We Speak Music
10 Artists You Need To Catch at Alternative Escape 2026
One of The Great Escape Festival week’s most talked-about unofficial hotspots is officially back. Planetary Group and Impressive PR return to Brighton this May for the third edition of Alternative Escape 2026, taking over the Secret Comedy Club for a full day of cutting-edge global new music discovery.
Running across two sessions — 12pm–4pm and 6pm–10pm on Thursday 14 May — the event has quickly built a reputation as one of the essential destinations for tastemakers, media and industry insiders looking to catch future breakout acts before the wider festival catches on.
Hosted at Secret Comedy Club, the showcase brings together an international lineup spanning Australia, Canada and the UK, curated by US tastemakers Planetary Group alongside leading UK music publicity agency Impressive PR.
Among this year’s standout names are Australian indie-rock trio Fool Nelson, Canadian experimental rock duo Yoo Doo Right, Welsh alt-rock firebrands CHROMA and London underground favourites Sweet Unrest.
The event also promises a major surprise with an as-yet-unannounced “Very Special Guest” slot already generating serious speculation ahead of festival week.
Blending indie, post-punk, shoegaze, garage rock and experimental sounds under one roof, Alternative Escape 2026 looks set to continue its rise as one of Brighton’s most exciting Great Escape week showcases.
Afternoon Set List:
12.00-12.25 Fool Nelson
12.40-1.05 Very Special Guest (to be confirmed)
1.20-1.45 Yoo Doo Right
2.00-2.25 Joan And The Giants
2.40-3.05 sundayclub
3.20-3.45 Tullamarines
Evening Set List:
6.00-6.25 Chroma
6.40-7.05 My Life Story (acoustic)
7.20-7.45 The Sick Fix
8.00-8.25 Sam Scherdel
8.40-9.05 SONNY E.
9.20-9.45 Sweet Unrest
We Speak Music
VAAST drops “Remember These Days” and it seriously feels like the future of French pop
France has given the world some of its biggest electronic icons. From Daft Punk to DJ Snake and David Guetta, French artists have shaped global music culture for decades. But lately, finding a track that mixes real emotion, cinematic vibes and dance energy all at once? Pretty rare.
That’s exactly where Vaast steps in.
His new single “Remember These Days” is an addictive mix of modern French electronic production and timeless pop songwriting. Think emotional melodies, huge atmosphere, deep basslines and the kind of track you want both in your headphones at 2AM and blasting during a late-night drive.
The production blends layered synths, marimba-inspired textures, synthetic African vocal elements and immersive cinematic energy. And yes, there’s even inspiration pulled from Avatar, the legendary movie universe that defined a whole cultural era. That influence gives the track its futuristic-but-nostalgic feeling, like a memory from the future.
