Dekmantel is a five-day electronic music festival held annually in Amsterdam, Netherlands, known for its cutting-edge techno, house, and experimental programming. Founded in 2014 by the Dekmantel record label and collective, the festival takes place across multiple venues in Amsterdam, with the main site at the Amsterdamse Bos (Amsterdam Forest). The 2026 edition runs July 29 through August 2, featuring A Guy Called Gerald performing Black Secret Technology live, Actress and Carl Craig, Aurora Halal, Ben UFO, and dozens of underground electronic artists.
The Dekmantel YouTube channel uploads full recorded sets from the festival. JakoJako's live performance at the RADAR stage during the 2025 edition is available in full:
How Dekmantel Works
Dekmantel spans five days, with the main festival weekend running Friday through Sunday at the Amsterdamse Bos. The opening days (Wednesday and Thursday) feature events at partner venues across Amsterdam, including clubs, warehouses, and cultural spaces. The festival site itself hosts six stages: the Main Stage, the UFO stage (for experimental and ambient), the Boiler Room stage, and several smaller stages dedicated to niche sounds.
The Amsterdamse Bos is a large wooded park on the outskirts of Amsterdam. The forest setting creates a natural amphitheater effect, with stages tucked between trees and along lakes. The site holds approximately 40,000 attendees across the weekend. The festival maintains a deliberately curated atmosphere, limiting capacity to preserve the intimate feel that distinguishes it from larger commercial festivals.
Tickets go on sale in early spring through the Dekmantel website. Pass types include full festival passes, weekend passes, day tickets, and opening concert tickets. The festival sells out quickly due to its reputation and limited capacity. Prices for 2026 ranged from approximately 75 EUR for day tickets to 250 EUR for full festival passes.
The lineup is announced in phases. Dekmantel is known for booking artists who are pushing boundaries in techno, house, electro, ambient, and experimental electronic music. The festival regularly programs live performances and back-to-back DJ sets that are exclusive to the event. The 2026 lineup includes Batu, Benny Rodrigues, Cari Lekebusch presenting Vector live, Channel One, CCL, and many more underground artists.
Real-World Example: Dekmantel 2026
The 2026 Dekmantel festival runs July 29 through August 2 in Amsterdam. The opening days feature events at partner venues across the city, while the main festival takes place Friday through Sunday at the Amsterdamse Bos.
Key performances for 2026 include A Guy Called Gerald presenting Black Secret Technology live, a rare performance of the 1995 album that helped define jungle and drum and bass. Actress and Carl Craig collaborate on a joint set, bringing together two generations of Detroit and UK electronic innovators. Aurora Halal, Ben UFO, and Batu represent the current wave of underground techno and bass music. The festival also programs back-to-back sets like Ben UFO and Call Super and Objekt and Pariah, which are exclusive to Dekmantel.
Previous editions have hosted landmark sets. The 2024 edition featured Four Tet, DJ Stingray 313, and a surprise b2b from Honey Dijon and Luke Slater. The 2023 edition brought Jeff Mills, Helena Hauff, and a memorable closing set from DJ Heartstring. Dekmantel has built a reputation for booking artists before they break into the broader festival circuit.
Lineup History
Dekmantel has programmed some of the most respected names in underground electronic music since its founding in 2014. The festival runs five days with 150+ artists across seven stages, drawing approximately 25,000 attendees. Here is a look at notable acts from recent editions:
| Year | Dates | Notable Artists |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | July 30 to August 3 | Avalon Emerson, Honey Dijon, Richie Hawtin, JakoJako, Four Tet, Yaeji |
| 2024 | July 26 to August 4 | Bicep (CHROMA), Jeff Mills, Marcel Dettmann, Octo Octa, DJ Sprinkles, Helena Hauff |
| 2023 | July 28 to August 1 | Jeff Mills, Helena Hauff, DJ Heartstring, Ben UFO, Joy Orbison |
| 2022 | July 28 to 31 | Avalon Emerson, DVS1, Shanti Celeste, Palms Trax, Young Marco |
| 2019 | July 31 to August 4 | DJ Nobu, Fatima Yamaha, Mano Le Tough, CCL, Objekt |
The 2024 edition was the tenth anniversary, expanded to ten days with 200+ artists. Bicep presented their CHROMA DJ show at the opening night at Het HEM, a former ammunition factory in Zaandam. The Amsterdamse Bos weekend included Jeff Mills, Marcel Dettmann, DJ Sprinkles, and a back-to-back from Ben UFO and Joy Orbison. The festival also released a limited-edition box set, DKMNTL100, with contributions from 44 artists across seven vinyl records.
Boiler Room has partnered with Dekmantel for multiple editions, streaming sets from the festival to a global audience. DJ Nobu's 2015 Boiler Room set from Dekmantel remains one of the most-watched uploads from the collaboration, with 248,000+ views:
Fatima Yamaha's 2015 live set at the Boiler Room x Dekmantel stage is another standout, with over 1.5 million views on YouTube:
Why It Matters for Independent Artists
Dekmantel is one of the most respected underground electronic music festivals in Europe. A booking here signals credibility within the techno and house community. The festival's audience consists of dedicated listeners who follow labels, collect records, and actively seek out new sounds. This is not a casual crowd. They pay attention to the full lineup, not just the headliners.
For independent electronic artists, Dekmantel offers exposure to an international audience of music industry professionals, label owners, and bookers from other European festivals. Many artists who play Dekmantel receive booking inquiries from across Europe within weeks of their set. The festival's partnership with Boiler Room means selected sets are streamed globally, reaching viewers who may never attend in person.
The booking process runs through the Dekmantel team, who actively scout artists through label connections, SoundCloud uploads, Bandcamp releases, and club residencies. Having a release on a respected label significantly increases your chances. Send your music to the Dekmantel label, play at their Amsterdam club nights, and build relationships within the Dutch electronic music scene. Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to track streaming growth after a Dekmantel appearance, as the festival's audience tends to stream and purchase music from artists they discover.
Visit the official Dekmantel website for the full 2026 lineup, ticket information, and venue details.
Related Terms
- Streaming Royalty Calculator - Track streaming growth after a Dekmantel performance
- Music Festivals Directory - Discover other electronic music festivals across Europe
- Sync Licensing Companies - Electronic producers can explore sync opportunities alongside festival bookings
- Performance Rights Organizations - PROs that collect performance royalties for European festival appearances
- 21 Ways Musicians Can Earn Income - Learn how festival performances and label releases work together
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- Sónar - Electronic and experimental music festival in Barcelona, Spain
- Lowlands Festival - Dutch music and arts festival in Biddinghuizen, Netherlands
