Over recent years, the Irish obsession with Sziget has become more than noticeable. It seems like every year, there’s a pilgrimage to Budapest for one of the biggest festivals in Europe.

After their initial announcements of headliners such as Fred Again.., Stormzy and Four Tet, Sziget have bolstered their lineup with some perfectly curated picks, ahead of the festival kicking off on 7 August.

There’s nothing more frustrating than seeing the same acts on every festival lineup. However, Sziget have not seemed to shy away from underground picks, sprinkling in a bit of cultural pedigree into an already very strong roster of acts.

Yves Tumor

The anomaly that is Yves Tumor has joined the lineup. There’s nobody can inject that moody mysticism into a set much like Yves, with their most recent project Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume, only building on the spacey, genre-blurring soundscapes they’ve created previously.

Teezo Touchdown

It seems like you can’t escape Teezo Touchdowns sound this year, which makes him a no-brainer to be added to the names at Sziget. A unique style but more importantly a unique sound. Is it possible to have a better run of features than on Tyler, The Creator’s Call Me If You Get Lost, Drake’s For All The Dogs and Travis Scott’s UTOPIA? That doesn’t mean he doesn’t command the crowd with his own music, if you haven’t listened to Teezo’s solo work, now is the time to get studying.

Skrillex

The evolution of Skrillex and the culture he has popularised is a tale in itself. One of the main contributors to dubstep being dragged out of the sweaty basement parties to the stadiums full of thousands of people. Skrillex has been a constant in electronic music for almost 15 years now, yet is coming out with sounds and collaborations so fresh, you’d swear he was a newbie. Whether you’re in the Scary Monsters school of thought or a Rumble die-hard, you can’t deny how iconic this man is.

Janelle Monáe

Listening to Janelle Monáe is like sauntering down the lazy river at a waterpark on holiday, absolute bliss. Her last project The Age of Pleasure, felt like a culmination of almost two decades of eclectic production and Janelle’s silky voice. A recent collaborator with Teezo, has us holding our breath to see if the two reunite on stage in August.

Nova Twins

An electrifying aesthetic to match their electrifying sound. Nova Twins’ hype has been snowballing since their Mercury Prize nomination 2022. Irreverent rage which has been distilled into what could be one of the best performances of the festival. Treading the line between rock and hyperpop, the duo’s set will most likely not give you a moment’s rest.

A festival is more than just a lineup and Sziget has nailed the culture and the sound. Of course we can’t overlook the likes of Raye, Liam Gallagher, Editors and so many more picks which once again makes Sziget one of the best festivals in not just Europe but the world.

Click here to grab tickets to Sziget festival on 7-12 August.

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