Sound Waves Festival returns for 19th Edition

For more than two decades, Sound Waves Festival has stood as one of the most essential gatherings for hard techno in Portugal, growing from a national event into a destination that attracts ravers from across the globe. Built around intensity, endurance and a dedication to the harder edges of electronic music, the festival has continually developed alongside the genres it champions while maintaining a clear identity of its own. Now, as it celebrates its 21st anniversary, Sound Waves returns to Esmoriz on the 11th of July with one of its most ambitious editions thus far, delivering more than 20 hours of non-stop music and a line up that reflects both the origins and future of modern hard techno.

Following a memorable 2025 edition that welcomed thousands of attendees from more than 30 countries, the festival enters its next chapter with powerful momentum. This year’s event will feature two stages, the Main Stage and Second Stage, hosting a total of 27 performances from established names and rising talent. Together, they highlight Sound Waves’ position among the most significant festivals operating within the international hard techno landscape.

At the centre of the celebration is a Main Stage programme designed to showcase the full scope of the scene; across 21 continuous hours, artists including 6EJOU, Adrián Mills, Cloudy, GTH, Klofama, KUKO b2b Johannes Schuster, Ornella, Række b2b Røy, Restricted, Sheila, SLVL b2b USH, SPFDJ, Svetec b2b O.B.I., Toxic Machinery and Trym will take control of the festival’s most prominent platform.

One of the defining characteristics of this year’s line-up is its recognition of hard bounce, a sound that’s rapidly risen to prominence over the last year. Much of that momentum has been driven by 240KM/H, and Sound Waves has secured one of the movement’s most influential figures to open proceedings. Adrián Mills arrives in Esmoriz as one of the genre’s leading names, bringing the high-energy sound that’s helped take hard bounce into wider recognition.

Joining him is Cloudy, an artist whose versatility has become one of her greatest strengths. Equally comfortable delivering groove-driven sets or venturing through multiple channels of relentless schranz, she distils the adaptability that defines much of today’s underground electronic scene. The hard bounce and schranz connection continues through KUKO, another artist currently generating significant attention, who will perform a back-to-back set alongside Unreal resident Johannes Schuster.

The festival is also set to balance emerging talent with some of the most respected names in hard techno history, with Trym returning with a set that promises to reconnect with the beginnings of his sound. Known for his ability to blend different genres into an engrossing musical journey, he remains one of the most original artists operating within the scene today. Alongside him stands SPFDJ, founder of Intrepid Skin and one of contemporary techno’s most revered figures. Her ability to build powerful energy through her sets has earned her a reputation as one of the genre’s most compelling performers. Completing this trio of headline attractions is a special back-to-back performance from Svetec and O.B.I., two artists whose contributions have helped shape schranz across multiple generations.

The line-up also highlights the strength of Portugal’s domestic scene with Ornella arriving after a breakthrough year that’s further established her status within the national landscape, while Sheila continues to represent one of the most respected names in Portuguese techno. Their inclusion ensures that local talent remains central to the festival’s identity despite its increasingly international profile. Meanwhile, artists such as 6EJOU, Klofama, Restricted, SLVL, USH and Toxic Machinery reflect the sounds currently shaping the harder corners of electronic music. Whether drawing from industrial influences, contemporary hard techno or schranz-inspired energy, they represent the artists taking the genre forward.

What ultimately separates Sound Waves from many of its contemporaries is its mission of immersion, offering a marathon of sound designed to sustain momentum from beginning to end. The combination of two stages, 27 performances and more than 20 hours of uninterrupted music creates an experience that feels like a celebration of an entire culture.

As Sound Waves marks 21 years of existence, its latest edition demonstrates why it continues to occupy such an important place within the global hard techno community. By bringing together pioneering legends, contemporary stars and the next generation of talent, the festival once again transforms Esmoriz into one of electronic music’s most vital destinations.

You can get tickets for the festival via this link.