From 28 May to 1st June, TIMES will be in Lyon for Nuits sonores 2025.
Hosting co-curations from Berlin Atonal, Insomnia, and Reworks, the French festival will once again gather the best of the electronic and contemporary scene with a sharp, eclectic and audacious programme. Nuits sonores Lab, the discourse programme of the festival curated by European Lab, will open a space for debate and reflection at the heart of the festival, under the theme of Techno-politics.

Nuits sonores will also host the world premiere of The Talk, an artistic creation commissioned by Nuits sonores, Reworks, Terraforma, and Sónar.

Co-curated with Berlin Atonal:

Mohammad Reza Mortazavi (IR)
Mika Oki & Sara Persico present Sphaîra (FR/IT)
Simo Cell & Abdullah Miniawy (FR/EG)
Are We Discussing More Electronic Music Than Experiencing It In 2025? — Talk

Co-curated with Insomnia:

Mental Overdrive (NO)
Takkak Takkak (JP/ID)
Lyra Pramuk (US)
FÖLLAKZOID (CL)
The Internet is a Horrible Place and I’m Here to Make it Worse — Workshop with Noura Tafeche (IT)

Co-curated with Reworks:

Ellen Allien b2b BADSISTA (DE/BR)
Nubiyan Twist (UK)
Moxie b2b Wallace (UK)
Fadi Mohem (DE)

Co-curated with Berlin Atonal:
Mohammad Reza Mortazavi
Mika Oki & Sara Persico present Sphaîra
Simo Cell & Abdullah Miniawy
Are We Discussing More Electronic Music Than Experiencing It In 2025? — Talk

A prodigy of the Tombak, Mohammad Reza Mortazavi began at the age of 6, and by 9, he had already surpassed the teachings of his master. Revolutionising his art with over 30 new techniques, he captivated Europe with stunning performances, playing in iconic venues such as the Berlin Philharmonie. Winner of the RUTH Prize in 2003, he has gone on multiple international tours, lighting up the stages of prestigious festivals. With Transformation and other major albums, he continues to elevate percussion to an unparalleled level.

Sara Persico and Mika Oki present an adventurous audiovisual collaboration inspired by the former’s recent album, featuring field recordings from the experimental concrete theatre by Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer in Tripoli, Lebanon. This impressive dome structure, envisioned for social integration, was abandoned during Lebanon’s civil war and later scarred by military use. Their project, Sphaîra, aims to transpose the unique spatial, sonic and lighting effects of the dome to create an atmosphere suitable for deep contemplation.⁠

In 2020, the Egyptian singer, songwriter, and composer Abdullah Miniawy teamed up with Simo Cell, a French producer blending UK sounds with fractured electronic explorations, to release Kill Me or Negotiate. An album that boldly paves a new musical frontier, shaped by Simo’s punchy, bass-driven modernity, the soaring trumpet melodies, and Abdullah’s oriental poetry. Together, they craft a sonic landscape where tradition and experimentation meet, navigating between folk futurism, visceral sub-grooves, and the dancefloors of tomorrow.

As part of the Nuits sonores Lab debate forum, the journalist Chal Ravens will discuss the new dynamics of the electronic scene alongside Elijah, a keen observer of music industry trends who deciphers them through his Yellow Square project, as well as Günseli Yalcinkaya, author and researcher.

Co-curated with Insomnia:
FÖLLAKZOID
Lyra Pramuk
Mental Overdrive
Takkak Takkak

FÖLLAKZOID is the project of Dominga, a musician, artist, and filmmaker, who has been its central figure since its inception. By integrating her queer and trans identity into both her music and live performances, she infuses a unique energy that irresistibly captivates audiences on the dancefloor. Founded in Santiago, Chile, on July 7, 2007, and now based between Berlin and New York, Föllakzoid explores hypnotic rhythms and immersive soundscapes, blending psychedelic rock, krautrock, electronic music, and techno influences.

Mental Overdrive is the primary alias of Per Martinsen, a Norwegian electronic music producer and artist, known for his pioneering contributions to the techno and electronic scenes. Launched in the late 1980s, Mental Overdrive is one of Martinsen’s most iconic musical projects, marked by an innovative approach to electronic music and a significant influence on the global techno scene.

Lyra Pramuk blends classical singing, pop sensibility, artistic performance, and contemporary club culture into a music that could be described as futuristic folk. Both emotional, sensual, and spiritual, her creations explore the relationship between technology and humanity, offering a post-human, non-binary vision of life and fragile ecosystems. For Lyra, the voice is the central instrument of her musical exploration, at the intersection of electronic and modular genres. By combining sampling, synthesis, and storytelling, she challenges established structures and redefines notions of difference in our world.

The formation Takkak Takkak delivers an energetic explosion of sound that combines traditional Indonesian gamelan rhythms with electronic beats and noise elements. The duo, consisting of Shigeru Ishihara (aka Scotch Rolex) and Mo’ong Santoso Pribadi, create a polyrhythmic performance where handcrafted instruments meet driving bass and distorted vocals. Their performances are as ritualistic as they are chaotic, inviting the audience to immerse themselves in a trance-like, border-crossing world of sound. 

Noura Tafeche is a visual artist, independent researcher, writer and onomaturge. Her areas of research expand on the subjects of visual culture and its technol-political implication with a focus on digital militarism, online aesthetics, internet hyper-niches and meme culture, philosophy of language and visual representation of speculative imaginaries. 

Co-curated with Insomnia at Nuits sonores 2025 during the workshop ‘The Internet Is a Horrible Place and I’m Here to Make It Worse’.

Co-curated with Reworks:
Ellen Allien b2b BADSISTA
Fadi Mohem
Moxie b2b Wallace
Nubiyan Twist

A prestigious meeting between Ellen Allien, an iconic figure of global techno, and BADSISTA, a cornerstone of the Brazilian underground scene. A visionary looking to the future, Ellen Allien embodies the very essence of techno: an artist who has shaped her own universe while leaving an indelible mark on electronic culture with her unique sonic DNA. On the other hand, BADSISTA, a producer, DJ, and co-founder of the feminist collective Bandida, stands out for her eclecticism and taste for unclassifiable tracks. With sets where techno, ghetto house, and baile funk intertwine, she builds bridges between genres and asserts herself as a key player on the international stage. This encounter promises an explosive fusion between two artistic visions with complementary energies!

Berlin-based Fadi Mohem developed his signature sound: a fast, precise, and constantly evolving live performance designed to offer a unifying experience. Passionate about electronic music from a young age, Fadi Mohem began his career as a DJ and producer in 2011. His influences blend Detroit techno, Berlin dub techno, drum’n’bass, and IDM, creating a rich and captivating style. A resident at Berghain, he has also played at numerous international clubs and released notable tracks on labels like Klockworks, Seilscheibenpfeiler, and WERK.

Moxie and Wallace share much more than their roles as curators and label founders — respectively, On Loop and Tartan Records. These key figures in the UK electronic scene share a common love for house, deep house, techno, and dubby, groovy, percussive sounds. A staple in the dance music world, Moxie is an iconic voice and a resident DJ on NTS Radio for over 12 years, while also performing at clubs and festivals worldwide. Wallace, on the other hand, is emerging as a producer to watch closely, with notable releases on Mule Musiq, Studio Barnhus, Rhythm Section, CWPT, and Disco Halal!

Also coming from the United Kingdom, Nubiyan Twist is undoubtedly one of the most dynamic collectives of the new generation of British musicians redefining the rules of contemporary jazz. Hailing from Leeds, they craft their neo-soul, jazz-funk, afro-groove, and broken beat blend in London’s clubs. With their album Find Your Flame, already critically acclaimed, the nine musicians infuse vibrant energy into each track. These young talents, who are reinventing jazz with modern sounds, promise an explosion of joy that’s highly contagious!

Join us for Nuits sonores 2025!