Coachella might be known as one of the world’s finest rock festivals, but since it’s inception all the way back in 1999, the event’s promoters put as much focus on LA rave culture as they did catering to the alternative nation (now called the indie rock masses). From Daft Punk to Kraftwerk, many of Coachella’s greatest moments over the years have come from electronic music titans. Here’s a collection of sets from artists playing this year’s festival. The perfect collection of beats to get you warmed up for the desert.
Major Lazer – Coachella is a sort of hometown gig for Baltimore and London natives Diplo and Switch, both of whom rellocated to Los Angeles in recent years. Last years Major Lazer release party found Spank Rock, Amanda Blank, Santigold and Andy Milonakis on the mic—and that was just a private party. Imagine what favors they might call in for their Coachella spectacular.
Aeroplane – This Belgian duo have been almost single-handedly responsible for bringing the word balearic back into dance music’s vocabulary, with breezy remixes of fellow Coachella performers MGMT, as well as Grace Jones (who mysteriously disappeared off of this years line-up).
The XX – This UK three-piece (formerly a foursome) have created huge waves with their gentle melanchloy sound. Find out what selections they chose for their Headphone Highlights session.
LCD Soundsystem – When not providing the vox and drums for LCD Soundsystem’s headlining performances worldwide, James Murphy and Pat Mahoney are two globe-trotting wax masters who’s Special Disco Version parties intorudced a whole new generation of hipsters to the wonders of vintage disco hits, played on vinyl rather than laptop.
Flying Lotus – One of this years most anticipated performers, the nephew of the infamous Alice Coltrane is putting Los Angeles on the map when it comes to mind-bending experimental electronic music. Even Thom Yorke has taken notice, bring FlyLo out to open on all of his Atoms For Peace U.S. tour dates.
DJ Craze & Klever – On their own, DJCraze and Klever are two championship winning turntablists who have wowed crowds for over a decade. Together, the present a dueling DJ party performance like no other.
Passion Pit - More rockers who are unafraid to take to the turntables when the afterhours calls, Passion Pit pony up DJ Shadow, Friendly Fires and Ace of Base (!?) in this special Headphone Highlights session.
Hot Chip – The last time Hot Chip played Coachella in 2007, their mid-afternoon set in the Sahara tent was so packed that the heat made their vintage analog keyboards malfunction in weird and wonderful ways. All five memeber have thriving DJ careers when between Hot Chip tours, which keeps their selection skills unparallelled.
Club 75 – Ever since Daft Punks dominant 2006 Coachella performance, no Coachella has been complete without a healthy helping of French dance dons. This years installment comes in the form of Club 75, the new all-star DJ unit featuring Coachella vets Justice, Busy P and DJ Mehdi, plus french house legends Cassius.
Plastikman – The most infamous production handle of techno superstar Richie Hawtin, this live performance pushes the barriers of audience participation with an interacitve iPhone app among other technological breakthroughs. Check out this Fire Side chat for a taste of Hawtin’s minimalist vision of electronic music.
Rusko – Another SoCal immigrant, Rusko now leads the global dubstep invasion, taking the London sound and applying it to LA radio, new tunes by M.I.A. and now the fields of Coachella.
