2023 Coachella Lineup Review

Hi there Coachella friends!

Long-time festival vet here, first time heading to the Valley. To prepare, I spent some time researching all 167 artists on the 2023 lineup so that I can soak in as much new music discovery (and of course old favorites) while I’m out West.

I did this exercise years ago for Electric Forest and that experience taught me a few things. Notably, I want to be on the record with the following:

• These are my opinions. Music is subjective and things hit differently for different people. My approach here is to highlight the things I like, not tear down an artist because their work is not my personal preference.
• My research was done on Spotify. I get that genres like house and techno don’t always translate to self-contained Spotify tracks but there were 167 artists and I needed a way to streamline. 
• I’m not a scholar of genres and subgenres (in fact I’m pretty miserable at identifying genres). I describe the artists as best I could with my amateur knowledge but I’m certain I mischaracterized at least a few. Feel free to correct me!
• If you disagree with my interpretation and send me a track, I promise I’ll listen to it. If it changes my opinion, I’ll update! 
• If you disagree with my interpretation and insult me, well I guess that’s just the Internet ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Can’t wait to party with you all this weekend!

~BS

$uicideboy$

With a name like $uicideboy$, not surprising their punk rap sound is angry but still clear in its message. 

Reading up on these guys was pretty cool, they’re 2 cousins that go by $crim and Ruby Da Cherry. From their Spotify bio, they “translate a fight against demons (seen and unseen) into a clever, caustic, and corrosively catchy apocalyptic vision of hip-hop pierced with punk intensity and laced with Southern flows.”

For the Last Time was the first track I came across, you hear their edge in both the vocals and the beats. Kill Yourself (Part III) is about as clear a look at their style as you’re gonna get. They show a different side on To Those I Love, Thanks for Sticking Around, more R&B than hip hop.

070 Shake

The club beats are strong with Honey but the vocal features give it a darker feel. Can’t really tell what stands out about the producer vs. the vocals. She does have a consistent hip hop lean, Cocoon I really liked. 

1999.ODDS

No amount of research is going to uncover who this surprise act is going to be. While I don’t necessarily think it’s realistic, this article suggests it might be Daft Punk and if so, I will literally pee my pants. 

2manydjs

Gotta admit I’m a bit confused here, my Googling shows this may also be Soulwax and their tour schedule (and Coachella lineup) lists Despacio without any further context. 

A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie

When I hear Bronx rapper, I usually think harder styles (like borough brother JAY-Z). This is much more melodic, slower tempos and easy flows.

Look Back at It and Drowning with Kodak Black are his most popular tracks. I’ll also throw some love to his 2023 single Secrets with Mariah the Scientist.

Adam Beyer

I learned last time I wrote a full festival lineup review that certain genres don’t always translate through Spotify. My first experience was house music (which I discovered I love after spending more time in Soundcloud) and this year it’s techno. 

Dirty Lagoon and Data Point have the long flowing basslines that is an entirely different experience live. 

AG Club

Love the swagger on this rap, brings a hustle energy. COLUMBIA slaps.

Airrica

Defect is literally the only track on Spotify, but I dig it! Makes me wanna say…modern house? Some pretty unique beat and sound samples on here, this could be in for a wavey late night set 

Alex G

I feel like I want to describe Advice as beach grunge for some reason. It feels like I’m listening to it through a Sepia filter. Mary was more the feel good vibes I am personally attracted to. 

Ali Sethi

One of my favorite things about music is seeing how cultural influences come through in the art. Pakistani instrumentalist has 5M monthly listeners (more than double Porter Robinson). 

Chan Kithan was very soothing, same with Ishq.

Angèle

 I find French to be such a beautiful language for hip hop lyrics.

Amour Haine seems more bass heavy, flow is strong. Demons also has a really forceful vocal effect, almost magnetic like she’s got you in her orbit as you go around and around.

Ashnikko

“Fuck a princess I’m a king, bow down and kiss on my ring. Being a bitch is my kink, what the fuck else did you think?” ~Daisy

Is Harley Quinn a genre? Asking for a friend…

Bad Bunny

What do you say about one of the most popular musicians on the planet? 

Pretty sure I’ve seen his style described as trap reggaeton, which I definitely get on Titï Me Preguntó (one of 2 tracks with over a billion streams. The other is Me Porto Bonito). Honorary mention for Ojitos Lindos with Bomba Estéreo, whom I adore.

Bakar

Hell N Back was a vibe, very fun floaty melody and rhythms. Minimalist on the instruments but when those horns come in it sends a shiver down the spine. 

Becky G

BAILÉ CON MY EX throws a carefree vibe to ear, can’t speak to the lyrics but I’m bopping to this. Mayores with Bad Bunny shows her clout. Apparently she was also on Power Rangers??

BENEE

I kinda feel like this is what Billie Eilish would sound like if she went into melodic dance pop. Supalonely was vibey af…hit me with that dreampop all day!

Big Wild

Having seen BW many times, you’re going to get a consistently fun, flowy dance set backed with live vocals + instruments. 6’s to 9’s is still one of my fave tracks by any producer. 

Björk

Can’t say I’m too familiar with Björk but I am cultured enough to recognize an icon. Human Behavior could be the opening credits for a 70s buddy cop sitcom. Will be interesting to see how this translates to the stage. 

BLACKPINK

BLACKPINK IN YOUR AREA! I gotta say this might be the set I’m most excited for all weekend. I am fairly new to the scene but I’ve got a rave bestie who turned me onto 2NE1 and the rabbit hole burst open from there.

As If It’s Your Last might be my fave song so far. Even crazy shit like DDU-DU DDU-DU has me going wild. My kids love the drop on Pink Venom.

I’ll also give some love to the Netflix documentary which gave a ton of context about what went into training and developing this group.

The Blaze

French cousins who are producers but also film directors. Check out the music video for QUEENS, it’s incredible. 

Blondie

Who doesn’t join in with a “Call Me!” when that iconic track comes on? Perhaps you prefer One Way Or Another? 

As iconic as they are from their 80s peak, their last studio album looks like 2017 so I’ll be interested to see how much they play the hits vs. newer material.

Boris Brejcha

Purple Noise with what maybe I’d call deep house? For how much electronic I listen to, I’m horribly bad at genre identification but it’s got a great extended beat you can just get lost in. According to Wikiepedia, the style is “high-tech minimal.”

boygenius

This is the collab project from Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, and Lucy Dacus. 

Bite the Hand and Emily I’m Sorry have complex soundscapes that are hard to explain, you just gotta listen for yourself. 

BRATTY

Pop/garage/surf project from Mexican cantautora Jenny Juárez. Sultry vibes on Honey, No Estás.

The Breeders

First song I heard was MetaGoth, which I gotta say is one helluva track title. Cannonball was my favorite, simple but pronounced guitar and full of energy.

Turns out this group is the bassist of Pixies and guitarist of Throwing Muses. 

Burna Boy

Generally considered reggae, tracks like Alone and It’s Plenty feel like so much more. The Nigerian superstar even pulled Ed Sheeran in for a verse on For My Hand.

Calvin Harris

One of the best in the game finally putting the cap on his Ellie Goudling trilogy with Miracle this year and Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 2 has some crazy impressive collabs (Pharrell, Justin Timberlake, Dua Lipa, Charlie Puth, 6LACK, Snoop Dogg, Halsey, Young Thug, and more). 

As a first timer at Coachella, I’m not sure why he’s listed at the bottom underneath everyone else?

Camelphat

Melodic dance, Cola with Elderbrook is definitely one I’ve bopped to before. 

Cannons

LA-based trio exemplifies that west coast airy sound, really cool synth work on Fire for You and guitars really stand out on Hurricane.

Carlita

Turkish DJ classically trained on the cello? Sounds like the makings of something special! 

Bon Trip got those big synths and Cinceittà keeps that style going. Also good chance you hear her stuff in other sets (LP Giobbi remix of The Way You Say bumps.

Playing with DJ Tennis, should be dope!

Cassian

Pretty sure I saw this guy open for Hayden James at the 9:30 Club in DC. Activate feels like it straddles techno and house, similar style with more prominent melodies on On Your Own ft. Elderbrook and Hayden James. 

Charli XCX

Years ago, it took me 4 tries to see Charli between canceled sets, travel issues, and one time I just got there too late for her as the opener. Fast forward to today and Charli has come a long way since I Love It, Break the Rules, and Boom Clap (which still slaps, don’t get me wrong) to ascend to bonafide popstar status.

Good Ones and Used to Know Me from her latest album are certifiable bops but nothing comes close to the 140M+ streamed Hot In It with Tiësto (though I gotta say I prefer Dirty Sexy Money).

The Chemical Brothers

Originally the Dust Brothers before a trademark dispute, The Chemical Brothers are not actually related at all beyond their ability to bring big beat and trip hop to the mainstream.

One of the OGs of electronic music, The Chemical Brothers formed in 1989 and despite now boasting six Number 1 records, they’re style was once considered “too slow” for UK DJs to put it on the radio. 

Got To Keep On has some of their more interesting samples and product, Galvanize has some really interesting vocals, and the guitar intro on Block Rockin’ Beats should play on infinite loop IMO. 

Chloé Caillet

Despite not having a ton of music available on Spotify, club beats, loops, and rolling basslines on NYWTF are definitely worth checking out. Doudou takes a lighter approach, almost more Caribbean than club.

Chris Lake

Chris was my 50th concert of 2022, rounding out the year with a birthday celebration from the king of house. Turn Off The Lights goes big while A Drug From God stays more true to traditional house. Whatever your flavor, seeing Chris Lake on stage with another house icon Fisher is not to be missed.

Chris Stussy

Disco and jazz may not be the most common influences for a house producer, but maybe they should be? Boogie Trippin and Breather will put you in the headspace of one of the Netherlands’ up and coming DJs.

Christine and the Queens

Drawing inspiration from a similarly fluid artist in David Bowie, Christine and the Queens draws his name from the drag queens who used to dance with him on stage. Genderqueer and pansexual, these themes come through in his music.

Tilted is arguably his most successful track though I did really like the switches between English/French on People, I’ve been sad.

Chromeo

The funkmasters are guaranteed to get you dancing with bops like Fancy Footwork and Jealous (I Ain’t With It). Less mainstream recognition for tracks like Pay It No Mind and Everyone Moves to LA from their latest album show evolution without compromising on the underpinnings of their sound. 

Colyn

Resolve has a super intense RUFUS vibe. Like I legit thought it was RUFUS. Oxygen Levels Low takes you on a trip, I bet you’ll hear some cool stuff at this set.

The Comet is Coming

CODE is all instrumental, almost has that feeling of potential energy that is ready to explode. 

Conexión Divina

All-female Mexican group sierraño group, which I learned means 3 players and 3 instruments and (traditionally Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar, and Accordion). Their name comes from the fact that they met and formed their initial Conexión through TikTok. 

Check out Odio, you’ll get an immediate sense of their style and vibe.

DannyLux

Latin and chill. Tristeza Y Traicion has some hard acoustic guitar rhythms but the vocals are the standout for me. 

Dennis Cruz

Almost feels like Latin House. El Sueño has a real danceable beat underneath. I would love to roll through this late night.

Playing together with PAWSA, which is more tech house so I’m really intrigued to see how these two meld together.

Desert Cahuilla Bird Singers

A cultural experience, local tribes will sing Bird Bongs that are thousands of years old, passed on for generations.

No Spotify here, you’ll have to check it out IRL.

Despacio

No idea what this is, even the links on Coachella’s lineup page return a 404 error ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Destroy Boys

Formed when two of the artists were 15 growing up in Northern California, alt rock/punk Destroy Boys even gives me some old school emo influences (think Alkaline Trio or Taking Back Sunday, both of which they have toured with).

I Threw Glass at My Friend’s Eyes and Now I’m on Probation is proof that TikTok is a viable music exploration platform and their latest single Beg For The Torture shows they figured out how to balance edgy guitars with headbanging vocals. 

Diljit Dosanjh

Super vibey, strings with a solid beat behind prominent vocals. I love hearing other languages in songs, even if I don’t understand the vocabulary, the sounds hit the ear in a cool way.

I also appreciate a track like Peaches that throws in a few English words for people like me. Doesn’t have to be a lot, people, all he said was “I love peaches I love you. You got me babe I got you” and that was it. Don’t overthink it.

Dinner Party

Collab project from Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, and Kamasi Washington. I’ll take that smooth jazz R&B sound all day (and I do mean day, I’d love to sit in the sun and vibe to this).

Freeze Tag feels like a track that can push any dark clouds from your mind even before those sexy horns come in. From My Head and My Soul brings in keyboards in a way that has me following that instrument from start to finish.

DJ Tennis

Electronic soundscapes on Atlanta and All In A Dream are just the tip of the iceberg for DJ Tennis, who came up tour managing punk bands now runs the label Life and Death and is also a fine dining chef and restaurant owner. Excited to see what he cooks up!

Bringing along Carlita for what promises to be a wholly unique set.

Doechii

Crazy is bringing that angry heat that takes full control of the mic. I replayed this 3 times the first time I heard it. Persuasive with SZA is a big collab, had me hanging on every bar. 

Dombresky

When artists like Diplo are supporting you early in your career, you know you’re onto something. Save Our Souls brings in looped samples with a funky beat you can’t help but dance to. 

DOMi & JD Beck

Have some pull getting Anderson .Paak, Snoop Dogg, and Busta Rhymes on PiLOT. Can’t really tell how much I like D&JD rather than the verses from people I’ve been spinning for years but it’s a vibe for sure.

Take a Chance with Anderson .Paak gave me hints of Kendrick. SMiLE sounds like elevator music but in the best possible way.

Dominic Fike

Got that chill, outside-on-a-sunny-day feel on 3 Nights, a little more edge but still very clean sound on Babydoll. Vampire might be my fave track. 

Also pretty impressive list of collabs including Die For You on Justin Bieber’s latest album and did an interlude for Halsey’s Manic record.

Donavan’s Yard

Couldn’t find a whole heckuva lot here, even their website is mum on the artist(s) themselves and links out to a mixtape of remixes and edits on Soundcloud. 

DPR LIVE + DPR IAN

Live + Ian started collaborating under the DPR tag after Ian’s YouTube freestyles started gaining traction. In all, I found 5 different artists recording under DPR (LIVE, IAN, CREAM, ARCTIC, REM).

No Blueberries is one of the few Spotify tracks that credits both LIVE + IAN, with clear K-Pop influences coming out in beat selection and that unique rap stylings that (at least I) have come to identify very much with how diverse K-Pop music can be. Ballroom Extravaganza from DPR IAN takes a more extended journey, holding long vocals over guitar riffs. Jasmine from DPR LIVE similarly flowy, with subtle piano backing what feels more R&B vs. rap.

DRAMA

Is there a better pairing than a great producer backed by soulful vocals? I’ll wait. 

3AM shows how each individual brings their talents to the group with what Spotify called “Chicago house-infused production” paired with vocals that reflect “the improvisational nature of jazz and playful patterns of hip-hop and bossa nova.” Please and thank you!

EARTHGANG

This is one of the best ensemble rap groups out there IMHO. Caught their set at Electric Forest last year and their flow is so natural, it’s fun watching different rappers jump on/off the mic while the DJ and other instrumentalists provide live backing.

ALL EYES ON ME drops bars on bars about living through COVID, WATERBOYZ with JID & J. Cole shows how versatile they are swapping between lyricists. I also gotta shout out the EARTHGANG verse on Madeon’s No Fear No More (Remix) is straight 🔥

El Michels Affair

What if I told you there was an artist that can pull off an all-instrumental interpretation of an entire Wu Tang Clan album? You’ve never heard C.R.E.A.M., Protect Ya Neck, or Bring Da Ruckus like this before. Oh yeah, and then he recorded a SECOND Wu Tang cover album. Should be El Michels Ain’t Nuthing ta Fuck Wit. 

Going in another direction, Murkit Gem with Puay Malik on vocals showcases the instrumental chops with more original production.

Eladio Carrión

Following in those Bad Bunny footsteps melding latin trap and reggaeton, I’d say Eladio takes a more minimalist approach with his production. Personally, I find this to be very soothing and relaxing. 

3 Am was super chill and Si la Calle Llama keeps things interesting with flow and subtle beats rather than big drops. 

Elderbrook

Tried to catch his set in DC but it sold out in a minute and StubHub fees were untenable…so you know he’s doing something right! Reminds me a lot of Ben Böhmer or Shallou, it’s good-old-fashioned melodic electronic. 

Inner Light with Bob Moses shows his range and Howl with Tourist is the clear breakout hit from his new album from 2023 that will certainly feature prominently in this set. 

Elyanna

Discovering a Palestinian-Chilean artist singing in Arabic and English is what makes this festival so appealing. The diversity of music culture is unmatched and watching all these different influences meld into a unique style is so fun. 

Ala Bali would fit right in with a summertime mix and Ana Lahale channels similar energy but with more edge to it. 

Eric Prydz

Before we get to the music, it cannot be understated how stoked I am to finally see this holo set. Known for mind bending visuals, this is the kind of electronic artist you want to see on the biggest stage.

Brings a balance of original production on tracks like Opus and Pjanoo along with boppy collabs with CHVRCHES (Tether) and Empire of the Sun (We Are Mirage). Plus, gotta throw some love to Generate as one of the first tracks that really got me hooked on dance music. 

Make sure to check out his alias’ like Pryda which doubles down on melodies and Cirez D which tackles dark techno. 

Ethel Cain

American Teenager kinda sounds like it’s playing into the TSwift folklore era. Also seems to hit on a lot of religious themes with tracks like Televangelism and God’s Country, though I’ll admit I didn’t give these tracks a deep listen to get to the heart of the themes.

Fisher

If you haven’t heard Losing It then you and I roll in different musical circles for sure. One of the headliners for Electric Forest in 2023, Fisher is a big reason house music is starting to gain more mainstream attention.

Cool part here is that he’s playing with Chris Lake, which brings 2 of the biggest names in house together on one stage. 

FKJ

Short for “french kiwi juice” (no joke), this French multi-instrumentalist is self-taught. Ylang Ylang with very prominent piano features and Better Give U Up bringing in unplugged indie pop vibes. 

Flo Milli

“You got money cuz you on dicks, Milli got milli’s cuz Milli got hits!” ~Conceited 

Love this rap flow, it has the energy of a Cardi B with a swagger that I’m excited to see translate to the stage.

Fousheé

When I listen to simmer down I get a lot of grunge/alt rock, same with scream my name. A big departure from her breakout track deep end which is much more vocal-forward. 

Francis Mercier

Haitian house? Don’t mind if I do!

Sete the most popular track back far but for my money I’d back Kamili as one of his best tracks. 

Frank Ocean

Gotta admit I was surprised Frank Ocean was announced as a headliner because it’s been a while since I’ve personally listened to his music (and he hasn’t released an album since Blonde in 2016).

Novacane is still one of the most emotionally raw tracks I’ve ever heard. In My Room came one working late one night and I had the headnod+scrunched face going hard.

Gabriels

A Compton-bred gospel singer, a UK-born producer and keyboardist, and an LA-native producer-composer should give you a sense of the diverse backgrounds that form the backbone of the group. Spotify bio describes them as “undeniably ethereal, soulful R&B-soul-rick hybrid.”

Love and Hate in a Different Time is certainly their most popular track but I prefer Angels & Queens myself. 

The Garden

Chainsaw the Door definitely has more of an indie vibe, was not surprised at all that they hail from SoCal (I was interested to learn that they’re twins!). They are Coachella veterans, if that helps to paint a picture.

Most streamed Spotify track is Thy Mission with Mac DeMarco. Call This # Now is a bit of a different style, I’d describe this as if Cake with a dash of grunge/emo. 

GloRilla

In the era of Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, and other unapologetic female rappers, GloRilla fits right in.

Blessed lyrics are solid, Nut Quick shows she’s gonna rap about whatever the hell she wants. If you want the origin story, F.N.F. (Let’s Go) is for you. 

Gordo

Underground project from dance legend Carnage, Gordo is responsible for bringing Drake into house music after producing half the tracks on his latest album. 

Hombres y Mujeres keeps the latin roots where TARAKA stays more true to traditional house music.

Gorillaz

Their discography speaks for itself, with legendary bangers like Feel Good Inc. (over a billion streams) and Clint Eastwood and some of the most diverse collabs you’ll see, like Tormenta with Bad Bunny, New Gold with Tame Impala and Bootie Brown, and Cracker Island with Thundercat. 

It’s much easier to conceptualize a virtual band when you’re listening to them so I’m psyched to see how this translates to a live show. Is it possible to 1-up hologram Tupac?

Hiatus Kaiyote

R&B quartet that has been sampled by Beyonce, Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, Anderson .Paak, Chance the Rapper, and Drake. After a 4yr break while one of the members battled breast cancer, they released Mood Valiant the album in 2021 as a return to form. 

Red Room and Sip Into Something Soft go deep with the vocals and piano, layering different sounds together in a complex yet accessible sound.  

Horsegirl

After dropping only 4 singles from 2019-2021, this trio dropped 2 full-length albums in 2022. I’d go out on a limb and call this alternative indie. 

Anti-glory very guitar-forward, Ballroom Dance Scene put the vocals out front and History Lesson Part 2 is that third bowl of porridge that gives each equal prominence on the track. 

Hot Since 82

This guy seems to have a pretty cool backstory, coming up spinning 12hr weekend house sets as a teenager and eventually getting into the Ibiza club scene. 

Buggin’ and Poison definitely fits his deephouse style, I would venture to guess this is going to be a late night set (and I for one am HERE for it).

IDK

As a DMV resident myself, I always love seeing Maryland rappers getting their love (Logic hails from Montgomery County and Wale is from PG County just like IDK). 

42 Hundred Choices with the rolling lyrics over selectively syncopated beats shows depth of his production while still highlighting his storytelling above all else. 

Idris Elba

Focusing more on mixing than original production, 2018’s sexiest man alive is heavily rooted in African influences, hip-hop and reggae while still being decidedly dance music. Exhibit A: Girl With The Bat. 

Somehow he gets David Guetta on a track with It’s Ours with a lot of different styles going on, from what I’d uneducatedly call techno beats to evil monologues.

Jackson Wang

Multi-faceted creative with music and fashion projects to go along with 90M social media followers across all channels.

Style is lowkey indie pop, Blow is the breakout hit from his 2022 album and Fire To The Fuse was produced for League of Legends.

Jai Paul

Got big when BTSTU got sampled by both Drake and Beyonce in the same year. Eclectic indie production, I can’t say it falls into a traditional genre but for a different vibe check out Str8 Outta Mumbai.

Jai Wolf

Word on the street is a new era of Jai Wolf is coming and my money is on Coachella debut. After an incredibly successful project with The Cure To Loneliness, with amazing visuals and a live performance (I caught it at Brooklyn Mirage and it was 🤯). He dropped Want It All earlier this year and I’ve got at least 1 friend who has been contacted by his manager with next gen merch. 

For the OGs, nothing beats Indian Summer but my personal favorite is definitely This Song Reminds Me Of You. 

Jamie Jones

I’m gonna go ahead and call this beach techno. Draws from techno with the beats + rhythm but melodies and vocals play a more central role. My Paradise is a dope track and apparently the namesake for his global event series. For the road less traveled, I also dig on Lose My Mind.

Fun fact: my old roommate built a custom wooden DJ table for Jamie back in 2017.

Jan Blomqvist

A recovering britpop punk rocker, Jan got caught up in the electro movement and (if I’m understanding the Spotify bio correctly) now performs shows with a full band to give a live performance with the DJ as the frontman. 

Kaleidoscope Colours has some monologing that reminded me of ODESZA. The Space In Between feels like if Daft Punk and Jamie xx had a baby.

Joy Crookes

Indie vibes, Feet Don’t Fail Me Now feels like it could be the opening credit to a James Bond film. 

Juliet Mendoza

You can always tell the difference between a house DJ that works in a studio and a house DJ that works in a club. I don’t know how you can write My City without intimately knowing the energy of the dance floor. 

Jupiter & Okwess

Described as “drawing the rhythms of the Congo out of obscurity to reveal their superpowers” and I couldn’t have said it better myself. Culturally different but it does remind me of Jorge Ben’s África Brasil, which melded afro funk with samba. 

Mieux Que Ça has definitely got that afro funk sound and Na Kozonga hits all the feels.

Kali Uchis

Won a Grammy for her work on 10% with Kaytranada and telepatía had the highest debut on billboard for a latin song. Melting seems to tap into her Northern Virginia roots more than Colombia. 

Kaytranada

Won a Grammy for his work on 10% with Kali Uchis. Nice when alphabetical order works out, huh?

Haitian-Canadian with J Dilla influences? Sign me up! Intimidated with H.E.R., Twin Flame with Anderson .Paak, or Be Careful with Thundercat. Take your pick.

Keinemusik

My understanding is this is more of a collective than a consistent artist or group. I found references to &ME, Rampa, Reznik, and Adam Port.

Definitely pushing boundaries, H is super interesting and gives the sense that it knows where it’s going but also is still figuring itself out. 

Kenny Beats

Lots of complex beats here, jazz on Hold My Hand then you get what feels like garage punk on IDWK. 

Fun fact: his official website is dontoverthinkshit.com.

The Kid LAROI

Well, you’d have to be under a rock not to recognize STAY, his collab with Justin Bieber that has almost 2.5 BILLION streams. And he’s not a flash in the pan, he dropped I GUESS IT’S LOVE? on Feb 24th of this year and it’s already over 15M streams.

Took a lot of influence from Juice WRLD (RIP) after they produced GO together, the kid has got crazy talent.

Knocked Loose

Personally I don’t have much experience with heavy metal but I can appreciate the intensity of the vocals on Deadringer and the range of the guitar and bass on Counting Worms.  

Kyle Watson

Buoyed by support from Diplo, Chris Lake, and Gorgon City, seems like house music is going to be on full display in the valley this year. Dominoes and Magic Carpet give 2 unique takes on his style.

Labrinth

Labrinth = the “L” in the group LSD with Diplo and Sia. 

Mount Everest had parts that gave me Flume vibes but not always in the best way. Changed gears into a more cinematic storytelling which was more my flavor. Kill For Your Love hit that glitchy vibe better.

Latto

The Bitch From Da Souf knows what she’s about and her rap reflects it. I first heard Big Energy at my boxing gym and was hooked. If you’ve ever said “talk dirty to me” to your partner, Another Nasty Song is exactly what you need.

Lava La Rue

UK R&B? Widdit was the first track and flow was smooth and Magpie had me floating from start to finish.

Lewis OfMan

“I consider my music like an airport, I’m putting all my feelings&emotions to provide some good places to takes you where the fuck your rêverie wants to take you.”

Hard to place this style, with keyboards and synths on Flash and more intense rhythms and unique samples on Attitude. He’s also got a deep catalog of remixes, both of his own music as well as others.

The Linda Lindas

For a band that started in 2018 with all 4 members between 12-18 years old, they have a very seasoned sound. A feel-good story from the pandemic, they played Racist, Sexist Boy at the LA Public Library based on an experience where a classmate was told by their parents to “stay away from Chinese people.” This recording went on to gain attention from Tom Morello, Flea, and other big names who supported the message as much as the music. 

Anyone who says punk is dead would do well to check out what the new generation is putting out.

Los Bitchos

Self-described hallucinatory surf-exotica. I can’t top that, you’ll have to listen to Pista (Fresh Start) for yourself.

Los Fabulosos Cadillacs

El Matador feels like it should be the end credits for a Quentin Tarantino movie. South America meets ska? I’m not not intrigued…

LP Giobbi

Sofi Tukker’s BFF, LP Giobbi has been a queen in the scene for years both as an amazing DJ but also ally with her FEMME HOUSE nonprofit that provides production workshops and courses for thousands of female and gender-expansive individuals. 

All In A Dream is super fun, same with Forever And A Day.

LØREN

Lyricist and supporting act for several of BLACKPINK tracks including Pretty Savage, You Never Know, and Lovesick Girls. 

For his independent releases, I’d never guess the BLACKPINK connection listening to a track like All My Friends Are Turning Blue which feels more like American new age indie.

Maceo Plex

Trance meets house? Motor Rotor was the first track I discovered, had a lot of interesting samples in it with a nice consistent beat to ride.

Magdalena Bay

Super chill, The Beginning had some cool electronic production in the middle with almost disco vibes but with def electronic production, my kind of happy beats.

Malaa

I’ve always known him to be more bass house but then tracks like How It Is make me think of 90s techno. 

Marc Rebillet

The Loop Daddy in the flesh! From YouTube to the Valley, Marc is one of a handful of people that may be able to say the pandemic was the best thing to happen to his career. 

In order from his 2020 album: Essential Workers Anthem > I’m a Flamingo > Therapy > Surviving > Dinner’s Ready > Quarantine Fucking Tonight

Mareux

Alt indie with darker tones, which was somewhat surprising considering track titles like The Perfect Girl and Summertime.

Mathame

Medolic techno is my kind of techno for sure. Skywalking is all instrumental and then tracks like Nothing Around Us pull in vocals to complement the beats. 

Metro Boomin’

Creepin’ with The Weeknd and 21 Savage should give a sense of his pull and style. Vocal-forward R&B stylings with features from what seems like every prominent rapper of the last 10 years: Feel the Fiyaaaah with A$AP Rocky and Chris Brown, Niagara Falls with Travis Scott, Superheroes with Future + Chris Brown to name a few. 

Minus the Light

Mysterious and dreamy electronic that evolved from a 12yo flipping through heavy metal records in Turkey.

Not a ton of music on Spotify, R&J with 12k streams is the most popular. Vitamin X also good representation of his sound.

MK

You know electronic music is getting more mainstream when producers are doing creative work for brands like Jaguar. 

17 feels like something you’d hear in an 80s club and think “this is way ahead of its time.” Piece of Me with Becky Hill and Better with Teddy Swims both keep that same aesthetic.

Mochakk

With a background in skate culture, he came up in the house scene in Brazil. Diu Diu Lai has some interesting synth/beat work and his Rizzla Remix definitely has that Brazilian feel to it.

Momma

The new wave of alt rock sounds damn good, with vocals that almost echo beyond distorted guitars.

Biohazard and Speeding 72 worth checking out.

Monolink

A lot of people don’t consider composition and songwriting to be part of electronic music production. Those people need to listen to Monolink.

Sirens has very prominent vocals and melodies with layered instrumentals that gave it serious depth.

MUNA

What I Want gives me a modern Savage Garden vibe. Silk Chiffon features Phoebe Bridgers with her iconic indie pop influences. 

Mura Masa

There’s a lot of producers on this lineup who have a rolodex of impressive collabs and Mura Masa belongs among those elite. 

bbycakes with Lil Uzi Vert and PinkPantheress, up all week with slowthai, Love$ick with A$AP Rocket, and a ton of tracks with Cairo. You really can’t go wrong.

The Murder Capital

A Thousand Lives brought instrumental electronic dreamscapes. Don’t Cling To Life took a little more alternative/grunge with rhythm-driven electric guitar and indie punk vocals. 

NIA ARCHIVES

Influences of hip hop, soul, jazz, samba, and wait for it…Old Skool Jungle. What a genre.

Baianá plays at almost hyperspeed, but it works with the vibe. Forbidden Feelingz brings the same high intensity glitchy production. 

Noname

When you cut your teeth at slam poetry open mic nights in Chicago, you find out real quick if people respond to your interpretation of the world. 

Self off her 2018 album gets super personal. Also shoutout to Ace with another Coachella performer Saba.

Nora En Pure

House vibes, Life on Hold has a lot of wavy melodies underneath pretty straightforward beats. Pulls some cool violin/string sounds with melded vocals that are more making sounds vs. singing lyrics. Tears In Your Eyes feels more pop without sacrificing that rolling quality that underscores so much of house music.

Oliver Koletzki

Before even listening to the track, Spiritual but Not Religious already hits home for me in the title alone. 

Tends to rely on airy melodies with steady basslines on Hypnotized struck a really cool balance. 

Overmono

Gotta love an electronic artist that really embraces the art of live performance. 

Broke out with So U Kno that took the club scene by storm right as we were all starting to emerge from our COVID hibernation. 

Paris Texas

Rappers that don’t hide behind complex beats, they put all the energy and soul into their lyrics. 

HEAVY METAL is not in fact heavy metal but arguably the most stripped down beats I listened to in my research. FORCE OF HABIT has some more interesting chord progressions to rap over.

PAWSA

Tech-house that will be paired with Dennis Cruz latin flavors should produce something really unique. 

Imagine hearing The Groovy Cat with a latin spin. Meow!

Pi’erre Bourne

Came up on the strength of his production for rap icons like Travis Scott, 21 Savage, and Kanye West, it’s his mixtapes that showcase his personal flow that excites me the most.

Poof and Guillotine put Pi’erre on his own on the mic and Switching Lanes with Playboi Carti is a great representation of how he complements his collab artists.

Porter Robinson

Full disclosure: I’ve been a Porter stan for many many years (even have a Worlds tattoo on my wrist). Coachella will be the final US performance of Porter’s Nurture Live tour, which I’ve seen 4 times and gotta say it is not to be missed.

Looks at the Sky and Something Comforting were the first singles he dropped before the album and they hold up as my personal favorite tracks. Of course he’ll work in tracks from my favorite record of all time like Sad Machine and also of course you’re going to hear his independently-produced track with Madeon Shelter (the first song I played for my son when he was born).

Honorable mention for Language, which I content has the best drop in all of dance music.

Pusha T

This dude has one helluva career. After a super successful run with his brother as Clipse, promoted in large part by an early 90s Pharrell who was already emerging as a tastemaker as part of The Neptunes.

Tracks like Diet Coke harken back to my early rap influences (despite dropping in 2022). Then you see album after album with Kanye, JAY-Z, Kid Cudi, Big Sean, Ghostface Killah, 2 Chainz, Rick Ross…the list goes on.

Rae Sremmurd

The 2 brothers put out a bunch of music before pursuing some solo projects and coming back together in 2022 for their 4th studio album as Rae Sremmurd. 

This Could Be Us and Black Beatles are quintessential Atlanta hip-hop. 

Rebelution

It wouldn’t be a festival without reggae! Feeling Alright is the most popular song off their breakout Courage to Grow album, which seems to rely on melody quite a bit with the bass more subtle (the opposite of my personal experience with most reggae…which I like since I’m more melody-driven in my tastes anyway).

Remi Wolf

New age sultry indie pop, got an almost Arlo Parks quality but with more alto tones. Sexy Villain was really fun and Disco Man had me bopping in my chair.

Romy

Solo project for one of the members of The xx and good friends with Fred again.. (lent the vocals to Strong) Romy is among fine company. Lifetime brings an optimism that feels like stripped down CHVRCHES.

ROSALÍA

While I find it hilarious that she has a track called CHICKEN TERIYAKI, this is not her finest work. Classics like the 800M-streamed LA NOCHE DE ANOCHE (with Bad Bunny) is way more my style. 

DESPECHÁ also has some fun latin beats underneath which I’m digging a lot. 

Saba

Super chill, flowy rap on World in My Hands. He comes from Chicago but this feels very west coast with tracks like Mellow Bars and Park Hangs. I get some Anderson .Paak vibes here.

Sasha & John Digweed

Kids these days will never understand how badass it is for DJs to step to the decks and never leave until the club shuts down. 

Given that they’re all about club mixes, not anything on Spotify to share but after a long hiatus I expect they’re going to keep the nostalgia of Club Twilo in NYC alive and well.

Sasha Alex Sloan

Gen Z is out in full force this year Sasha is right on the 1995 cusp that connects millennials (like me) to the new generation. Adult gets right to the point (“being an adult is fucking hard”) and I gotta say that while I am usually bummed when artists don’t add a bio to their Spotify profile I think Sasha nailed it with a short and simple sentiment: life is a scam<3

Scowl

Hardcore punk from southeastern Kentucky. Can’t say I’ve typed those words in that order before. 

Fuck Around and Bloodhound off their latest album, definitely their most commercially successful to date. 

SG Lewis

I’m gonna go out on a limb and call Sam the Pharrell of dance music. Looking at the list of artist collabs on his resume will make your eyes pop out. Nile Rogers (One More), Ty Dolla $ign (Vibe Like This), Tove Lo (Pineapple Slice), Khalid (Experience), Whitney Houston (I’m Every Woman remake), G-Eazy (No Less), AlunaGeorge (Hurting). 

Shenseea

Jamaican female rapper that has worked with Sean Paul and Christina Aguilera. Foreplay is exactly the to-the-point sexy vibe the title suggests. Obsessed with Calvin Harris and Charlie Puth also shows the depth of her appeal as a vocalist.

Foreplay leaves nothing to the imagination, if you can’t please her then that’s on you, bro. 

Sleaford Mods

English post-punk with a minimalist approach, almost questions whether this is rap or slam poetry. 

UK GRIM shows how their culture directly influences their music and lyrics.

Snail Mail

When a 17yo decides to take the road less traveled and preserve the singer-songwriting qualities of true indie music, I start paying attention.

Pristine shows more vocal range while Heat Wave brings in powerful guitars that know just when to step back and let Lindsey’s voice take center stage again.

SOFI TUKKER

One of my favorite groups to see live, their energy on stage is infectious and the Freak Fam always comes to party!

I will definitely be wearing my Purple Hat (jury is still out on whether I add the cheetah print) while I party with my Best Friend. Since I’ll be reppin’ the East Coast, I’ll have to bring that Summer in New York vibe to Cali. 

Soul Glo

First track I found was Gold Chain Punk (whogonbeatmyass?) and the opening sample is a bubbling bong. A little more screamer punk than my personal tastes but the bass/guitars are dope.

Same vibe on Jump!! (Or Get JUMPED!!!)((by the future)). I expect some moshing to take place here.

Stick Figure

I’ve loved Slightly Stoopid for years (including the Stick Figure track World On Fire) so I was stoked to see another Stoopid Figure (™) collab with Way of Life.

American reggae has it’s own flavor and Stick Figure is the main spice. But they’re still all about that Smokin’ Love. 

Sudan Archives

Opened for Tame Impala on tour a few years ago, definitely a unique sound drawing from West African influences. Self-taught violinist with glitchy tendencies in the production plus powerful vocals touching on race, womanhood, and relationships. 

Recommend checking out Ciara and Selfish Soul off her sophomore record Natural Brown Prom Queen.

Sunset Rollercoaster

This is exactly what the band name sounds like. Was smoking a joint the first time I heard My Jinji and it has this bottled nostalgia, like a sitcom family you fall in love with.

Tale of Us

If there’s anyone on the lineup who may be able to top Eric Prydz visuals, it might be Tale of Us. Electronic tracks like North Star and Time feels like hearing a story and not wanting it to end. 

Talón

Very little to be found here, only 4 tracks on Spotify totalling fewer than 50k total streams. 

Mastique and Poseidon both lean into the instrumental electronic, some pretty neat production going on here for a relative unknown.

¿Tèo?

Palm Trees is super chill, based on the name I expected there to be more Spanish but he seems to do a lot of bilingual across the whole category. Overall I’d consider it wavey Latin, driven more by rolling beats/flow rather than high energy  drops.

Has a track Buzzed with WILLOW, who is also on the lineup this year. Same airy vibe with somewhat lighter vocals 

TESTPILOT

deadmau5 techno project without a ton of publicly released music, the only Spotify track is Sunspot (White Space Conflict). Saw this show at Electric Forest a few years ago and my friend described the experience as “watching the universe unfold.” Take that for what you will. 

Tobe Nwigwe

Cool story for this dude: first-generation Nigerian from Texas who played college football with NFL aspirations before a career-ending foot injury. He started a nonprofit to educate students on a purpose-driven life and this definitely comes through in his music. 

LORD FORGIVE ME and FYE FYE show a ton of versatility. ROUND HERE (PART ONE) feels a bit more like screamo rap, but it introduces almost a sense of anxiety with breathless refrains then settling into the verses. The Want It, But No had more of a cinematic feel to it, which makes sense when I realized this was produced for the Wakanda Forever soundtrack. 

TSHA

Vocals are definitely the primary instrument here, showing impressive range grounded in upbeat, bouncy rhythms on Dancing in the Shadows and Anxious Mind. 

TV Girl

Self-described hypnotic pop, I also get notes of airy indie folk on Pretty Boy. Seems like it would be a good afternoon-in-a-California-field vibe. Lovers Rock is about as literal a track title as I’ve seen in a minute.

Two Friends

Eli and Matt are literally Two Friends who grew up together that were born to throw parties. They have produced some great singles like Looking At You and Life’s Too Short but the live show also works in a ton of pop, dance, and hip hop mashups that exemplify the Big Bootie lifestyle.

The boys are from LA and have never played Coachella, so expect a homecoming celebration for sure.

UMI

Neo-soul sound from an up-and-coming Seattle artist with a slew of singles, 3 EPs, and a full-length album. 

say im ur luv works in vocal fades like I haven’t heard in a while with a snare drum you can’t help but attach to. 

Uncle Waffles

Swazi-born producer, she’s the first artist that exposed me to amapiano style, which is a subgenre of house music that emerged from South Africa. 

Uwelona pulled in African drums and beat samples to give you a good sense of her style.

Underworld

This has like Lotus or Disco Biscuits jamband vibes to it on Cowgirl. I also get hints of The Avalanches, though admittedly Underworld is more eclectic in their sampling.

Born Slippy (Nuxx) has been on repeat endlessly since I discovered it. I wouldn’t call them under-the-radar act but one that I’m particularly excited to see perform live. 

Vintage Culture

For me, dance music will always top my genre preferences and I Will Find and You Give Me a Feeling have dancefloor footprints all over them.

Wet Leg

Breakout stars this year, winning Grammy for Best alternative Music Performance for Chaise Lounge and Best Alternative Album. Really interesting indie sound and a cool story considering they started producing music part-time basically to get free tickets to attend festivals.

Oh No another killer track that brings a tinge of UK grunge to the guitars/drums without compromising on the vocal styling.

Weyes Blood

“Bob Seger meets Enya” according to her Spotify bio, tracks like It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody and A Lot’s Gonna Change are characterized by long, extended vocals that hold your hand from beginning to end. 

WhoMadeWho

Self-described underground band, there’s a lot of nuance and complexity in the composition of tracks like Ember and UUUU that show the balance among the 3 artists’ varying backgrounds in electronic, jazz, and rock. 

Whyte Fang

Alison Wonderland’s underground alias where she explores darker themes and what she calls “weird” music with tracks like 333 and TIDES.

I always love seeing artists pursue different styles under an anonymous alias (like TESTPILOT for deadmau5 or Virtual Self for Porter Robinson) to offer creative freedom to explore new depths.

WILLOW

New age emo? Not sure how else I’d describe this.

Did vocal support on emo girl from MGK’s mainstream sellout that is pretty dope (also t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l with Travis Barker to stay in that punk pop venin. Also has lent support to Kid Cudi with Rose Golden and YUNGBLUD with Memories.

She’s also got track with Téo? that makes me think there’s a better-than-average chance we see WILLOW come out and do live vocals with someone (though YB and Teo are playing Friday and she’s not on until Sunday).

Yaeji

Gaining recognition for her work on Charli XCX 2019 album, tracks like Raingurl show a unique, left-of-center style that is unexpectedly catchy. 

Yung Lean

If going viral is a way to grow your musical career, Yung Lean has been pretty damn successful. 

I love Ceremony off the new Skrillex album (you know, the one he released hours after his first record in years?) but Skrillex is actually credited on 2 Yung Lean tracks from his 2022 album (Lips and SummerTime Blood).

YUNGBLUD

Gen Z pop. Tissues had me bopping in my chair like an expiring millennial. The Funeral gave me some Andrew McMahon frontman flashbacks

Yves Tumor

Even established journalists seem to struggle to define this style. Tracks like Romanticist seem more indie-inspired, vocal forward and then you get Limerence as an instrumental with samples from home movies and then God Is a Circle which tends more alternative.