Five can’t-miss electronic sets for Coachella
For dance music enthusiasts, Coachella 2023 is primed to be a festival for the ages. With an unprecedented level of electronic acts slated for the Coachella Valley, Goldenvoice has certainly impressed one niche in the music world. Following the recent success of the debut edition of Portola Music Festival in September, Goldenvoice has continued to surprise and delight with their lineups. Reddit, Twitter, and the majority of the blogosphere could hardly contain their eagerness for the rare electronic acts—finally convening in the same place for one happy weekend.
Executing a handful of American festival appearances in the last five years, Calvin Harris will make his return to the desert after headlining in 2016. While not confirmed to close out the Mainstage on Saturday, Harris will likely receive similar treatment to 2022’s hotly attended Swedish House Mafia set. After headlining Portola, The Chemical Brothers will bring their highly coveted live show back to Coachella Valley. Underworld will bring the old school nostalgic stylings, harkening back to the watershed dance music epoch of the 1990s.
Eric Prydz will exhilarate thousands with his epic HOLO show, featuring 3D immersive visuals. Having performed HOLO a few times in Europe over the last few years, this will be the first time California and Coachella will experience this can’t-miss production. Tale Of Us has been the subject of prolific chatter on dance-focused social media accounts. Pumping out non-stop melodic techno weapons, Tale Of Us will likely share their NFT-based and futuristic, AI-themed artwork to the festival.
While many of the aforementioned dance acts will draw their own legions of diehard fans, the true spirit of Coachella comes out with the undercard acts on the final lines of the announcement. Dancing Astronaut brings you five can’t-miss Coachella acts you’d be damned to overlook in Indio this year.
Overmono
This music duo hailing from the United Kingdom certainly possesses one of the most unique sounds in the dance space. Incorporating an old-school trance sound, and a penchant for club-friendly drum kicks, Overmono is considered a must-see act across the pond. An invariably ’90s rave sound, Overmono poses a challenge in predicting their stage placement. On one hand, their club sound can fit into the underground style of the Yuma Tent—however their live set ups might move them over to the Gobi or Mojave stage. The first single of the duo’s upcoming album, “Is U” is out now, and can be streamed below for a taste of Overmono.
Keinemusik
Over the last year, the Keinemusik trio has established themselves as one of the leading collectives in house music. Having helped produce Drake’s latest album Her Loss, the Keinemusik sound unfurls further than nearly every act on the lineup. Consisting of &Me, Adam Port, and Rampa, the trio produces some of the most intoxicating melodies in all of music. Truly global DJs, Keinemusik has hosted sprawling label parties in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Greece, and now Indio, California. Keinemusik’s most recent single, “Les Gout” features a hypnotic, tribal vocal that has certainly made rounds across social media. While the collective appears to be in contention to close out the Yuma Tent on Saturday, a sunset slot on the Outdoor Stage would be otherworldly. If anything is certain, Keinemusik are the kings of the after party, and will likely find a place to play into the early hours of Sunday morning.
CamelPhat
Leading the melodic techno wave is British duo, CamelPhat. Purveying one of the most omnipresent cuts in dance music at the moment, “The Sign”, CamelPhat is of course on our Coachella shortlist this year. Collaborating on “The Sign” with Anyma, CamelPhat turned in one of the most voraciously streamed melodic techno songs of 2023 in just a few months. With a highly anticipated remix of Fideles‘ “Night After Night” out now, CamelPhat is ready for one of their biggest years to date. After receiving massive praise on their debut 2020 album Dark Matter, CamelPhat is now working towards completion on their second studio album. While the release date is still up in the air, expect to hear plenty of new singles and never-heard-before tunes. Sure to blend “Breathe,” “Panic Room,” and maybe even “Cola,” with deep progressive basslines, CamelPhat will deliver a surefire set to remember.
Monolink
Arriving all the way from Germany, Monolink performs some of the most dynamic one-man shows in all of dance music. Using a keyboard, guitar, mixer, and his own voice, Monolink channels the symbiosis of a band into the immersive experience of a lone individual—as the name suggests. Splaying ambient sounds across chilling techno frameworks, Monolink has certified himself as a can’t-miss artist in a festival format. Recently taking his talents to Burning Man, Monolink secured the opportunity for the famed sunrise slot at the Mayan Warrior art car: a feat sought after by thousands of dance acts. Monolink provides a seamless fusion of melodies and entrancing vocals. Most likely slated for a stage outside the Yuma tent, Monolink is the idyllic complement to a Coachella sunset.
Dennis Cruz back-to-back PAWSA
If you are looking for tech-house beats to kick off your Coachella weekend, then look no further than Dennis Cruz back-to-back PAWSA. One of the rare back-to-back performances on the lineup, Cruz and PAWSA are two artists that rarely make appearances in California—or the American festival circuit at large. Both regulars on Michael Bibi’s Solid Grooves record label, this performance is guaranteed to pack out the Yuma tent early going into Friday evening. Bringing a minimal style of European tech-house to the Coachella Valley, Cruz and PAWSA will execute a sound that’s well outside the Californian vanguard. While the likes of Chris Lake, FISHER, and Dombresky dominate the American market—and are thus seen on stages outside the Yuma tent—Cruz and PAWSA are expected to electrify their crowd with their iconoclastic track selection and skills on the decks.
Featured image: Rich Fury