We’ve been keeping this one under wraps… but we’re elated to announce that we’ve locked in Rinse for Sónar 2026. Founded in 1994 as a pirate radio station by then-jungle artists Geeneus and Slimzee, Rinse has played a vital role in the development of UK artists and underground club music since the late 90s and early 2000s. From UK garage to grime and dubstep, it helped incubate and develop a whole new wave of UK artists, who would go on to export these then hyperlocal styles to global audiences.
An official license holder since 2010, the London-based station will be broadcasting live from the festival this year, and are the latest partners for one of Sónar’s most storied stages, SonarLab. Across two nights - Friday 19th and Saturday 20th June - SonarLab x Rinse brings together rising stars and heavyweight acts, bridging different generations and celebrating club culture at its purest and most innovative.
On Friday, in true Sónar and Rinse style, the lineup is dedicated to the continuing influence of the UK hardcore continuum, from jungle to bass music. Representing legendary label Metalheadz, Goldie b2b Doc Scott ft Medic MC is unmissable for drum’n’bass and jungle fans. Another - more understated - UK legend, Addison Groove connects the dots between genres as diverse as footwork, dubstep, techno and grime. Rising star Amaliah goes back-to-back with one of her heroes, Hessle Audio’s Pangaea, for a set of fluid, bass-driven house and techno. Mysterious duo ⌭ IceMorph ⌬ - of online collective CloudCore - download the internet’s most unconventional club music direct to the dancefloor, while London-via-Tokyo artist riria has already made waves on both Rinse and SonarMix with her esoteric, energetic mixing style. Rounding out the lineup is rising Madrid artist Olivia Babe, who has one foot in UK club culture and the other in Spanish trap and r&b.
Saturday focuses on artists who are redefining and refining techno in 2026. German ravers FJAAK meet electroclash pioneer Kittin for a never-seen-before collaborative live set. Herrensauna resident SALOME plays acid and electro with plenty of spiky breaks, while Akua’s raw, minimal, and intense style is inspired by techno’s 90s pioneers. A longtime Sónar favourite, Wata Igarashi returns this year for another mind-bending live set. His deep, textured productions have inspired Japan’s next great techno artist DJ MARIA., as well as SonarMix contributor and rising Spanish star ISA. Danielle and Ryan Elliott both share a love of the spaces in between genres: their free-flowing session could go just about anywhere.
Stay tuned in the next weeks for more details about Rinse at Sónar 2026. And in the meantime: keep it locked.