Returning to the charming city of Utrecht from November 7th – 10th to celebrate its 17th edition, Le Guess Who? is on course to reach beyond the stars with a sprawling and stellar line-up that each year continues to grow ever more adventurous and majestic. Today the organizers announced their full programme for this year’s edition, and adding to an already hefty bill are artists and bands like Maurice Louca, Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti & Frank Rosaly, Nadah El Shazly, Merope, Kayhan Kalhor & Erdal Erzincan and Creation Rebel feat Adrian Sherwood.

Le Guess Who? unveiled today its final batch of bands and artists to join previously announced guest curators Mabe Fratti, Bo Ningen, Arooj Aftab, Crystallmess, DARKSIDE, and Touching Bass as well as FYEAR, Patrick Shiroishi, Fuensanta, Nancy Mounir, Rafael Toral and Asher Gamedze, amongst many more.

Egyptian composer, producer and vocalist Nadah El Shazly; the exhilarating rhythms of Iranian kamancheh player Kayhan Kalhor & Anatolian bağlama master Erdal Erzincan; LA-based rapper and producer Chuck Strangers; and keyboardist, flautist, composer and arranger Brian Jackson, known for his collaborations with Gil Scott-Heron in the 1970s, are amidst the new thrilling names added to Le Guess Who?’s general programme. The line up for this year also includes a collaboration between producer Abul Mogard (AKA Guido Zen) and record producer, composer, and mastering engineer Rafael Anton Irisarri, who earlier this year released their album Impossibly Distant, Impossibly Close; as well as the likes of Brooklyn noise rockers Couch Slut presenting their latest record You Could Do It Tonight; Montreal-based songwriter, guitarist and singer Myriam Gendron, the eccentric and pulsating rhythms of Kabeaushé, and the collision of improvisation and electronics brought to life by Oceanic & Greetje Bijma, the project that brings together leftfield techno and ambient producer Oceanic and award-winning jazz vocalist Greetje Bijma.

Earlier this year, Bolivian-born singer and multi-medium performer Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti & Puerto Rican drummer, composer and sound designer Frank Rosaly, released their incredible debut album, MESTIZX, a journey through their culture and identity, intersecting their heritage from Bolivia, Brazil, and Puerto Rico. Their performance in one of the many idyllic venues across Utrecht will be an unmissable one as will the premiere of Hadra Immersive, the musical ritual ceremony of Sufis in North Africa, presented by Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra and visual artist Arion de Munck. Le Guess Who? will also present the throbbing and hypnotic rhythms of Peruvian sound artist Ale Hop with Congolese guitarist Titi Bakorta; Egyptian singer and rapper Abyusif; the soulful harmonies of Annie & The Caldwells, the gospel singing outfit of Annie Caldwell along with her husband and their children; Turkish noise rock trio Haossaa; Merope, the duo of Lithuanian singer and kanklės player Indrė Jurgelevičiūtė and guitarist and producer Bert Cools, who will have their new album, Vėjula, also out in early November; American folk artist Tucker Zimmerman and the incendiary live show of Party Dozen, the Sydney noise duo of saxophonist Kirsty Tickle and percussionist Jonathan Boulet, whose fourth album Crime in Australia came out a few days ago.

Appearing on the bill is the legendary Creation Rebel with live mix by producer Adrian Sherwood; London-based vocalist, producer, performer and visual artist GAIKA, who performs with poet and musician James Massiah, and Scientist, the project of Jamaican electronics wizard Hopeton Overton Brown. Following DNA? AND?’s compelling, powerful and heartfelt performance at Le Guess Who? 2019 edition, the festival invited the Oslo-based improv-band collective back, as well as experimental trio Ex-Easter Island Head and Sex Swing who are set to showcase their fierceness on the back of their third studio album, Golden Triangle, releasing next month.

Over the years Le Guess Who? has been nurturing an open space for rare and unique performances and collaborations and this year is no different. Hannah Elsisi presents Chromesthesia is one of the special projects newly unveiled not to be missed. A social and intellectual historian of the Modern Middle East, the British-Egyptian activist will host a monumental 13-hour performance on Saturday November 9th. Her curation includes the immeasurably talented and adventurous composer, multi-instrumentalist and producer Maurice Louca, who has enthralled us long ago with his solo works and numerous collaborations; the choreography of multidisciplinary Afrocentric dancer and artist Natisa Exocé Kasongo with audiovisual design by Berlin based Dutch audiovisual composer and software developer Tarik Barri; Sierra Leone-born, New York-based artist and musician Lamin Fofana, who founded the Sci-Fi & Fantasy and Black Studies labels; Amsterdam based, Brazilian-born producer and vocalist LYZZA; South Florida electronic and hip hop producer Nick León, and Sonic Interventions, a futuristic Jazz collective “who unites diverse languages, instruments, rhythms and dance for collective meditation and healing, improvisation and groove”. The Chromesthesia curation further includes musical polyglot, composer, educator and storyteller Jowee Omicil, whose performances are always different, immersive and transformative; Afro-Portuguese electronic producer and DJ Nídia, Ghanaian/French producer and vocalist PÖ, South African rapper, singer, songwriter, and actress Sho Madjozi and Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Yaya Bey.

Le Guess Who? will also be hosting Sounds of Places, a residency program from Radio Alhara, commissioned by Wonder Cabinet, which “seeks to create sonic analogies beyond the spatial limit every sound emerges from.” Following its first edition this year in the occupied Cremisan Valley in Palestine, the artists involved there will present their works at the festival, including Lebanese multi-instrumentalist, video artist and puppeteer Yara Asmar, who next month will release her new album synth waltzes & accordion laments; Christmas in Mourning, a special radio piece commissioned by Radio Al-Hara and co-composed by Sary Moussa and Abed Kobeissy, which was streamed simultaneously by 18 community stations worldwide last Christmas, and Sasha Shadid x Julmud.

There’s plenty more goodness to head to Utrecht for, head over to leguesswho.com for the full details of the line-up, tickets and other info. 4-Day Passes and Friday tickets are sold out but you can still grab tickets for Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

Le Guess Who? returns to Utrecht from November 7th – 10th for its 17th edition and the first big announcement of 2024 is here. Today’s announcement attests to the organisers’ unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of musical conventions. A sonic odyssey that transcends genres and geography, the festival continues to champion artists and sounds that are often overlooked and provides a platform for fresh perspectives in music. There’s very good reasons to be excited for this year’s edition with the guest curators and first names on the general line up announced today, including a lot of bands that we absolutely love like FYEAR, Patrick Shiroishi, Fuensanta, Nancy Mounir, Kahil El’Zabar’s Ethnic Heritage Ensemble and Asher Gamedze.

Le Guess Who? has been a beacon of artistic exploration, transforming the city of Utrecht into a privileged global stage for unparalleled musical discoveries and experiences. Part of what makes Le Guess Who? so unique is the diversity brought in by its guest curators, and this year Mabe Fratti, Bo Ningen, Arooj Aftab, Crystallmess, DARKSIDE, and Touching Bass will help shape and enrich the festival with hand picked selections of their favourite and like-minded artists, in addition to also performing themselves.

Guatemala-born, Mexico City-based cellist and composer Mabe Fratti curates a stunning programme highlighting the rich cultural diversity and spirit of Latin American music. She invited South American artists who have inspired her like Mexican saxophonist and composer Germán Bringas; Amsterdam based Mexican singer, double bassist, composer, improviser and multidisciplinary artist Fuensanta; Colombian traditional folkloric cumbia group Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto, who have been active since 1940, London-based experimental vocal ensemble Shards; Luz luz luz!; and, amongst others, Argentine experimental band Blanco Teta, known for their infectious and energetic performances.

Following a blistering show at Le Guess Who? in 2018, London-based Japanese post-punk quartet Bo Ningen are returning as curators, focusing on audiovisual performances. They will present their alternate live score to Alejandro Jodorowsky’s cult classic The Holy Mountain. Their curated programme will also include the likes of experimental saxophonist and electronic musician Helen Papaioannou and visual artist Noriko Okaku, who mix live collaged visuals with accompanying music; experimental soprano Olivia Salvadori, drummer Akihide Monna, and multi-instrumentalist Coby Sey in their new collaborative project GAISTER; the audiovisual collaboration by musicians Klara Lewis and Nik Colk Void with visual artist Pedro Maia; Lunch Money Life, and a performance by London post-rock trio Still House Plants, with a brand new album, If I don’t make it, I love u, released last month.

Arooj Aftab returns to Le Guess Who? after her memorable performance in 2021. As the first Pakistani woman to win a Grammy Award, Aftab has captured global attention with her unique musical vision. Her upcoming album, Night Reign, is highly anticipated, and her curated programme reflects her diverse influences. Her bill will included a special filmed performance by her father, Aftab Sr., delivering meaningful love poetry from Lahore, Pakistan. Aftab’s bill will also host the powerful and hypnotic chanting and danceable rhythms of Mauritania’s Noura Mint Seymali; Los Angeles based contemporary poet, writer, lyricist, and activist aja monet, known for her work on Black resistance, love and joy; the sould-stirring compositions of singer, composer and music producer Dina El Wedidi, who’s a star in her native Egypt, and multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and producer Meshell Ndegeocello, whose latest Grammy-awarded album, The Omnichord Real Book, is a testament to her deep musical roots.

French multidisciplinary artist and producer Crystallmess will bring her interdisciplinary approach to the festival, combining elements of film, music, performance, and visual art. Her curated programme features pop polymath Lafawndah; footwork originator RP Boo; Detroit ghetto-tech group HiTech; experimental musician and choreographer Blackhaine, whose cathartic performances evoke intense physical and sonic energy, LustSickPuppy; Nazar and American singer and Sonic Youth co-founder Kim Gordon, also with a recent second solo album, The Collective, under her belt.

DARKSIDE, the electronic duo of Dave Harrington and Nicolás Jaar, who now count drummer Tlacael Esparza as a new member, present a programme boasting everything from electronic music and disco to prog rock and funk. Their curated lineup includes Japanese American saxophonist and composer Patrick Shiroishi; innovative trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith; Phantom Orchard, the project of two visionaries, harpist and composer Zeena Parkins and electronic music composer and visual artist Ikue Mori; Iranian artist Cinna Peyghamy; percussionist and composer Eli Keszler and transdisciplinary scholar and vocalist and double-bassist ganavya presenting her brand new album, like the sky I’ve been too quiet.

Touching Bass, a South London community-come-club night, record label and NTS Radio show, founded and run by Errol and Alex Rita, have two distinct evenings in store for the festival. Calm Roots, taking place in a church, will focus on meditative performances and the second night, INNA, will celebrate Jamaican soundsystem culture with performances intended for the dancefloor.

There’s a lot more on offer for the 17th edition of Utrecht’s Le Guess Who?, with the first performing artists within the general line-up now also unveiled. Appearing on the bill is prodigious and adventurous musician, composer and producer-in-demand Radwan Ghazi Moumneh; Palestinian producer and rapper duo Al Nather & Shabjdeed; Portuguese musician and sound engineer Rafael Toral and FYEAR, the Montréal-based supergroup led by electroacoustic composer Jason Sharp and poet/writer Kaie Kellough, hot on the heels of a mesmerizing eponymous debut album fusing spoken word, out-jazz, post-classical, drone, ambient metal, avant-rock and modular synthesis. Freshly added to the line-up today is talented and versatile multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and composer Nancy Mounir, whose performance at the festival in 2022 was one of our highlights. Melbourne band Tropical Fuck Storm, who put on a mighty and blistering show in 2019, are also returning to the festival as is visionary and virtuosic South African drummer, composer, writer and activist Asher Gamedze performing with his Another Time Ensemble, the quintet he assembled in Cairo with some of the city’s finest improvisers. Also added is Bolivian singer, songwriter, composer and actress of Quechuan origin Luzmila Carpio, who’s been spreading ancestral Andean knowledge and music since the late 1960s. Other incredible additions include Montréal based Swedish singer/composer Erika Angell presenting the first album under her own name, and Kahil El’Zabar’s Ethnic Heritage Ensemble on the same year they celebrate their milestone 50th anniversary.

With each passing year, Le Guess Who? cements its reputation as a festival that embraces the full spectrum of musical diversity. This year’s edition promises to be no exception, with an extraordinary lineup that will dazzle and inspire. A myriad of unmissable performances will take place at festival’s idyllic venues across Utrecht, from churches and art galleries to landmark theatres and warehouses.

Head over to leguesswho.com to gaze at the full list of stellar names announced today. For those who have yet to secure their tickets, a very limited number of 4-Day Festival Passes and individual Day Tickets will go on sale on Tuesday, May 28th.