About

Unique encounters with legends of the European independent music scene at this year’s edition of the East of Culture – Different Sounds festival. The program includes, among others, a discussion about Piotr Marek and the phenomenon of the Kraków-based band Düpą, a conversation with the founder of the Austrian label Trost Records and the artists representing it, as well as an author meeting with Alexander Hacke (Einstürzende Neubauten).

This is the 19th edition of the Lublin Different Sounds festival organized by Warsztaty Kultury, and the 13th edition within the East of Culture initiative, a project carried out by the National Centre for Culture using funds from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, as well as by three cities in eastern Poland – Lublin, Białystok, and Rzeszów.

During the East of Culture – Different Sounds festival, discussions are a key element of the program, serving not only as a complement to concert events but above all as a space for deeper reflection on the history and evolution of music. It is during these meetings that experts, artists, and journalists address topics related to key movements and figures who have shaped the landscape of the European music scene – from the local underground in Poland to international avant-garde artistic movements. Thanks to such conversations, the festival not only presents the achievements of creators but also analyzes cultural contexts, publishing processes, and the influence of individual artists on the development of musical genres, allowing audiences to understand the broader dimension of phenomena that often remain outside the mainstream media.

Below is the program of music meetings during this year’s edition of the festival.

“A blank spot on the underground map: why did Piotr Marek have to wait 40 years for his moment?” – discussion

Piotr Marek was born in Kraków in 1950, where he lived and worked until his death in 1985. His father was a well-known Kraków-based sculptor and professor, while his mother was a respected art conservator.

Piotr Marek was a versatile artist. He worked in painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, photography, performance art, fashion, and music. He was a multi-instrumentalist, producer, composer, and lyricist. He also created self-built instruments as well as various devices and effects that led him to a unique and timeless sound. His final original musical and performative project was the legendary band Düpą, whose album was only released in 2025 — 40 years after Marek’s death.

In all the fields of art he practiced, Piotr Marek was a perfectionist, but above all he was a person curious about new phenomena and an open-minded observer who approached everything with a sense of distance. Thanks to this, the quality of his work has a timeless and unprecedented dimension in terms of pioneering spirit and courage. He was a rebel and a provocateur who approached the material of his expression with remarkable humility.

Despite the unfavorable conditions of life and artistic work in the People’s Republic of Poland, Piotr Marek was a very prolific artist. In 1971, he was accepted into the Association of Polish Artists and Designers (ZPAP) as the youngest member in history, even though he did not hold the required formal qualifications. His paintings were purchased by art dealers from all over Western Europe. To this day, a large portion of Piotr Marek’s works remains abroad in private collections.

The discussion about Piotr Marek at the East of Culture – Different Sounds festival is part of an ongoing initiative to bring his legacy closer to a wider audience, which has resulted in growing interest in his work among both older and younger generations.

Participants in the discussion: Mikołaj Kownacki (member of the band Pop Magic – the label that released the Düpą album, curator of an exhibition of Piotr Marek’s works, son of Krzysztof Kownacki – a friend and collaborator of Piotr Marek), Andrzej “Biedrona” Biedrzycki (saxophonist of Düpą), and Mateusz Sroczyński (music journalist).

Mateusz Sroczyński – journalist and music critic, as well as an activator of the independent music scene. He focuses on alternative music, improvisation, and counterculture. He is associated with JazzPRESS, “Czas Kultury”, the IR2 platform operating within the Reportage Institute, “Ruch Muzyczny”, and “Noise Magazine”. He has also published in “Glissando”, the Soundrive portal, the literary monthly “Twórczość”, and the quarterly “Lizard”. He has collaborated with the collective Krzysztofory – Studio of Culture in Kraków. On Jazzkultura radio, he hosted the program “Jest alternatywa”. He curates the concert series of improvised music Kakofonie, which he co-creates with the Betel club in Kraków. He is the author of the report “Wiecznie żyje i króluje w podziemiu” (IR2), devoted to Piotr Marek and the band Düpą.

When: July 3, 2026, 15:45-17:00
Where: Workshops of Culture in Lublin, Grodzka 5a – auditorium 2nd floor
Admission free

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As part of this year’s edition of the East of Culture – Different Sounds festival, we will also present the exhibition of paintings and graphic works by Piotr Marek, as well as the visual legacy connected with the artistic output and activity of the band Düpą. The exhibition titled “Zemsta Hegara” is curated by Mikołaj Kownacki – a musician and visual artist, member of the band Pop Magic – the label that released the Düpą album (2025), son of Krzysztof Kownacki – a friend and collaborator of Piotr Marek.

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“Rebel International: how Trost changed the landscape of the avant-garde” – discussion and meeting with the label

Every year, an important place in the Different Sounds programme is dedicated to a distinctive music label, which serves as a starting point for telling stories about music publishing in different parts of the world. It allows for comparisons between diverse business models and approaches to sound, while also showing how cultural contexts shape publishing processes. Independent labels that, in our view, are the most interesting, are usually characterised by a focus on specific musical genres or a territorial emphasis that makes it possible to capture the specificity of time and place.

Trost Records is a renowned Austrian label founded in Vienna in 1991 by Konstantin Drobil. This year marks the 35th anniversary of this respected imprint, which today specialises primarily in alternative, exploratory jazz, improvised music, and avant-garde. Its beginnings, however, lay in releasing young underground bands from the Austrian scene, such as Valina (a post-hardcore outfit from Linz, which recorded most of its albums with Steve Albini at his legendary studio in Chicago). Over time, the label grew in strength, consistently building its brand through carefully curated artistic choices, and later establishing, among others, the Cien Fuegos sublabel. The face of the catalogue became such outstanding artists as Peter Brötzmann, Alexander von Schlippenbach, Mats Gustafsson, as well as groups including Sun Ra Arkestra, Zu, The Thing, and DKV Trio (featuring, among others, Hamid Drake and Ken Vandermark). The presentation of Trost Records’ output and philosophy fits perfectly into the upcoming edition of the East of Culture – Different Sounds festival, especially as the label continues to move forward, presenting ambitious, progressive projects that break musical stereotypes.

More about Trost Records for the East of Culture – Different Sounds festival was written by journalist Rafał Księżyk.

Participants in the discussion: Konstantin Drobil (owner and founder of Trost Records), Ingrid Schmoliner (pianist of the Drank duo), and Mats Gustafsson (free jazz saxophonist). The conversation will be moderated by Łukasz Kamiński (music journalist).

Łukasz Kamiński – a Varsovian by birth and by choice. He has been connected with music for 25 years as a journalist, panel host, and commentator. Before fully dedicating himself to writing about music, he worked as a film translator and in the promotion department of the Centre for Contemporary Art in Warsaw. For 23 years, he was a journalist at Gazeta Wyborcza. He has also contributed to Gazeta Magnetofonowa, Jazz Forum, Onet, ZAiKS Wiadomości, and the website Lubimyczytać.pl. He has collaborated with numerous festivals, including Malta Festival, Millennium Docs Against Gravity (formerly Planete+ Doc Film Festival), NEXT Fest, and Great September. He is the co-author of the acclaimed alternative guidebook Do It in Warsaw. He was also affiliated with Music Week Poland and Culture Hub Poland.

When: July 4, 2026, 14:30-15:45
Where: Workshops of Culture in Lublin, Grodzka 5a – auditorium 2nd floor
Admission free

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Alexander Hacke, “Blast. Distorted Memories” – author talk

“Blast. Distorted Memories”, recently published in Polish by Gusstaff Records, is the autobiography of Alexander Hacke – a unique artist, musician of Einstürzende Neubauten, and an icon of the German independent music scene. The book traces his path from the Berlin underground to international success.

Although Alexander Hacke was fascinated by classical music as a child (Ludwig van Beethoven), he dropped out of school as a teenager to become part of Berlin’s underground scene, dominated by punks, squatters, and other freaks. After his first projects under the pseudonym Alexander von Borsig, he joined the newly formed band Einstürzende Neubauten in 1980, which quickly became an icon of the German independent scene and one of the most important industrial bands in the world.

In the book “Blast. Distorted Memories” (original title: “Krach. Verzerrte Erinnerungen”), Alexander Hacke writes not only about the band, but also about his private life (including his relationship with Christiane F. – author of the cult book “We Children from Bahnhof Zoo”), dozens of side projects and other bands he played with (such as Jever Mountain Boys, Crime & The City Solution, Baba Zula), his collaboration with Italian pop superstar Gianna Nannini, film music, the Turkish music scene he presented as a narrator in the film “Crossing the Bridge” (“Music is Life”), and of course about the love of his life, Danielle de Picciotto, and their joint duo hackedepicciotto. Hundreds of anecdotes and stories from concert tours—sometimes funny, sometimes like scenes from a thriller—concern not only himself but also a vast number of artists from around the world with whom Hacke has collaborated.

The book will undoubtedly appeal both to fans of Einstürzende Neubauten and to anyone fascinated by the music scene from the 1980s to the present day.

Participants: Alexander Hacke (author) and Janusz Mucha (translator, publisher). The conversation will be hosted by Jarek Szubrycht (music journalist).

Jarek Szubrycht (born 1974) – graduate of Polish philology at the Jagiellonian University. Journalist for “Gazeta Wyborcza”. Founder of the magazine “Gazeta Magnetofonowa”, collaborator of Antyradio. He has also published in “Polityka”, “Przekrój”, both incarnations of “Machina”, and “Film”. He has run the T-Mobile Music and Red Bull Music portals, as well as his own radio show on Off Radio Kraków. Author of music-related books, including the metal-focused “Skóra i ćwieki na wieki”, biographies of Andrzej Zaucha, Slayer and Vader, and a conversational biography of Maryla Rodowicz. A retired metal vocalist associated with the band Lux Occulta, and a lyricist for bands such as Decapitated.

When: July 4, 2026, 16.00-17.15
Where: Workshops of Culture in Lublin, Grodzka 5a – auditorium 2nd floor
Admission free

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Wschód Kultury – Inne Brzmienia

More information about the festival: innebrzmienia.eu and nck.pl/projekty-kulturalne/projekty/wschod-kultury.

East of Culture – Different Sounds
July 2-5, 2026, Lublin
Admission free

Organisers: Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of Poland, The National Centre for Culture Poland, The City of Lublin, the Workshops of Culture in Lublin.