Skaņu Mežs is a festival for adventurous (innovative, experimental, avant-garde, etc.) music. It happens in Riga, Latvia since 2003.
The festival usually happens in the beginning of October, whereas one-off events by Skaņu Mežs happen more often.
Seeing as all forms of modern music have an experimental dimension, there is always a wide variety of musical genres represented at the festival – from electro-acoustic music, free improvisation, contemporary composition and noise to interesting shifts in dance music, hip-hop and rock or metal.
Skaņu Mežs is a member of festival network ICAS (International Cities of Advanced Sound) and a co-founder of the SHAPE platform as well as one of its two coordinators. SHAPE platform for innovative music and audiovisual art is supported by the „Creative Europe” programme of the EU.
Among many others, Skaņu Mežs has presented Autechre, Merzbow, Swans, Liars, Blixa Bargeld, Battles, Bernard Parmegiani, Pierre Henry, Roscoe Mitchell, Christian Wolff, Francois Bayle, Wadada Leo Smith, Laurel Halo, Julia Holter, James Holden, Zebra Katz, Shabazz Palaces, Evan Parker, AMM, Peter Brötzmann and Lustmord.
Past events
- Skaņu Mežs at Kalnciems quarter
- Plapla Pinky at Riga’s White Night
- Skaņu Mežs’2015
- Skaņu Mežs at Aristīds
- Skaņu Mežs at Riga’s White Night
- Skaņu Mežs at Riga’s White Night’2018
- Skaņu Mežs 2018
- Zbigniew Chojnacki – SHAPE+ Residency in Riga
- SHAPE+ x Mutant Radio
- Skaņu Mežs at Riga’s White Night
- Skaņu Mežs 2023 opening event
- Skaņu Mežs 2023
- Cucina Povera live at 1983
In press
- SHAPE+ announces 2023/2024 roster of artists
- SHAPE+ platform announces open call for 2023/2024
- Photos: SHAPE at Skaņu Mežs 2020
- Photos: Skaņu Mežs at Riga’s White Night culture forum
- Photos: SHAPE Riga
- Farida Amadou live on Red Light Radio
- Marta SmiLga live at Erica Synths garage
- Pictures: SHAPE @ GAIDA festival 2018
- TESA live at Skaņu Mežs broadcast by Resonance FM
- Resonance FM show on Skaņu Mežs festival
- N1L mix for Resonance FM
- Pictures: SHAPE at Riga’s White Night 2018
- Stephen Grew live at Skaņu Mežs – Resonance FM
- Resonance FM show on Varg, Julien Desprez and Anna Zaradny in Riga
- SHAPE-supported album by Oriole nominated for Latvia’s Austra award
- Photos: SHAPE @ Skaņu Mežs
- Listen: Skanu Mezs on Resonance FM
- Pictures: Skaņu Mežs at Riga’s White Night event
- Hyperaktivist DJ set at the Riga Anglican church
- Skanu Mežs: A sonic environment with its own rules
- Listen: N1L live at Skaņu Mežs
- Photos: SHAPE @ Skaņu Mežs’2016
- Photos: SHAPE @ Riga Anglican Church
- August news from SHAPE platform
- News and upcoming showcases
- Peder Mannerfelt track premiere for Tiny Mix Tapes
- The voice of Stine Janvin Motland
- Recording of N1L live at a Skaņu Mežs event
- Listen: SHAPE lectures and workshops from Skaņu Mežs
- Photos: SHAPE at Skaņu Mežs’2015
- 10 SHAPE showcases in October
- Listen to SHAPE September radio on Resonance FM
- 60s avant-garde icon Frederic Rzewski joins SHAPE for a lecture
- Special Resonance FM broadcast on Skaņu Mežs festival
- Pictures: Plapla Pinky at Riga’s White Night
- Pasajera Oscura mix for NTS Live
- Christian Wolfarth: ‘A lot of percussion players are very good cooks.’
- Plapla Pinky’s new video for “BWV”
- Plapla Pinky tracks for The Wire
- MeetFactory: An interview with Michal Brenner
- Jakob Ullmann on working with John Cage, noise and quietude