Outlook UK

Celebrating sound system culture and bass-rich music since 2008, Outlook is a world-renowned Croatian-based music festival that is expanding its imprint to the UK this year for the first time. Outlook UK takes place in Northwestern England on June 30 through July 3, 2022 at the Malpas-based Cholmondeley Castle, a 19th-century country house with over 70 acres of gardens. The four-day festival hosts over 200 artists spanning genres like bass, drum & bass, dubstep, garage, jungle, grime, hip-hop, reggae, and dancehall.

Outlook champions true music culture, consistently putting on artists that pioneered the way in their respective genres and are still, decades later, influencing and involved in the current musical landscape. They also give a platform to the new wave of innovative artists and sounds, uplifting emerging names in electronic, hip-hop, reggae, and beyond. Some of the scene’s most influential tastemakers and professionals are behind Outlook’s carefully curated lineups, ensuring an exceptional underground sound every time.

Even beyond the impressive names they put on, Outlook’s commitment to music culture lies deeper, at the more technical level. Outlook festivals are always equipped with industry-leading sound systems, and the first UK edition is no exception with Channel One, Iration Steppas, Jah Shaka, Jah Tubbys, Mungo’s Hi Fi, Sinia, and more.

Headlining the first edition of Outlook UK is widely-loved DJ and producer Skream, who played a prominent role in the rise of dubstep in the 2000s, and British grime rapper Ghetts, known for his intricate rhymes and hard-hitting lyrics. The headliners give a glimpse into the other sounds and names found throughout the rest of the lineup.

As always, Outlook makes sure to pay homage to those that paved the way for the current electronic music climate. The lineup is loaded with trailblazers like Hyberdub label founder and dubstep innovator Kode9, dubstep legend and term-coiner Hatcha, and British drum and bass pioneers Fabio & Grooverider, who were all around during the genres’ conceptions.

Other electronic standouts at this year’s Outlook UK include London bass music mainstay Ben UFO, the “first lady of drum & bass” DJ Storm, chronic jaw-dropper Coki, British jungle producer Congo Natty, and liquid funk artist Lenzman.

Intertwined throughout the electronic heavy lineup is a diverse selection of hip-hop, reggae, and island sounds. Genre-bending rapper Sam Wise, melodic hip-hop vocalist Dreya Mac, and grime MC Novelist are a few of the wordsmiths set to perform at the inaugural UK event. While UK “tropical pop” vocalist Hollie Cook, Jamaican-born dancehall queen Alicai Harley, and Mack B & the Roots Ragga Band are some of the tropical sounds that will be found in the Cholmondeley Castle gardens this summer.

Tickets to the first Outlook UK festival are currently available. For more information and to purchase passes, head to the Outlook website.

In wake of the cost of living on the rise, Outlook Festival has implemented a new pay-what-you-want system to help fans that can’t afford full-price tickets. This program aims to make events more accessible by allowing fans to pay the price that they are able to. Both Outlook’s UK and Croatian editions offer this program.