From Japanese folk to industrial sounds, from jazz improvisations to psychedelic trance, from indie rock to meditative folk journeys — these are just a few of the musical paths you’ll be able to follow during this year’s edition of the Different Sounds Festival, taking place in Lublin from July 3–6, 2025.
This year marks the 18th edition of Lublin’s Different Sounds and the 12th as part of East of Culture: a project by the National Centre for Culture, funded by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, linking the eastern Polish cities of Lublin, Białystok, and Rzeszów
The core philosophy of Different Sounds has always been a deep dive into cross-genre exploration, showcasing artists who fearlessly push musical boundaries. In line with this philosophy, this year’s festival welcomes bold and brilliant acts such as Zamilska, Raphael Rogiński & Iztok Koren, Ivo Shandor & The Gozer Worshipers, Mitsune, MaidaVale, and Emmeluth’s Amoeba
About artists
Zamilska – Since her explosive debut in 2014, Polish artist and producer Zamilska has charted a fiercely independent artistic course. Her core domain remains broadly defined electronic music, boldly experimenting across techno, industrial, and noise. Yet, her creative curiosity has led her to explore new territories, including cinematic music, trance-inspired world music, and even classical elements. Today, Zamilska is a powerhouse on the Polish music scene, widely respected and instantly recognizable. Her global reach is extensive, recently highlighted by opening most of Kim Gordon’s European concerts. Her tracks and remixes have earned accolades from legends like Iggy Pop and Trent Reznor. At Different Sounds in Lublin, she will perform material from her latest, critically acclaimed album, “United Kingdom Of Anxiety”.
Raphael Rogiński & Iztok Koren – This duo unites two seasoned artists who share a daring approach to musical challenges, technical brilliance, and a phenomenal creative vision. Raphael Rogiński is widely regarded as a titan of Poland’s jazz and experimental scenes – a virtuoso guitarist whose talent is admired globally. His projects consistently tell remarkable stories, from the compelling Shofar trio with Macio Moretti and Mikołaj Trzaska and the unique Żywizna, to his masterful interpretations of John Coltrane and the stunning Lithuanian Žaltys. This time, Rogiński teams up with multi-instrumentalist Iztok Koren from the Slovenian group Širom. Širom’s work blends folk, avant-garde, trance, and minimalist forms—an ideal match for Rogiński’s musical worlds. After years of crossing paths, Rogiński and Koren began writing together. Here, prepared electric guitar meets prepared banjo, guembri, and gongs, forging vivid sonic landscapes from a diverse array of string and resonant instruments. Through polyphony, they weave together musical traditions from different cultures, offering them back to the audience as music of the present day. Their debut collaborative album is set for release in autumn 2025.
Ivo Shandor & The Gozer Worshipers – a compelling new project emerging from Poland’s dynamic Tricity scene (Gdańsk-Gdynia-Sopot), Ivo Shandor & The Gozer Worshipers was founded by Bartosz “Boro” Borowski, known for his work with bands like Lonker See and Why Bother?. This five-piece ensemble fluidly navigates the spaces between jazz improvisation, raw guitar noise, and psychedelic trance. Earlier this year, they released their self-titled debut album through Antena Krzyku, a label well-known to fans of Different Sounds. The band describes their sound as “an emotionally charged journey in search of musical meaning, reflecting the energy of the place where these compositions were born—a place full of contrasts, of calm and unrest, silence and intensity
Mitsune – prepare for an explosive cultural collision with Mitsune, a band that masterfully fuses Japanese folk with European punk energy, psychedelic depth, krautrock textures, classic film soundtracks, and even ritualistic sounds. Simply put, Mitsune is a phenomenon best experienced live. Based in Berlin, the band brings together artists from Japan, Greece, and Australia, creating a mesmerizing onstage collision of tradition and modernity where classical instruments meet avant-garde creativity. Their unforgettable performances are completed by striking costumes, original styling, playful irreverence, and a healthy dose of humor. Get ready to be captivated.
MaidaVale : Formed in 2016 by four women, the Swedish band MaidaVale, quickly carved out a significant presence on Europe’s music scene. This all-female quartet has become a leading force in Swedish rock exports, recently completing an extensive months-long tour across half the continent. Their style is a compelling blend of psychedelic rock, indie sensibilities, trance grooves, and catchy melodies. MaidaVale has built a formidable reputation as a captivating live act, embodying the vibrant and powerful direction of contemporary rock music.
Emmeluth’s Amoeba – Representing the cutting edge of Scandinavian jazz and improvisational music, Emmeluth’s Amoeba is a dynamic Danish-Norwegian instrumental quartet. Composed of young musicians possessing both impressive technical skill and an adventurous, open-minded spirit, their music defies easy categorization. At the heart of their sonic explorations lies a palpable sense of joy and the pure pleasure of playing. They compare themselves to the titular amoeba – an organism that effortlessly changes shape and colour, moving and breathing in any direction their collective imagination takes them.
Who else is set to take the stage at Different Sounds?
Earlier this year, we have unveiled the first wave of artists set to perform at this year’s edition of the festival. Here’s a taste of what’s to come:
- Voivod – The legendary Canadian metal band that’s been going strong since 1982. With deep roots in thrash metal history, they made a game-changing pivot towards progressive metal, earning their place as one of the genre’s most influential acts.
- The EX – Hailing from the Netherlands, this iconic group has long been a beacon of European counterculture. One of the most important punk collectives in the history of alternative music
- A Place to Bury Strangers – A powerhouse trio from the U.S. known for their intense blend of noise rock, shoegaze, post-punk, and free improvisation. Expect a wall of sound and raw energy.
- The Messthetics & James Brandon Lewis –an instrumental trio formed by members of the legendary Fugazi, now teaming up with the phenomenal saxophonist and composer James Brandon Lewis for a bold, genre-bending collaboration
- PETBRICK – A high-octane duo featuring Wayne Adams (head of London’s Bear Bites Horse Recording Studio) and Iggor Cavalera, the iconic drummer best known from Sepultura and Cavalera Conspiracy. Prepare for a sonic explosion.
- Maria W. Horn –A Swedish composer and sound artist whose haunting, exploratory work places sound at the heart of her creative journey.
- Butch Kassidy – A post-rock outfit from London, rapidly rising as one of Europe’s most exciting names in heavy guitar-driven music.
A major highlight of this year’s edition is the fruit of the festival’s collaboration with Cryptic Glasgow and Scotland’s Sonica Festival, developed within the framework of the UK/Poland Season 2025. This international partnership allows us to showcase exceptional projects right here in Lublin, featuring:
- Ela Orleans – a Polish composer and audiovisual artist living between Glasgow and Paris. In Lublin, Orleans will present one of her signature works: the acclaimed Night Voyager. This atmospheric project weaves together the haunting sounds of synthesizers, theremin, violin, and voice, layered with archival NASA recordings from the 1969 Apollo moon mission.
- Dopey Monkey and guests – a bold and boundary-pushing duo of Scottish composers and musicians, Martin Lee Thomson (euphonium) and Danielle Price (tuba), are known for blending musical worlds with flair. Their sound floats between funky grooves, jazz, experimental textures, folk influences, and classical foundations. For the East of Culture – Different Sounds festival and the UK/Poland 2025 artistic season, Dopey Monkey has teamed up with Lublin-based artists from the collective Zielona Girlanda and multi-instrumentalist Tomasz Graczyk.
- Sing the Gloaming – a bold and boundary-pushing duo of Scottish composers and musicians, Martin Lee Thomson (euphonium) and Danielle Price (tuba), are known for blending musical worlds with flair. Their sound floats between funky grooves, jazz, experimental textures, folk influences, and classical foundations. For the East of Culture – Different Sounds festival and the UK/Poland 2025 artistic season, Dopey Monkey has teamed up with Lublin-based artists from the collective Zielona Girlanda and multi-instrumentalist Tomasz Graczyk.
About the festival
Each year, the East of Culture – Different Sounds festival takes audiences on a musical journey to a realm where sound defies convention. It’s an invitation to discover artists who challenge genre boundaries, address meaningful issues, or simply evoke emotions and experiences that linger long after the final note fades,
In a world where music festivals often chase fleeting trends and popularity metrics, Different Sounds remains a space for seekers—those in search of genuine encounters and musical epiphanies. It’s a refuge for true music lovers and a rare opportunity to connect with artists from around the globe for whom music is more than entertainment—it’s a profound form of expression.
This year marks the 18th edition of Lublin’s Inne Brzmienia festival, organised by Workshops of Culture, and the 12th edition held as part of Wschód Kultury—a unique cultural project led by the National Centre for Culture, funded by the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, and brought to life across three cities in eastern Poland: Lublin, Białystok, and Rzeszów.
Admission to the festival remains free, with more announcements coming soon!
More info: www.innebrzmienia.eu and https://nck.pl/projekty-kulturalne/projekty/wschod-kultury
East of Culture – Different Sounds
3–6 July 2025
Lublin, Błonia near the Castle
Admission is free
Organisers: The Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, The National Centre for Culture, the City of Lublin, Workshops of Culture in Lublin.
East of Culture – Different Sounds Festival is actively championing gender equality in the music industry as part of the Keychange network.