As announced recently, Krakow Unsound’s 2010 program is largely shaped around the theme “Horror – the pleasure of fear and unease”, exploring the connection between image and sound in horror movies, as well as artists who deal with or are influenced in some way by the "dark side".

Canadian Tim Hecker, one of the word’s best-known producers of electronic music, has just been confirmed. Icelandic cello player Hildur Guðnadóttir will also appear, with her trio. In very different ways, both of these artists create music that intersects with the ambient genre, yet is often full of foreboding.

Two bands drawing on experimentation and metal genres have also been included in Unsound’s program, both utilizing saxophone in non-conventional contexts and ways. The first is the Norwegian Shining, following on international critical acclaim for their mind-bending album Blackjazz. Expect an explosive live show. Even more ear punishing, and evoking memories for some of  Unsound 2009’s Sunn O))) show, Swiss group Monno will perform what’s been called a “deconstruction of doom.” With Antoine Chessex on the bleakest sounding sax you can imagine, this is frightening, uncompromising music.

Oneohtrix Point Never, from New York, is known for his lush and eerie synth sound, full of strangely emotive sci-fi nostalgia. He earned the number 2 position in The Wire’s best albums of 2009 for “Rifts”, and is releasing a new album in June on the Austrian label Mego. Oneohtrix Point Never will prepare a special show for Unsound, one that intersects with the festival’s main theme.

All these artists will perform in unique and unexpected venues – from Krakow’s Old Town to industrial areas - part of Unsound Krakow’s core concept.

The UK’s Mordant Music is one of the most interesting labels to have emerged from the UK in recent years. Eccentric, unpredictable, its diverse artists include Shackleton and Vindicatrix, as well as Mordant Music themselves.

For Unsound, Mordant Music is to build a 'Nesst' installation at Unsound Festival in Krakow in October marking the furthest point that the mysterious UK label / artist has come out into the open since its inception in 2000. The 'Nesst' will be assembled using wood, bed sheets and concrete, to represent the various studio spaces that Mordant Music has occupied over the years. This temporary structure will function as an emitter for both audio and visuals and loops.

Others artists already announced include Moritz von Oswald Trio, Actress, Shackleton and Zombie Zombie playing the songs of John Carpenter.

Showing the breadth of this year’s Krakow Unsound program, the Miasmah label musician Kreng is now working on a preview of a special project with the controversial Belgian theatre group Abattoir Fermé. “The Pretty One” will present a neo-gothic ghost story on the thin line between concert, film and performance, exploring the musical universe of Kreng and the life of Leslie Van Houten, former beauty queen and member of the Charles Manson gang.

Expect many more names and vert special projects to be announced in the coming weeks and months. The festival will go from 17th until 24th of October, with the main days being 21st until the 24th.

Unsound Krakow 2010 is organized in partnership with the Norwegian festival Insomnia and the Icelandic festival Rejkiavik Round-Up-Rettir.