Lineup:
2K88 – live / Antonina Nowacka / ∈Y∋ & C.O.L.O / FUJI|||||||||||TA & Ka Baird / Hania Rani presents Chilling Bambino / Jim O’Rourke, Eiko Ishibashi & Piotr Kurek / Keiji Haino plays Baschet / KAKUHAN & Adam Gołębiewski / Rai Tateishi / ralph / Raphael Rogiński plays John Coltrane and Langston Hughes / RP Boo & Gary Gwadera / Robin Fox presents TRIPTYCH – a homage to Stanisław Ostoja-Kotkowski / Włodzimierz Kotoński Remixed by Jim O'Rourke & Eiko Ishibashi
+ More To Be Announced
Unsound is one of the world’s most influential festivals and platforms of electronic and experimental music. Established in 2003 in its hometown of Kraków, the festival has taken place in over 30 cities, focused on adventurous sounds and building collaborations across borders.
The first-ever Unsound Festival in Japan will take place in Osaka from September 5–7, alongside major autumn festivals in New York and Kraków as part of the Unsound 2025 WEB theme. In Osaka the main focus is on Polish and Japanese artists, with headliners, legends and rising names. Many are collaborating for the first time, or presenting special projects. The first announcement includes the main program at Creative Center Osaka, VS. and the Ohtsuki Noh Theatre. A second announcement is coming soon, focused on late night club music in smaller clubs across Osaka, as well as the outdoor stage at Creative Center Osaka.
As part of Poland’s presence at Expo 2025, Unsound was invited by PAIH to create the first edition of the festival in Osaka. The result is three days of events co-organized with Japanese partners.
The main program is as follows:
SEPTEMBER 5 - VS.
Taking place within the framework of the Ryuichi Sakamoto exhibition “sakamotocommon OSAKA - 1970/2025/OSAKA/RYUICHI SAKAMOTO -” and hosted by VS., the first night of Unsound Osaka reaches into the past and future by celebrating pioneers of electronic and experimental music. At the heart of the night, for the first time ever Keiji Haino will perform on a collection of Baschet sculptures created by the François Baschet for the 1970 Osaka World Expo, instruments that inspired Sakamoto when he attended the Expo at age 18.
Following, Australian Robin Fox will present his stunning laser and sound work Triptych, winner of ARS Electronica’s Isao Tomita Special Prize. Inspired by the work of pioneering Polish-Australian laser artist Stanisław Ostoja-Kotkowski, Triptych is an "audio visual space-time carving" that uses laser projectors to transform a venue's unique architecture into a completely new environment – unable to be packaged up, this work can only be experienced live.
To open the night, Jim O’Rourke and Eiko Ishibashi will remix live works by Polish composer Włodzimierz Kotoński – a composer close to their hearts. One of Poland's most radical 20th century musicians, Kotoński pioneered tape music, live electronic performance, synthesized music and computer music.
Registration to this event via the VS. website.
SEPTEMBER 6 - CREATIVE CENTER OSAKA
Unsound takes over the former shipyards of Namura Shipbuilding, located at the mouth of the Kizu River and now a creative art complex and event space. With a program encompassing experimental music, ambient, club and rap, the festival will feature 3 stages, including Partita, Black Chamber and an outdoor stage with DJ sets.
The Partita program features Polish pianist and composer Hania Rani with her new work Chilling Bambino featuring piano and electronics, as well as Osaka legend ∈Y∋ – of Boredoms – presenting a A/V show with C.O.L.O Polish producer 2K88 will play a set based around his album SHAME in which Yokohama MC ralph will make a guest appearance, before performing his own blazing solo set. Rai Tateishi opens, performing a set centered around shinobue, the ancient bamboo flute, with live processing by Koshiro Hino.
In Black Chamber, new collaborations initiated by Unsound come from local duo KAKUHAN performing with Polish percussionist Adam Gołębiewski for the launch of their album Repercussions. Japanese sound artist FUJI||||||||||TA teams up with New Yorker Ka Baird for a work exploiting air, pressure, breath and noise. RP Boo, the Chicago pioneer of footwork club music, will work with Polish drummer and musician Gary Gwadera.
The program will also include another artist and local DJ’s for the outdoor stage, to be announced soon, along with another couple of artists performing in Black Chamber.
Registration to this event via the event producer Circus.
SEPTEMBER 7 - OHTSUKI NOH THEATRE
The Ohtsuki Noh Theatre opened in 1935. Today it will feature as the stage for a series of concerts that reflect its tranquil interior, the program featuring three Polish artists whose work is acclaimed around the world, including one special premiere collaboration with Eiko Ishibashi and Jim O’Rourke.
Opening is Antonina Nowacka, whose shows uniquely revolve around her wonderful voice, described as a “portal into unseen worlds,” stretching time and blurring the line between language, sound and spirit. It follows acclaimed solo releases such as Sylphine Soporifera, as well as her collaborative albums with Sofie Birch.
Polish composer, performer and improviser Raphael Rogiński has made a name for himself as one of the most unique guitarists in the world, acclaimed especially for his solo recordings and performances which draw on different styles, from folk and blues to jazz, classical music and beyond. For Unsound Osaka, he will perform music from Plays Coltrane and Langston Hughes – reissued by Unsound in 2024 to great acclaim – an album which slows down and radically interprets works from legendary saxophonist and bandleader John Coltrane.
Polish multi-instrumentalist and composer Piotr Kurek might be best known for his acclaimed run of solo albums, including World Speaks and the Unsound-released Smartwoods, but he is also a prolific collaborator. It’s this energy he will bring to Unsound Osaka, playing alongside Jim O'Rourke and Eiko Ishibashi, two of the world's most uncompromising underground icons. Ishibashi has managed to balance divergent solo releases with soundtrack work for films like the Ryusuke Hamaguchi's Oscar-winning Drive My Car and its follow-up Evil Does Not Exist, while O'Rourke has worked with Gastr Del Sol, Stereolab, Wilco and Sonic Youth, and his vast solo catalogue ranges from intricate, hook-laden rock to delicate musique concrète.
The program is being presented as a part of the Week of Polish Culture organized by the Polish Investment Trade Agency as a part of the Poland Pavillion’s Program at Expo 2025, inspired by the title “Poland – Heritage that drives the future”.
