Flow Festival's impressive selection of DJ and club music is complemented when the festival releases performers for Backyard, known for its captivating atmosphere. Flow’s lush Backyard offers a diverse collection of house, soul and disco rhythms, as well as DJ music drawing sounds from various parts of Africa, the Middle East and South America.

Built for the last time in a sheltered corner of Suvilahti, the atmospheric Backyard is a safe haven for every lover of upbeat club music. This year, Amsterdam-based DJ HUNEE, whose energetic and versatile musical line is based on feel-good house and disco, as well as Arp Frique and Coco María, active messengers of rhythm music from South and Central America and the Caribbean Sea, will arrive at Backyard. Sadar Bahar and GE-OLOGY, who draw from disco, funk, soul and hip-hop, will make the Flow crowd dance with their b2b gig, whereas London-based DJ on-the-rise, Nooriyah, combining Arab music, among others, with club music will bring her set to Backyard.

Arriving to raise the atmosphere of Backyard are also John Gómez, playing danceable music influenced by soul, disco, boogie and house, and Kampire from Uganda, combining the past, present and future of African club music in her sets. Additionally, Brasilian Renata Do Valle, playing colourful and versatile rhythm music from unexplored regions, will take to the stage.

The crowd also gets to enjoy the DJ gig of Brian Shimkovitz, the pilot of the Awesome Tapes from Africa concept that publishes, for instance, amapiano and house from current South African producers. The DJ-alias of  Shimkovitz, Awesome Tapes, draws from deep, regional sound worlds, anchored by nimble analogy in a way that has not been heard elsewhere. Habibi Funk brings Far Eastern and North African funk, soul, jazz and disco from the 1950s-80s to Backyard, whereas London-based DJ Zakia plays her original selection of free and spiritual jazz, folk, dub, reggae and pop to Backyard. Also, the DJs of the Gop Tun artist collective arrive in Suvilahti from São Paulo, playing versatile house and techno-based club music.

Among the top domestic DJs, Flow's Backyard will feature Lil' Tony, who has had a career spanning over thirty years, Victoria and Ocean People, impressing with their versatile and soulful selection at a b2b gig, and Marc Fred together with Maria Wesander, also playing a b2b gig with an emphasis on disco-based electronic and organic music, as well as rising talent DJ Mojo, cruising fearlessly between electronic, house, jersey club, Afrohouse classics and the latest drum'n'bass bangers.