WHAT TO EXPECT AT DEKMANTEL 2026
words by ANOUK WOUDT
200+ Acts. 5 Days. 12-Hour Lineups.
Kicking off on July 29th, Dekmantel 2026 is shaping up to be its most exciting edition yet. With many new tweaks and additions, the festival has expanded both sonically and physically with a host of exciting new artist debuts and an extended setlist. Ditching a more common 3-day weekend timetable, they’ve returned with their expanded five-day lineup, featuring two music-filled opening nights in the city. For those who don't believe in lie-ins, At Dawn also debuts this year with a morning programme that stretches the usual festival day into full 12-hour experiences. If a Dekmantel pilgrimage has been on your mind, consider this a sign that this is the year to finally make it happen.
image courtesy of DEKMANTEL
photo credit: TIM BUITING
DEKMANTEL: AT DAWN
image courtesy of DEKMANTEL
photo credit: KARL MAGEE
This year, Dekmantel’s reflective and experimental spirit takes the shape of their new morning programme: At Dawn. Taking place in the Amsterdamse Bos, this edition literally casts world-class artists in a new light, opening the door to a brand new listening experience. Exclusively accessible to weekend ticket holders, the programme includes a debut of STARGATE by our Issue 12 cover star Jeff Mills, a rare DJ set from Sampha, DJ Sprinkles’ Deeperama, and many more exclusive sets.
INTO THE CITY: DAY 1
image via RESIDENT ADVISOR
This year’s festivities kick off on Wednesday, extending Dekmantel into an extra-long weekend of forward-thinking sound. Housed within the elegantly austere walls of the Oude Kerk, boundary-pushing UK ambient duo Space Afrika will open the festival with their immersive, atmospheric performance — a fitting introduction to the days of sonic exploration ahead.
INTO THE CITY: DAY 2
photo credit: STIJN BERER
Following the first day of Into the City, the festival moves deeper into Amsterdam with a live programme that takes place in congruence at landmark venues Paradiso and Melkweg. On July 30, Paradiso’s main room will be taken over by Speedy J’s electronic improv project, STOOR — pictured above — with contributions from Aurora Halal, Barker, Clark and SnPLO for an expansive, seven-hour sonic dialogue. Meanwhile, Melkweg will light up with music from Nicolás Jaar and Dave Harrington’s DARKSIDE, Headache, NEW YORK and Juan Atkins presents INFINITI.
BACK TO THE FOREST
images courtesy of DEKMANTEL
photo credit: HANNAH BRUIJNZEEL
Back among the trees of the Amsterdamse Bos, Dekmantel’s main event embraces the forest as an essential part of its identity. The lush surroundings, where sunlight filters through the branches and sound echoes between the trees, create a setting unlike any other, imploring guests to lose themselves within the forest’s wooded walls.
A DETROIT DJ TAKEOVER
image via PINTEREST
Hailing from the birthplace of techno, Detroit takes over Dekmantel Festival 2026 with a powerhouse lineup of pioneering artists. From Underground Resistance's special live performance with poet Saul Williams to sets from Jeff Mills, Carl Craig, and Juan Atkins, the city's enduring influence on electronic music is on full display, reaffirming Detroit's legacy as the genre's beating heart.
SKRILLEX MAKES HIS DEKMANTEL DEBUT
image courtesy of SKRILLEX
One of this year's biggest draws is Skrillex, who will make his long-awaited Dekmantel debut. Credited for the explosion of dubstep in mainstream culture during the early 2010s, he has since been on a constant path of reinvention across pop, house, UK bass and beyond while obviously keeping his original dubstep sound in the rotation. His first appearance at the Amsterdam festival marks a major moment, bringing one of dance music's most revered faces to Dekmantel's iconic stages. Playing solo and B2B with RHR all within the same day, he’s a set you absolutely shouldn’t miss — especially since you have two chances.
A LINEUP FILLED WITH ELECTRONIC MUSIC PIONEERS
image courtesy of DEKMANTEL
Electronic music's trailblazers are out in full force at Dekmantel this year. Alongside techno pioneers and house innovators, the festival pays tribute to dub-and-bass culture with appearances from Channel One, The Bug & Warrior Queen, Tikiman & Scion, and Shy FX & Tasha. Together, these artists trace the genre's rich lineage while highlighting the sounds that continue to shape dance floors around the world.
DUTCH FAN-FAVOURITES
image courtesy of JYOTY and RESIDENT ADVISOR
Primetime slots are also reserved for Dutch artists whose sounds have helped put the country’s electronic music scene on the global map. From the genre-spanning selections of Benny Rodrigues and the baile funk, dancehall sets of Jyoty to Konduku’s hypnotic, experimental rhythms, the lineup pays tribute to the Netherlands’ continued influence on dance music culture.
A NEW AND IMPROVED SOUNDSYSTEM
image courtesy of DEKMANTEL
Continuing its dedication to high-fidelity sound within a festival setting, Dekmantel follows last year’s collaboration with Sunflower Sound System with a new sonic partnership. Making its festival debut, the ‘ON2’ soundsystem by NNNN and OJAS, co-created by Devon Turnbull, will take over the renewed Greenhouse area, offering a new dimension to the festival’s immersive listening experience.
ACTS THAT SPAN THE FULL SPECTRUM OF ELECTRONIC MUSIC
image courtesy of DARKSIDE
Beyond its headline names, Dekmantel 2026’s lineup is filled with essential acts spanning the full spectrum of electronic music. Expect boundary-pushing performances from legacy musicians DARKSIDE (pictured above), Helena Hauff, and Ricardo Villalobos, alongside the futuristic rhythms of Nicolini, Woody92, and Batu. The festival also welcomes hypnotic sounds from Wata Igarashi and Polygonia, genre-defying selections from Ogazón, and a special live show from from Tikiman featuring Scion, further cementing Dekmantel’s reputation as a as a musical breeding ground for innovation and experimentation.
