“What really sets Maiden Voyage apart is something less easily replicated – a genuine, lived-in sense of community. At this year’s edition, Relentless embodied that perfectly.”
In the midst of one of the UK’s hottest summers, Maiden Voyage returned for its seventh edition in the not-so-green grounds of Burgess Park, South London. Over the years, Maiden Voyage has carefully built a reputation as one of the most exciting, community-driven day festivals the capital has to offer, and following a stacked 2025 edition with Pxssy Palace, Adonis, Tech Couture, and an anonymous line-up from London favourite Unfold, this year had plenty to live up to, and boy it delivered.
London day festivals have improved considerably over the years – tighter curation, heavier soundsystems, better refreshment choices and smoother entry, but what really sets Maiden Voyage apart is something less easily replicated, a genuine, lived-in sense of community. At this year’s edition, Relentless embodied that perfectly. Alongside stage takeovers from returning favourites Pxssy Palace and Unfold, joined this year by LIVE FROM EARTH and Howl, Relentless Energy carved out its very own corner of the park – an area that became part gathering point, part re-charge tent and by mid-afternoon, arguably the social nucleus of the whole festival site.
Basking in the echoes of the Plant Room stage, the Relentless Recharge Tent gave attendees somewhere to re-energise, meet like-minded people and to be part of something bigger. That same commitment to creative freedom and connection across UK culture carried through into the night, with Relentless powering the Maiden Voyage afterparty at Bermondsey’s MOT. The line-up, specially curated by LIVE FROM EARTH, kept the energy levels high long after the Burgess Park’s gates had shut and was a firm nod to the values of Relentless Freeform: non-conformist, disruptive talent playing without any limits. A melting pot within a melting pot, the activation site – notably the only shaded area on site – was somewhere we spent much of the day, chatting away to people there about what community and creative freedom mean to them.
Anticipation crackled early, “who’s first on?”, “which stage?”, as names such as Job Jobse, HAAi, Confidence Man stood out on the bill, and Unfold piqued interest with their unannounced line-up, naturally. However, it was LIVE FROM EARTH who really stood out for us. Housed over in the Plant Room, the only roofed stage on site, thus the only one that held its sound rather than losing it to the open sky, the takeover tapped a plethora of rising artists alongside established names, setting a bouncy tone from the very first record.
Sun overhead, dust hanging in the air, Maiden Voyage briefly took on the feel of South London Coachella, scarves and makeshift masks against the haze, suncream applied with varying degrees of commitment. DJ G2G kickstarted the day with a run of head-nodding SoundCloud edits as crowds streamed into the park and the Plant Room steadily filled. Just outside, the Relentless Recharge Tent offered a pressure valve, a place to step out of the intensity, compare notes on the day and head back in ready for more action.
The energy shifted up a gear when duo DJ HEARTSTRING took hold of the Plant Room. Pretty much every raised platform was claimed, not a gap in sight, Jonas and Leonard pumped the space out with their new-gen trance sounds, gliding seamlessly between their own productions such as fan-favourite “Don’t Stop” and newer cut “Another Year Alone”, as well as a handful of edited classics. The boys built a genuine party atmosphere that even caused a number of the crowd to attempt to climb the scaffolding for a better view. A perfect sound for an even better backdrop. DJ Gigola continued the momentum without letting the tempo drop, her trademark synth-laden hard techno steadily pushing the BPM, and the atmosphere, upward as dusk settled in.
With time flying, and each set feeling considerably shorter due to the good vibes, Australian mainstay, and adopted Londoner, Skin On Skin swiftly followed to genuine delight, delivering his customary, genre-blending two-hour set flitting between house, techno, electro and garage. SOS has carved a place in dancers’ hearts and the wider music scene since delivering 2022’s scintillating AVA Boiler Room and unleashing techno-drill crossover anthem “Burn Dem Bridges” – arguably one of the best releases of that year. A perfect booking from Maiden Voyage as the Plant Room line-up held together from start to finish, the atmosphere never once dropped, and by the time SOS’ set finished, it was nigh-on impossible to get anywhere remotely close to the DJ.
As the sun dipped behind the treeline and Confidence Man took centre stage, Maiden Voyage 2026 settled into its final stretch. The Australian electropop outfit brought their A-game, successfully working every inch of the stage with their impressive dance moves as they moved through classics such as “Holiday”, 2023 collaborative hit “Now U Do” with DJ Seinfeld, and newer cut “Young London”. A truly impressive end to an impeccable day.
On reflection, it’s easy to see why Maiden Voyage continues to rank among the UK’s best festivals. Watertight curation, high-quality soundsystems and, above all, a real, tangible sense of community – nowhere more visible than in Relentless’ Recharge Tent which, for many, gave the day a social centre. A truly important date in the UK’s underground music calendar, long may it continue.