Back to the Future: Qobuz Returns to The Great Escape with Showcase of New Talent
London, 07 May 2025—Qobuz, the high-quality music streaming and download platform, returns to The Great Escape music festival with a dual presence: hosting an industry mixer in partnership with the Association of Independent Music (AIM) and presenting a live showcase of boundary-pushing new artists. Through these events, Qobuz continues its commitment to championing emerging talent, supporting the music community, and promoting exceptional audio experiences.
Referred to as “the Cannes of the music world” by BBC 6 Music’s Steve Lamacq, The Great Escape has earned its reputation as the UK’s most essential new music festival. With 450 up-and-coming artists from around the world performing across 30+ walkable venues in Brighton, it’s the place to discover tomorrow’s headliners in intimate settings. Over the years, breakthrough sets have come from the likes of Adele (2007), Royal Blood (2014), Little Simz (2015), Stormzy (2016), Idles (2018), Fontaines D.C. (2018), and Sam Fender (2018) – all before they became household names.
Qobuz x AIM Happy Hour
Qobuz is partnering with AIM to host an informal get-together for music industry friends and colleagues. Join the team for drinks and conversation on Thursday, 15 May from 17:30 to 19:30 at Dead Wax Social – no panels, no pressure, just good company and great music chat.
The Qobuz Sessions at the Great Escape – Live at Komedia Basement
On Saturday, 17 May, from 12:00 to 16:00, Qobuz will take over the Komedia Basement for a live showcase spotlighting four of the most exciting acts performing at this year’s festival. The Qobuz Sessions will feature sets from Patche, CROOKS INC., Knats, and Oreglo.
Line-up and Stage Times:
Patche – 12:15 pm
CROOKS INC. – 1:15 pm
Knats – 2:15 pm
Oreglo – 3:15 pm
Who – and what – you’ll hear at the Qobuz Sessions 2025:
Patche – Montreal-based innovators exploring the outer edges of krautrock and modular synths with hypnotic rhythms, ambient textures, and art-rock spirit.
CROOKS INC. – A soulful, genre-blending London jazz collective channelling ’90s R&B, modern jazz, and influences like Hiatus Kaiyote and Kokoroko.
Knats – Newcastle-born, London-based quintet blending ‘Geordie Jazz’ with dancefloor energy and cinematic flair; debut album released March 2025 on Gearbox Records.
Oreglo – A four-piece fusion collective from London whose sound draws from jazz, rock and reggae, with roots in Tomorrow’s Warriors and Kinetika Bloco.
“It’s our great pleasure to return to The Great Escape as a festival sponsor,” said Dan Mackta, Managing Director at Qobuz. “We look forward to hosting friends from across the music industry, alongside our partners at AIM, for our relaxed industry mixer. And we can’t wait to showcase four fantastic live acts at Komedia on Saturday.”
Qobuz: High-quality audio and artist-first values
As a sponsor of The Great Escape, Qobuz stands for not just better sound, but better support for the artists behind it. It was the first music streaming platform to publish audited per-stream payout rates, reflecting a commitment to greater transparency in the industry. Alongside a catalogue of high-quality streaming and downloads, Qobuz continues to back independent talent through its human-curated editorial and partnerships with key music events.
Read More in the Qobuz Magazine
Subscribers can discover more about Qobuz at The Great Escape — including full artist profiles — in the latest feature now live in the Qobuz Magazine.
