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 takes place this May 30th-June 3rd and spans 27 individual events, which encourages attendees to make judicious use of their time and energy. As an official media partner, LWE has assembled its comprehensive guide to the festival, complete with our picks for the must-see events. You can also win one of two MUTEK passports or two MUTEK weekend passes, details of which appear at the bottom of the guide.

MAY 30th: Expérience 1
@ Place de la paix — 5PM; Free

Jesse Voltaire
Michel Plamondon
Magnanime

MAY 30th: Metro Art 1
@ Berri-UQAM Metro — 5PM; Free

The Gulf Stream

Biosphere & Lustmord
MAY 30th: A/Visions 1
@ Ludger-Duvernay Theatre — 8PM; $27

Nelly-Eve Rajotte
Biosphere & Lustmord present Trinity
Robin Fox

MAY 30th: Pré Nocturne Roland
@ Savoy — 8PM; Free

Arthur Oskan
Prison Garde

Blondes
MAY 30th: Nocturne 1
@ Espace SAT — 10PM; $35

Apparat Band
Blondes
DKMD

MAY 30th: Play 1
@ Studio Hydro-Québec — 10:30PM; Free

Esprits Frappeurs
K.A.N.T.N.A.G.A.N.O.

MAY 31st: Mutek Artists on the Ground
@ Radio-Canada — 11AM; Free

Paul White
Dave Aju
DKMD
Danuel Tate

Bernardino Femminielli
MAY 31st: Expérience 2
@ Place de la paix — 5PM; Free

Simon Called Peter
Leboeuf et Laviolette
Bernardino Femminielli

MAY 31st: Metro Art 2
@ Berri-UQAM Metro — 5PM; Free

Michel Plamondon

MAY 31st: A/Visions 2
@ Ludger-Duvernay Theatre — 8PM; $27

Ben Shemie
Andrew Pekler & Jan Jelinek play Ursula Bogner
Pierre Bastien & Espen Sommer Eide present Electric Folkways

Jeff Mills
MAY 31st: Nocturne 2
@ Metropolis — 10PM; $40

Shackleton
Monolake
Jeff Mills presents The Messenger/SleeperWakes

Paul White
MAY 31st: Nocturne 2
@ Red Bull Music Academy Stage (Espace SAT) — 10PM; $40

Sibian & Faun
Shlohmo
Salva
Nouveau Palais
Paul White

MAY 31st: Play 2
@ Studio Hydro-Québec — 10:30PM; Free

TÉTO
Macheen
Mor†

June 1st: Expérience 3
@ Place de la paix — 5PM; Free

Larry James
Tonepushers
Alicia Hush

June 1st: Metro Art 3
@ Berri-UQAM Metro — 5PM; Free

KenLo Craqnuques

Still from Kode9, MFO, & Ms Haptic’s “Her Ghost”
June 1st: A/Visions 3
@ Ludger-Duvernay Theatre — 8PM; $27

Le Révélateur
Kode9, MFO, & Ms Haptic present “Her Ghost”
Roly Porter & MFO present Akheron Fall

June 1st: Nocturne 3
@ Metropolis — 10PM; $40

Matt Thibideau
Rumpistol / Red Baron
Deniz Kurtel
Nicolas Jaar “Live In Concert”
Jimmy Edgar

BNJMN
June 1st: Nocturne 3
@ Red Bull Music Academy Stage (Espace SAT) — 10PM; $40

BNJMN
Kode9
Nautiluss
Sendai

June 1st: Play 3
@ Studio Hydro-Québec — 10:30PM; Free

Pecora Pecora
Atheus
The Gulf Stream & Vj Ma”

Jacob Korn
June 2nd: Expérience 4
@ Place de la paix — 2PM; Free

Basic Soul Unit
DJ Champion presents Delinquent Dance Music
Danuel Tate
KiNK
Jacob Korn

June 2nd: Carton Park Presents Histoire Naturelle
@ Studio Hydro-Québec — 2PM and 4:30PM; $11.79

Carton Park

Tim Hecker
June 2nd: A/Visions 4
@ St. James Church — 8PM; $30

Les Momies de Palerme
Stephen O’Malley
Tim Hecker
Stephen O’Malley & Tim Hecker

June 2nd: Nocturne 4
@ Metropolis — 10PM; $40

SlowPitch
Roll The Dice
A Guy Called Gerald “Live in Session”
Minilogue vs Mathew Jonson
Krause Duo

Clark
June 2nd: Nocturne 4
@ Satosphere — 10PM; $40

Jeremy Greenspan & Christina Sealey
Keith Fullerton Whitman
Solvent
Clark
Container

Benoit & Sergio
June 3rd: Mutek // Piknic
@ Jean-Drapeau Park — 2PM; $12

Valentin Stip
Mathew Jonson
The Mole
Benoit & Sergio
Wolf + Lamb

June 3rd: Carton Park Presents Histoire Naturelle
@ Studio Hydro-Québec — 2PM and 4:30PM; $11.79

Carton Park

June 3rd: Nocturne 5
@ Espace SAT — 10PM; $30

Farben
Alex Smoke presents Wraetlic
Public Lover
Dave Aju
No UFO’s

MUTEK CONTEST TIME

The only thing better than going to a music festival is going for free. Luckily, LWE is here to help you attain that level of happiness with a giveaway: two passports (good for every event, $260 value) and two weekend passes (good for all weekend events, $135 value). It’s simple to enter: just send an email with “MUTEK 2012” as the subject to contest@littlewhiteearbuds.com. Include in it your full name and the act you’re most excited to see at this year’s festival. Entries must be received by 12pm (CST) on May 29th — no late entries will be accepted. Four winners will be chosen at random and notified via email. Good luck and see you there!