Dutch promoter and record label Dekmantel return to deliver their flagship event to Amsterdam for Dekmantel Festival's 11th edition, taking place from July 30th to August 3rd at the wooded Amsterdam Bos, and other special locations across Amsterdam.
Presenting another carefully curated selection that balances heritage acts with emerging talent in underground music, the Dekmantel 2025 lineup boasts an impressive billing exceeding 150 artists. Ahead of this year's event, these six performances surely warrant blocking off your busy festival schedule for.
Moritz Von Oswald presents 'Silencio'
The Performance: Dekmantel's opening concert takes place in Amsterdam's 13th-century Oude Kerk, featuring an exclusive presentation of Moritz Von Oswald's groundbreaking Silencio project with a 16-voice choir.
Why This Matters: The Basic Channel founder has developed a unique project with Silencio, exploring the relationship between human and artificial sound. Working with Vocalconsort Berlin, Von Oswald examines "the differences and similarities between oscillations generated by vocal cords and synthesiser voices."
The process involved Von Oswald composing pieces in his Berlin studio using classic synths (EMS VCS3, Prophet V, Moog Model 15), which were transcribed into choral notation by Finnish composer Jarkko Riihimäki. The choir recordings were then reintegrated into the electronic framework, creating dialogue between organic and synthetic elements.
Drawing from composers like Varèse, Ligeti, and Xenakis, Silencio positions electronic music within contemporary classical traditions. The Oude Kerk setting should provide appropriate acoustics for this type of experimental work.
Richie Hawtin DEX EFX X0X
The Performance: The techno pioneer presents his latest live concept, a radical evolution of his groundbreaking 'Decks, EFX & 909' project.
Why This Matters: Richie Hawtin's latest project takes a deliberately stripped-back approach to live electronic performance. Rather than relying on visual elements, DEX EFX X0X focuses primarily on sound and lighting design.
The concept builds on Hawtin's earlier Decks, EFX & 909 work, where he modified records with effects while incorporating TR-909 percussion. This updated version emphasizes improvisation: "Moving away from shows giving priority to image rather than sound, DEX EFX X0X brings the audience back into an immersive sound and lighting experience."
The improvised nature means each performance develops differently, with Hawtin using modern technology to create what he describes as "a unique sonic narrative." Following presentations at Movement Detroit and Sónar Barcelona, the Dekmantel performance continues this touring concept.
Jeff Mills Cinemix of Metropolis
The Performance: The Detroit techno legend performs his third interpretation of Fritz Lang's 1927 dystopian masterpiece Metropolis at EYE Film Museum.
Why This Matters: Jeff Mills has been developing soundtracks to Fritz Lang's 1927 film for over two decades, with this marking his third interpretation. His approach treats the visual and audio elements as interconnected: "To me, the visual rhythm of Metropolis is similar to the way music is thought about by a DJ."
This latest version, developed since 2023, focuses on "the vision of the machines," offering Mills' perspective on the film's technological themes. The performance combines live electronic music with the restored silent film, creating a contemporary soundtrack for Lang's futuristic narrative.
The EYE Film Museum setting provides an appropriate cinema environment for this type of audio-visual presentation, where Mills can synchronize his techno compositions with the film's visual rhythm.
B12 Present Electro-Soma
The Performance: British electronic music duo Mike Golding and Steve Rutter perform material from their legendary 1993 debut album, the fourth release in Warp's seminal Artificial Intelligence series.
Why This Matters: B12's Electro-Soma serves as a key document of early UK electronic music, demonstrating how British producers interpreted Detroit techno influences. Mike Golding and Steve Rutter originally released this material under various pseudonyms (Musicology, Redcell, Cmetric) before Warp compiled it for their Artificial Intelligence series.
The duo's approach combined Detroit's melodic sensibilities with more complex programming and unusual time signatures. Their mysterious presentation (limited pressings with cryptic etchings, minimal interviews) led many to assume they were Detroit natives, highlighting their authentic interpretation of Motor City sounds.
Tracks like "Obsessed" and "Metropolis" showcase their ability to balance emotional depth with technical precision, creating music that works both for home listening and club environments. The material has proven influential for subsequent generations of electronic producers.
Polygonia Presents: Dream Horizons Live
The Performance: Munich-based multidisciplinary artist Lindsey Wang, AKA Polygonia, debuts an exclusive live rendition of her latest album Dream Horizons, released on Dekmantel Records.
Why This Matters: Polygonia operates at the intersection of multiple electronic genres, moving between ambient and deep techno while incorporating downtempo and experimental elements. Wang approaches her compositions as a multi-instrumentalist, recording her own voice, saxophone, flute, violin and percussion alongside electronic production.
Dream Horizons presents twelve distinct compositions, each exploring different atmospheric territories. Tracks like "Gate To Amygdala" avoid conventional techno structures in favour of tension-based sound design, while "Mindfunk" employs deliberately off-kilter rhythmic patterns.
The live format allows Wang to demonstrate her multi-instrumental capabilities within an electronic framework, showcasing an approach that extends beyond typical DJ sets or laptop performances.
WSNWG (Rødhåd & Fadi Mohem & JakoJako)
The Performance: Three of Berlin's most respected techno artists unite for a fully improvised live set, representing the cutting edge of contemporary European electronic music.
Why This Matters: This collaboration brings together three established figures from Berlin's techno scene for an improvised performance. Rødhåd is known for his extended atmospheric sets, while JakoJako brings experimental elements to the mix. Fadi Mohem contributes his approach to loop-based compositions, as heard on their WSNWG008 EP.
The improvised format means the performance will develop organically, with each artist contributing their individual style to a collective live composition. Previous collaborations between various pairs within the trio (such as JakoJako and Rødhåd's "In Vere") suggest they already work quite well together in smaller configurations.
Their shared interest in deeper, more spacious techno forms should translate effectively to Dekmantel's outdoor forest environment, where extended sets and patient set development tend to always land exceedingly well.
These performances demonstrate Dekmantel's continued focus on artists who push electronic music beyond conventional club formats. Von Oswald's choral integration, Polygonia's multi-instrumental approach, Hawtin's technology-focused minimalism, Mills' cinematic scoring, B12's historical significance, and WSNWG's collaborative improvisation each represent different approaches to expanding electronic music's possibilities.
The variety of venues, from Amsterdam's medieval churches to the festival's forest setting, provides appropriate contexts for these diverse presentations. Each performance offers something distinct, whether through technological innovation, collaborative process, or historical perspective.
Dekmantel Festival 2025 takes place July 30 to August 3 across Amsterdam venues and Amsterdamse Bos.
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