Fil
Istanbul-based musician and composer Ekin Üzeltüzenci happily chooses full-on abstraction over song. Behind an icy fog of dripping reverb, her vocals hardly ever register beyond whispers and...
Aquaserge share new album 'Laisse ça être'
France’s Aquaserge shape their own fantastic musical planet, sprouting out lush prog workouts, weirdo pop and meditative dance grooves. The collective now releases their fifth album 'Laisse &cce...
Listen: billy woods shares new album 'Church'
A perennial figure in the New York abstract hip-hop scene, billy woods has been defined by his association with Cannibal Ox's Vordul Mega and as half of both Super Chron Flight Brothers and Armand Hammer - but his solo releases have reshaped the genre just as much. Following the release of 'Aethiopes' earlier this year, billy woods...
Watch: Rats on Rafts reveal new video for 'Second Born Child'
Rotterdam-based four-piece band Rats on Rafts release a new live track and video from 'Excerpts From Chapter 3 DELUXE'. An absorbing mix between choral elements, goosebump-inducing piano sounds and Rats on Rafts’ unique post-punk and modern lo-fi musical vocabulary, the single entitled ‘Second Born Child’ invites listene...
Interview: Jasper Willems speaks to Guatemalan composer Mabe Fratti for The Quietus
In an interview for The Quietus, Jasper Willems talks to Guatamala-born experimental cellist and composer Mabe Fratti. Following the release of her third album 'Se Ve Desde Aquí', Fratti opens up about the value of friendship in the creative process, how to get an authentic sound, and how to overcome your own artistic instincts. Re...
Kapitaal x Stranded FM x Julian Brimmers host Official LGW22 Hangout with live sessions, artist talks, DJ sets, print-making & exhibitions
Utrecht's beloved independent print workshop, Kapitaal, collaborates with Stranded FM and Julian Brimmers to host the official Le Guess Who? 2022 Hangout through all things print and sound. The program includes radio and DJ sets, artist interviews, live sessions, art exhibitions, film screenings, and print-making from Friday 11 November -...
Watch: Kee Avil releases a new live performance video for 'HHHH'
Kee Avil is the one-woman project of the Canadian artist Vicky Mettler, celebrated for combining guitar, voice, electro acoustics and electronic production in an exciting and idiosyncratic way. Now, the Montreal-based producer and guitarist releases a new live performance video for the track 'HHHH' from of her debut LP 'Crease'. A fasci...
Listen to Sudan Archives' debut album 'Athena'
Today, violinist and vocalist Sudan Archives (Brittney Parks) releases her debut album 'Athena' via Stones Throw. The album is filled with deeply textured tracks that feel contemporary, groovy and powerful at the same time. Parks started to play violin at a young age, which she learned by playing in her local church choir...
Listen: Anh Phi – Southeast & East Asia Special (COSMOS Mixtape)
Vietnamese-French DJ, producer & label boss Anh Phi, who was involved in the creation of COSMOS' Vietnam Embassy Film in 2023, connects the dots between Ho Chi Minh City, Paris, and Berlin. To celebrate his debut EP, Buông, we proudly present this exclusive mix for COSMOS, dedicated to the buzzing Southeast and East Asian unde...
Read: Identifying the queer Indonesian diasporic community
Based between Amsterdam and Berlin, Insan Larasati is a community organizer, DJ, designer and inclusivity officer. With artist Shasti Andara they founded Nusaqueer Diaspora, an open-structured collective that focuses on community events for the Indonesian and Southeast Asian Archipelagan queer diaspora. Freshly graduated from the Willem...
Read: The Hidden Artist Refuge in Remote Iceland
Interview: Seyðisfjörður Community Radio Seyðisfjörður Community Radio (SCR) is a shared digital and analogue broadcasting platform located in the fisher town of Seyðisfjörður. The platform is hosted, nurtured and initiated by an open-ended international community inhabiting various conditions and p...
COSMOS Embassy Announcement: ICRN (Vilnius, Lithuania)
COSMOS x ICRN announce their 2024 Embassy in Vilnius, Lithuania Bringing together DIY broadcasters from the Baltics and beyond, the Independent Community Radio Network (ICRN) has created an impactful platform that proves once more, that there is always strength in numbers. In 2022, a handful of activists and community radios from...
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. ...
COSMOS Embassy Announcement: Honiunhoni (Karachi, Pakistan)
COSMOS x Honiunhoni announce their 2024 Embassy in Karachi, Pakistan Honiunhoni is an independent production company and record label founded by musician and anthropologist Daniyal Ahmed. Rooted in the ethos of ethnographic research, Honiunhoni celebrates Pakistan's cultural richness and diversity by curating and highlighting the...
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...
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...
"The result is yet to be discovered": COSMOS goes Behind the Scenes in Palestine
COSMOS: Behind the Scenes in Palestine Following their broadcast during Le Guess Who? 2022 as part of COSMOS, we talk to brothers Elias and Youssef Anatas, the people behind Radio Alhara, about creating a new form of public space and bringing people from different parts of the world together. Words by Beatriz Negreiros During t...
Listen/read: Favorite Stereolab tracks by artists from their LGW23 curation
For Le Guess Who? 2023, Stereolab have curated an eclectic program, highlighting their various interests and inspirations. We've asked artists from their curated program to choose their favorite Stereolab track, what the band means to them and/or what it means to be curated by them. Listen to the playlist by artists from the Le Guess Who...
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...
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...
Stay Fluid: COSMOS goes Behind the Scenes in Melbourne, Australia with Liquid Architecture
COSMOS: Behind the Scenes with Liquid Architecture In 'Behind the Scenes', COSMOS dives into local stories from across the world together with our global partners. For over two decades, Liquid Architecture has grown from a student project to Australia’s premier festival for experimental and avant-garde music. In its current form,...
Coco María presents Club Coco: vital new music influenced by vintage sounds
When DJ and artist Coco María moved from Mexico to Europe, she brought the hidden gems of Latin American musical culture with her. Growing up surrounded by music, Coco María not only grew fond of the sounds of her childhood but also developed a love for sharing them with the rest of the world. Born out of this passion of he...
Revealing the full program for Le Guess Who? 2024
Widely considered to be one of the most forward-thinking festivals, Le Guess Who? exists to platform fresh perspectives on what is possible in music. Artists from all over the world offer insights into the unprecedented diversity of human creativity. Le Guess Who? returns 7-10 November 2024 for its 17th edition in Utrecht, The Netherland...
‘A sudden, uncontrollable urge to dance’: the magic of Nyege Nyege Tapes & Hakuna Kulala Club Night
Forget Detroit, Chicago, and Berlin for a minute. Some of the most exciting electronic music records are being cut in the capital of Uganda, Kampala, and many are coming out of label Nyege Nyege Tapes. The collective is committed to shedding light on some of the best outsider music made in Kampala and all around East Africa. This Novembe...
Listen/read: Pakistani qawwali singer Faiz Ali Faiz, by Arooj Aftab
This November, Le Guess Who? will feature a special performance by Pakistani qawwali singer Faiz Ali Faiz. Having been born to seven consecutive generations of qawwals (those who perform the ancient form of religious Sufi music from Pakistan and Northern India - Punjab - known as qawwali), Faiz Ali Faiz was raised on the practice. After...
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...
Liliane Chlela presents the world premiere of 'I; the hybrid and the antidote' at LGW24
Born in Beirut and based in Montreal, Liliane Chlela is a producer, DJ and performer whose progressive sound experiments brought her to the forefront of the electronic and experimental music scene, both in Lebanon and far beyond. At Le Guess Who? 2024, Liliane Chlela will present the live premiere of I, the hybrid and the antidote. &ldqu...
Photo series: Sounds of Places at LGW24 by Tess Janssen
Sounds of Places, a residency-based sound gathering that focuses on the sonic aesthetics of place, celebrated its world premiere at Le Guess Who? 2024 with the presentation of Christmas in Mourning and Faster than light, always. The first edition of the residency, initiated by Radio Alhara and commissioned by Wonder Cabinet, took place i...
"Anything you set out to find, you'll find it here": COSMOS goes Behind the Scenes in Mexico City, Mexico
COSMOS: Behind the Scenes in Mexico City, Mexico We speak to Daniel (Danny) Alvarado Chávez, head of Sonido Confirmación, an independent project made to ‘represent and connect Mexico City through images and music’, while diving into the capital's music scene. Every minute, new acts mushroom across the city&rsquo...
"I have these stories in my mind": COSMOS goes Behind the Scenes in Pernambuco, Brazil
COSMOS: Behind the Scenes in Pernambuco, Brazil Following their broadcast during Le Guess Who? 2022 as part of COSMOS, we talk to Ana Garcia and Benke, the people behind Coquetel Molotov to discuss the local music scene in the city of Caruaru; how their involvement in COSMOS became Coquetel Molotov’s first musical incubator; and di...
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...
Read/watch: Behind the Scenes, the new series by COSMOS
Behind the Scenes is the new series by COSMOS, Le Guess Who?’s hybrid platform, in which we dive into local stories from across the world together with our global partners. Here, we talk to the people behind the video content that was created for the latest COSMOS installment to learn more about their local cultural scenes; their c...
COSMOS Embassy: Melbourne, Australia
In partnership with Liquid Architecture. Liquid Architecture (LA) is Australia's flagship organisation for artists working with experimental sound and listening practices. Based in Naarm (Melbourne) and running strongly for over 20, LA supports radical interdisciplinary experimentations while offering a platform for artists working with...
"These artists have their own voice - a real one": COSMOS goes Behind the Scenes in Cairo, Egypt
COSMOS: Behind the Scenes in Cairo, Egypt We speak to former LGW artist Yunis and B-62's Khaled Bargona about their highly creative film produced for the latest COSMOS edition. Here, we learn more about Cairo’s post-revolution music scene; how the artists that are featured in the film are creating a space for themselves in Cairo&rs...
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...
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...
Listen: COSMOS on Refuge Worldwide with Hassan Kamil and stegi.radio
This week, COSMOS and Refuge Worldwide are bringing their ongoing partnership to life during Le Guess Who? 2024. Taking over the Pandora Foyer in TivoliVredenburg, this collaborative 4-day broadcast will be full of in-depth interviews, deep listening and dancefloor-ready DJ sets. Hosted by Refuge Worldwide’s own Richard Akingbehin,...
Read: Underground Up! - A Stage for Underground Artists
U?, the freely accessible city program of Le Guess Who?, returns to Utrecht this year with an emphasis on community. As a festival that aims to amplify local communities from the fringe, U? understands the importance of free spaces that are available for creation and for communities to thrive. Words by Gloria MaPhotography by Mirel Masic...
Ahmed Fakroun: rediscovered pioneer in modern Arabic music, live with Dutch-Turkish act Altin Gün
Ahmed Fakroun is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, raï singer (based on a form of Algerian folk music from the 20's) and pioneer in modern Arabic music. As a kid, Fakroun already developed a f...
Team
Supervisory Board Hans van Soelen – chairman (end first period March 2026)Jorien Waanders – audit committee (end first period June 2026)Mark Laagewaard – audit committee (end first period January 2027)Nancy Poleon – member (end first period January 2027)Ilayda Hagens – member (end first period January...
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...
VluchtelingenWerk partner van LGW18 / Dutch Council for Refugees social partner of LGW18
(English version below) Voor de komende editie van Le Guess Who? (8 t/m 11 november in de gehele binnenstad van Utrecht, werkt de organisatie samen met VluchtelingenWerk, dat maatschappelijk par...
Introducing: acoustic guitar visionary & urban mythologist Sibusile Xaba
With a wonderful blend of African folk, flamenco, bossa nova and jazz, Sibusile Xaba is slowly conquering the hearts of audiences outside of his home country South-Africa. His sound - both playful and...
Time Schedules, Program Update + Talks, Films & Exhibition for LGW24
We are excited to present our film & talk program, as well as a special exhibition, new additions to our 2024 line-up and the long-awaited time schedules for Le Guess Who? 2024. Time Schedules Start your scheduling now! The time schedules for Le Guess Who? 2024, as well for U?, our freely accessible city program, are online now. Pl...
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...
Podcast: listen to part 2 of 'For the Record'
Le Guess Who? presents 'The Big Playback', a podcast about all things music. Episode 3 is a four-part series entitled 'For the Record', exploring the role of the archivist from all angles, released in weekly installments. In this new series, host Margaret Munchheimer talks to an independent archival collective in Indonesia; a sound and p...
Sustainability
With the motto of Listening is the Way Forward, 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 and offer an insight into the unprecedented diversity of human creativity. Our mission: A pl...
Podcast: listen to episode 3 of 'The Big Playback' about the role of the archivist in music
Le Guess Who? presents 'The Big Playback', a podcast about all things music. Episode 3 is a four-part series entitled 'For the Record', exploring the role of the archivist from all angles, released in weekly installments. In this series, host Margaret Munchheimer talks to an independent archival collective in Indonesia; a sound and perfo...
Music Moves: Making the dance floor more accessible & inclusive
This year, U?, the freely accessible city program of Le Guess Who?, starts a new collaboration with Music Moves to make the dance floor more accessible and inclusive. Music Moves is a training program in which young adults (17 - 27 years) organize their own music event for people who do not naturally have access to music events. "We bel...
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/read: Kamilya Jubran: Witnessing a transcendent moment on stage
This November, Le Guess Who? features a performance by Kamilya Jubran, which was curated by mastering engineer Heba Kadry. Born in Palestine and currently based in Paris, Kamilya Jubran is one of the most revered figures in the experimental and alternative Arabic music scenes. Through her multi-disciplinary work, Jubran continues t...
Photo series: Hannah Elsisi presents Chromesthesia at LGW24 by Juri Hiensch
From Rio to Cairo, Miami to Kampala, Chromesthesia tracks Afro-diasporic rhythms and explores the history that undergirds Afro-descendant electronic music. At Le Guess Who? 2024, British-Egyptian award-winning social and intellectual historian Hannah Elsisi presented the 13-hour durational performance of Chromesthesia. Our residential ph...
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...
Watch: Vrije Geluiden sessions at LGW22, featuring Hatis Noit, Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul, Noori & His Dorpa Band + more
VPRO Vrije Geluiden were present at Le Guess Who? 2022 to capture several sessions with festival artists in TivoliVredenburg. Over the next couple of weeks, these will go online every Sunday. The Master Musicians of Jajouka led by Bachir Attar Jajouka is the name of a hidden village in the Jebala foothills of northern Morocco. Here, The...
Track of the Week #18: Boogarins - 'Foimal'
Every week, we bring you a must-hear track from the Le Guess Who? 2018 line-up. This week, we dive into the psychedelic, fleeting world of the Brazilian psych rockers Boogarins. Exploring their...
Explore Han Bennink's curated program for Le Guess Who? 2017
(artwork by Emma Fischer) At a very young age, Han Bennink started drumming for his grandparents on pans and cookie cans, and with curtain rods as sticks. All over the world, Bennink is celebrat...
Revealing the full program for U? 2023
(scroll naar beneden voor de Nederlandse tekst) U?, the freely accessible city program of Le Guess Who?, returns to Utrecht on 11 and 12 November 2023 for its third edition. This program is created for, but especially with Utrecht, to celebrate the city's creativity in all its diversity. Utrecht has an enormous variety of community cent...
Introducing: Nick Liefhebber, the Le Guess Who? 2018 Illustrator
Each year, Le Guess Who? cooperates with a different illustrator to design the festival's main graphics and images (the layout and typography are done each year by Loudmouth). In 2016, the festival il...
Introducing: Poema - a fixture in the life of every student in Utrecht joins LGW18
This year, Le Guess Who? will feature three new venues for the official music program: WAS., BASIS, and Poema. All of them are part of Utrecht’s buzzing nightlife and are among the most prominent clubs in town. This time, we introduce you to Poema: a fixture in the life of every student in Utrecht. Did you know Utrecht is one of th...
Joan of Arc share new song ‘Indelible in the Hippocampus is The Laughter’
Tim Kinsella's art-rock band Joan of Arc have released their new song ‘Indelible in the Hippocampus is The Laughter’, which is a selection of audio from the live score the band made f...
Meet Moroccan Gnawa master Maâlem Houssam Guinia, curated by James Holden for LGW17
Maâlem Houssam Guinia is the son and successor of the late Maâlem Mahmoud Guinia, an emblematic figure in the practice of West-African Gnawa music. Maâlem means 'master musician', an...
Richard Dawson - Live at Le Guess Who? 2023
Richard Dawson performed live at Utrecht's Jacobikerk during Le Guess Who? 2023 as part of the program curated by Slauson Malone 1. You can now listen to the British folk master performing Museum (from the 2022 album The Ruby Chord) and Two Halves (from 2020). "The next song is from the point of view of a robot or an AI, somethin...
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...
Revealing the full program for U? 2024
Lees hier de tekst in het Nederlands. 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. From 8-10 November 2024, U? returns for its 4th edition. The 2024 program for U? is now revealed, featuring a festival playground taking place...
Modulation takes center stage at U?
Modulation is Utrecht’s own accessible night of live performances and concerts centered around modular synthesizers and other hardware electronic instruments. A place for newcomers as well as veterans, from ambient to noisemakers, explosive beats, cinematic soundscapes – and everything in between. All performers will be playin...
Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali: Artists-in-Residence at LGW25
Le Guess Who? presents a three day residency of Pakistani legends Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali during the 2025 edition of the festival. The vocalist duo, nephews of qawwali master Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, together with their ensemble will present three different performances at different locations during the festival. Rizwan and Muazzam Mu...
Revealing the first curators & initial line-up
The first curators are announced for the 11th edition of Le Guess Who? 2017, each hosting a range of inspirations and befriended artists, and also performing themselves. Perfume Genius invites a.o. Bu...
Watch: Faiz Ali Faiz live at Le Guess Who? 2023
Pakistani singer Faiz Ali Faiz gave a spectacular performance as one of the closing acts of Le Guess Who? 2023. You can now relive this glorious moment with our concert film, as well as the full audio of the show. "Another kind of passion was found in the lovely old Vredenburg hall with the transcendent qawwali of Faiz Ali Faiz a...
Meet Leonie Bos; this year's Le Guess Who? Illustrator
Besides the artwork and typography done yearly by Loudmouth Utrecht, Le Guess Who? each year invites a different illustrator to design the main festival images, which evolves during multiple line-up a...
LGW21 photo series: Hidden Musics, Pink Oculus, Eddie Chacon, Hakuna Kulala Club Night and more
Our residential photographers Juri Hiensch and Melanie Marsman have been exploring Le Guess Who? again in 2021, captured different photo series during the festival. The upcoming time, we'll be sharing these series on this website and our social media. Portrait series at LGW21, by Melanie Marsman At Le Guess Who? 2021, residential phot...
Watch: The Bug feat. Dis Fig, Flowdan & Logan - Live at Le Guess Who?
The Bug performed live as one of the closing acts of Le Guess Who? 2022, accompanied on stage by MC's Dis Fig, Flowdan and Logan to bring the buzzing energy found on The Bug's record to life. Relive part of the performance with our concert film below, featuring Fat Mac and Dirty/I Luv You (Freestyle) feat. Flowdan, Take feat. Dis Fig and...
Special projects revealed for Le Guess Who? 2023
Following the announcement of the initial line-up for Le Guess Who? 2023, including programs curated by Heba Kadry, Nala Sinephro, Slauson Malone 1 and Stereolab, we now add several special projects to this year’s festival edition, featuring COSMOS, Hidden Musics and The Anonymous Project. Rắn Cạp Đuôi Collective COSMOS...
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...
Playlist: New & Notable at Le Guess Who? 2018
As every year, an important part of the Le Guess Who? program is about making new discoveries; experiencing new sounds and artists that might become new personal favorites in the future. To help you e...
COSMOS, our hybrid platform, returns 10-15 May
COSMOS is Le Guess Who?’s hybrid platform with both live and on-demand exclusive content. Beyond music, beyond film, and beyond borders, COSMOS translates the festival’s mission to the online environment. From 10-15 May, 2022, the 2nd edition of COSMOS will be freely available for worldwide streaming via cosmos.leguesswho.com....
Track of the Week #24: Kadri Gopalnath - 'Bhagyada Lakshmi Baaramma'
Every week, we bring you a must-hear track from the Le Guess Who? 2018 line-up. Almost a half year ago, we started off with Kojey Radical's powerful and stirring track 'If Only'. Now, twenty-four weeks later, we have highlighted some of the most remarkable musical treasures of this year's line-up, ranging from Katey Red's fast-paced...
LGW22 photo series: The Staples Jr. Singers, Nyege Nyege, Estrella Morente, clipping. and more
Our residential photographers Juri Hiensch and Melanie Marsman have been exploring Le Guess Who? again in 2022, captured different photo series during the festival. The upcoming time, we'll be sharing these series on this website and our social media. Curated by Animal Collective, by Juri Hiensch For LGW22, Baltimore quartet Animal Co...
Photo series: LGW24 artist portraits by Melanie Marsman & Juri Hiensch
At Le Guess Who? 2024, residential photographers Melanie Marsman and Juri Hiensch captured a stunning series of artist portraits surrounding their performances at the festival. Part of the series features, among others, Ghanaian-French producer and vocalist PÖ and musician, producer and composer Jowee Omicil, who both performed...
Announcing the full line-up for Le Guess Who? 2017
The full line-up for Le Guess Who? is now revealed, with 60 acts completing the program - check out the full line-up here. The Ecstatic Music of Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda performed by...
The Como Mamas: gospel trinity that can move and save you, lift you up & pull you through
Hailing from the small town of Como, Mississippi, The Como Mamas consist of Sisters Angela Taylor and Della Daniels together with their friend Ester Mae Smith. They have been singing together since ch...
Interview: Pink Oculus presents Before Wisdom through collaborative show where art, scenography and music become one
“Performing is a part of my identity”, says the Dutch Surinamese vocalist and producer Pink Oculus. Two years of not being able to do what she loves the most led to a brand new sound, and new music too: her forthcoming album, ‘Before Wisdom’, is expected in 2022. At Le Guess Who?, she will premiere these songs thro...
Le Guess Who? expands Untitled program with film festival, live interviews, Angel Bat Dawid's sonic healing session, more
Along with exploring the festival program, visitors of Le Guess Who? 2019 can also immerse themselves in various activities during the day throughout the city of Utrecht, including the ‘Untitled’ program. Untitled made its debut as part of Le Guess Who? 2018. We're eager to expand the programming to include more daytime...
Kahil El’Zabar Ethnic Heritage Ensemble - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024
Kahil El'Zabar Ethnic Heritage Ensemble celebrated their 50th anniversary on the opening night of Le Guess Who? 2024, commemorating half a century of continuously shifting gears and tempos in the jazz-blues continuum. Listen to, and relive, the full performance below. The Ethnic Heritage Ensemble was founded by El’Zabar in...
LGW19 curator Jenny Hval shares new song 'Ashes to Ashes' from upcoming album 'The Practice of Love'
Le Guess Who? 2019 curator Jenny Hval's multi-disciplinary work aims to break beyond the confining zones of a certain genre or discipline to form a deeper connection with her audiences. Now, the Norwegian avant-pop artist announces her new album 'The Practice of Love' (out 13 September 13 via Sacred Bones), and shares its first singl...
Le Guess Who? presents 'The Big Playback', a podcast about all things music; first episode out now
Le Guess Who? presents ‘The Big Playback’, a conversational, in-depth podcast about all things music. In ‘The Big Playback’, host Margaret Munchheimer talks to musicians, scholars, record label owners, and music managers and delves into different topics exploring individual and collective musical experiences. You c...
First artists & full curated programs announced for Le Guess Who? 2022
Le Guess Who? is a Celebration of Sound. From 10-13 November, the festival returns to Utrecht, The Netherlands, for its 15th Anniversary Edition. We now reveals the guest curators and their full curated programs, as well as the first artists for the general program. Curated programs by Animal Collective, clipping., and CURL Inviting gue...
Introducing: WAS. - from a raving punk celebration to stunning club beats
This year, Le Guess Who? will feature three new venues for the official music program: WAS., BASIS, and Poema. All of them are part of Utrecht’s buzzing nightlife and are among the most prominent clubs in town. In this feature, we introduce you to the pop-up nightclub of WAS.; a place where many electronic music freaks are assured t...
Listen: COSMOS on Refuge Worldwide with sounds from Iceland & Ireland
For the June episodes of COSMOS' monthly show on Refuge Worldwide, we’re exploring the sounds of Iceland and Ireland with two of Europe’s finest independent community radios. Brought to us via our 2024 Embassy ICRN, both Seyðisfjörður Community Radio and Dublin Digital Radio present two distinctive hours of music...
Watch: Nihiloxica live at Le Guess Who? 2023
Nihiloxica exploded out of Kampala in 2017 with their groundbreaking fusion of Bugandan drumming and UK bass. The band explores the darkest depths between two separate cultures of dance music, uniting abrasive club electronics with raucous percussive energy. At Le Guess Who? 2023, the group presented their late latest album 'Source of De...
Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra & Arion de Munck present 'Hadra Immersive' - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024
A transcendental opening ceremony took place at the start of Le Guess Who? 2024, thanks to a special collaboration between the Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra and visual artist Arion de Munck, who presented the world premiere of Hadra Immersive at the festival. The Hadra is an ancient northern Moroccan ceremony that leads participan...
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...
Photo series: Alex Rita presents Calm Roots at LGW24 by 36framez
Each year, Le Guess Who? invites trailblazing creatives to curate their own dedicated programs, highlighting their inspirations, emerging acts and fellow like-minded artists, with an emphasis on discovery and exploration. Touching Bass, a London-based musical movement founded by Errol and Alex Rita, was one of the guest curators for Le Gu...
CTA Playlist
Le Guess Who? takes pace across 20 locations in the city center of Utrecht; ranging from churches and galleries to theaters and pop venues. Most are within walking distance from each other. Here are a couple highlighted.
Track of the Week #17: Anoushka Shankar - 'Boat To Nowhere'
Every week, we bring you a must-hear track from the Le Guess Who? 2018 line-up. This week, we dwell on the emotional instrumental track 'Boat to Nowhere' by renowned sitar player Anoushka Shankar. 'B...
Watch: Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra & Arion de Munck present 'Hadra Immersive' at LGW24
A transcendental opening ceremony took place at the start of Le Guess Who? 2024, thanks to a special collaboration between the Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra and visual artist Arion de Munck, who presented the world premiere of Hadra Immersive at the festival. The Hadra is an ancient northern Moroccan ceremony that leads participan...
Celebrating 30 years of Mudhoney at LGW18 + watch our Hot Snakes video portrait
On Sunday afternoon, we’ll take a deep dive down into the depths of punk, new-wave and blood pounding rock ‘n roll. Together with long time festival location dB’s and brand new venue WAS., we will set the stage for a raving punk party, leading up to the celebration of 30 years of Mudhoney. Endless Boogie & Bloody Ma...
Photo series: Pankisi Ensemble by Dmitrii Zverev
This year, Le Guess Who? presents the fourth edition of Hidden Musics, a project that focuses on deeply localized music and features artists embedded in rich, often centuries-old musical traditions that have been developed with little or no outside influences. The first series was initiated in 2019 by Le Guess Who? in collaboration w...
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...
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...
King Khan & Michael Eaton present The Black Power Tarot at Le Guess Who? 2017
If you're a regular Le Guess Who? attendant, then surely you know musician/producer/writer/artist Arish Ahmad Khan, known by the stage name of King Khan. The artist also played the festival back in 20...
Playlist: LGW23 curated by Heba Kadry
As a hallmark of Le Guess Who?, the festival each year invites trailblazing creatives to curate their own dedicated programs, highlighting fellow like-minded artists and those that have inspired them. Heba Kadry, a mastering engineer born in Egypt and currently based in Brooklyn, has curated a program for Le Guess Who? 2023 that she now...
Watch: Anoushka Shankar & Manu Delago with Metropole Orkest Strings live at LGW18
Continuing the legacy of her father, the legendary Ravi Shankar, Anoushka Shankar is considered to be one of the world’s most renowned sitar players. In 2018, she performed at Le Guess Who?, together with Austrian percussionist and Björk collaborator Manu Delago and the 27-member string section of the Metropole Orkest, conducte...
Le Guess Who? invests in secure and more honest resale of tickets
Le Guess Who? announces a new ticketing strategy in collaboration with CM.com (formerly Yourticketprovider) and resale platform TicketSwap. From now on, we are implementing Ticketlock. It’s a feature that prevents fraud and increases reliability, and also means that it’s no longer possible to profit from the reselling of festi...
Open Call: U? is looking for NL-based community curators
The open call has been closed. *** Following the success of last year’s pilot, U? is excited to continue co-creating the festival program with communities across the Netherlands. We once again invite (aspiring) curators who are deeply connected to a specific community to shape the program together with us. This process is a...
"Through The Eyes of Lonnie Holley": a guided tour through Utrecht as part of our Untitled program
Next week, we'll present our newest satellite event, 'Untitled', with one of the goals being 'an exploration of other artistic expressions by festival artists'. As part of Untitled, we will present a guided tour through Utrecht by acclaimed visual artist, improvising musician and 'Lover of Mother Universe' Lonnie Holley. Led by the m...
Le Guess Who? presents international residency in Goa, India, as part of hybrid platform COSMOS
Le Guess Who? has always worked with a borderless and boundary-crossing ethos. It led the organization to create COSMOS: a hybrid (both online and offline) platform that promotes international collaboration. Via this platform, organizations and initiatives from around the world give an insight into their local cultural scenes through film...
Introducing: BCUC's sensational Soweto Afro-psychedelia
The sensational Afro-psychedelic collective BCUC (Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness) started out as a social gathering in their native township of Soweto, South Africa. Even with a relatively short h...
Explore the line-up of LGW24 with our official playlist
Le Guess Who? is a playground for discovery and exploration, and once again that's deeply reflected in our 2024 program. Now that we've revealed the full line-up, including the curated programs by Arooj Aftab, Bo Ningen, Crystallmess, DARKSIDE, Mabe Fratti, and Touching Bass, it's time to start your musical discovery again. Take a deep...
Moin - Live at Le Guess Who? 2023
London trio Moin, comprised of Raime’s Joe Andrews and Tom Halstead together with percussionist visionary Valentina Magaletti, performed live at Le Guess Who? 2023 as part of the program curated by Stereolab. You can now listen to and relive the full performance, featuring a previously unreleased track: "'Moin are subtly but br...
Podcast: Part 2 of 'DJ Fitz: The Birth of a Scene'
Le Guess Who? presents 'The Big Playback', a podcast about all things music. For the occasion of Le Guess Who’s 15th Edition, we pay tribute to DJ Fitz- the man, the legend, the only artist to have been on every single lineup. In this final episode of the series (revisit the first part here), we follow Fitz to Berlin and beyo...
Congolese-Canadian musician & songwriter Pierre Kwenders wins 2022 Polaris Music Prize
The 2022 edition of the Polaris Music Prize, an organization that "annually honours and rewards artists who produce Canadian music albums of distinction", has declared Pierre Kwenders’ latest album ‘José Louis and the Paradox of Love’ to be Canada’s album of the year. Pierre Kwenders, the stage name of Jos&...
Zwangere Guy - Live at Le Guess Who? 2021
With his unshakeable conviction, found all over his rhymes and delivery, Zwangere Guy quickly became considered ‘the boss of Brussels rap’. In his live shows, his boastful, insolent and exciting personality always shines bright. Zwangere Guy performed live at TivoliVredenburg's Ronda during Le Guess Who? 2021 on the nig...
U? returns to Utrecht for its fourth edition
U?, the freely accessible city program of Le Guess Who?, returns to Utrecht for its fourth edition. U? celebrates local and creative communities based in the Netherlands, with a strong focus on Utrecht. Our mission: Amplifying local communities from the fringe, U? is Utrecht’s radical playground for experimentation, co-creation and...
Photo series: Heba Kadry's curation by Juri Hiensch
As a hallmark of the festival, each year Le Guess Who? invites trailblazing creatives to curate their own dedicated programs, highlighting fellow like-minded artists and those that have inspired them. For the 2023 edition, Le Guess Who? invited mastering engineer Heba Kadry, who curated a comprehensive program, weaving together an array...
Abdel Karim Shaar: an emotional exchange in Tarab - 2nd performance ever outside Lebanon
Just like the masterful Egyptian songwriter Umm Kulthum, Abdel Karim Shaar is linked to the concept of 'Tarab': a musical form that expresses a state of emotional transition. Shaar is a legendary sing...
Watch: Sons of Kemet perform 'Your Queen Is A Reptile' for Boiler Room & Mercury Prize
Sons Of Kemet's new album 'Your Queen Is A Reptile' (released in March via Impulse!) is the "jazz" choice for nomination in this year's Hyundai Mercury Prize. Ahead of the event, the band gi...
Introducing: Sudanese/London collective The Scorpios bring life-affirming soul & vintage psych funk
Listening to the life-affirming soul and vintage funk of London collective The Scorpios, you probably won't be surprised to find out most of its members originate from Sudan. After fleeing the fundame...
Photo series: COSMOS Live by Melanie Marsman
COSMOS was born out of Le Guess Who?’s mission to platform adventurous sounds that have the power to enrich lives. It’s a hub for experimentation and inspiration, and an ever-expanding network of creative minds. Through films, interviews, performances, and artist residencies, COSMOS connects international music communities and...
Revealing our new satellite event: 'Untitled', featuring exhibitions, film screenings, talks & more
We are excited to present you a new satellite event during Le Guess Who? 2018: ‘Untitled’. The program focuses on all disciplines other than music and is an exploration of other artistic e...
Basilica Hudson & LGW present the return of 24-HOUR DRONE
Presented by Basilica Hudson and Le Guess Who? in collaboration with Sarah Van Buren, 24-HOUR DRONE is set to return to Basilica Hudson Saturday, May 18th – Sunday, May 19th, 2024 (noon to noon) in Hudson, New York. Tickets are available here. 24-HOUR DRONE features an international roster of musicians and sonic artists acros...
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...
Full line-up for 24-Hour Drone 2018 in Hudson, NY
A collaboration between Le Guess Who? and long-term partners Basilica Hudson, 24-Hour Drone is a roving, international series featuring musicians and sound artists experimenting within the spectrum of...
LGW & Nature and Environment Federation Utrecht collaborate to support Repair Cafés
Since 2022, Le Guess Who? partners with the Nature and Environment Federation Utrecht to offset CO2 emissions from international air travel by artists and visitors. Thanks to the collaboration in 2024, we're able to support five Repair Cafés in Utrecht. These cafés are places where people can work together with volunteers t...
Wristband pick-up + other important info for your visit to Le Guess Who? 2024
Le Guess Who? 2024 is approaching, and we're looking forward to welcome you to Utrecht for our 17th festival edition. We can't wait to share an amazing wealth of sounds with you again, but first, there are some important details we'd like to share with you. Please take a moment to review the following information before your visit...
Watch/Read: Vincent Schoutsen at Hof van Cartesius by Rogier Boogaard
For U? 2024, Hof van Cartesius presents a diverse program created together with the artists that are located in this unique circular workspace for creative entrepreneurs. Photographer Rogier Boogaard documented two artists who will be part of this year's festival program. Last week we highlighted Sophie Wantia, today we present artist an...
Watch: Beverly Glenn-Copeland and Indigo Rising perform ‘Evernew’ in stunning new video
As a sci-fi obsessed woman living in near isolation, musician Beverly Glenn-Copeland wrote and self-released 'Keyboard Fantasies' in rural Ontario in 1986. Recorded on an Atari-powered home-studio, th...
Track of the Week #19: Madeline Kenney - 'Cut Me Off'
Every week, we bring you a must-hear track from the Le Guess Who? 2018 line-up. This time, we highlight a bubbly, crisp pop tune by American singer-songwriter Madeline Kenney. 'Cut Me Off' is taken f...
Bulgarian women’s choir Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares, curated by Perfume Genius
The famous Bulgarian women's choir Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares ('Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices') is comprised of 22 members, all dressed in traditional national costumes. The varying voices...
Watch: Stereolab live at Le Guess Who? 2023 concert film
Recently, we celebrated the 100th festival recording being included in our online recordings archive. Now, we are elated to share the concert film of Anglo-French avant-pop group and festival curators Stereolab live at Le Guess Who? 2023. Hailed as one of the most influential and fiercely independent groups of the 90s, Stereolab's influe...
Listen: Kahil El’Zabar Ethnic Heritage Ensemble live at Le Guess Who? 2024
Kahil El'Zabar Ethnic Heritage Ensemble celebrated their 50th anniversary on the opening night of Le Guess Who? 2024, commemorating half a century of continuously shifting gears and tempos in the jazz-blues continuum. Listen to, and relive, the full performance below. The Ethnic Heritage Ensemble was founded by El’Zabar in...
Photo series: Crystallmess' curation at LGW24 by Melanie Marsman
After an unforgettable closing set at Le Guess Who? last year, Paris-based artist and producer/DJ Crystallmess returned to the festival both as a performer and as a curator, presenting her very own program. Crystallmess combines elements of film, music, performance and visual art in her radically interdisciplinary work. In doing so, she...
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....
Listen to Lido Pimienta's orchestral new album 'La Belleza'
Thrilling experimental pop artist Lido Pimienta spent the past few years studying European classical music to embark on a new ambitious journey. Shifting far from her previous electro pop sound, she remains as captivating and exuberant as ever. Influenced by the solemnity of early Christian hymns, her new album La Belleza is a grand orc...
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...
Listen to voice artist Hatis Noit's new album 'Aura'
Hatis Noit's musical awakening took place at the tender age of sixteen during a trek to Buddha's birthplace in Nepal. One morning when staying at a women’s temple she came across a female monk singing Buddhist chants whose otherworldly sounds moved her so intensely that she was instantly aware of the visceral power of the human voic...
Track of the Week #14: RP Boo - 'Back From The Future'
Every week, we bring you a must-hear track from the Le Guess Who? 2018 line-up. This week, it's one of Chicago’s finest producers and "the unsung godfather" of footwork RP Boo, who &nd...
Initial line-up announced for 24-Hour Drone 2018 in Hudson, NY
Originated in Utrecht as a collaboration between the festival and long-term partners Basilica Hudson, 24-Hour Drone is a roving, international series featuring musicians and sound artists experimentin...
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 to Alanis Obomsawin's 'Bush Lady' via The Museum of Canadian Music
Today, on International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, we'd like to take a moment to raise attention for filmmaker and musician Alanis Obomsawin, who crusades for the rights and well-being of...
Le Mini Who? 2018 announces full line-up; explore the program via Spotify
Le Mini Who? returns as part of Le Guess Who? 2018 on Saturday, 10 November. As a spin-off festival of Le Guess Who?, it transforms many of Utrecht’s local bars, restaurants, venues and warehous...
Photo series: Arooj Aftab's curation at LGW24 by Juri Hiensch
Three years after her last Le Guess Who? showcase, Brooklyn-based, Pakistani singer and composer, Arooj Aftab returned to the festival in 2024 both as a curator and performer. "Aftab’s voice and her band’s musicianship are breathtaking on their own, but there’s an intimacy, a warmth, an un-self-seriousness that makes th...
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...
Open Call: U? is looking for NL-based community curators
Lees hier de tekst in het Nederlands. The open call has been closed. Le Guess Who? in Utrecht is a festival for groundbreaking music and culture, taking place 7-10 November 2024. It exists to bring people together through music and art. U? is its freely accessible city festival, dedicated to celebrating creativity in...
Listen: Abul Mogard & Rafael Anton Irisarri live at Le Guess Who? 2024
A New Year's gift and a souvenir from Le Guess Who? 2024. The full live performance by Abul Mogard and Rafael Anton Irisarri at Utrecht’s Jacobikerk is now available as free, or pay-what-you-want on Bandcamp. When Abul Mogard (AKA Guido Zen) and composer, record producer, and mastering engineer Rafael Anton Irisarri first pl...
Watch: Vrije Geluiden sessions at Le Guess Who? 2023
VPRO Vrije Geluiden has been a partner of Le Guess Who? for numerous years, and during this year's festival, they again captured several sessions with artists - recorded at Bibliotheek Neude in Utrecht - that will be revealed over the next couple of weeks. Watch below. The Good Ones The Good Ones will surprise you, delight you,...
Nihiloxica - Live at Le Guess Who? 2023
Nihiloxica exploded out of Kampala in 2017 with their groundbreaking fusion of Bugandan drumming and UK bass. The band explores the darkest depths between two separate cultures of dance music, uniting abrasive club electronics with raucous percussive energy. At Le Guess Who? 2023, the group presented their late latest album 'Source of De...
U? returns to Utrecht for its fifth edition
U?, the freely accessible city program of Le Guess Who?, returns 8 & 9 November to Utrecht for its fifth edition. Through public programming, U? aims to connect people and foster personal encounters. U? is dedicated to celebrating local and creative communities based in the Netherlands, with a strong focus on Utrecht. On Saturday, 8...
COSMOS & Refuge Worldwide continue their partnership for 2025
Le Guess Who? and COSMOS are excited to announce the continuation of their partnership with Berlin-based community radio Refuge Worldwide in 2025. Together, we will once again present sounds and stories from around the world, hand-picked by local artists. Since 2021, Refuge Worldwide has become an important community radio and cultural h...
Kapitaal: Official Hangout of Le Guess Who? 2018
This year, Le Guess Who? will have its very own, official festival hangout, hosted by Kapitaal: a Utrecht-based -open- studio for screen-, etch- and risoprint. A meeting place with a proper program, filled with exhibitions, lectures and music, owners Carlien and Ramon create a social place where craftsmanship, design and pop-culture meet....
Watch/listen: Frente Abierto feat. Israel Fernández & Lela Soto - Live at Le Guess Who?
In the flamenco world, Frente Abierto presents new possibilities. The group welcomes genres as diverse as metal and ambient into their realm, fusing their experimental streak with some of new flamenco’s most powerful singers. At Le Guess Who? 2024, the Andalusian collective collaborated with Israel Fernández, a cantaor...
Manchester cult figurehead Jane Weaver: hypnotic pop and acid folk turn thrillingly cosmic
Jane Weaver’s official biography starts with the sentence “abusing, evading and obliterating 20 years of whimsical pop trends”. Indeed, it could almost be seen as a personal slogan....
Listen: ASA-CHANG & Junray - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024
ASA-CHANG & Junray performed live at TivoliVredenburg's Pandora during Le Guess Who? 2024. You can now relive the full, spellbinding performance via the recording below - a mesmerizing hour of unprecedented music making. ASA-CHANG is the founder and original bandmaster of Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, who, upon leaving the en...
Listen to The Microphones' full performance at Le Guess Who? 2021
During Le Guess Who? 2021, Phil Elverum (Mount Eerie / The Microphones) was one of five guest curators for the festival. Aside from putting together a personal program of inspirations and like-minded artists, Phil Elverum also performed live with guitarist Jay Blackinton to present Elverum’s latest album, 'The Microphones In 20...
Le Guess Who? Celebrates Monumental 100th Festival Recording in Online Archive
Le Guess Who? is celebrating an impressive milestone with the publication of its 100th festival recording: dub-reggae ensemble African Head Charge live at Le Guess Who? 2023. Over the years, the festival has continuously expanded its online recording archive via leguesswho.com/recordings. The archive reflects the eclectic nature of Le Gue...
Graindelavoix to return to Utrecht in August; special discount for LGW visitors
Graindelavoix is notorious for their daring and alienating performances that embrace the imperfections of what it means to be human. During Le Guess Who? 2018, the Antwerp ensemble gave an overwhelming performance of the four-hour piece ‘Tenebrae Responsoria’ by Carlo Gesualdo: a 17th-century progressive composer fro...
James Holden added as curator + more new additions; day tickets on sale now
Electronic sound explorer James Holden is added as curator for Le Guess Who?, hosting multiple stages on Saturday, 11 November. Performing is Moroccan Gnawa musician Maâlem Houssam Guinia &...
Watch Plague Organ's live debut at Roadburn Redux, co-presented by LGW
After the last minute cancellation of Plague Organ's show at LGW OFF last November due to the global pandemic, Le Guess Who? and Roadburn collaborated and facilitated the band's live debut at Roadburn Redux on April 17th 2021. After a limited availability at the Roadburn Redux website, the show is now available in full through...
The Line of Best Fit premiere video for Valley Maker's new song 'Beautiful Birds Flying'
Seattle-based singer-songwriter Austin Crane (aka Valley Maker) creates mystical folk songs with one of the most remarkable voices in contemporary pop music. His debut album 'When I Was A Ch...
ANBI info Stichting Le Guess Who
Stichting Le Guess Who heeft een Culturele ANBI-status. Een ANBI is een instelling die zich voor minstens 90% inzet voor het algemeen nut. Een ANBI is vrijgesteld van schenkbelasting. Voor een begunstiger van een ANBI betekent deze ANBI-status fiscaal voordeel in de inkomstenbelasting en de vennootschapsbelasting. KVK-nummer: 51954222RSI...
Launching COSMOS, a new, hybrid platform by Le Guess Who?
As an international festival, Le Guess Who? has always worked with a borderless and boundary-crossing ethos. Now, we further enhance this focus with the launch of COSMOS: a new, hybrid platform that connects the local, physical festival environment with exclusive content that is available for worldwide, online streaming, via cosmos.legues...
COSMOS Embassy: Tbilisi, Georgia
Mutant Radio is a media platform that focuses on various directions: mixes, interviews, educational shows, live performances and discussions. Gathering artists, DJs, and interesting personalities to focus on the subject of their preference and their interest, Mutant Radio offers like-minded people an opportunity to enjoy quality music and...
Read: The Quietus interviews Joe Cardamone ahead of LGW18
Ahead of his appearance at Le Guess Who? 2018, The Quietus interviews Joe Cardamone about his searing new multimedia project, making art in the era of Trump, and how he survived the end of the gr...
Ziúr announces new album 'Home' & shares single 'No Yawn'
Driven by an appetite for boundless experimentation, producer and composer Ziúr has always been subverting expectations, corkscrewing through hardcore, metal and punk before veering towards electronic music's turbulent fringes. Today, the Le Guess Who? 2025 guest curator announces her upcoming album Home, out on September 5th via K...
Le Guess Who? launches freely accessible city festival U? / Le Guess Who? lanceert gratis toegankelijk stadsfestival U?
Le Guess Who? exists to bring people together through art and music. In 2021, the international festival for boundary-crossing music and culture makes a new addition to the upcoming festival edition: U?, a new, participative and freely accessible day program created for and with the city of Utrecht.
Introducing: Kelsey Lu: cello experiments turned into minimalistic, R&B-infused folk music
Raised in North Carolina, Kelsey Lu (although she prefers you just call her 'Lu') is the daughter of two devout Jehovah’s Witnesses. From a young age on, Lu was always encouraged to surround her...
Listen: The Body & Dis Fig - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024
The Body & Dis Fig performed live on the opening night of Le Guess Who? 2024. Relive the full, overwhelming - sonically as well as physically - performance below. A crossover between American duo The Body, who have been tinkering with noise and metal since 1999, and Berlin-based DJ, producer, and vocalist Felicia Chen (AKA Di...
Watch/read: ZENITH x Zilzal by Rogier Boogaard
For U? 2023, Utrecht-based collective ZENITH and independent, Palestinian sound platform Zilzal join forces at the former Pieter Baan Centrum that serves as a powerful channel for 00970, gbw9, RAGASA, and Noise Diva to express their “current mental situation.” Photographer Rogier Boogaard documented a part of the artists ZENIT...
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...
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...
Watch: La Blogothèque's Take Away Show with Sudan Archives, captured at LGW17
During Le Guess Who? 2017, the French team of La Blogothèque traveled to Utrecht to record two intimate Take Away Shows at inspiring and special locations in our city. Now, we present the first...
Watch: Tunisia's Stambeli Ritual (COSMOS Scene Report)
The ritual dance practice of Stambeli is a centuries old method to induce trance-like states through sound. In this short documentary, director Mohammed Ali Fakhfakh portrays Am Salah, one of the few remaining yenna ("Stambeli master"). Am Salah invites us into his world, on an intimate journey into the depth of spiritual liberation that...
Revealing the full line-up for Le Guess Who? 2018 + day tickets on sale now
We're proud to reveal the full line-up for Le Guess Who? 2018 with 47 new additions to the program. Starting today, day tickets for the festival are also on sale. The final additions to the Le...
Kevin Richard Martin (The Bug) & Hatis Noit share exclusive track ahead of their live premiere at LGW19
The Wire Magazine shares an exclusive collaborative track from Le Guess Who? curator Kevin Richard Martin (The Bug) and Japanese voice artist Hatis Noit, entitled 'After The Storm'. Listen to the track and read a statement about the duo's collaborative project here on The Wire's website. To receive a free download of t...
Minyo Crusaders - Live at Le Guess Who? 2019
Japanese 10-piece ensemble Minyo Crusaders performed at Le Guess Who? 2019, following the release of their debut album ‘Echoes of Japan’, at one of the festival main stages: TivoliVredenburg's Grote Zaal. It became a life-affirming and glorious performance that you can now relive with the audio recording of the full show, and...
The Vinyl Factory guides you through the 10 essential records of Art Ensemble of Chicago
Art Ensemble of Chicago’s oeuvre is equally impressive as it is extensive. In their 50-year existence, Chicago’s acclaimed and praised free jazz collective recorded dozens of live and stud...
Stream Joan Of Arc's new album '1984'
Over the past twenty years, Joan Of Arc has been the primary instrument of Tim Kinsella's limitless imagination. With a constantly revolving cast of musicians orbiting around Kinsella, Joan Of Arc&rsq...
Listen: Devendra Banhart covers Joan of Arc’s ‘Shown and Told’
Leading up to Joan of Arc’s forthcoming album ‘1984’, Devendra Banhart released a cover of Joan of Arc’s ‘Shown And Told’ for Joyful Noise Recordings' ‘Cause...
Track of the Week #12: Sibusile Xaba - 'Open Letter to Adoniah'
Every week, we’ll bring you a must-hear track from the Le Guess Who? 2018 line-up. This week, we offer you an extraordinary mix of bossa nova, flamenco, jazz and prog folk, courtesy of ...
Audio archive update: Elza Soares live at Le Guess Who? 2016
After eight decades of triumph and tragedy, Brazilian protest singer Elza Soares is lauded as queen of samba and a powerful voice against repression and injustice relating to gender, race, sexual orie...
COSMOS Embassy: Lima, Peru
In partnership with Buh Records. Buh Records is a record label, based in Lima-Peru, founded in 2004 by Luis Alvarado. Focused on a wide universe of experimental and unconventional music, with outstanding work in the historical archive of Peruvian and Latin American experimental and avant-garde music, attracting the attention...
Audio / Podcast 2021
Audio Recordings Listen to performances of the Microphones, Mazaher, FLOHIO, Slumberland feat. Sainkho Namtchylak, Zwangere Guy, Suuns, Ice Balloons and Plague Organ. VISIT AUDIO ARCHIVE
First wave of artists announced for fifth edition of 24-HOUR DRONE
Multidisciplinary arts center Basilica Hudson and Le Guess Who? will host the fifth edition of 24-HOUR DRONE from noon - noon on April 27 and April 28 in Hudson, NY. The first wave of artists are now announced, including world-renowned Indian classical musician Maestro Khan with a performance of Indian classical/folk music for tabl...
Watch: Cheikha Rabia & Esraa Warda - Live at Le Guess Who?
Renowned rai singer Cheikha Rabia & Esraa Warda, a prolific dancer expert in traditional North African dance forms, performed live at Le Guess Who? 2022 as part of the Hidden Musics project. Relive the mesmerizing performance at TivoliVredenburg's Pandora via our concert film below: AboutCheikha Rabia and Esraa Warda both hail from...
U?: listen to the debut album of ominous hip-hop duo Kleine Crack & Slagter
(Nederlandse tekst hieronder)Kleine Crack is a Belgian artist signed to hip-hop label Burning Fik, the label of Faberyayo (De Jeugd van Tegenwoordig) and Abel (Hang Youth). The cult rapper and his producer-teammate Slagter create ominous hip-hop, set to heavy beats and scary lyrics. In their hometown Antwerp they are stalwarts of the scen...
Listen to Nihiloxica’s new album ‘Source of Denial’
As Nihiloxica, musician Spooky-J and producer pq harness the full force of the Nilotika Cultural Ensemble's ancient Bugandan drumming tradition of Uganda and focus it on the contemporary dance floor through a dark lens of techno sensibility. Their new album, Source of Denial, which serves as a follow-up of their 2020 debut album Kaloli,...
Track of the Week #4: Eleanor Friedberger - 'Everything'
Every week, we’ll bring you a must-hear track from the Le Guess Who? 2018 line-up. This week, we feature a track of Eleanor Friedberger's latest full-length 'Rebound'. As former half of indie si...
Track of the Week #20: Tirzah - ‘Gladly’
Every week, we bring you a must-hear track from the Le Guess Who? 2018 line-up. This week, we present a perfectly imperfect pop song about the overwhelming generosity of love in its simplest gest...
Lombok Festival returns: Friday, 9 November during Le Guess Who? 2018
Cycle or walk through Utrecht suburb Lombok's main street, and you're immediately welcomed by Turkish and Moroccan grocery stores, bakeries, the smell of kebab, and huge piles of colorful fruits sold...
Watch: LGW in cooperation with graphic school X11: students experience the music of LGW17
Le Guess Who? is cooperating with local graphic school X11 this year. We introduced our festival to the students, and also introduced some of our artists to them. For some of them, it was th...
Listen: MIKE live at Le Guess Who? 2023, curated by Slauson Malone 1
As part of Slauson Malone 1's curation at Le Guess Who?, New York City rapper MIKE performed live at the festival with tracks from all across his discography and an emphasis on material from his 2022 album Beware of the Monkey and its follow-up, Burning Desire. Tune in below. "A magnetic stage presence fused with one of the most...
Listen to Tampa rap duo They Hate Change's new LP 'Finally, New'; curated by clipping. for LGW22
Tampa's They Hate Change is a project born out of the duo's more-than-encyclopedic sonic knowledge. In between East Coast hip-hop influences and hyperlocal bass-music leanings, Dre and Vonne bond over their omnivorous appreciation of everything from grime to emo. The duo recently released their new album 'Finally, New' via Jagjaguwar to...
Watch: OSEES plays live cover of Faust's 'J'ai Mal Aux Dents'
Multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter, visual artist and record label owner John Dwyer is one of the curators of Le Guess Who? 2021. One of the artists he invites to the festival is German krautrock group Faust, who will perform their iconic album 'Faust IV'. Earlier this year, Dwyer's main band OSEES played a l...
Ice Balloons - Live at Le Guess Who? 2021
Brooklyn-based noise/rock band Ice Balloons features Sean Kennerly (Samiam) on bass and vocals, Kyp Malone (TV on the Radio) on synthesizers and modules, and Lyla Vander (Habibi) on drums and vocals. According to the band itself, it was a ‘common misinterpretation of psychosis’ that led Ice Balloons to start making music. The...
Listen to Turkish psych group Baba Zula live at LGW14, ahead of their return to Utrecht
Turkish psychedelic music group Baba Zula performed the opening set for the legendary Selda Bağcan at Le Guess Who? 2014. We now bring you the recordings of the show, ahead of the band's return to Utr...
Read: "The Cosmic Consciousness of Shabazz Palaces’ Ishmael Butler"
Bandcamp Daily interviews Shabazz Palaces’ Ishmael Butler about his ambitious body of work; "how he blends the concrete sensibilities of hip-hop with the outermost regions of space, and why...
Listen: Dreamcrusher releases 'Live at Le Guess Who? 2022' for Bandcamp Friday
Dreamcrusher, the project of multidisciplinary artist Luwayne Glass, performed live at Le Guess Who? 2022 as part of the program curated by clipping. You can now listen to his performance below, released via Dreamcrusher for Bandcamp Friday. Live at Le Guess Who? 2022 by DREAMCRUSHER AboutDreamcrusher began on Kansas-born, New Yor...
Watch: video reports from Sudan, Lebanon, Jordan & Yemen now online as part of our new series of Reports from Other Continents
Reports from Other Continents is a platform for people to tell their own story. After the overwhelming response to the Reports in 2020, Le Guess Who? continued to reach out to artists, musicians, and creatives across the globe to find stories from within their local communities that should be shared with the world. In Reports from Other...
Listen to Richard Dawson perform 'Museum' and 'Two Halves' at Le Guess Who?
Richard Dawson performed live at Utrecht's Jacobikerk during Le Guess Who? 2023 as part of the program curated by Slauson Malone 1. You can now listen to the British folk master performing Museum (from the 2022 album The Ruby Chord) and Two Halves (from 2020). "The next song is from the point of view of a robot or an AI, somethin...
Bo Ningen share NTS Mix for their curation at Le Guess Who? 2024
This year, Japanese psych-rock outfit Bo Ningen are one of the guest curators of Le Guess Who?, with their curation is dedicated to “representing the Bo Ningen community, with lots of collaborative projects and with a strong focus on audiovisual performances.” As an introduction to their program, Taigen Kawabe, lead singer a...
U? collaborates with community curators for 2024 program
Le Guess Who? exists to bring people together through music and art. U?, its freely accessible city program, is dedicated to celebrating creativity in all its diversity. For U? 2024, we are collaborating with five different NL-based community curators who will highlight their communities and creativity at the festival. U? aims to collabo...
Listen: 'Sucio' by LYZZA x DJ Babatr, from upcoming Chromesthesia compilation album
On Friday, 8 November 2024, the compilation album Chromesthesia: the Colour of Sound Vol. 1 is set to be released. Brainchild of British-Egyptian historian Hannah Elsisi (NYU AD, Cambridge), Chromesthesia—aptly named "the colour of sound"— tracks afro-diasporic rhythms from the Whole Mangrove World. Now, the first single from...
Concert film: Kamilya Jubran - Live at Le Guess Who?
Palestinian-born, Paris-based musician Kamilya Jubran, one of the most revered figures in the experimental and alternative Arabic music scenes, performs at Le Guess Who? 2023, curated by Heba Kadry. Relive the mesmerizing performance with our concert film. About Raised by her music-loving parents in Galilee, for 20 years she was...
Listen: Noura Mint Seymali live at Le Guess Who? 2024
Noura Mint Seymali performed on the opening night of Le Guess Who? 2024 as part of the program curated by Arooj Aftab. You can now listen to, and relive, the full performance below. Noura Mint Seymali is a nationally adored Mauritanian musical star, born into a prominent line of Moorish griot; West African praise singers, poets a...
FLOHIO - Live at Le Guess Who? 2021
Following the release of her debut ‘No Panic No Pain’, south London rapper FLOHIO performed at TivoliVredenburg’s Ronda during Le Guess Who? 2021. You can now relive the performance; listen to the full show below: "Lagos born, South London based MC, Flohio is ready to rage her way to the top of rap, passing by grime,...
Listen: Not Waving & Dark Mark album 'Downwelling'
Not Waving & Dark Mark is the blood pact between the ink-black, minimal productions of Alessio Natalizia and the smoke-suffused vocal drawl of alt-rock minstrel Mark Lanegan. Natalizia releases music through the minimal synth/post punk Not Waving moniker and is one half of the Kompakt techno ambient duo Walls whose self-titl...
Watch: George E Lewis & Art Ensemble's Roscoe Mitchell in conversation at CTM 2018
During the latest edition of Berlin's CTM, two jazz pioneers and members of the AACM - Art Ensemble of Chicago's Roscoe Mitchell and music professor George E Lewis - spoke about th...
The Line of Best Fit premieres the recordings of Protomartyr live at LGW17
Detroit's Protomartyr performed at Le Guess Who? 2017 as part of the program curated by Basilica Soundscape. Here, the band present work from their newest album 'Relatives in Descent', as well as song...
Video portrait: The Ecstatic Music of Alice Coltrane at Le Guess Who? 2017
Le Guess Who? & de Volkskrant bring you video portraits of artists performing at Le Guess Who? 2017. Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda’s devotion to spirituality defined the final decades o...
Read: The Quietus on Lili Boulanger's "towering" ‘Du Fond De L'Abîme’
Lili Boulanger (1893) is a unique and prodigious case studies in music history, taking up singing, organ, piano, violin, cello and harp at the premature age of five. Boulanger died at the age of...
Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares amongst NPR's '150 Greatest Albums Made By Women'
"Why make a list of the greatest albums made by women? To start a new conversation, and to rewrite history." NPR Music just published a list of '150 Greatest Albums Made By Women': a beautiful select...
Listen: The Wire shares Moor Mother-curated playlist for Le Guess Who? 2018
Moor Mother's Camae Ayewa has put together her own playlist as an introduction to her curated program at Le Guess Who? 2018, with some of her favorite tracks of each artist. Hosting several of h...
Watch: clipping. - Live at Le Guess Who? 2022 concert film
During the 15th Anniversary Edition of Le Guess Who? in 2022, West Coast hip-hop trio clipping. performed live as part of their guest curation at the festival. We're thrilled to now share the concert film of the performance, with clipping. performing tracks from throughout their discography, including fan favorites such as ‘N...
Slauson Malone 1 releases new album 'EXCELSIOR'
Slauson Malone 1 is the musical project and performance piece of artist Jasper Marsalis. With this project he explores the intersections of popular music and performance art. Following two critically acclaimed prior releases — 2019’s A Quiet Farwell, 2016-2018 (Crater Speak) and 2020’s Vergangenheitsbewältigung (Cra...
Listen to Le Cri du Caire's mesmerizing performance at Le Guess Who? 2023
One year ago, Le Cri du Caire released their hauntingly beautiful, self-tilted debut album. We are now thrilled to share the recording of their mesmerizing performance at Utrecht's Jacobikerk during Le Guess Who? 2023, where the group performed the majority of the album, as well as new material. AboutSinger, writer, poet, and expressio...
Le Guess Who? & U? present Phantom Wizard
Phantom Wizard is an artist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist of Surinamese descent who is born and raised in the Dutch capital. He embarks on a deeply personal yet profoundly universal journey, punctuated by experimentation and improvisation. Nature, afrofuturism, jazz, and hip-hop have come together to form his ethereal work. He use...
Photo series: Bo Ningen's curation at LGW24 by Melanie Marsman & Juri Hiensch
Japanese psych-rock outfit Bo Ningen is no stranger to Le Guess Who?. After several performances, they returned to the festival in 2024 with their own curation dedicated to 'representing the Bo Ningen community', with many collaborative projects and a strong focus on audiovisual performances. "Bo Ningen, one of this edition’s curat...
Listen to Swamp Dogg's new album 'Love, Loss and Auto-Tune'
Soul maverick Swamp Dogg has released his new album ‘Love, Loss and Auto-Tune’ via Joyful Noise Recordings. Although Jerry Williams Jr. said goodbye to the life of a conventional...
COSMOS Embassy: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
In partnership with V2X. About V2XV2X represents a new generation of Vietnamese creatives shaping their own identities. Operating as an independent media company on the intersection of art, music, culture, V2X highlights creative communities from all corners of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Their work curating emerging cultures in today's m...
Lombok Festival 2018 announces complete program
In a couple of weeks, our satellite event Lombok Festival will return as part of Le Guess Who?, highlighting this vibrantly diverse neighborhood of Utrecht. The event is organized...
Discover our Utrecht Treasure Guide with 40+ special offers for LGW visitors
In our Utrecht Treasure Guide - which is part of this year's official program guide -, we offer you a handpicked selection of exciting (non-LGW) events and locations in our city to explore. Selected with great care, every store, restaurant or event we highlight is deeply embedded in the daily life of many Utrechters, and all of the...
Read: Jambinai guide The Line of Best Fit through Seoul, South Korea
South Korean outfit Jambinai performs a thrilling mix of post rock, noisy jazz, dreamy ambient, electro and metal. If you're interested in learning more about the city of Seoul, look no further. For T...
Listen to Ekin Fil's new album 'Ghosts Inside'
Istanbul-based ambient/drone artist Ekin Fil just released her new album 'Ghosts Inside'. Behind an icy fog of dripping reverb, her vocals hardly ever register beyond whispers and sighs, always just o...
OCnotes: a wildly unpredictable yet razor-sharp sound explorer, curated by Shabazz Palaces
Born in the Southwest of the United States as Otis Calvin III, OCnotes was influenced at an early age by skateboard culture and developed a fascination for cartoons, as well as receiving musical educa...
Explore the initial line-up of Le Guess Who? 2019 with our official playlist
The initial line-up for Le Guess Who? 2019 has now been revealed. Delve into the music of all artists announced as part of the initial with our handpicked, official playlist. From Asha Puthli's cosmic disco anthem 'Space Talk' to the juggernaut industrial/metal of Godflesh, back to the vulnerable and healing music of La Bruja de...
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...
Watch the concert film of Mourning [A] BLKstar - Live at Le Guess Who? 2022
Mourning [A] BLKstar performed live on the opening night of Le Guess Who?'s 15th Anniversary Edition in 2022. The collective, made up of musicians, writers, and multimedia artists, has a bountiful track record, amassing several releases under its belt since 2015. Their music is for both eulogies and revolutions, as they expand upon contem...
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...
Playlist: LGW24 curated by Errol & Alex Rita (Touching Bass)
Each year, Le Guess Who? invites trailblazing creatives to curate their own dedicated programs, highlighting their inspirations, emerging acts and fellow like-minded artists, with an emphasis on discovery and exploration.Errol & Alex Rita, founders of the London-based musical movement Touching Bass, introduce their curation at Le Gues...
U? presents Elekufiya at HE:LEEN Festival
(scroll naar beneden voor de Nederlandse tekst) On Saturday 14 September, U? presents a program at HE:LEEN Festival in the Le Guess Who? office. This year, HE:LEEN Festival returns to Rotsoord for a new edition full of talented musicians, artists and performers. The festival highlights the creative and energetic appearance of the area....
Watch Wu-Lu perform 'Ten' & 'Blame' live at Le Guess Who?
South London's Wu-Lu, spearheaded by musician/vocalist Miles Romans-Hopcraft, performed live at Le Guess Who? 2024 as part of Bo Ningen's curated program for the festival. Below, you can watch the group perform the tracks Ten & Blame from the album LOGGERHEAD, released via Warp Records. “Powered by artistic freedom and sens...
Listen: Peter Brötzmann discusses post-WWII politics of sound & the European free jazz scene
During Le Guess Who? 2017, Red Bull Radio met up with German jazz saxophonist Peter Brötzmann (who collaborated with Han Bennink at the festival), to discuss post-WWII politics of sound...
Watch Soweto's BCUC present a fusionist 'Africangungungu' session for Red Bull Music
Started out as a social gathering in their native township of Soweto, BCUC (Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness) is an South African alliance of guitarists, djembe players, flute artists, and spoken wo...
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...
LGW Festival App
Want to be among the first to hear about the latest news & program updates? Download our official festival app. When you switch on notifications in the app, you'll receive news and last-minute update on your phone. During the festival weekend you can explore the line-up, create your personal timetable, find your way through Utrecht w...
Photo series: The Getdowns by Rogier Boogaard
The Getdowns are a young hardrock & punkband from Utrecht. Influenced by bands like Pearl Jam and The Beatles, the four boys produce a massive amount of noise characterised by distortion pedals and raw vocals.
Support DNA? AND? and help them create a VR Music Improvisation Experience
On the opening night of Le Guess Who? 2024, attendees will be treated to a performance by Oslo-based improvisation project DNA? AND?. Going strong for over a decade, the collective has traveled the world, played with N.U. Unruh and Hamid Drake, and gathered praise from international outlets such as The Quietus and more. For the upcoming...
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...
LGW & Utrecht Early Music Festival start long-term collaboration; first joint project at LGW18
2018 marks the start of a long-term collaboration between the Utrecht Early Music Festival and Le Guess Who?. The first joint project, a marathon concert by musician and anthropologist Björn Schm...
Premiere: King Champion Sounds - 'Om Bhur Bhuvah Svah'; new album 'For A Lark' released during LGW
Formed by Kenya-born musician Ajay Saggar in 2013, King Champion Sounds are an impetuous, eight-headed band from The Netherlands and England. Fronted by the inimitable G.W. Sok (former singer of...
Read: The Guardian talk to The Necks' Tony Buck about improvising and bypassing the brain onstage
After a highly impressive performance in 2015, we can't wait to have dynamic, improvisational trio The Necks back at Le Guess Who? this November. Founded in Australia in 1987, the group have been happily making music on the fringes for over three decades, working outside of conventions and allowing stories to unravel with painst...
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...
Read via The Quietus: which records would Jean-Hervé Peron (Faust) 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...
COSMOS Embassy: Delhi, Goa & Bangalore, India
REProduce Live is a peer to peer live streaming platform that showcases left leaning artistic expression within India. Their goal is to weave a new fabric by challenging expectations of what contemporary artistic risk taking in the region could look and sound like. For COSMOS, REProduce Live presented a selection of events they've pr...
Listen to French sound sculptor Félicia Atkinson's new album 'The Flower And The Vessel'
Today, Shelter Press just releases Félicia Atkinson's new album 'The Flower And The Vessel'. The French experimental composer and poet was partly influenced by the French classical pieces that shaped her childhood, including Maurice Ravel's 'L'enfant et les sortilèges', Debussy's 'La Mer', and Erik Satie's 'Gymnop&...
Read via The Quietus: which records would Ghalia Benali 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...
Premiere: Please The Trees share video for 'Infinite Dance'; new album out 19 September
Czech Republic's Please The Trees originally hail from the forests of a mountainous region in East Bohemia. Grounded in the psychedelic riffs and motorik beats of krautrock, the band will present...
Revisit James Holden & The Animal Spirits' live performance at LGW17
Electronic explorer James Holden presented his new performance 'James Holden & The Animal Spirits' live at Le Guess Who? 2017, featuring tracks from his new album; a record that enhances Holden&rs...
Read Jerusalem In My Heart's Epiphany essay on meeting Abdel Karim Shaar (via The Wire)
The kind people at The Wire have made an essay from Jerusalem In My Heart's Radwan Ghazi Moumneh available online for free in their archives. In the Epiphany piece, Moumneh writes about the...
AEAEA (Nicolas Jaar x Patrick Higgins) - Live at Le Guess Who? 2019
We’re thrilled to share the video of AEAEA (Nicolas Jaar x Patrick Higgins)’s live premiere at Le Guess Who? 2019. AEAEA is the recent collaboration of two of today’s most acclaimed musical visionaries; in 2019, Le Guess Who? proudly presented the duo’s live premiere as part of Patrick Higgins’ curation at th...
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. ...
Le Guess Who? offers Low Income Day Tickets for 2025 edition
(Nederlandse tekst hieronder) Following the success of last year's pilot, we are continuing to offer Low Income Day Tickets for Le Guess Who? 2025. This initiative is specifically for those who otherwise would not be able to attend the festival. This initiative arises from the fact that we hear that the ticket price is still one of the...
The Bug's Kevin Martin announces solo album 'Sirens'
The Bug's Kevin Martin has announced his new solo album 'Sirens', to be released via Room40 on May 31st. It is the first time the electronic producer and composer releases a record under his real name. 'Sirens' is about the emotional rollercoaster that Martin experienced becoming a parent, heightened through the complex circumstances...
Listen: Sudan/UK collective The Scorpios live at Le Guess Who? 2018
Sudan/UK collective The Scorpios performed on the closing day of Le Guess Who? 2018. Inspired by traditional Sudanese music and 60s and 70s pop, the group create an elated mix of Arabic rhythms, raw Eastern funk and vintage psychedelia. You can now listen to their full festival performance: About Having fled from the fundamentalists i...
Read: The Quietus interviews DJ Haram about Philadelphia and her link with Moor Mother
One-half of Philly duo 700 Bliss and member of the Discwoman collective DJ Haram speaks to The Quietus about the scene in her base of Philadelphia, linking up with Moor Mother and the Discwo...
Watch Zeal & Ardor's new video for 'Blood In The River'
The genre-bending Zeal & Ardor share the video for 'Blood In The River', taken from their debut album 'Devil is Fine'. The track was recorded live in the Off The Road Studios. Watch below.&nb...
Read via The Quietus: which records would Aksak Maboul 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...
COSMOS Embassy: Bandung, Indonesia
In partnership with NORRM Radio & LaMunai Records. An introduction to Indonesia’s few select musicians and musical groups that portray the eclectic and diverse sounds, created through a variety of methods and different environments. Norrm Radio and La Munai Records wishes to capture the creative process of these m...
Revealing the full program + timetable for U?, LGW's largest free day program to date
U? is Le Guess Who’s participatory and freely accessible day program, made for–and with–the city of Utrecht. With U?, Le Guess Who? extends its mission to enrich people through music and culture even further to the city. From 10-13 November, U? features music performances, exhibitions, brunches, silent disco&rsquo...
Meshell Ndegeocello announces new James Baldwin-inspired album via Blue Note
Fresh on the heels of her Sun Ra Tribute Album Red Hot & Ra : The Magic City and last year's The Omnichord Real Book, acclaimed multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and neo-soul movement igniter Meshell Ndegeocello has announced her second Blue Note album No More Water: The Gospel Of James Baldwin. The album is an homage to the e...
Listen: COSMOS on Refuge Worldwide with Kafr El-Dauwar Records
For the April episode of COSMOS' monthly, globe-traversing radio show on Refuge Worldwide, we're bridging the gap between new currents in Egyptian club music and their traditional roots. For this mix, our Embassy partners from Cairo, Khaled and Yunis, connected us with DJ/producer Shah, who represents Kafr El-Dauwar Records, an ind...
Ian Svenonius releases new Escape-Ism album 'The Lost Record'
The mythical performer and rock 'n roll reinventer Ian Svenonius has released 'The Lost Record'. It's the second album of his solo project Escape-Ism, after 2017s 'Introduction to Escape-Ism'. With hi...
Panda Bear & Sonic Boom, Alabaster DePlume, The Bug join LGW22; Animal Collective & Low cancel upcoming shows
We’re pleased to announce that Panda Bear & Sonic Boom, Alabaster DePlume, The Bug feat. Flowdan, The Notwist, África Negra, Max Cooper, EIGEN RISICO, Smote, and The Brother Moves On will be joining us this year. View the full line-up here. We’re also announcing programs, films & exhibitions presented by...
Revealing the full program for COSMOS 2023
COSMOS is Le Guess Who?’s globe-spanning initiative that amplifies exciting music scenes from around the world through films, interviews, performances, and artist residencies. We now reveal the full 2023 line-up, after previously announcing the Embassies and COSMOS Live, the first-ever live program, to be presented at Le Guess Who?...
Track of the Week #15: Georgia Anne Muldrow - 'Great Blacks'
Every week, we bring you a must-hear track from the Le Guess Who? 2018 line-up. This week, we zoom in on an old-school-esque hip-hop track from LA-based producer, musician and vocalist Georgia Anne Mu...
Music for when the sun goes down: 'Under the Liliac Sky' by Arushi Jain
Arushi Jain, a Brooklyn-based singer, producer, NTS radio host, and engineer, has made waves with her music by combining North Indian ragas with an unconventional vision of a centuries-old tradition. Jain was raised on Hindustani classical music, but while studying engineering and coding, she discovered modular synthesis. On her debut al...
Gyedu-Blay Ambolley announces new album '11th Street, Sekondi', shares first single 'Black Woman'
Ghanaian saxophonist, singer and guitarist Gyedu-Blay Ambolley returns with a brand new album, entitled '11th Street, Sekondi', and now shares the first single 'Black Woman'. On the album, named after the area of West Ghana where he grew up, Ambolley looks back at the area and musical styles that shaped his life. '11th Street, Sekond...
"I think the individual is bigger than the tradition": MusicMap.Global interviews Negro Leo
MusicMap.Global is a site dedicated to celebrating the global underground. Leading up to Le Guess Who? 2018, they interview some of the artists playing the festival. First up is Brazil's Negro Leo, ak...
Video portraits: Elza Soares, Julia Holter, Lee Ranaldo & more at LGW16
Le Guess Who? & de Volkskrant bring you video portraits of artists performing at Le Guess Who? 2016. We meet legendary Brazilian protest singer Elza Soares before her performance, and talk...
Watch & read: Irena & Vojtěch Havlovi play four hands piano recorded by Vincent Moon
Throughout their decades-long musical partnership, Czech artists Irena Havlová and Vojtěch Havel 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 and friends which include Sufjan Stevens and T...
The Quietus premiere intimate session with OKI captured in Utrecht by Vincent Moon
The Quietus have premiered an intimate session with OKI captured live in Utrecht by Vincent Moon during Le Guess Who? 2022, along with a Q&A with the artist. OKI performs 'Muysoka hanene' and 'Tonkori Monimahpo-Yaykatekar (Medley)' in the garden of Grand Hotel Karel V in Utrecht. Watch the session and read the Q&A here via The Qui...
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...
The Quietus interviews JPEGMAFIA about journalism, Throbbing Gristle, and 'Veteran'
Ahead of his appearance at Le Guess Who? 2018, The Quietus has interviewed lo-fi rap and trap producer JPEGMAFIA. In the interview, he talks about the study of journalism the curr...
COSMOS Embassy: Nairobi, Kenya
In partnership with Santuri East Africa Santuri East Africa is a community-focused music innovation hub based in Nairobi, Kenya.Their goal is to bring about a more equitable, authentic, and diverse music industry. For a full decade, the Santuri organization has been supporting, highlighting, and releasing a mix of contemporary and tradit...
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...
Damon Locks' Black Monument Ensemble - Live at Le Guess Who? 2021
Damon Locks' Black Monument Ensemble performed live at Le Guess Who? 2021. Curated by Matana Roberts for the festival, it marked the group's European live premiere. Now can now relive the performance with this video of the ensemble performing 'The Body Is Electric' from their latest & acclaimed album 'NOW'. AboutThe past and...
Listen: Colin Stetson shares impressive score for TV series 'The First'
Following up his horrifying score for the film ‘Hereditary’, Colin Stetson has now composed a soundtrack for Hulu TV series ‘The First’: a futuristic drama about the first mann...
Stream: eclectic London-based collective The Heliocentrics live at Le Guess Who? 2018
For eclectic London-based group The Heliocentrics, musical boundaries are invisible. This collective has the ability to fluently string together a broad spectrum of genres, including free-form jazz, h...
We'll have our very own Le Guess Who? Beer, in collaboration with De Kromme Haring
We’re very happy to announce that we'll have our very own Le Guess Who? Beer for sale at the festival this year. In collaboration with one of Utrecht’s finest microbreweries, De Kromme Har...
Listen: Dutch-Croatian artist Eerie Wanda releases third album 'Internal Radio'
Released on September 23 via Joyful Noise, Eerie Wanda's new album 'Internal Radio' invites listeners to explore the mysteries of life, immerse themselves in (un)familiar emotional territories and experience the artist's inner world only to return reborn. Eerie Wanda is the indie pop solo project of Dutch-Croatian singer, songwriter and...
Announcing the full line-up for 24-HOUR DRONE at Basilica Hudson, NY
24-HOUR DRONE is an immersive experience featuring musicians and sound artists experimenting within the spectrum of drone. Together, they create 24 hours of unbroken, uninterrupted sound. The event blurs the line between artist and attendee to create transcendence through communal experience. Happening in-person for the first time...
LGW presents The Anonymous Project: a radical new format for artists and listeners
Le Guess Who? premieres a new format as part of its 2023 festival edition. The Anonymous Project is a new avenue for artists to present their work and for listeners to discover it. During The Anonymous Project, artists will perform in a white cube on stage with scenography commissioned to ensure the artists will remain anonymous at...
Listen: Rafael Toral's Spectral Evolution
With whirring synths and chirping guitars, Rafael Toral’s Spectral Evolution sounds like a message sent from space to earth. The latest album by the experimental musician is a monumental drone suite in which horns morph into electronic instruments for a soundscape that sounds natural as much as it sounds otherworldly. Since h...
LGW24 curator Mabe Fratti releases new album 'Sentir Que No Sabes'
Avant-garde cellist and vocalist Mabe Fratti returns to Le Guess Who? in 2024 as guest curator and performer. Now, she releases her new album Sentir Que No Sabes: a brave album, rich in both sonic inventiveness as emotional depth. At Le Guess Who?, Mabe Fratti will perform the music from the album accompanied by the London-based vocal gro...
Introducing Ensemble Klang, presenting the live premiere of 'Thrift Hybrids' at LGW21
The Hague innovative music Ensemble Klang, known for their dynamic approach to contemporary music and sonic adventure, were invited by this year's LGW curator Midori Takada to perform at the festival. They will present 'Thrift Hybrids' by composer and producer Matthew Wright and soprano Claron McFadden, which already exists as a video ins...
Le Guess Who? collaborates with Dutch Council for Refugees & NewBees for 'Grant an Entry' initiative
(Nederlandse versie hieronder) With Day Tickets and 4-Day Passes for Le Guess Who? 2022 currently being on sale, we are once again offering the 'Grant an Entry' option in our ticketing system, for which we are continuing our cooperation with the Dutch Council for Refugees and NewBees The 'Grant an Entry' initiative gives festival v...
Watch: 3voor12 live sessions at LGW21 with Bendik Giske, Automatic, Mario Batkovic, and Vanishing Twin
At Club Nine on the top floor of TivoliVredenburg, the main location and hub of Le Guess Who?, Dutch broadcaster VPRO 3voor12 recorded live sessions with four artists who performed at Le Guess Who? 2021.Watch and listen to the sessions with Berlin-based abstract saxophonist Bendik Giske, Los Angeles indie punk band Automatic, Bosnian-Swis...
Listen to Devendra Banhart's new song about the 25th Amendment
Led by his swirling trail of mystic folk, raga spirituals and Latin-American rock, Devendra Banhart tackles one of the 27 amendments to the United States Constitution in a new song, logicall...
SASAMI signs to Domino; releases new track ‘Not The Time’
Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter SASAMI has released her new song ‘Not The Time’, the follow-up to her debut track ‘Callous’, released earlier this year. ‘Not The Time...
Open Call: U? is looking for NL-based community curators
For U? 2024, we are looking for new and eager (aspiring) curators to highlight their communities and creativity at the festival.
Tokyo-based hip-hop trio Dos Monos share epic collaborative track with Japanese novelist Yasutaka Tsutsui
‘Dos City’, Tokyo-based hip-hop trio Dos Monos’ 2019 debut album which balanced jazz and hyperactive verse spitting, became an introduction to the group’s uncompromised and intense sound. As we wrote in the trio's biography: "a certain promise of more purely original cacophony to come." Now, Dos Monos share a new...
Mount Eerie - (after)
Mount Eerie has released his new live album '(after)', which was recorded in full at Le Guess Who? 2017. The performance was curated by Perfume Genius for the festival, and took place at the Jacobikerk, a magnificent gothic church that dates back to the 13th century, in front of a reverent crowd. '(after)' features songs from Mount...
OSEES - Live at Le Guess Who? 2021
Multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter, visual artist and record label owner John Dwyer was one of the curators for Le Guess Who? 2021, presenting his personal program with inspirations and fellow like-minded artists. As part of the curation, Dwyer also performed twice himself on the final day of the festival: first with jam-loving c...
Gruff Rhys - Live at Le Guess Who? 2017
Welsh musician, composer, producer and author Gruff Rhys (Super Furry Animals) was one of the artists to give a surprise performance at Le Guess Who? 2017. It was an an intimate solo show which took pace in the stunning Jacobikerk. The song 'Colonise The Moon' features Cate Le Bon and Sweet Baboo on piano & clarinet. The Line of...
Plague Organ - Live at Le Guess Who? 2021
A nice surprise came our way recently. The sound engineer at De Helling during Le Guess Who? 2021 was able to capture the intense performance of Dutch outfit Plague Organ. Or at least, almost the entire performance: apparently the engineer was so overwhelmed upon the start of the show that he was about half a minute late with starting the...
Circuit des Yeux - 'Reaching for Indigo: GAIA INFINITUS'
For a very special, one-time performance at Le Guess Who? 2018, Circuit des Yeux's Haley Fohr enlisted an eight-piece ensemble featuring members of the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra. With this performance, Fohr further expanded the captivating compositions of her latest, acclaimed album ‘Reaching for Indigo’, which c...
Actress - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024
Electronic luminary Darren Cunningham aka Actress, whose work merges and morphs elements of techno, electro, R&B and concrète, performs at Le Guess Who? 2024 following the release of Statik, and just a couple of days ahead of the release of his new mixtape Дарен Дж. Каннінгем, out now via Smalltown Supersound.&nbs...
Destroyer - Live at Le Guess Who? 2015
Shortly after the release of ‘Poison Season’, Dan Bejar and his band gave an exceptional performance at TivoliVredenburg’s Grote Zaal during the festival. "There are a few bands battling for the title of Best Live Act in the World Today at present, but we’re rallying round Destroyer’s flag on this one....
Tom Skinner - Live at Le Guess Who? 2023
Tom Skinner performed live at Le Guess Who? 2023 as part of the program curated by Stereolab, following the release of ‘Voices of Bishara’. Relive the magnificent show with our concert film, and listen to the full audio of performance, in which the group also pays homage to American cellist Abdul Wadud with interpretations o...
Kim Gordon - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024
Watch our concert film of Kim Gordon performing live at Le Guess Who? 2024, curated by Crystallmess, following the release of her latest, acclaimed album The Collective via Matador Records. "The album's daring beats and improvised guitar are marks of a lifelong radical still at the peak of her powers.” – The New Yorker...
Eddie Chacon - Live at Le Guess Who? 2021
Eddie Chacon performed live at Le Guess Who? 2021 following the release of his latest album ‘Pleasure, Joy and Happiness’, made in collaboration with producer John Carroll Kirby. You can now watch & listen to four tracks from the performance below. AboutAs part of the soul duo Charles & Eddie, Eddie Chacon exper...
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...
Aldous Harding - Live at Le Guess Who? 2019
Following the release of her latest album ‘Designer’ last year, New Zealand songwriter Aldous Harding performed at Le Guess Who? 2019, becoming one of the audience’s highlights of the 13th edition of the festival. The show rendered instrumentation and voice into the most vivid and impressionistic of scenes. Harding&...
Deerhunter - Live at Le Guess Who? 2019
Following the release of their latest album 'Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared?', Atlanta art-punkers Deerhunter performed live at Le Guess Who? 2019. We're very pleased to now share a video of the band performing 3 songs live at the festival: 'Sailing' (from their 2010 album 'Halcyon Digest'), 'Take Care' (from 2015's...
Slauson Malone 1 - Live at Le Guess Who? 2023
Festival curator Slauson Malone 1 performed live at Le Guess Who? 2023 following the release of his latest album EXCELSIOR via Warp Records. On stage, he is joined by cellist Nicky Wetherell. Relive the performance with our concert film: Speaking about his role as curator at the festival, Slauson Malone 1 (real name: Jasper Marsalis) s...
Isokratisses & Christopher C. King - Live at Le Guess Who? 2019
On November 9, 2019, the Greek polyphonic vocal ensemble Isokratisses gave a rare performance at the Jacobikerk during Le Guess Who? Festival in Utrecht, The Netherlands. Founded by Anna Katsi, the group dedicates itself to the polyphonic singing of Poliçan, an ethnic Greek village in southern Albania. All the members are...
Arooj Aftab - Live at Le Guess Who? 2021
Earlier this week, Brooklyn-based, Pakistani singer Arooj Aftab won the GRAMMY Award for Best Global Music Performance for her song ‘Mohabbat’. She performed live at Le Guess Who? 2021, the international festival for boundary-crossing music & culture, as part of her first ever European tour. Arooj Aftab is the first Pakis...
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...
Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto - Desde Le Guess Who? (En Vivo)
During Le Guess Who? 2024, we witnessed the magic of legendary Cumbia and Gaita ensemble Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto, thanks to festival curator Mabe Fratti who invited them to Utrecht. Dubbed "the authentic masters of traditional Colombian Music" by the New Yorker, Latin GRAMMY-winning Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto have toured the world f...
Ndox Electrique - Live at Le Guess Who? 2023
Relive Ndox Electrique live at Le Guess Who?, the first international performance of the genre-blurring musical ensemble that originated in Senegal, and whose music is inspired by an ancient ritual of the spirit-world originating from Senegal’s n’döep ceremonies. About How does one put Ndox Electrique into mere...
Beverly Glenn-Copeland - Live at Le Guess Who?
New Age & Folk Jazz pioneer Beverly Glenn-Copeland gave a rare performance on the closing day of Le Guess Who? 2018 together with five-piece ensemble Indigo Rising. The performance was curated by both Devendra Banhart and Moor Mother. Now, Beverly Glenn-Copeland and Transgressive Records have officially released the full recording of...
Mary Margaret O'Hara - Live at Le Guess Who? 2017
During Le Guess Who? 2017 in Utrecht, The Netherlands, Canadian singer-songwriter Mary Margaret O’Hara gave a very rare live appearance, curated by Perfume Genius for the festival. We are extremely proud to share the video and audio recordings of the performance, with the video premiered by The Wire. Declared a ‘cult hero&r...
Estrella Morente & Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra - Live at Le Guess Who? 2022
During Le Guess Who? 2022, flamenco icon Estrella Morente and Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra came together for a magic showcase of warmth and joy. You can now watch the full concert film of the stunning performance at Utrecht's Jacobikerk, presented in collaboration with Ud Festival. The daughter of world-famous Enrique Morente,...
Stereolab - Live at Le Guess Who? 2023
Recently, we celebrated the 100th festival recording being included in our online recordings archive. Now, we are elated to share the concert film of Anglo-French avant-pop group and festival curators Stereolab live at Le Guess Who? 2023. Hailed as one of the most influential and fiercely independent groups of the 90s, Stereolab's influe...
Frente Abierto feat. Israel Fernández & Lela Soto - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024
In the flamenco world, Frente Abierto presents new possibilities. The group welcomes genres as diverse as metal and ambient into their realm, fusing their experimental streak with some of new flamenco’s most powerful singers. At Le Guess Who? 2024, the Andalusian collective collaborated with Israel Fernández, a cantaor...
Saul Williams & King Britt present 'Unanimous Goldmine' – Live at Le Guess Who? 2018
In one corner, the shamanistic Saul Williams, actor, screenwriter and renowned harbinger of noise poetry and hip hop futurism. In the other corner, cleric of eclecticism King Britt, accomplished Philly-based musician, DJ, author and producer. On the explicit invitation of Moor Mother, who was a guest curator at Le Guess Who? 2018, these...
ASA-CHANG & Junray - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024
ASA-CHANG & Junray performed live at TivoliVredenburg's Pandora during Le Guess Who? 2024. You can now relive the full, spellbinding performance via the recording below - a mesmerizing hour of unprecedented music making. ASA-CHANG is the founder and original bandmaster of Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, who, upon leaving the en...
Kali Malone - Live at Le Guess Who? 2019
US-born, Stockholm-based minimalist artist and apprenticing organ tuner Kali Malone gave a special organ performance in TivoliVredenburg's Grote Zaal as opening performance of Le Guess Who? 2019. The performance was part of The Bug's curated program for the festival. We can now share two exceptionally beautiful pieces from the perf...
Lightning Bolt - Live at Le Guess Who? 2019
Powerhouse duo Lightning Bolt performed live at Le Guess Who? 2019 in Utrecht, The Netherlands, marking the 25th Anniversary of the band. The performance was curated by Patrick Higgins. Now, we're pleased to help you relive this intense show in both video and audio, captured at 2AM on Friday night at the festival. Listen + watch more Le...
Abul Mogard & Rafael Anton Irisarri - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024
A New Year's gift and a souvenir from Le Guess Who? 2024. The full live performance by Abul Mogard and Rafael Anton Irisarri at Utrecht’s Jacobikerk is now available as free, or pay-what-you-want on Bandcamp. When Abul Mogard (AKA Guido Zen) and composer, record producer, and mastering engineer Rafael Anton Irisarri first pl...
Bent Arcana - Live at Le Guess Who? 2021
Multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter, visual artist and record label owner John Dwyer was one of the curators for Le Guess Who? 2021, presenting his personal program with inspirations and fellow like-minded artists. As part of the curation, Dwyer also performed twice himself on the final day of the festival: first with jam-loving c...
Duma - Live at Le Guess Who? 2021
Kenya's Duma, figureheads of the flourishing Nairobi underground metal scene, performed live at Le Guess Who? 2021 as part of the program curated by Phil Elverum (The Microphones/Mount Eerie). Martin "Lord Spike Heart" Khanja and Sam Karugo released their self-titled album in 2020 through Uganda’s Nyege Nyege Tapes and were i...
Kadri Gopalnath - Live at Le Guess Who? 2018
On the closing night of Le Guess Who? 2018, Indian Carnatic music pioneer Kadri Gopalnath gave a mesmerizing performance, curated by Shabaka Hutchings. Listen to the full show, and watch and excerpt from the performance below. About: Kadri Gopalnath’s life’s work is to incorporate the woodwind instrument into the cla...
Elza Soares - Live at Le Guess Who? 2016
After eight decades of triumph and tragedy, Brazilian protest singer Elza Soares is lauded as queen of samba and a powerful voice against repression and injustice relating to gender, race, sexual orientation and class. At Le Guess Who? 2016, Soares gave a powerful performance, presenting work from her 34th album, 'The Woman at the End of...
Dreamcrusher - Live at Le Guess Who? 2022
Dreamcrusher, the project of multidisciplinary artist Luwayne Glass, performed live at Le Guess Who? 2022 as part of the program curated by clipping. You can now listen to his performance below, released via Dreamcrusher for Bandcamp Friday. Live at Le Guess Who? 2022 by DREAMCRUSHER AboutDreamcrusher began on Kansas-born, New Yor...
Les Filles De Illighadad - Live at Le Guess Who? 2016
Fatou Seidi Ghali and Alamnou Akrouni reside in the tiny village of Illighadad, Niger. Fatou plays the tende, and an old blue guitar, slightly bent because of the extreme weather. She is one of only two Tuareg female guitarists. Together with her cousin, vocalist Alamnou Akrouni, they strip Tuareg music from all progressive leanings, righ...
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...
Faust - Live at Le Guess Who? 2015
One of the standout shows at last year's Le Guess Who? in Utrecht came courtesy of Faust who played an 80-minute set. The set came one week after the terror attacks on Paris with the band dedicating the first track of the show to the victims. The show had no real setlist and marked the start of the festival. - The Quietus Recorded...
Neneh Cherry - Live at Le Guess Who? 2018
Genre-bending singer Neneh Cherry performed at Le Guess Who? 2018, presenting work from her latest album 'Broken Politics'; you can now listen + watch part of the performance below: Neneh Cherry - 'Shot Gun Shack', live at Le Guess Who? 2018: About:Across decades, Neneh Cherry traversed and transcended every known faction of the...
About
November 2025 Le Guess Who? exists to bring people together through music and culture. U? is its participative and freely accessible city program celebrating local and creative communities.Le Guess Who? heeft het doel om mensen samen te brengen door middel van muziek en cultuur. U? is het gratis toegankelijk stadsprogramma van Le Guess...
Tout-Puissant Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou - Live at Le Guess Who? 2015
Listen to Tout-Puissant Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou's full performance at Le Guess Who? 2015: About: ‘The all-powerful polyrhythmic orchestra from Cotonou’, as translated in English, isn’t by any means a hyperbolic way of describing the sheer profusion of musical riches these Benin-based legends harness. Back in...
Protomartyr - Live at Le Guess Who? 2017
Detroit's Protomartyr performed at Le Guess Who? 2017 in Utrecht, as part of the program curated by Basilica Soundscape. Here, the band present work from their newest album 'Relatives in Descent', as well as songs from their previous records. Watch the band perform 'Don't Go To Anacita' and Half Sister' at the festival + listen to the ful...
Sarah Davachi - Live at Le Guess Who? 2019
Canadian sound artist, composer and pianist Sarah Davachi performed a live composition with church organ and electronics at Le Guess Who? 2019, curated by Jenny Hval. We are very pleased to now share the immersive recording of the full performance, captured by Concertzender at the Janskerk in Utrecht. About:That strange intermedi...
Maarten Vos - Live at Le Guess Who? 2019
Dutch cellist, composer, and producer Maarten Vos performed live at Le Guess Who? 2019, on the invitation of festival curators Iris van Herpen & Salvador Breed. We can now share the recordings of the full performance thanks to Concertzender, who captured the show at the Janskerk in Utrecht. About:Composer Maarten Vos is what y...
Pink Oculus - Live at Le Guess Who? 2021
Dutch-Surinamese artist Pink Oculus premiered her new project 'Before Wisdom' live at TivoliVredenburg during Le Guess Who? 2021. 'Before Wisdom' is a special collaboration with audiovisual artist Boris Acket, spatial designer and scenographer Dennis Vanderbroeck, and writer Vincent van Velsen. The newest video to appear online now...
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...
Tortoise - Live at Le Guess Who? 2016
Tortoise is easily one of the most influential, experimental outfits of the past 25 years. The Chicago-based collective is widely regarded as one of the spearheads of the post-rock genre. For all of that, Tortoise have more up their shells, mashing styles such as electronic music, dub, jazz and progressive rock into new territories with r...
Baba Zula - Live at Le Guess Who? 2014
Turkish psychedelic music group Baba Zula performed the opening set for the legendary Selda Bağcan at Le Guess Who? 2014: AboutBaba Zula uses an outlandish mix of field recordings of natural sounds, traditional Turkish instrumentation and modern acoustic and electronic musical instruments and effects. While predominantly Turkish...
Digable Planets - Live at Le Guess Who? 2016
Hip hop visionaries Digable Planets played an exclusive show at Le Guess Who? 2016. Three tracks are now available to stream: 'It's Good To Be Here', '9th Wonder', and hit single 'Rebirth Of Slick (Cool Like Dat)': Recorded by VPRO 3voor12 on Saturday, 12 November. Watch the entire performance at the festival below. More Le Guess...
Les Amazones d'Afrique - Live at Le Guess Who? 2017
Les Amazones d’Afrique are a gathering of some of the strongest artistic voices of West-Africa campaigning for gender equality. These musicians and vocalists have joined together to create a force powerful enough to tear through the walls of oppression, patriarchy and disempowerment. Not only that: Les Amazones d'Afrique is a repre...
Scott Fagan performing 'South Atlantic Blues' - Live at Le Guess Who? 2016
Scott Fagan together with members of Trembling Bells perform Fagan's lost 60s classic 'South Atlantic Blues' in full at Le Guess Who? 2016. AboutFor every generation-defining icon, there’s an equally impressive talent who fizzled into obscurity. Scott Fagan’s lost 60s classic South Atlantic Blues is a gorgeous synthesis of...
Le Guess Who? 2017 Press Archive
The Netherlands 3FM: "3voor12 is op Le Guess Who?, waar basketballen tegen aan het plafond geschroefde gitaren worden gegooid"3voor12: "Eerste 67 namen voor Le Guess Who? 2017" 3voor12: "Kelly Lee Owens, dagdromer met kennishonger" 3voor12: "Le Guess Who? str...
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...
Press info
About Le Guess Who? With the motto 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...
Code of Conduct & House Rules
Code of Conduct Le Guess Who? is a non-profit foundation that has been aspiring to smooth a path for artists in a wealth of music genres by giving them a stage in the heart of Utrecht since 2007. Social safety, inclusivity, and equity are indispensable to the infrastructure that facilitates our international audience, team and art. Pass...
LGW Supporters
Thanks to visitors like you, Le Guess Who? has been able to grow into a leading international festival for underrepresented sounds over the past 15 years. We feel it is important to showcase these sounds that are rarely heard in other places. Feel the same way? You can help us to continue our mission by becoming a LGW Supporter. Your don...
About Le Guess Who?
With the motto 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? 2021 Press archive
"Overcoming lockdown obstacles, Le Guess Who? united a global cast of adventurous artists." - Crack Magazine The Netherlands 3voor12: Le Guess Who? strooit alvast met eerste namen en curatoren voor festivaleditie 20213voor12: Dit zijn onze 14 tips voor Le Guess Who? 20213voor12: Playlist Le Guess Who? 20213voor12: LGW21: De gestolde j...
About Utrecht
"Spiralling outwards from the cobbled, canal-studded streets of the old town, Utrecht is an architecturally beautiful city in the centre of the Netherlands." - Crack Magazine
About Utrecht
"Spiralling outwards from the cobbled, canal-studded streets of the old town, Utrecht is an architecturally beautiful city in the centre of the Netherlands." - Crack Magazine
CTA Playlist
Le Guess Who? takes pace across 20 locations in the city center of Utrecht; ranging from churches and galleries to theaters and pop venues. Most are within walking distance from each other. Here are a couple highlighted.
Volunteering
Do you want to help us to make Le Guess Who? unforgettable? Gain work experience and have a peek behind the scenes of the production of a festival? Become part of a community of like-minded music lovers from all around the world? Discover new artists, encounter instruments you have never even heard of and enjoy the shows at the festival?...
COSMOS Embassy: Montréal, Canada
In partnership with POP Montréal. POP Montréal International Music Festival is an annual not-for-profit curated cultural event that champions independence in the arts by presenting emerging and celebrated artistic talents from around the world. Launched by friends and colleagues in 2002 from the collective impuls...
Apply for a Low Income Day Ticket
(Nederlandse tekst hieronder) In 2025, Le Guess Who? continues to offer Low Income Day Tickets. This initiative arises from the fact that we hear that the ticket price is one of the biggest barriers for people to visit the festival. We want to give people - who would like to visit the festival but don’t have the financial reso...
COSMOS Embassy: Cairo, Egypt
In partnership with B-62Egyptian artists Khaled and YUNIS take us on a tour through the music scene of Cairo. Through meetings, conversations and live performances with different artists, we’ll get to know the most important features of the music scene and get a grasp where it is heading.This Embassy presents musicians such as VII,...
COSMOS Embassy: Goa, India
In partnership with REProduceA hub of seasoned Indian creatives looking for a new way to be, to reconsider and reassert the India they grew up with and forged: this Embassy aims to present Goa as it exists at the end of 2022.This film features a series of short performances - both music and otherwise - woven together with interviews with...
Tickets for U-pas members
(Nederlandse tekst hieronder) Le Guess Who? 2025 6-9 November in Utrecht, The Netherlands. Are you a U-pas member and would you like to purchase a discounted ticket for Le Guess Who? 2025? Please send us an e-mail via info@leguesswho.com with the following information: • Send us a photo of your U-pas (front and back);• Let u...
COSMOS Embassy Film: Detroit, USA
In partnership with Underground Music Academy “KNOW THE PAST. CHANGE THE FUTURE.” Operating under this slogan, Detroit’s Underground Music Academy is a place to learn about the history, creation and business behind electronic music. A utopian space for the city's aspiring musicians, created by a team of idealists...
COSMOS Embassy: Utrecht, The Netherlands
In partnership with U? U? is the freely accessible city program of Le Guess Who?. Now in its fourth edition, U? celebrates local and creative communities based in the Netherlands, with a strong focus on Utrecht. The festival’s mission is to amplify local communities from the fringe, serving as a radical playground for experimentati...
COSMOS Embassy: Beijing, China
In partnership with Mentha Project & BIE MusicThe project curated and produced by the Beijing-based BIE Music showcases the originality and creativity of China’s diverse indie music scenes with live sessions of Howie Lee, Hualun, Gong Gong Gong, Otay:onii, and Naja Naja. These globally established Chinese acts, who are asso...
COSMOS Embassy: Khartoum, Sudan
In partnership with Hassan Kamil & AndariyamagKnown for its strong rhythms, melancholy lyrics, and bittersweet taste, the Sudanese music scene is more active than ever. This Embassy features a selection of considerable Sudanese music and artists including Noori & His Dorpa Band, who mixes diverse genres using Noori's Tambo-guitar...
COSMOS Embassy Film: Marrakech, Morocco
In partnership with Le18 LE 18 is a multidisciplinary cultural and residency space established in 2013 and located in the medina of Marrakech, Morocco. It aims to provide time and space for research, creation, encounter, mutual learning, and the cross-pollination of knowledge. The space has developed organically and through a colla...
COSMOS Embassy Film: Nairobi, Kenya
In partnership with Santuri East Africa Santuri East Africa is a community-focused music innovation hub based in Nairobi, Kenya. Their goal is to bring about a more equitable, authentic, and diverse music industry. For a full decade, the Santuri organization has been supporting, highlighting, and releasing a mix of contemporary and tradi...
Le Guess Who? venues
Le Guess Who? takes place across several locations in the city center of Utrecht; ranging from pop venues and theaters to churches, galleries and warehouses. Most are within walking distance from each other.
COSMOS Embassy: Vilnius, Lithuania
In partnership with Independent Community Radio Network (ICRN) Bringing together DIY broadcasters from the Baltics and beyond, the Independent Community Radio Network (ICRN) has created an impactful platform that proves once more, that there is always strength in numbers. In 2022, a handful of activists and community radios from the Balt...
COSMOS Embassy Film: Utrecht, The Netherlands
In partnership with U? U? is the freely accessible city program of Le Guess Who?. Now in its fourth edition, U? celebrates local and creative communities based in the Netherlands, with a strong focus on Utrecht. The festival’s mission is to amplify local communities from the fringe, serving as a radical playground for experim...
Open Call: U? is op zoek naar community curatoren gevestigd in Nederland
Voor U? 2024 zijn we op zoek naar nieuwe en enthousiaste curatoren om hun communities en creativiteit op het festival te presenteren.
Merchandise
Official Le Guess Who? merchandise, including t-shirts, sweaters, and more, is available here.
A Take Away Show with Wilco, by La Blogotheque
Audio Recordings There are lots of recordings available in our audio archive, including Junun feat. Shye Ben Tzur, Jonny Greenwood and the Rajasthan Express, Elza Soares, Patty Waters, Tortoise, Scott Fagan performing 'South Atlantic Blues', Les Filles de Illighadad, and The Mandolin Sisters. Photo Archive Our photo team captur...
COSMOS Embassy Film: Seoul, South Korea
In partnership with Seoul Community Radio Seoul Community Radio (SCR) is South Korea’s premier community radio station. Established in 2016, SCR is a multi-platform online broadcaster at the center of Asia’s fast-growing electronic music community – created by the scene, for the people that make it great. Inspirin...
3voor12 / Vrije Geluiden 2021
3voor12 Live Sessions At Club Nine on the top floor of TivoliVredenburg, the main location and hub of Le Guess Who?, Dutch broadcaster VPRO 3voor12 recorded live sessions with artists from LGW21. Watch live sessions featuring Bendik Giske, Automatic, Mario Batkovic, and Vanishing Twin. WATCH 3voor12 LIVE SESSIONS
Press info
"Eclectic and probing" - New York Times "LGW proves that even in times of political divide, music and art can bring us together into a more hopeful future" – The Line of Best Fit "Vier dagen Le Guess Who is een muzikale wereldreis gelardeerd met pure wonderen" – de Volkskrant "You go for the music, you come back wit...
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...
Press 2021
Press Archive Our archive includes press previews, reports and interviews for LGW21. Have a look at all published articles at the link below. VISIT PRESS ARCHIVE
COSMOS Embassies
We invite vibrant music communities from every corner of the globe to become COSMOS Embassies and to share their stories through mixtapes, film, live radio, conversations and performances - both online and offline. Explore the Scenes that make up COSMOS here.
Le Guess Who?
6-9 November 2025Utrecht, The Netherlands "Le Guess Who? proves: music & art can bring us together into a more hopeful future" – The Line of Best Fit
CTA Newsletter
Le Guess Who? takes pace across 20 locations in the city center of Utrecht; ranging from churches and galleries to theaters and pop venues. Most are within walking distance from each other. Here are a couple highlighted.
Recordings 2017
Le Guess Who? Recordings Audio and video recordings of some performances from Le Guess Who? 2017 are available in our archive. Including Mary Margaret O'Hara, Sun Ra Arkestra, Les Amazones d'Afrique, Protomartyr and more.
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...
CTA Newsletter
Le Guess Who? takes pace across 20 locations in the city center of Utrecht; ranging from churches and galleries to theaters and pop venues. Most are within walking distance from each other. Here are a couple highlighted.
10-13 November 2022
COSMOS is bringing Le Guess Who? to the world, and the world to Le Guess Who?
Relive performances by Elza Soares, Julia Holter & Digable Planets
Relive performances by Elza Soares, Julia Holter & Digable Planets VPRO 3VOOR12 captured the full performances on video at TivoliVredenburg's Grote Zaal. Watch below: WATCH THE VIDEOS
Thank you - 2025
Thank you for supporting Le Guess Who?. We look forward to welcome you to our 14th festival edition, 11-14 November 2021 in lovely Utrecht.