15 Must-See Acts at the 2013 Coachella Festival

We know how it is: you check out a huge line-up like Coachella, and while there are a grip of awesome names, maybe you're perplexed by who you SHOULD

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Complex Original

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We know how it is: you check out a huge line-up like Coachella, and while there are a grip of awesome names, maybe you're perplexed by who you SHOULD see and who you NEED TO see. Superfandom aside, you need to open your ears and experience acts that you might not regularly check out - that's part of the fun with such a huge festival, right? And as the years go on, Coachella has made sure of providing some the biggest and brightest in the EDM world to the festival. Pigeons & Planes has already given you the "small print" bands you should check out, and now DAD is giving you 15 must-see electronic acts and DJs that will be performing during this year's Coachella festival.

Disclosure

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UK duo Disclosure has been taking the scene by storm over the last year and, as much as it pains us to say we told you so, we might have to say it again if you miss their set at Coachella this year. Fans of house and disco that have been living under the massive rock that has prevented them from hearing of Disclosure will definitely find new jams at this set and, conflicting stages or not, you'll probably find yourself locked in a groove from front to back and unable to swap stage with a serious case of FOMO.

Hardwell

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Dutch master Hardwell has been one of the hottest names in house music for the last long while, and after destroying Miami a few weeks ago, Coachella is his next target. The man knows how to party and you know he's going to have a time with the SoCal hipsters as he turns their world upside down with his special big room sound.

Dog Blood

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Dog Blood, aka Skrillex & Boys Noize. Okay, that might not be enough, but we already told you why they had one of the best sets of Ultra, and now we're telling you that you'd be insane to miss this set. High octane madness, the two producers have an absolutely electric chemistry on stage together. It really doesn't matter what they play, together, they make it work. You might need a helmet though because you can bet you'll see a few moshpits at this set.

TNGHT

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There's no need to sugarcoat this: Lunice and Hudson Mohawke are killing it right now. Not only do they have a production credit on Lil Wayne's latest album, but they are sitting on a bunch of dope material. Their TNGHT EP was critically acclaimed last year, and this week they dropped "Acrylics" as a precursor to their mini-tour, which includes stops at Coachella. If "Acrylics" is just a taste of what's in store from these two (both of which are working on new material), we can only imagine what they have in their bins to drop on the crowd. Plus, Lunice on stage is just awe-inspiring.

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Jaime xx

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Although he first became known as the frontman for indie sensation band The xx, Jaime xx has forged out on his own to craft his own solo DJing career. Indie sensibilites, deep grooves, and emotive soundscapes, Jaime is quickly becoming a DJ's DJ, in that he really isn't just a human jukebox. House, indie dance, garage, soul, post-dubstep, it doesn't matter, Jaime takes you on a sonic journey not soon forgotten. He's rocked Boiler Room sets, an Essential Mix, and a host of other festivals and prestigious gigs. Make sure you don't miss him when he hits Coachella!

Zane Lowe

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As a BBC Radio 1 DJ, you know Zane Lowe is going to have tunes on tunes on tunes and more than that, he'll know how to weave them together. Routinely dubbing fresh tunes as the "hottest track in the world," Zane has broken quite a few of the world's biggest most recent tracks, so you know Zane is going to have to do that at Coachella. It's not often that we see any BBC Radio 1 DJ other than Pete Tong in the U.S., so make sure to check out Zane as he put you on one heck of a show.

Wolfgang Gartner

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"It took me 15 minutes to master Ableton; it took me 15 years to master CDJs." That's Wolfgang Gartner for you. When he's not keeping it real on the Twittersphere, Wolfgang is keeping it real on the decks. As one of heavyweights in electro house, Wolfgang has enjoyed a reign of almost unchallenged greatness. We're talking about ELECTRO HOUSE, not big room and certainly not progressive. And now that he's restarted his Kindergarten label? It's over. You know he's going to have cuts from upcoming talents like Popeska, Charlie Darker, and DallasK, and now that we've seen him over a handful of times, we can guarantee this is one set you can not miss!

Eric Prydz

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Few DJs command diehard fans like Eric Prydz. Whether he's Cirez D, Pryda, or just Eric Prydz, the Swedish DJ has been able to carve out such impassioned fans. Yes he's the guy behind "Call on Me," but he's also the guy behind Beatport's new #1 single, "Power Drive." Prydz has stayed true to his Swedish progressive house sound, and while seeing him do an extended club set is preferred, a festival set is not a bad way to get a taste. Don't be a fool and skip it.

Paul Kalkbrenner

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A complete superstar in Germany, Paul Kalkbrenner has been selling out 100,000 capacity stadiums around Berlin and beating Lady Gaga on the German charts since back when you thought "Levels" was hot. Kalkbrenner's name is pretty small on the Sunday line-up and he doesn't make the trip stateside too often, so if you get a chance to catch him, chances are you'll be able to get pretty close to an absolute legend.

Maya Jane Coles

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We've already included her as one of the most important women in EDM, so we'd be remiss not to include her as one of our must see acts this year at Coachella. The deep house queen already took the stage at Ultra and she's well on her way to possibly the biggest year of her career yet. With a forthcoming album this summer, Maya is giving Americans a true taste of what is to come. Emotive soundscapes, rolling basslines, and a groove that just moves, Maya Jane Coles is going to make sure those hipsters get going. Make sure you don't miss this and then join us as we wait anxiously for her debut album.

Julio Bashmore

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Bristol might be more known for their broken beat bass, but the Boardwalk boy Julio Bashmore has been carving a niche of his own with his own bass-heavy version of house. Bashmore has served up some of the most forward-thinking house music in the last few years and he's managed to stay under the radar despite releases and support from taste-making labels like Night Slugs, Ten Thousand Yen, PTN, Dirtybird, and Soul Motive. Bashmore's music might serve as a refuge from some of heavy hitter dance acts on this acts, but make sure you keep those dancing tevas on as you won't be able to stop grooving to this guy's beats.

Luciano

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It's been said that deep house and techno fans are among the snobbiest of all dance music fans. We're not here to comment on that, except to say that no one ever has a bad thing to say about Luciano. Mixing in a style of deep techno, Luciano has been known to rock worlds with his minimal yet groovy style. It's not going to be the most accessible for those looking to rage, but if you're looking to up the ante and test your music taste, Luciano is the way to go. Leave no doubt, a Luciano set is a taste of divine European dance culture.

Huoratron

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Norway might be more known for their addiction to metal, but Huoratron just might be able to change that with his own industrial inspired version of chiptune/electro house. The Finnish producer has made his name producing some of the most terrifyingly gritty and dark beats, churning out dancefloor destroyers for quite some time. Huoratron hasn't really caught on in the U.S., but he's done well in big cities like NYC and LA, playing last summer's HARD Summer at the OWSLA tent. Huoratron doesn't come to the U.S. all that often and part of going to these festivals is not just seeing your favorites, but taking the time to see acts who rarely tour or come your way.

Danny Avila

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The 18-year-old Danny Avila doesn't have the productions of other young upstarts, but he most definitely has the DJ skills. Bringing high-energy sets around the world, Avila led his own headling tour this spring and he wowed in Miami appearing at multiple pool parties and of course the Ultra Music Festival itself. Avila brings a flair that few other DJs his age do and he does it with just CDJs. It's rare enough to get a DJ that young doing that well, but the way he commands a crowd is something to watch out for. Just pass through his set as you make your way over somewhere else and you might not leave.

Booka Shade

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Closing out weekend 1 at the Ultra Music Festival, Booka Shade straight-up jammed out as they combined electro, deep, and tech house all into one set. They've got new material coming out, and this German act knows how to put on a show. If only for 10 minutes or so, explore Booka Shade's sound as they take you on a seriously funky ride.

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