MUTEK Festival: six days and nights of sonic and visual discoveries

MUTEK international festival of electronic music and digital creativity is pleased to lift the curtain on the complete line-up for its 24th edition. From August 22 to 27th, 2023, artists and audiences from around the world will gather in Tio'tia:ke/Mooniyang/Montréal for new artistic explorations in sound and music.

For six days, festival-goers will be able to witness close to 80 live performances presented in five key locations in the Quartier des spectacles: the 7 Fingers Studio, MTelus, the Society for Arts and Technology [SAT], the Théâtre Maisonneuve at Place des Arts, and the esplanade Tranquille, which will once again host MUTEK's free outdoor stage after a successful inauguration last year. Only exception for the opening event: the festival takes over an emblematic local venue that has existed for over 175 years, New City Gas.

True to its exploratory and scouting mandate, MUTEK wraps up the summer program of international festivals with artistic proposals that have surprised and seduced global audiences in the past year. Highlights from the selection of artists from over 20 countries include the showcasing of emerging and renowned talents from Japan, Italy and Latin America. Once again, festival-goers will be able to satisfy their desire for novelty and experience a wealth of emotions, both indoors and outdoors.

A musical and visual exploration, day or night

More than ever, the program of this 24th edition invites spectators of all ages and backgrounds to experience the inspiration and audacity of sound and visual artists from here and elsewhere, from 3 pm to 6 am. In total, nearly 120 artists will share their know-how and passion for electronic music and digital arts. A look at the key elements and program series happening over a stretch of days where effervescent personal and collective experiences will enliven the public.

Opening event | 22.08.2023, from 9pm to 11pm | New City Gas

Italian composer and producer Grand River and internationally acclaimed Canadian artist Tim Hecker will transform a mythical industrial space with intoxicating sounds and an immersive light environment in this unique evening.

Grand River ^IT+NLTim Hecker & Vincent de Belleval ^CA+CA/SE

Nocturne | 23_27.08.2023, 10pm to 3am | Society for Arts and Technology [SAT]

The Nocturne series takes place exclusively at the SAT this year with an expanded experience on Thursday and Sunday: performances will be presented across two floors, both in the SAT space and under the Satosphere dome. On the agenda, innovative and reinvented takes on electronic music, whether with avant-garde technologies or atypical instruments, all accompanied by riveting images.

Abdul Lateef & The Distraction Machine ^CA/QC Amselysen & Racine ^CA/QC Animistic Beliefs & Jeisson Drenth ^NL Brett Bolton ^US Carmen Jaci & Matthew Schoen ^CA/NL dBridge ^UK Deadbeat présente Ark Welders Guild ^CA/DE Deena Abdelwahed ^TN/FR Efe Ce Ele ^CO/ES Eƨƨe Ran ^CA/QC Halina Rice ^UK Hieroglyphic Being ^US Honeydrip ^CA/QC Joël Lavoie & Guillaume Vallée ^CA/QC Kyoka ^JP/DE Manami Sakamoto & Intercity-Express ^JP Nadia Struiwigh ^NL Nick León ^US Open Reel Ensemble ^JP Outro ^AR Page Vide ^CA/QC Paraadiso ^IT/UK Pascale Project ^CA/QC Priori x Shoeg ^CA/QC Quan & D.B.Y ^VN/QC+FR/QC Salamanda ^KR Sapphire Slows ^JP SUFYVN ^SD/CA The Cyclist ^IE Twin Rising ^CA/QC upsammy & Jonathan Castro ^NL+PE/NL x/o ^CA µ-Ziq & ID:Mora ^UK+CZ

Play | 24_26.08.2023, from 2:30pm to 5pm | The 7 Fingers

Another new feature of this 24th edition is the presentation of three afternoon listening programs in an intimate setting, to absorb the original and intriguing character of delicate live performances.

Ale Hop ^PE/DE Erin Gee ^CA/QC Iza Smelczyńska ^PL Michael Gary Dean & Freddy Speer ^CA/QC Nadia Struiwigh ^NL Ura ^CA/QC

A/Visions | 25_26.08.2023, from 7 to 10 pm | Théâtre Maisonneuve in Place des Arts

Large-scale, sensory audiovisual works that merge image, sound and technology are at the heart of the two A/Visions programs. Artificial intelligence, neuroscience, modular synthesizers and analog visual landscapes meet lyrical art and electronic vibrations for an organic and transformative experience.

Alessandro Cortini & Marco Ciceri ^IT Alexis Langevin-Tétrault & Guillaume Côté ^CA/QC DATUM CUT ^CA/QC Hatis Noit & Yuma Kishi ^JP Kyoka & Shohei Fujimoto ^JP/DE+JP SPIME.IM ^IT

Métropolis | 25_26.08.2023, from 11pm to 5am (Friday) and 6am (Saturday) | MTelus

The Métropolis series is dedicated to the more rhythmic and bewitching forms of electronic music, with a dynamic scenography. These two nights are the best options to enjoy until dawn while satisfying your artistic curiosity: Friday night is dedicated to techno music while Saturday is inspired by electro and house sounds.

.VRIL ^DE Aux 88 ^US Cinthie ^DE E-Saggila ^CA Eris Drew & Jeisson Drenth ^US+NL Jennifer Cardini ^FR/DE Rich Aucoin ^CA SKY H1 & Mika Oki ^BE SYNC (AtomTM & Peter Van Hoesen) ^DE+BE/DE

Expérience | 22_27.08.2023, from 5pm to 11pm | Esplanade Tranquille

Every day from 5pm onwards, the free outdoor stage will accompany Montrealers and tourists under the banner of festivity, eclecticism and the meeting of musical styles for a second year on the esplanade Tranquille. Note that many surprises will be unveiled this summer.

AAAA ^MXAirhaert ^CA/QCAnatohl ^FR/QC Atamone ^CA/QCDawn to Dawn ^CA/QCEmissive ^CAHellgrammite ^CA/QCHusa & Zeyada ^CA+EGIndus ^COLeon Louder ^CA/QCLowfish ^CAMoon Apple ^CA/QCObuxum ^CARandy's Calling ^CA/QCROSINA ^CAS. Chioini ^CA/QCSheenah Ko ^CA/QCSkesa ^CA/QCSPRLUA ^CA/QCStMichel ^CA/QC

Forging ties and shaping art : Four immersive associate programs

Presented as part of Celebrating Entomophilia, a series of events presented by the Montréal Insectarium | Espace pour la vie to spread the appreciation of insects, MUTEK is privileged to welcome Leon Louder CA/QC and his animal sonic ecosystem to inaugurate the outdoor stage on Tuesday, August 22nd at 6:30 pm.
The Avatar-MUTEK creation and dissemination residency will host a new performance for a fourth consecutive year, the duo Joël Lavoie & Guillaume Vallée CA/QC, who will present the fruit of their summer experimentation as a world premiere during Nocturne 5 (Sunday, August 27th).
The Satosphere series will occupy the SAT dome for four evenings, each time with two showings of a new audiovisual performance. The selection includes Manami Sakamoto & Yuri Urano JP (Tuesday 22nd), Nancy Lee & Kiran Bhumber (Wednesday 23), France Jobin & Markus Heckmann CA/QC+DE (Friday 25th) and Stefana Fratila & Diana VanderMeulen RO/CA+CA (Saturday 26th).
Finally, the Piknic Electronik scène du boisé on August 27th will feature artists selected by the MUTEK programming team, to be announced at a later date.

MUTEK Forum set to enrich the festival experience

In order to facilitate dialogue with the featured artists and to enhance public understanding of their innovative practices, Q&A sessions will close out each day of the MUTEK Forum – the professional gathering of the Festival. These activities include discussions with producer and label director Eris Drew, who will share her expertise and insight from her community involvement, as well as the Japanese collective Open Reel Ensemble, who will present a unique demonstration of their reel-to-reel tape installation. MUTEK Forum will be held from August 22nd to 25th, 2023 at The 7 Fingers studio.

Information and box office: MUTEK Forum

Box office offerings adapted to festivalgoers’ varied needs

Individual tickets are now available for purchase on our website. Passports and Passes are already on sale at enticing prices for a limited time, and there are special discounts for students and groups of five or more. Each sale will also allow MUTEK to contribute to the Planetair reforestation project.

For all the details and to buy a Passport, a Pass, and/or an individual ticket: Box Office

MUTEK would like to thank its partners, who play a key role in the maintenance and development of its activities and have provided particular support towards the production of the Festival.

The Government of Québec, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, the ministère du Tourisme du Québec, the Secrétariat à la région métropolitaine du gouvernement du Québec, the ministère de la Culture et des Communications du Québec, the Canada Council for the Arts, the City of Montréal, the Conseil des arts de Montréal, FACTOR and Canada's private radio broadcasters, the Department of Canadian Heritage, Musicaction, the Consulat général de France à Québec, the Italian Institute of Culture in Montreal, Keychange, Tourisme Montréal and Red Bull.