Hold onto your space hats, as here's a late surprise announcement for Unsound 2011: undisputed music legends Model 500 will make their first ever appearance in Poland at the festival!

Model 500 was started by Juan Atkins, generally acknowledged as the "Godfather of Techno," directly influenced by the writing of futurist Alvin Toffler, author of the 1970 book "Future Shock" from which this year's Unsound takes its name. Atkins has in fact referred to Toffler's phrase "techno rebels" as inspiring the description of the music genre he helped create. Atkins began recording as Model 500 in 1985, releasing the classic track "No UFOs" - regarded by many as the first techno work - on his label Metroplex. Live, Model 500 has in recent years morphed into a band including "Mad" Mike Banks, DJ Skurge and Mark Taylor.

They are added to a festival program that already presents influential artists from the last five decades of future-thinking electronic music, with Morton Subotnick, Chris & Cosey and John Foxx.  

Other artists added to the club nights include Rustie, about to release his debut LP on Warp, and Lithuania's Brokenchord, who recently did a remix for Radiohead.

Unsound will also join forces with curators from across Europe to put on a variety of FREE shows. This includes The Information Pylon on Sunday October 16th, a cross-pollination of futurist rupture from new UK label Public Information and The Exotic Pylon nestling in the surreal confines of Krakow's Feniks Dancing Bar. Featuring live performances from The Haxan Cloak (UK), Ekoplekz (UK) and Stellar Om Source (NL) with DJ interventions from Poland's own Pontone, jonny mugwump (Exotic Pylon) and Alex Wilson (Public Information). Visual interference to be announced.

Eastern Bridges is an afternoon series in Klub RE focusing on artists from the eastern side of the EU and beyond, co-presented with curators and festivals from the region. The artists programmed are i/dex (BY), cross-border project The Volume (UA/KZ/PL), Silly Conductor (ROM), The Band of Endless Noise (PL), Edgars Rubenis (LV), Wo0 (SP), Gas of Latvia (LV), Kotra (UA), Zavoloka (UA), and Andres Loo (EST). These events are presented with Serbia's Dis-Patch, Latvia's Skanu Mezs, Romania's Rocolektiv, Ukraine's Kvitnu, Estonia's Stalker Festival, Foundamental from Belarus, Poland's Audiotong and Klub RE.

We've also put the finishing touches on our opening and closing night parties. Confirmed is Legowelt from the Netherlands, as well as Poland's "The Complainer presents The Shrine," a special world premier solo show of covers of 80s hits by bands such as New Order, Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Visage. They will join Felix Kubin for an opening in Pauza on Sunday 9th October. The closing night party on Sunday October 16th is in also in Pauza. Joining Machinedrum will be the incredible VHS Head, Braille and DJ sets from LA Vampires and Philip Sherburne.

To say it again, The Information Pylon, Eastern Bridges series and the opening and closing  events are all FREE! Admission is on a first come, first served basis.

The Unsound 2011 discussion program is by far the most extensive we've ever put together, intersecting at points with the "Future Shock" theme. "The Wire" Magazine will be holding three presentations, with a talk by Steve Goodman (Kode9), discussing sound, music and the future, followed by a Q&A with Lisa Blanning from "The Wire." Also programmed by "Wire Magazine" is a Q&A with Leyland Kirby (aka The Caretaker), and "How To Wreck A Nice Plyazh" with Dave Tompkins, tracing the history of the vocoder.

Resident Advisor will send Todd L. Burns to host talks with John Foxx and Benge, Morphosis and Poland's own Catz n Dogz, as part of the RA Exchange Series, later to be put on line as podcasts. Other discussions and presentations include Morton Subotnik, William Bennett, Robin Fox, Felix Kubin as well as talks on "social media hacking." This extensive program takes place in the contemporary art gallery Bunkier Sztuki and is also entirely free of charge.

Installations, screenings and visual thrills at Unsound 2011 will be announced in a news release coming in a few days, as well as info on Black Taxi, set to navigate throughout the city.

Head on line to check out the program. Tickets to Unsound 2011 are available at TicketPro.