The third wave of Unsound artists includes more unique shows, with a commissioned work from DEMDIKE STARE and the first announced presentation of the MALA IN CUBA project. Add to that carefully selected acts from the experimental and dance music scenes including the first Polish appearance of the legendary THEO PARRISH, and Unsound's 10th anniversary edition is building into a very special week.

DEMDIKE STARE have been commissioned to create an exclusive live performance called "CONCEALED" with SINFONIETTA CRACOVIA string players and classical percussion. Marking the first time the duo has performed a concert with live instrumentation, new music will be created in collaboration with cellist DANNY NORBURY, who has released sublime solo work over the years, as well as contributing to Demdike Stare's output. The performance will also feature visual artist/animator MICHAEL ENGLAND, who has previously worked with the likes of Autechre and Leila. England will help create "a stylised, graphically choreographed, ritualistic narrative" to Demdike Stare's show, which will no doubt be perfectly suited to the venue, and Krakow's ancient atmosphere.

One of the most anticipated albums of 2012 is MALA IN CUBA. In May 2011, MALA, dubstep pioneer and one half of Digital Mystikz, travelled to Cuba with GILLES PETERSON to record with local musicians. The resulting album comes out in September on the Brownswood label, run by Peterson, who says it will be "the record that reevaluates and realigns the dubstep movement within sound system culture." A live performance of Mala in Cuba is set to take place at Unsound Krakow, with Mala supported by a cast of collaborating musicians.

Undisputed dance-music legend THEO PARRISH will travel from his home of Detroit to make his Polish debut at Unsound Krakow 2012. Presented in collaboration with Red Bull Music Academy, the festival will make room for an expansive DJ set. Uncompromising, Theo Parrish is famously dedicated to using vinyl records only as a DJ, shifting between genres like no other. As he put it in a recent interview : "I'm not comfortable with convenience replacing artistry." No doubt his set will also be a festival highlight. You can find a Red Bull Music Academy interview with Theo here.

FACTORY FLOOR have built a reputation as one of the UK's best live bands, for ferocious shows combining hypnotic dance grooves and noise. Remixed by Optimo, Chris Carter and Stephen Morris (New Order/Joy Dvision), this year band member Nik Colk also joined Chris and Cosey to create an acclaimed album as Carter Tutti Void. Factory Floor are now signed to New York's DFA Records, who will release their second single in August, followed by a long-awaited debut album early 2013. Catch them at Unsound 2012.

STEFAN BETKE aka pole has been closely connected with Unsound for years now, possibly holding the record for the most festival-related shows in Krakow, New York, Kiev and Minsk. It is fitting, then, that pole is set to perform at our 10th anniversary. One of the most meticulous producers working in electronic music, his recent releases and new live shows have shown a return to the stripped down, dubby sound that built his name, leading toward a new album in 2013.

VAKULA, from Ukraine, has been been steadily building a reputation based on a prolific number of 12-inches on labels such as Quintessential, Meakusuma and Firecracker, which combine deep house with unexpected and wonderfully strange elements that feel somehow connected to this producer's geographical location. As Valula's official bio puts it, his music not only sits with the house revival, but "is simple and melodious as Taras Shevchenko poetry and fat as Ukrainian lard." He will DJ.

RON MORELLI is the founder and head of the DIY Brooklyn based dance label L.I.E.S., which in recent years has managed to stand out for its raw house and techno releases. Ron is also known for his work on the decks, and will also DJ at Unsound, no doubt showcasing many of the artists on his celebrated label.

MIKEQ is one of the leading figures connected with New York and New Jersey's contemporary ballroom/vogue-house scene. MikeQ runs the Qween Beat label, and has also released an EP on the Kingdom-curated Fade To Mind press. His DJ sets have a uniqueness and impact captured in the many vogue and ballroom tracks, re-edits and remixes he's released.

SLAVA is Russian born, but based in Brooklyn. Releasing on Mathematics, Future Times and Daniel Lopatin and Joel Ford's Software label, his most recent music stands out for the way it has mutated footwork, melancholic synth samples and elements of techno to create something distinctive and new. Boomkat said of the Software EP: "the most compelling thing that Software have released this side of Oneohtrix’s Replica." Slava will play live.

We still have much more to come. Our next announcement is coming at the start of August, and you will soon be able to purchase festival passes. Stay tuned.


CONFIRMED ACTS FOR UNSOUND FESTIVAL 2012:

ATELECINE (USA) - World Premiere
ATOM BY ROBERT HENKE & CHRISTOPHER BAUDER (DE) - Polish Premiere
ATOM ™ (aka Uwe Schmidt) (DE) - Polish Premiere
BEN FROST (AU/IS/USA) - With new live show comprised of two drummers
BIOSPHERE & LUSTMORD PRESENT: TRINITY - visuals by MFO (NO/UK/DE) - European Premiere
COOLY G w/ LIVE BAND (UK) - Polish Premiere of live show
DEMDIKE STARE PRESENT: CONCEALED feat. Danny Norbury and Sinfonietta Cracovia (UK/PL) - Unsound-commission, World Premiere
MIKEQ (USA) - DJ SET - Polish Premiere
EVIAN CHRIST (UK) - Polish Premiere
FACTORY FLOOR (UK)
JULIA HOLTER w/ Sinfonietta Cracovia Quartet (USA/PL) - Special Show, Polish Premiere
HIEROGLYPHIC BEING (USA) - Polish Premiere
KUEDO (UK)
KEVIN DRUMM (USA)
MALA IN CUBA (UK/CU)
pole (DE) - Polish premiere of new live show
RON MORELLI (L.I.E.S.) (USA) - DJ SET - Polish Premiere
SHACKLETON (UK)
SLAVA (USA/RU) - Polish Premiere
THEO PARRISH (USA) - DJ SET - Polish Premiere, presented with Red Bull Music Academy
TIM HECKER & ONEOHTRIX POINT NEVER (CAN/USA) - World Premiere
TRAXMAN (USA) - Polish Premiere
VAKULA (UA) - DJ SET
VATICAN SHADOW (USA) - Polish Premiere
V/VM (UK) - First Show Since 2006, Polish Premiere
VOICES FROM THE LAKE (DONATO DOZZY & NEEL) (IT) - Polish Premiere

+ MORE TO COME!