Perhaps Mutations Festival’s closest counterparts sit within the All Tomorrow’s Parties camp, only in terms of concept. An alternative festival in the truest sense, the electric bill brings together artists that would rarely find themselves on the same line-up, allowing exception for behemoths like Glastonbury or the niche Field Day. Still, Mutations leans towards the heavier or darker side, and at times, combines both.

Organisers One Inch Badge, a stalwart in the Brighton music scene, kept the festival alive as last year’s DRILL:BRIGHTON moved on. The success of the latter hadn’t gone unnoticed, and its inevitable departure left a notable vacuum in the city’s live schedule. With that, what is likely to set Mutations apart is not just its unique artist repertoire, but also its DIY aesthetic. Only 1000 tickets have been put on sale, and there’s plenty of promise around the event’s ten venues.

Regularly playing host to The Great Escape, Brighton isn’t new to inner-city music events. There’s a big crossover in these venues between the two, not least the alternative hub Concorde 2 or regular gig venues The Haunt, The Hope and Ruin, Sticky Mike’s and the Green Door Store – to name a few. Cementing the DIY ethos and independent feel, iconic indie record shop Resident will host the wristband exchange. A festival that begins in an independent record store before expanding onto the creative streets of Brighton unquestionably shows instant promise.

Yet for many, us included, the 28th and 29th November will be days of exploration. The biggest names on the bill are by no means household names, although the “main event” (so to speak) is likely to be the main draw. Metz, Lightning Bolt and Blacklisters will perform at Concorde 2 – with those looking for a more euphoric end being offered the chance to catch Tourist at Patterns.

Elsewhere, Mutations showcases the brightest and weirdest in alternative music. “Experimental” is likely to bounded around across the city, particularly with the likes of Chelsea Wolfe and Neko Case on the cards. Canadian alternative-punks Chastity’s unconventional genre-bending is likely to strengthen the experimental cause, before even considering the doom scheduled to envelop The Haunt come Sunday (OM, anyone?).

The whole line-up is in some senses worth checking out, and it’s rare for a festival to boast that accolade. Nobody appears to have been booked purely to push ticket sales. Each instead handpicked for the excitement they bring to the music scene. One thing that Mutations promises, at least on paper, is true discovery. Walk into any of these venues and encounter unusual sounds and breath-taking spectacles. Some may leave the audience confused, or with a bad taste, but Mutations stands on its ethos.

“Mutations is a real music lovers event,” the organisers state on their official website. That point currently rings true. How that statement looks in real terms remains to be seen, but at least from our perspective, things are looking pretty great.

For more information, including ticket details, head to the Mutations website.