Even more new artists announced for the festival!

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Seminal video artist and music video film director Chris Cunningham is set to stun The Big Chill crowds. Famed for his iconic videos for artists ranging from Aphex Twin to Bjork to Squarepusher, as well as last year's awesome Gucci 'I Feel Love' commercial, the cult music video film director and video artist will give a rare live 55 minute performance, combining original and remixed music and brand new videos dynamically edited together into a new live piece spread over three screens.


Another major coup for us is a performance by Sixto Rodriguez. The cult legendary singer-songwriter from Detroit is a household name across South Africa and Australia, and is best known internationally for his hit 'Sugar Man', which was recently brought back into the spotlight by David Holmes.

Rodriguez will be performing one of only a handful of gigs worldwide at this year's festival as well as making a rare UK appearance at The Barbican (in association with The Big Chill) on June 6th. Support will come from Fujiya & Miyagi and there will also be a post-gig DJ set by Matthew Herbert to give the Barbican a taste of the atmosphere of the festival. We've got 2 pairs of tickets to giveaway for this show - click here to enter, or if you don't want to take a chance on missing this show, you can buy tickets here.


We're chuffed to bits to welcome reggae and roots legend, Max Romeo. The one-time Lee Perry collaborator and man behind 'War Ina Babylon', as well as the oft sampled 'Chase The Devil', will be performing an exclusive show for us at this year's festival. Elsewhere on the bill, you'll find archetypes of the dub sound, The Dennis Bovell Dub Band. Bovell, their accomplished multi-instrumentalist bandleader, has produced artists as diverse as The Raincoats, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Dexy's Midnight Runners and Edwin Collins, and continues to lead the UK scene with innovative and adventurous music.


As big fans of the Ethiopiques series, we're delighted to announce a festival exclusive and the UK premiere of Getatchew Mekuria and The Ex. The legendary jazz saxophonist and 10 piece Dutch punk band meet to create a melting-pot of divergent musical styles ranging from improvisation, rock and jazz to noise, in a show that will also feature dancers. They'll be joining fellow compatriots, Mulatu & Heliocentrics on the festival bill. We also welcome the stunning virtuosic guitarist, Modeste Hugues, who plays music unique to the Betroka region of Madagascar, blending tradtional sounds of the area with softer South African dance rhythms.


Of course, there will be plenty of festival favourites on this year's bill. Hexstatic will dazzle with their incredible blend of aural and optical treats in a special show celebrating our 15th birthday, featuring guest artists. There's Big Chill co-founder Pete Lawrence, who struck the artistic mold with Katrina Larkin 15 years ago. It's great to know that he's still center stage and as much of an opinion former and tastemaker as ever. Also on the line-up is the band in which Pete used to play drums - Edward II, the legendary folk roots act behind the highly acclaimed album The Wicker Man, who have reformed after a ten year absence.


Returning with his band after last year's striped back, one man show is Fink. Soon to release his third album since his metamorphosis from turntablist to guitarist, he'll be joining fellow Ninja Tuners on the line-up; the fresh new signing grasscut, who bring their bookish, Eno/Wyatt-esque sounds to The Big Chill for the first time.


The half Italian, half Icelandic soaring-voiced songstress Emiliana Torrini brings her hugely ambitious and aspirational brand of minimalist pop folk, encompassing a rich gamut of musical styles such as electro, jazz and fast paced rock in an enthralling show.


Chicago multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird will delight with his folk-rock-baroque-pop in a mesmerizing live show and will be perfectly complemented by Vertigo's Noah and The Whale and critically acclaimed indie-folk sensation Emmy The Great, who will add some acoustic and melodic respite with their calming folk resonance.


Sweden's extraordinary drums and vocals duo, Wildbirds & Peacedrums, bring the liberated abandon of their primitive soul music to The Big Chill stage, striking an immediate and invigorating chord, as anyone who has seen them play over the past year will attest.


Signed to Matthew Herbert's Accidental records, The Invisible meld a range of disparate influences from classical and medieval church music to digitized dance sounds. Their skilfully crafted slices of sumptuous music, uncompromising in vision, forge together something special, fresh and altogether new.


Floating Points is one of 2009's most hotly anticipated artists. The likes of Gilles Peterson, Ashley Beedle and Mary Anne Hobbs have all fallen for the production skills of this accomplished pianist, whilst he has fast gained a reputation for his energetic DJ sets.


New York duo Telepathé create avante garde ethereal music that transcends musical genres, exploring the territories of pop, hip-hop, electronic and psychedelia with a vintage synthesizer collection, combined with deep electronic sub-bass lines influenced by hours of listening to dub-step.


The story of The Leisure Society begins in Burton-Upon-Trent, when Nick Hemming picked up a guitar and formed a band with Shane Meadows, Paddy Considine and Rich Eaton. Following a year of demos and increasingly bizarre gigs, Shane and Paddy were drawn towards careers in film, leaving Nick to pursue a life of making music. Already creating quite a buzz in 2009, this acoustic folk-rock band have already been touted for a Mercury Award nomination.