Positioned as they are on the calendar, Detroit’s Movement festival and Montreal’s Mutek festival seem like sibling events that arrive a week apart. They share similar aesthetic DNA — focusing on the electronic, dance music side of the spectrum with a mixture of homegrown and international talent — but like siblings they’re quite different when you consider the details. Where Movement’s line up is often aimed at pleasing the broadest audience possible, Mutek’s is geared towards the slightly esoteric, experimental side of electronic music, engaging the brain and body in equal measures with live gigs, panel discussions, Q&A sessions, and workshops. The festival also lasts five days and spans 28 individual events — all of which encourages attendees to make judicious use of their time and energy. To aid in this process, LWE has assembled its comprehensive guide to the festival, complete with our picks for the must-see events.

Matmos, who play A/Visions 1: Pandora’s Music Box

+ Expérience 1
@ Monument-National (1182 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / Free / 6-7:45pm
Presented by Bande à Part in collaboration with Exclaim.ca, the first Expérience showcases audio-visual artists Gemmiform and Videovoce who combine organic and found source material to convey unexpected connections.

+ A/Visions 1: Pandora’s Music Box
@ Monument-National (1182 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / $25 / 8-10:15pm
Pandora’s Music Box showcases music through the prism of technology, bringing together the dot-matrix symphonies of [The User], proto-noise performances by Nicolas Bernier and Martin Messier, and an all-synth exhibition by LWE favorites Matmos.

+ Nocturne 1: ¡Fiesta Espontanea!
@ Society for Arts and Technology (1195 Saint-Laurent Blvd)
$25 / 10pm-3am
¡Fiesta Espontanea! is more or less a showcase for Matias Aguayo’s Còmeme label/collective which kicks off with a Latin disco DJ set by Diegors, followed by sweaty and energetic performance from Aguayo’s new live band featuring Vicente Sanfuentes, Pablo Castoldi and Diegors, concluding with a nu-electro DJ set by Rebolledo.

+ Ectoplasmes³ 1
@ Monument-National (1182 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / 10:30pm-2am
The first Ectoplasmes³ event explores sound through the unpredictable process of improvisation, with a sets by Dominique Pétrin (ormerly of Les Georges Leningrad) and Georges Rebboh, Alexandre St-Onge and des Impatients (multi-instrumentalist Siou et Lavigne, keyboardist Félix Lavigne, and theremin virtuoso Frank Martel), Pierre Tanguay, Filteau and Christian Richer, and Jason Lescalleet.

Uwe Schmidt aka Atom Heart, who participates in Panel 2: Beyond the Sequence: Finishing It Off

+ Panel 1: The history of The International Cities of Advanced Sound
@ Monument-National (1182 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / Free / 11am-1pm

+ Q&A 1: Depth of Field
@ Monument-National (1182 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / Free / 1-2pm
The Wire’s Derek Walmsley interviews the brainy couple behind Matmos, Drew Daniel and Martin Schmidt.

+ Workshop 1: A/V Feedback
@ Monument-National (1182 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / Free / 1-4pm
Serbia’s Incredible Bob explains the history and uses of video feedback and helps participants create their own video art.

+ Panel 2: Beyond the Sequence: Finishing It Off
@ Monument-National (1182 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / Free / 3-4pm
David Last moderates a discussion on how artists arrange and structure their music to have the intended impact. Panel features Uwe Schmidt (aka Atom Heart), Dave Aju, Guillaume Coutu-Dumont, and Vicente “Original Hamster” Sanfuentes.

+ Q&A 2: Depth of Field
@ Monument-National (1182 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / Free / 5-6pm
The Wire’s Derek Walmsley interviews “extreme music” purveyor and current dub architect Kevin Martin, currently of King Midas Sound.

+ Expérience 2
@ Monument-National (1182 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / Free / 6-8:15pm
Presented by Bande à Part in collaboration with Exclaim.ca, the second Expérience explores the relationship between sound, image and movement. Features peformances by ambient loop trio, If Then Do, laptop glitch by Sébastian Cliche, and the droning work of Aun.

+ A/Visions 2: The Cult of Longer Memories
@ Monument-National (1182 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / $25 / 7:30-10:30pm
The Cult of Longer Memories explores the wide open spaces of post-industrial music, bringing together performances by A/V artist Freida Abtan, an unusual spectacle of manipulated 78s by The Caretaker, and a rare North American appearance by noise legends Nurse With Wound.

+ Roland Pre-Nocturne
@ Society for Arts and Technology (1195 Saint-Laurent Blvd)
Free / 8pm-9:30am
Roland showcases two of its favored artists, FM Radio Gods and V-Topia.

+ Nocturne 2: Radical Connectors
@ Metropolis (59 Sainte-Catherine East) / $30 / 10:30pm-2:30am
This dual-room event packs the room with talent, featuring performances by Hrdvision, Jon Hopkins, Chris Hreno, Mossa, Mouse On Mars, and Nathan Fake.

+ Ectoplasmes³ 2
@ Monument-National (1182 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / 10:30pm-2am
The second Ectoplasmes³ encourages attendees to be active listeners and features improvisatory performances by Bernardino Femminielli, Random Transfer and Joshua Bonnetta, Stéphane Claude, Philippe-Aubert Gauthier and Debashis Sinha, and the debut performance of Eleh.

Actress, who plays Nocturne 3: Shedding the Past, Dubbing the Future

+ Workshop 2: Ableton Live
@ Monument-National (1182 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / Free / 1-2pm
Pheek discusses his methodology for using Ableton and participants are welcome to share their own Ableton creations.

+ Q&A 3: Depth of Field
@ Monument-National (1182 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / Free / 1-2pm
The Wire’s Derek Walmsley interviews “copyright terrorist,” The Caretaker.

+ Panel 3: Moment of Impact: The Physicality of Sound
@ Monument-National (1182 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / Free / 3-4pm
Moderated by Mat Schulz of Unsound Festival, the panel discusses the physical side of audio. Panelists include Ben Frost, Tim Hecker, Pimmon and Carl Michael von Hausswolff.

+ Workshop 3: Produce, Perform, Progress
@ Monument-National (1182 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / Free / 4-5pm
The third workshop, presented by Serato and Ableton, shows of their latest innovation — The Bridge. The workshop will also include a Serato Scratch Live tutorial.

+ Q&A 4: Depth of Field
@ Monument-National (1182 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / Free / 5-6pm
The Wire’s Derek Walmsley interviews “post-everything” duo, Mouse On Mars.

+ Expérience 3
@ Monument-National (1182 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / Free / 6-8pm
Expérience 3 kicks off the evening with a session of analog glee from Citofono, The Square Root of Evil, and Jacob & Francis.

+ A/Visions 3: Sublime Distortion
@ Monument-National (1182 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / $25 / 7:30-10:30pm
An evening of ambient experimentation with Thierry Gauthier, Marsen Jules Trio & VJ Nicolai Konstantinovic, and Pimmon.

+ Nocturne 3: Shedding the Past, Dubbing the Future
@ Society for Arts and Technology (1195 Saint-Laurent Blvd) & Club Soda (1225 boul Saint Laurent) / $35 / 10pm-3am
Presented in collaboration with FACT Magazine, this is sure to be Friday’s most anticipated event. Performances at SAT by King Midas Sound, Ikonika, Overcast Sound, and Demdike Stare; performances at Club Soda by Orphx, Actress, Cheap and Deep, Jacek Sienkiewicz, and all time LWE favorite, Shed.

+ Ectoplasmes³ 3
@ Monument-National (1182 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / 10:30pm-2am
Ectoplasmes³ ups the ante on collaborations with a showcase designed for dramatic intensity and explosive physicality with improvised performances by Arnaud Rivière (solo and with) Grkzgl and Philippe Lambert, Drainolith, Blake Hargreaves and Nate Nelson, Steve Bates, Hyena Hive and Katherine Kline.

Henrik Schwarz, who plays Nocturne 4: Bringing Down the House

+ Piknic 1: Respect is Burning
@ Parc Jean-Drapeau Park (Île Ste-Hélène) / $10 / 2-9pm
The first outdoor event of Mutek 2010 takes place in beautiful Parc Jean-Drapeau and features DJ sets by Krill.Minima, Minilogue, DJ Koze, and Paul Kalkbrenner.

+ A/Visions 4: Live Wires
@ Monument-National (1182 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / $25 / 7-10pm
The final A/Visions event brings together some of the leading lights of experimental electronic music, featuring live performances by Ben Frost, Tim Hecker, Vladislav Delay, and Carl Michael von Hausswolff.

+ Free Outdoor Concert: Around the World with Señor Coconut & His Orchestra @ Place des festivals (Jeanne-Mance between St-Catherine and de Maisonneuve) / Free / 9-11:30pm
Mutek’s first ever free concert features performances by Latin lover Señor Coconut & His Orchestra (ft. Agenis Brito) and Le Golden.

+ Nocturne 4: Bringing Down the House
@ Metropolis (59 Sainte-Catherine East) / $35 / 10pm-3am
This dual-room experience, done in collaboration with Resident Advisor, lets the house music flow with sets from Move D, Guillaume Coutu-Dumonts & The Side Effects, Henrik Schwarz, Dixon, Woo + Incredible Bob, D Numbers, Smirk, Konque, and Attentat.

Moritz Von Oswald Trio, who play Nocturne 5: Soul Control

+ Piknic 2: Be Like the Sun
@ Parc Jean-Drapeau Park (Île Ste-Hélène) / $10 / 2-9pm
The second Piknic, done in collaboration with Musique Plus, keeps the good vibes of Piknic 1 rolling with sets by Nicolas Jaar, Dave Aju, Snork, San Proper, Xavier Lebuis, Kressel, Spooloops, and a very rare DJ set from Pépé Bradock.

+ Nocturne 5: Soul Control
@ Society for Arts and Technology (1195 Saint-Laurent Blvd)
$25 / 10pm-2:30am
In case you’re still eager for more, Mutek closes with arguably its strongest event. Features sets by Detroit legend Theo Parrish, rising trio Brandt Brauer Frick, supergroup The Moritz Von Oswald Trio, and Chris McNamara presents Nospectacle.