MUTEK Montréal Announces First Artists for 27th Edition

MUTEK Montréal is bringing together pioneers of electronic music, leading figures from the contemporary scene and bold emerging voices for its 27th edition, from August 25 to 30, 2026. With a lineup of international and local artists, the first wave balances breaking acts, highly anticipated returns and shows that push the boundaries of art, technology and music, staying true to the festival’s DNA.

Get Tickets

A singular event across multiple venues

MUTEK’s unique format sees performances take place across multiple venues throughout Montréal’s Quartier des spectacles, with performances adapted to each venue. These include free outdoor events at the esplanade Tranquille, immersive and experimental works at the Society for Arts and Technology (SAT), and dance floor-focused night programming at MTELUS. This year also adds a new venue, the Maison symphonique, which will host several major works in its concert hall, a marvel of acoustic engineering.

“The Maison symphonique opens up a new dimension for MUTEK: a monumental listening space where works take on an almost cinematic scale. This 27th edition places an even stronger emphasis on live performance and on a walkable festival circuit, allowing audiences to experience the festival as a true sonic exploration in the heart of the city.”

— Alain Mongeau, Executive Co-director and Artistic Director, MUTEK

In addition to these venues, a more intimate programming will also unfold at the Atrium and Studio Théâtre of Les Grands Ballets.

Pioneers, still innovating

The programming also features artists who continue to redefine the vitality of electronic music.

Detroit techno pioneer Jeff Mills will present the North American premiere of Stargate, a new immersive performance inspired by his ongoing explorations of science-fiction universes.

Austrian guitarist and composer Fennesz and visual artist Lillevan celebrate the 25th anniversary of the landmark album Endless Summer, a defining work of contemporary electronic music. Manchester's original acid house innovator A Guy Called Gerald will perform Black Secret Technology, his 1995 album that became a jungle classic.

A creative genius returning to MUTEK and Montréal after a 13-year absence, Matthew Herbert will present a new socially engaged work exploring the theme of food insecurity, continuing a practice where music intersects with social and political questions.

New rituals in electronic music

Several projects in this edition take the form of contemporary rituals, combining collective emotions, sonic experimentation and radical performance.

The Japanese collective ELECTRONICOS FANTASTICOS!, led by Ei Wada, who marked the 20th edition of MUTEK with his Open Reel Ensemble project, transforms electronic waste—televisions, fans and obsolete circuits—into electromagnetic instruments in participatory performances that blend sound-art, creative recycling and technological critique. A major figure in the American experimental noise scene, Evicshen will present a highly physical and unpredictable performance using DIY instruments and unconventional sonic devices, while Québec composer Florence-Delphine Roux will premiere a new project developed in collaboration with the AVATAR centre.

At the Maison symphonique, composer Tristan Perich and organist James McVinnie will perform Infinity Gradient, an immersive work for organ and one hundred speakers that transforms the concert hall into a vast sonic instrument, while the duo Voices From The Lake will make a highly anticipated return to the festival with their hypnotic ambient techno, which has gained cult status.

Finally, Japanese group Violent Magic Orchestra will blur the boundaries between rave, black metal and audiovisual performance.

The global electronic avant-garde

MUTEK continues its tradition of spotlighting artists from around the world who are shaping the future of electronic sound through the lens of diaspora.

Toronto-based Colombian producer chiquitamagic will present a hardware-driven project blending raw techno, jazz and Latin American influences, while Hong Kong producer gyrofield delivers a world-premiere live performance, confirming her status as a leading voice in experimental bass music. This edition also sees the first MUTEK appearance of Nazar, the Angolan artist whose powerful message is reinforced through sculpted electronics and skewed R&B.

From the concert to the club

MUTEK also showcases artists who are shaking up club music from the inside out, pushing the boundaries of sonic exploration while applying the lessons learned from Europe’s busiest floors to their production.

At the top of the list are Ben UFO, the Hessle Audio founder, whose highly varied sets have oscillated between experimentation and accessibility for 20 years, and Barker, who won over critics and audiences alike with his album Stochastic Drift, released in 2025 on Smalltown Supersound.

Between organic techno and modular exploration, German producers Polygonia and JakoJako will perform highly anticipated live shows, while Mia Koden and NVST will embody the raw energy of contemporary bass and rave scenes. Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the bpm spectrum, New York trio Purelink will represent the new wave of post-club ambient music, and Dave Huismans (2562 / A Made Up Sound) will showcase textured sounds, somewhere between dub and club.

In this musical constellation, the unique worlds of Canadians Honeydrip and Cleo Leigh stand out, pushing the limits of their machines to deliver solar performances.

Music, visuals and architecture

Crossovers between music, image and spatial design also play a central role in this edition. Swiss composer Noémi Büchi presents Exuvie, a new audiovisual live performance combining electroacoustic abstraction with immersive sound design. British producer Rival Consoles brings a live AV show where cinematic compositions unfold through a deeply immersive visual environment.

Finally, Sphaîra, a project by experimental vocalist Sara Persico and visual artist Mika Oki, draws inspiration from the acoustic properties of Oscar Niemeyer’s dome in Tripoli, creating an audiovisual experience where voice, architecture and light interact.

MUTEK Forum: Ideas that change the conversation

The 27th edition marks a turning point for the MUTEK Forum, the festival’s platform for connection and discussion. The Forum expands for the first time across two of Montreal’s key performing arts institutions: the Atrium and Studio-Théâtre of Les Grands Ballets and Agora de la Danse.

The Forum will include talks, project presentations, performance lectures and workshops, positioning the festival week as a major international hub for professionals exploring the changing nature of creativity in a digital age.

A range of networking activities will also take place throughout the week, creating opportunities for the local sector while serving as an international platform for Québec’s creative ecosystem. The MUTEK Market, dedicated to fostering opportunities and connections for Canadian artists and creatives, returns for its most ambitious edition yet, welcoming dozens of curators and decision-makers from around the world.

Full Forum programming will be announced in April.

Ticket information

The Festival + Forum Passport, as well as the regular Festival Passport and Weekend Passes are on sale now. The Forum Passport and individual tickets will be on sale in the coming months.

Get Tickets

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

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, FACTOR and Canada's private radio broadcasters, the Department of Canadian Heritage, Musicaction, the City of Montréal, the Conseil des arts de Montréal, Tourisme Montréal, Hôtel Monville and the Society for Arts and Technology.