Festival Playlist – Denmark's Roskilde 2016 by "the booking committee"

Denmark’s eight-ay long festival Roskilde returns for its 46th year later this month (25 June 2 July). To guide you through the mammoth line up the events “booking committee” – Anders Wahrén (hip hop), Thomas Jepsen (electronic music), Stefan Gejsing (rock music) and Peter Hvalkof (world music) – have made us a playlist of their personal picks from the bill.

Anders Wahrén: “Skepta’s long-awaited fourth album was finally released this spring. It’s everything we had hoped for, not just establishing Skepta at the very top of grime, but also taking grime itself to new heights. Skepta and grime in general have come a long way from the days of pirate radio and are now instantly recognisable on a much bigger scale. We’re still in love.”

Thomas Sønderby Jepsen: “We have had the girls at Roskilde Festival before. Their energy on the stage and their powerful sound is unique. Recently they released their new (amazing) record on Matador Records, which makes the timing for their show at Roskilde Festival perfect.”

Anders Wahrén: “A lot has happened since the Glasgow trio broke through with “The Mother We Share” in 2013. With their fine sophomore album last year they became a full-blown pop act without losing their unique take on electronic pop music. Lauren Mayberry’s vocals are simultaneously disarming, strong and fragile. The band has grown tremendously as a live act, and they have long been ready for the biggest stages.”

Stefan Gejsing: “The first track from the album We Design The Future. Sweden’s synthpunk band Paper gives you a 10 minut lesson in patented slashing guitars, relentless motoric rhythms and detached, gloomy vocals. The band, which shares members with Les Big Byrd and other Stockholm groups are an amazing live band that will give their audience a run for their money. Prepare to dance!”

Thomas Sønderby Jepsen: “A fresh new act just signed to Secretly Canadian, and this track will be on their forthcoming debut album. It has a brilliant vibe of an old jazzy soul sound nuanced with a new sound of country and indie. So go ahead and explore the new big thing.”

Anders Wahrén: “If you like your metal music tuned aaaaaall the waaaaayyy dooooown, you have to be familiar with Sleep. All members are busy with other great bands (such as Neurosis and High on Fire) so even though they reformed back in 2009 it’s a rare act to catch live. When they shatter the earth on Roskilde it’s a dream come true for us.”

Peter Hvalkof: “One of many wonderful floating tracks on the album “C’mon Tigre” with the collective C’mon Tigre. I like the changing moods, the quirky compositions, the analog instruments that provide a nice organic expression. One moment almost classical composition music, the next psychedelic high flying. Many times I came to think of Robert Wyatt, Soft Machine, early Pink Floyd, Brian Eno…”

Stefan Gejsing: “Copenhagen-based hardcore punks Halshug (Danish for “Beheaded”) play a pure-bred form of d-beat that draws directly from the source. Halshug stormed out the gate at full speed on their 2013 debut EP, Dödskontrol and quickly demonstrated their mastery of the forms laid down by their predecessors. Signed to Southern Lord and an eclectic live band. Get ready for a gasoline-soaked ride through hell.”

Anders Wahrén: “Perhaps last year’s most acclaimed electronic album, the full-length debut of Sam Shepherd is both astonishing and rewarding; it demands attention, but that time is so worth your investment. It’s very jazzy and soulful, and despite its loyalty to electronic music it often resembles Talk Talk in the Spirit Of Eden-era.”

Peter Hvalkof: “Wonderful tight funk from West Africa. Not very well produced but with an energy that makes it hard to sit still. It is not listening music but party music that works both at a bar in Ouagadougou and at any stage on planet Earth. Very sweaty dance music played as if a matter of life and death.”

For more, including the full line-up and latest ticket news, head to Roskilde-festival.dk