Music review: Unsound Adelaide 2026
A synthesiser pioneer and New York City experimental punk were highlights of the 2026 Unsound Adelaide program, which was much softer and more introspective than ever before.
I spent most of Unsound Adelaide 2026 finding myself snapping out of a meditative daze.
Unlike previous iterations of the world-renowned experimental music festival that’s had an outpost in Adelaide for more than a decade, a softer sound lending itself to introspection was central to the programming.
It made for an easier weekend on the ears, but a more intellectually challenging concertgoer experience that neatly suited the breezy midwinter weekend.
And while without a big-name headliner like 2023’s Oneohtrix Point Never, 2024’s Gordon or last year’s John Cale, the annual must-attend festival still drew a sizeable and open-minded crowd; minus one obnoxious heckler who was obviously not where he thought he might be on Saturday night.
Friday
Heavy smoke lit by green lights welcomed attendees early on Friday evening on day one of Unsound at Lion Arts Factory, turning the historic building into something like an abandoned church.
This feeling was amplified by opening act LEYA – a US duo of a harpist, Marilu Donovan, and violinist Adam Markiewicz. Vocals reminiscent of Gregorian chant echoed over undulating and rhythmic harp.
The two were cheeky too – always welcome amid the experimentalism on display – quipping how they saw a “wallaby” on Thursday before admonishing US imperialism: “Free Congo, Free Sudan, Free Palestine”.
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“If you have any weed, come find us after.”
FUJI||||||||||TA (Japan) & Ka Bird (US) were up next, with percussion and synth pushing their electronic set forward, before a flute is whipped out, creating a soothing moment amid the chaos that eventually reached a crescendo.
A trio of Polish producer 2K88, Manchester-based Rainy Miller and Bianca Stout was a big highlight of the first evening.
Blending drill rap into an off-kilter soundscape, the trio made what I could only describe as post-Brexit avant-garde music. They made good use of the Lion Arts crowd space, Miller opening the performance in the middle of the crowd; hoodie up over the top of an ironic Union Jack t-shirt.
This was the closest the first night got to pop music, one track standing out from the sound collage as a true ‘hit’. It was certainly a crowd favourite, with those crammed into Lion Arts getting a moment for a slow dance.
But it was billy woods that I’d venture had the biggest fanbase in the venue; a friend even approached me at the start of the night gushing about the rapper, already wearing his merchandise.
On the back of his 2025 album GOLLIWOG, the US rapper fit right at home on the Unsound lineup. He brought the goods: minimalistic beats and avant-jazz samples galore.
And with just a laptop and a microphone, woods commanded the space and demanded what many had wanted the sound tech to do all night: turn up the sound.
Saturday
It was a more sombre affair on the second night of Unsound, which took place in Hindley Street Music Hall; easily the best space for the event of the two, even if the smokers’ balcony can get a bit crowded with every single person you’ve ever met in Adelaide.
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The opening act had the most pedigree of anyone on the two-day program. Collaborating with acclaimed British producer Actress, synthesiser pioneer Suzanne Ciani worked her magic.
I took a seat for this performance that was absolutely transcendental. Soft, atmospheric ambient synth took the audience into a new world, only to be snapped back when heavy, industrial beats popped up out of nowhere; an anxious reminder of reality.
It was a treat to witness Ciani; a synthesiser legend and Grammy nominee. She’s been waving the flag for the music Unsound champions since the 1970s, making the appearance in Adelaide almost a victory lap of an acclaimed career.
Set design shone here too, with the duo flanked by iridescent fabric that cast spotlights across the hall and gave the impression they were performing underwater.
The good stuff kept coming when Colombian artist Lucercia Dalt took the stage, dressed gorgeously.
She sang half in Spanish, half in English, with the Colombian passion evident in her fiery tunes, which were given a foundation by a looping machine masterfully deployed by Dalt.
Her band members shone too on an unconventional drum kit and an unconventional bass guitar. Like WOMADelaide, Unsound has a true knack for connecting Adelaide with the weirder and best music from across the planet.
A personal favourite of the evening that certainly cut through the softer side of the broader program was YHWH Nailgun.
The NYC-based experimental punk band was uncompromising, delivering their songlets with unrelenting confidence. It was impossible to keep track of what time signature anything was in, making the band’s technical skills even more impressive.
Vocalist Zack Borzone was a sight to behold, unflinchingly staring out into the crowd and contorting his body into strange shapes as he soared gutturally over the top of the intricate beats with a voice that sounded as if he’d smoked 10 cigarettes before stepping out. Even when a heckler yelled, “Play something good”, Borzone didn’t blink.
Closing off the festival was a stunning set from celebrated musician Hania Rani, that once again lulled us into a sense of meditation.
Backed by a singular diffusive laser, the Poland-born musician presented ‘Chilling Bambino’. Surrounded by a piano, keyboards and synthesisers, she expertly wove sounds into an embrace, warming cold bodies inside the Music Hall.
It was an apt closer to the two days of softer, introspective sounds of the program. For the first time in Unsound history, maybe earplugs were totally optional.
Unsound Adelaide 2026 ran from July 11 – 12 as part of Illuminate Adelaide.
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