Spirits rejoice!
The first batch of artists for OUT.FEST 2026 brings together a particularly expressive set of names crossing geographies, practices and languages, between national premieres and long-awaited returns.
Among the highlights: the Portuguese debut of ∈Y∋ + C.O.L.O, the new project by Yamantaka Eye (Boredoms, Hanatarash), a central figure in truly unclassifiable music; the return of Klein, one of the most singular voices of the past decade in reshaping the codes of r&b, ambient or noise; and Pink Siifu, a major figure in contemporary American rap, in constant expansion between free jazz, punk and hip-hop culture.
Also making their national debut, the string trio of Whitney Johnson, Lia Kohl and Macie Stewart arrives in Barreiro in the wake of BODY SOUND, one of the year’s most striking releases.
Within the field of attentive listening and composition, the programme marks a celebration of Phill Niblock's work, with guitar pieces performed by Rafael Toral, Manuel Mota, Margarida Garcia and André Gonçalves, alongside the return to the city of Manja Ristić, who will develop new work from the Barreiro Sound Archive. In this territory of attention to detail and space, Megabasse and John Also Bennett also appear, in distinct yet converging approaches to music as a material of sensory delicacy.
Shane Parish presents Autechre Guitar, one of the year’s most unexpected records: an acoustic guitar transposition of the electronic work of Sheffield’s Autechre which, beyond any exercise in style, reveals melodic and emotional dimensions rarely brought to the surface — and something that, frankly, until now, no one had ever even imagined possible.
On a more direct and celebratory plane, Josey Rebelle affirms the art of DJing as a total practice, while Deli Girls bring a head-on collision between the dancefloor and political urgency. Also operating within these codes are TNL (Tiago Carneiro & Nuno Loureiro), working in an open, non-functional, living electronic music.
At the intersection of traditions — and of what might still meaningfully be called world music — Senyawa make their OUT.FEST debut with their singular approach to Indonesian music, while Rita Silva & Mbye Ebrima propose a rare meeting between modular minimalism and the musical heritages of Atlantic Africa. Absolute rejoicing, finally, with the return of the Brazilian DEAFKIDS carrying a new explosive record with them.
Just over 100 full festival passes remain available at the current price — once sold out, the last batch will be released at the final price.* Day tickets will be made available with the final artist announcement, in the summer.
* Early-bird / full passes grant access to all four days of the festival. For the first time, one or two concerts outside the main venues may require a separate ticket or reservation fee. More details soon.