Alewya takes over Kino Šiška for the opening night!

The London-based singer, producer and visual artist of Ethiopian-Egyptian descent is one of the most exciting names in contemporary underground pop. Her highly anticipated debut album ZERO fuses R&B, jungle, dub and electronics, along with African and Arabic rhythms.

Thursday brings Egyptian expressionist vocalist Abdullah Miniawy and My New Band Believe, the new project of former black midi member Cameron Picton, performing their remarkable debut album live.

On Saturday, Moin and Stamor kick off the CE/MENT night with their brooding sounds, before Verraco takes over with his kaleidoscopic, high-energy electronic drive.

In 2027, MENT puts the spotlight on Slovenian pianist Kaja Draksler featuring an in-depth interview and two performances. She will present matter 100, her international ensemble whose debut true or false has just been released, and Czajka & Puchacz, her adventurous pop duo with Szymon Gasiorek.

Local saxophonist Lenart De Bock will premiere his new, rhythm-driven project Sticks & Stones, while hypnotic Serbian trio Igralom returns with a special collaboration with Trubački orkestar Bogdana Nikolića, bringing the explosive brass tradition of southern Serbia to MENT for the first time.

Niansa Festival takes over a new stage at Ljubljana Castle. The first two announced acts are the mesmerizing Polish composer/songwriter Martyna Basta and local artist Raketa, presenting her first venture into experimental dub music.

TICKETS

See all first 27 names for MENT 2027 below.

Abdullah Miniawy
Transcendental poetry, experimental ecstasy and prophetic vocals that transform an intimate prayer into a cry of resistance.

Abel Ghekiere
Minimalist jazz, folk and field recordings fused into a heavy yet comforting sound.

Alewya
A hypnotic collision of Afro-diasporic rhythms, bass-heavy electronics, and spiritual energy, forging a bold and futuristic club sound.

BITOI
A solo bass and three intertwined voices conjure an alien folklore, timeless yet utterly unfamiliar.

Cécile Lacharme
The cello, turned inside out: loops and layers through a 360° sound system that stretches time.

CHLEN 16
Post-punk revolt from Skopje’s underground, exposing everything the quiet years left unsaid.

cowboyy
Precision without polish: psychedelic math rock with the mess left in.

Czajka & Puchacz
Eccentric by nature, unpredictable by design.

Fauna
Collective trippy psychedelia for the club age.

Igor Božanić
An exhilarating new vision of sevdah and Bosnian musical heritage.

Igralom i trubački orkestar Bogdana Nikolića
Balkan psychedelia meets brass-fuelled rock in a ten-piece supergroup.

Kaja Draksler – matter 100
Surrealist and unruly – music erupting from the subconscious.

Kikelomo
Where London bass meets Afro rhythms on a Berlin dancefloor.

Lenart De Bock – Sticks & Stones
Sonic explorations at the crossroads of jazz and electronics.

LinLin
Razor-edged rap with a cyberpunk edge, straight from the Paris suburbs.

Martyna Basta
An intimate intensity, weaving voice, guitar, zither and electronics into rising tensions and shape-shifting arrangements.

Milkweed
Ancient myths reborn as folk music for a haunted present.

Moin
Post-hardcore, cut, spliced and reshaped into raw new forms.

My New Band Believe
Acoustic maximalism where chamber strings and dream logic collide headlong with pop.

Naga Kirana
Indonesian-Dutch encounters in synth-driven folk-pop.

Nuhara
A transformative ethnomusicological journey from the claustrophobic darkness of the mines to the chaos of Sicilian markets.

Raketa
Dub turned inward, with warped voices and anxious atmospheres.

Stamor
An imaginary soundtrack to Camus’ The Stranger.

Suzan Peeters
Reimagining the accordion as an instrument of radical sonic exploration.

Tapan
Kosmische electronics fuelled by krautrock’s loops, free jazz’s nerve and the drums of the East.

Verraco
Trailblazing club music with Colombian charm and no interest in staying in one lane.

Zagušljivi dim
Adventurous rock traversing hypnotic, strange and half-forgotten psychedelic landscapes.

The MENT Conference welcomes its first speakers, an international mix of festival programmers, booking agents, label representatives, music journalists, promoters and artists, ready to share insights, reflect on trends, spark discussions and explore the future of the music industry.

Gabriel Szatan, influential music journalist and editor of Resident Advisor, will discuss the current state of the electronic music scene and 25 years of RA in an interview with none other than Kikelomo, an internationally active DJ, curator and co-founder of Oroko Radio.

Kath Butler, a music booking agent at William Morris Endeavor (WME), Clémence Renaut, an agent at ROAM, and Mario Grdošić of Croatian concert promoter LAA will share their perspectives on the Balkan region from the standpoint of European booking agencies, exploring its potential, opportunities and challenges.

Another keynote interview will put the spotlight on Bronne Keesmaat, founder and artistic director of Rewire Festival in the Netherlands, an internationally respected event showcasing innovative, experimental and electronic music.

Nis Bysted, producer and founder of Danish independent label Escho, which represents a significant part of Copenhagen’s vibrant music scene, will share insights into the label’s work with artists such as Smerz, Iceage, Fine, Astrid Sonne, Elias Rønnenfelt and Molina.

One of the panels will focus on investing in music promotion, featuring Darya Kulinka of Better Things, a specialist in international artist promotion; Michael Lambert of Aimless Play, who will bring his experience in artist development and independent music networks; and Klara Roxenius, International Marketing Manager at Beggars Group.

The conference will also welcome Mathilde Meunier of Super! and Pitchfork Music Festival, who will share her experience in concert promotion and festival programming in France; Nina Hudej of Grounded Festival, who will offer her perspective on Slovenia’s electronic music and independent cultural scene; and Estefanía Serrano of Plan B Music, who will share her experience working with artists such as Rosalía, Niño de Elche, Tinariwen and Shigeto.