Stone Techno Festival returns from July 10 to 12 with the reveal of its full 2026 lineup, marking a new moment in the evolution of a project we have followed closely over the past years. After spending the last two summers inside UNESCO World Heritage Zeche Zollverein’s vast industrial maze, we have come to understand the festival as more than an event. It is a mindset shaped by place, community and intention. This year’s announcement makes that sense of trajectory even clearer.
Having been there in 2024 and again in 2025, we have seen how each edition refines its own vocabulary. Last year, the sense of purpose was unmistakable. Stages felt intentional, with crowds moving with focus, and artists delivered sets shaped more by conviction than by trend. That experience makes today’s news especially meaningful because the 2026 lineup extends the same commitment to clarity and depth.
The 2026 lineup brings together influential figures such as DVS1, Skee Mask, Roman Flügel, Function, Efdemin, Legowelt, Leon Vynehall, Kangding Ray, Martyn, Anthony Naples, Anthony Linell, Heiko Laux, Henning Baer, Convextion, Luigi Tozzi, Neel, Ness, Barker, Colin Benders, ROD, Satoshi Tomiie, Scion Versions, Serge, Vladimir Ivkovic, Vril, Sunju Hargun, Freddy K, Magda and Sons of Hidden, each contributing a distinct force to the festival’s industrial setting.
Alongside them, the programme highlights artists shaping the experimental and atmospheric edges of contemporary electronic music, including Grand River, Nadia Struiwigh, Mari Sakurai, Martinou, Jonas Landwehr, Marcal, Felix Fleer, Fergus Sweetland, Emily Jeanne, Isabel Soto, Jin Synth, Upsammy, Out Of Place Artefacts, Powder, Lea Occhi, Tauceti, Luna Ludmila, Lady Starlight, Gabrielle Kwarteng, OK Williams, Quelza, Akua, Afra, Abs8lute, Decoder, DJ Maria, Fireground, Ehua and Connor Wall.
The lineup widens further with artists whose work pushes rhythm and intensity, including Ahmet Sisman, Amotik, Amoral, Alarico, D. Dan, D-Leria, Bashkka, Benjamin Damage, Call Super, Carlos Valdes, Carrier, Andy Martin, Andrey Pushkarev, Philippa Pacho, PLO Man, Regal86, Rene Wise, Ogazón, Oscar Mulero, Sedef Adasi, Tikiman & Richard Akingbehin, The Lady Machine, Toobris, Toru Ikemoto, Verraco, Vera Logdanidi, Nastia Reigel, Yanamaste, 1morning and GiGi FM.
Stone Techno’s relationship with memory continues to develop. Earlier this year, the organisers opened their archive and published all sets recorded for the 2025 edition in collaboration with ARTE Concert. These recordings capture the shifts between open-air brightness and the density of Zollverein’s interiors, and they now serve as a reference point for the 2026 design. They also highlight something essential about the festival: every stage seems to carry its own geological and emotional signature.
The pop-up vinyl store by Clone Records returns as a reminder that physical discovery still matters in a digital ecosystem. Digging through records becomes another way of understanding the festival’s culture, one that values human exchange and curiosity without mediation.
With today’s lineup announcement, Stone Techno Festival sets the tone for its 2026 edition. The programme shows a coherent step forward, expanding the project’s curatorial ambitions while keeping its community-driven spirit intact. From here, the countdown begins. As summer approaches, we will be following the updates closely and preparing to return to Zollverein for another edition that already looks set to push the festival’s identity even further.
