The first round of acts for MUTEK 2011 has been announced.

The Montreal festival returns for its 12th annual edition with the emphasis as ever on live techno and electronic music performance, with a bedrock of Canadian talent joined by artists culled from all over the globe. Modeselektor (pictured) will be curating their own Modeselektion showcase (details TBC), while Mika Vainio of the now defunct Pan Sonic will premiere his new live incarnation. The UK is repped by Four Tet, Floating Points, James Holden, Gold Panda, Emptyset, Rocketnumbernine, Sculpture and Luke Abbott.

We’re particularly excited about a rare outing from German dubstep/industrial enigma(s) Anstam; techno improv outfit Elektro Guzzi are set to make an appearance, as are Amon Tobin, Radiq, Siriusmo, Wareika, Terry Lee Brown Jr. and Lillevan, the latter collaborating with Canada’s own Deadbeat. Other Canadian participants include Jacques Green, Danuel Tate (Cobblestone Jazz), Calamalka, Babe Rainbow, Daega Soundsystem, Knowing Looks, Stephen Beaupre, Michael Red and the mighty Akufen in his Horror Inc guise. The US represents with New York 2-step/house firecracker FaltyDL, dub-techno perennials Deepchord presents Echospace, Tristan Perch, and Traversable Wormhole.

More announcements to follow. There will also be a series of so-called Avant_MUTEK events taking place across North America in April and May: Toronto (April 2), Vancouver (April 9), Chicago (April 21-23) and New York (May 6). Check Mutek’s official site for details of these as well as early bird passports for the festival proper, which takes place on June 1-5.