The Riga festival expands its October lineup with new names from experimental pop, jazz, and electronic music.
Skaņu Mežs has detailed a second wave of artists for its 2026 programme, set for Hanzas Perons in Riga this October. The additions sharpen the festival’s focus on divergent paths within contemporary sound.
Norwegian duo Smerz join the bill, bringing their sleek, melancholic electronic pop in support of last year’s album ‘Big City Life’. They are joined by Planet Mu affiliate Ship Sket and Lithuanian sound artist Augustė Vickunaitė.
In a significant move for the programme, free jazz saxophonist Joe McPhee will perform in a trio with bassist John Edwards and drummer Klaus Kugel. This booking underscores the festival’s enduring commitment to avant-garde traditions alongside newer forms.
These acts will appear alongside previously announced artists including aya, Gudrun Gut, and the collaborative set from Charlemagne Palestine, Oren Ambarchi and Daniel O’Sullivan. The 2026 edition is scheduled across two days in late October.
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