Maruja GB
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British experimental band Maruja from Manchester will also perform at Pohoda Festival 2026. Blending heavy guitars with jazz saxophone and rap-driven vocals, the band has earned a reputation as one of the most intense and energetic live acts on today’s alternative scene.
If you enjoy the musical worlds of Black Midi, Black Country, New Road, Opus Kink or Fat Dog, Maruja should definitely be on your playlist. Their compositions are largely built around improvisation, while the lyrics are shaped by life in their hometown of Manchester, a city that the band members describe as experiencing a decline after its former glory.
At Pohoda 2026, Maruja will arrive with their critically acclaimed debut album Pain to Power. The record was captured at Low Four Studio and produced by Samuel W. Jones, who previously collaborated with the band on their three EP releases. Pain to Power explores themes of community, solidarity and love as forces capable of driving social and political change.
Across its eight tracks, the album takes listeners from the frustration and raw energy of openers Bloodsport and Look Down On Us to the spiritual atmosphere of Zaytoun and the monumental closing piece Reconcile. The nine-minute finale builds around the transcendent saxophone of Joe Carroll and the impassioned performance of rapper and singer Harry Wilkinson, who calls on listeners to “pray for love” and “have no fear”.
The album mirrors the arc of a Maruja live show — beginning with an onslaught of energy before rising into moments of almost transcendent intensity. Their music naturally merges jazz, post-punk, spoken word and experimental improvisation into a sound that feels raw, urgent and deeply emotional.
Known for their electrifying performances where jazz improvisation meets punk directness and politically charged lyrics, Maruja promise a show that moves between anger and hope — just as the title of their debut suggests: from pain to power.