UNUM Festival provides another unforgettable week in Albania
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Some festivals talk about being non-stop. UNUM means it. From Thursday to Tuesday afternoon, the music didn’t pause for a second once again in 2025, and neither did we.
Back again on the idyllic stretch of Rana e Hedhun in Albania, UNUM’s 2025 edition reminded us why it holds cult status in the underground scene. Three unique stages, 24/7 programming, no egos, just a community driven by sound. And the weather? Five days of pure sun, which is always going to level up any trip away.
The Main Stage, running nightly Thursday through Saturday, looked as slick as ever — cinematic lighting, curated visuals, and heavy-hitters like Seth Troxler, Damian Lazarus and Bedouin all dropped big tunes and drew even bigger crowds from many international hotspots.For us, though, we searched out some different thrills and musical spills on the festival's other two standout stages.
The Beach Stage has always been good, but this year it became essential. Friday’s closing from Lehar into Âme was beautifully crafted. Saturday’s Konflict takeover channeled UK energy into Balkan sands. But Sunday was the real masterpiece: Hue Records hosted a label showcase for the ages. Fell Reis, who’s now also part-owner of the festival, led the charge, with Hardt Antoine, Nandu, Dixon and Maqossa all contributing to a wild all-star b2b2b finale as the sun dipped behind the mountains.
Still, if you asked most people where the soul of UNUM lives, they’d point you straight to the Pine Stage. Running 24 hours, hidden in the trees, it’s where sets become sagas. Thursday’s Sonja Moonear was sublime, as always. Friday brought six hours of Ricardo b2b Raresh after a lush build-up from Tobi Neumann and Cristi Cons b2b Maher Daniel.
By Saturday, the pace was ferocious. Franco Cinelli, John Dimas then QUEST delivered on an epic night of music. Sunday saw the full Romanian arsenal with Cezar, Praslea, Arapu, and Gescu. And Monday was a UK-flavoured finale with the likes of Marlon Baleci, Will Davison, Rupert Ellis, Jordan Diston and Scott Streak, before another massive night with Dan Ghenacia, tINI, and Priku under the pines all solidified even more magical memories.
UNUM 2025 proved again why it's not just a festival — it’s a real rite of passage for those who like proper experiences that really are unspoiled by commercialism.
