From July 2 to 5, Lublin will become the epicenter of global alternative music. This year’s edition of the East of Culture: Different Sounds festival will bring together outstanding artists, including the Swedish supergroup Backengrillen (a collaboration between the legendary Refused and free jazz master Mats Gustafsson), Irish pioneers of guitar-driven noise Therapy?, Canada’s Dead Bob, French duo Kap Bambino, American avant-garde hip-hop group Dälek, Dutch band Tramhaus, and sonic experimenters Leila Bordreuil and Drew McDowall. Audiences can expect four days of intense concerts, genre blending, and uncompromising sounds.

This marks the 19th edition of Lublin’s Different Sounds festival organized by Workshops of Culture, and the 13th held as part of East of Culture, a project carried out by the National Centre for Culture with funding from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, in cooperation with three cities of eastern Poland: Lublin, Białystok, and Rzeszów.

In 2026, as festival ticket prices rise faster than inflation and algorithms increasingly dictate what we hear, East of Culture: Different Sounds becomes more than a music event, it is an act of resistance. From July 2 to 5, Lublin will transform into a space where music is not a product, but a gift. In a world dominated by one season stars and AI generated playlists, this is a place where sounds free from commercial filtering can still be experienced.

This year’s edition pays tribute to artists who choose authenticity over popularity shaped by compromise. Backengrillen, Therapy?, Dead Bob, Kap Bambino, Dälek, Tramhaus, and Leila Bordreuil and Drew McDowall represent voices from the vibrant underground, artists who have something meaningful to say. At a time when culture is becoming a luxury commodity, Different Sounds reminds us that quality should not be a privilege.

This is an event for those who believe music can be a space for encounter, reflection, and community, not just consumption. For seekers who understand that the most powerful revelations emerge where there are no ready made answers. In a world where everything has a price, Different Sounds offers something beyond valuation, a moment when sound becomes a language of communication, and the audience becomes a co creator.

The program of this year’s edition includes:

Backengrillen

Backengrillen is a new band that has instantly become a sensation on the global alternative music scene. It is hardly surprising, considering that behind the name stands a unique collaboration between musicians from the iconic Swedish group Refused and the equally uncompromising free jazz master Mats Gustafsson. Who better to fuse elements such as punk, hardcore, noise, and jazz improvisation?

All four musicians come from the city of Umeå and emerge directly from its underground scene. The global success of Refused, first in the 1990s and later following their reactivation in the new century, placed the Swedish band among the true contemporary classics of hardcore punk. Their legendary album A Shape of Punk to Come set the direction for the genre for years to follow. The artists have never been afraid of experimentation or exploring new paths, as evidenced by their involvement in the renowned video game Cyberpunk 2077, where they performed as the fictional band Samurai.

Mats Gustafsson is equally fearless when it comes to crossing musical boundaries, something he has consistently proven throughout his more than 30 year career, creating projects such as The Thing and Fire! Orchestra.

Backengrillen is a perfect fusion of creative forces, loud, honest, and uncompromising.

Therapy?

Therapy? is a legendary guitar driven noise band from Larne in Northern Ireland, active continuously since 1989. For many fans of alternative rock and metal, Therapy? ranks among the very top of their favorite artists. This comes as no surprise, as the band has maintained a consistently high level over the years, resulting in millions of records sold and a truly global reach.

Their combination of noise with heavy metal riffs, strong melodies, and a distinctive sense of catchiness has resulted in a unique and recognizable style. Add to this their powerful and energetic live performances, as well as memorable collaborations such as the classic track “Come and Die,” recorded with the hip hop group Fatal for the iconic Judgement Night soundtrack.

In short, their concert in Lublin is a must see, not only for fans of guitar driven alternative music.

Dead Bob

Dead Bob is a band founded by John Wright, drummer and co-founder of the legendary Nomeansno. The Canadian group brings together key figures of the local independent scene, associated with bands such as DOA, Rong, and Invasives. While punk rock remains the foundation of their sound, much like in Nomeansno, Dead Bob freely moves beyond genre boundaries.

In addition to a classic rock setup, their instrumentation includes trumpet and trombone, and virtually every member contributes vocals. The strength of the band is best reflected in their spontaneous, energetic, and improvisation driven live performances. An added highlight of their shows is their reinterpretation of timeless Nomeansno classics, which gain new life on stage.

Kap Bambino

Kap Bambino is a French duo founded in 2001, creating electronic music deeply rooted in alternative sounds. The project is led by Bordeaux based artists Orion Bouvier and Caroline Martial, who have taken European clubs and festivals by storm, becoming one of the most energetic and uncompromising acts in their field.

Following their success in Europe, the duo also completed highly successful tours in Japan and South America. Their intense live performances have become their trademark, something audiences in Lublin will undoubtedly experience firsthand.

Last year, the band released their long awaited album No Domination, and tracks from this record will certainly be featured in their concert set.

Dälek

Dälek is an American group formed in Newark in 1998. From their debut album Negro Necro Nekros, it was clear that a new force had emerged on the map of avant garde hip hop. Dälek delivers a striking fusion of heavy, noisy beats, old school rap style, uncompromising socially engaged lyrics, and stylistic experimentation drawing from jazz, noise, and metal.

Their electronic and industrial sound evokes comparisons to bands such as Einstürzende Neubauten and Ministry, while the lyrical intensity recalls the peak achievements of Public Enemy and Rage Against the Machine.

Over nearly three decades, the group has released ten original albums, including records on the iconic label Ipecac Recordings founded by Mike Patton. They have also collaborated with some of the most compelling artists in global alternative music, including Godflesh, The Young Gods, The Melvins, The Dillinger Escape Plan, The Bug, Tool, and Mastodon.

Dälek remains a unique phenomenon in independent music worldwide, consistently delivering quality and artistic integrity.

Tramhaus

Tramhaus is a post punk band from Rotterdam, now regarded as one of the most exciting acts on the resurgent guitar driven alternative scene. Since forming in 2020, the young artists have steadily built their career, with their rapid development matched by outstanding music.

This is evidenced by their critically acclaimed debut album The First Exit and standout tracks such as “Make It Happen.” The band already boasts an impressive live record, including performances at major festivals such as Eurosonic, Oslo World, and Lowlands.

The year 2026 is shaping up to be another breakthrough, with a busy summer of performances ahead, including appearances at Best Kept Secret alongside Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Wolf Alice, and Tropical Fuck Storm, as well as a visit to Poland for Different Sounds in Lublin.

Leila Bordreuil and Drew McDowall

Leila Bordreuil and Drew McDowall is a duo combining the creative potential and sensitivity of two exceptional artists long engaged in sonic exploration.

Leila Bordreuil is a composer and cellist based in New York. Her work spans both classical music and contemporary avant garde. She explores the possibilities of the cello in original ways, combining it with experimental electronics, noise, and drone music. Over the years, she has collaborated with artists such as Lee Ranaldo, Laurel Halo, and Kali Malone.

Drew McDowall is a Scottish musician and composer, one of the key figures of the European electronic scene. A longtime member of the cult groups Coil and Psychic TV, he has spent his career exploring sound in its many forms, from drone and ambient to punk, noise, and field recording, conducting his own experiments in each of these areas.

The collaboration of these two artists, bringing together their sensitivity and experience, guarantees exceptional quality and a unique listening experience.

As we begin announcing this year’s festival programme, we are also pleased to introduce the author of the festival’s visual concept, Piotr Depta Kleszta. He is an award winning graphic designer, illustrator, and academic lecturer at the Academy of Art in Szczecin. His career includes nearly 70 national and international awards and distinctions, as well as participation in over 200 exhibitions.

He collaborates with a wide range of institutions, from Polish diplomatic missions and cultural foundations to international organizations and festivals. His works are part of prestigious collections, including the Ogaki Poster Museum in Japan and the Museum of Arts and Crafts in Hamburg.

Piotr Depta Kleszta is the author of numerous publications, including catalogues, music releases, and visual identities on both national and international scale, for projects such as the Two Riversides Film and Art Festival, FilmPolska in Berlin, Fama Festival, Different Sounds in Lublin, and Kinopolska in Paris. He also creates illustrations for publications such as Newsweek Polska, Pismo Magazine, and Kontakt Magazine. Together with his wife, Kaja Depta Kleszta, he forms the design duo Poster and Sons.

Admission to the festival remains free of charge, and further announcements will be coming soon.

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

Admission to the event is free.

Festival organizers: the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the National Centre for Culture, the City of Lublin, and Workshops of Culture in Lublin.