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Dec 17, 2025 Web Exclusive By Dom Gourlay

Having announced its first wave of artists for 2026 last month culminating in early bird tickets selling out within 48 hours, Psychic Dancehall Festival has added electronic music legend Phil Hartnoll (Orbital) to close the Wardwick stage for its second edition next March.

Psychic Dancehall will take place in Derby at The Wardwick, Dubrek Studios and an additional third space Electric Daisy, on 21st March 2026, again bringing an unmissable selection of electronic and experimental artists to the East Midlands.

As one half of the legendary Orbital, Hartnoll is true rave royalty, helping to soundtrack an entire generation with tracks like “Chime”, “Halycon” and “Belfast”. Their appearances on Top of The Pops and Glastonbury can lay claim to kicking down the doors to the mainstream for an entire electronic music scene.

For his DJ set expect Orbital classics, unreleased gems, and the unexpected.

Joining Hartnoll is Immersion, the electronic project of Wire legend Colin Newman and Malka Spigel of Minimal Contact. Emerging in the early 1990s they have been a self-contained act and vehicle for collaboration with the likes of Tarwater, Laetitia Sadier, Ulrich Schnauss and Scanner.

In Dubrek Studios, curation partners Kikimora Records again bring a programme of innovative and genre-bending sounds. Blending contemporary sounds and jazz with electronics, field recordings and vocalisations Afromerm is not to be missed, alongside the industrial sound sculptures of Amoeba Forecast.

Leeds-based BUFFEE brings blown out club hyper pop laced with distorted vocals, layered harmonies. and heavy bass. The new project from Matters’ Stuart Lee Tovey House Cloud brings hypnotic, deep techno.

Leaving war torn Kongo and transplanting to Leeds Mulele Matondo joined forces with electronic musician Ben Eyes to form Electroni Kongo. A border-defying collision of Afrobeat and acid techno, this is Kongolese music from the future, and contemporary to now. Completing the Kikimora additions Sm^sher is the solo guise of Voka Gentle’s Imogen Mason playing industrial soundscapes with folk traditions in an indefinable mix.

Dubrek’s Bunker Stage will also feature James Glew’s euphoric sounds and unique melodies, the kosmiche electronica of Aysup and the melodic mash-ups of Clum.

They all join the first wave announcement that featured “Head Technician” Pye Corner Audio, Derbyshire legends Haiku Salut, Voka Gentle, Ivan The Tolerable, Finlay Shakespeare and Madrigirl.

The festival is the brainchild of Derby-based music journalist, DJ and promoter James Thornhill.

With many more acts to be announced alongside DJs and other activities, second tier tickets are available priced £30 via Ticket Source and can be purchased HERE then full-price tickets will be £40.

For more information visit the Psychic Dancehall website