Each April, the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio become the backdrop for one of music’s most anticipated gatherings. In its 26th year, Coachella 2025 delivered two weekends defined by distinct energies and evolving soundscapes, all grounded in the festival’s singular spirit.

Weekend 1: Desert Fire

From the moment Friday unfolded, the air buzzed with energy, endless possibility, and a whole lot of bass. Massio ignited the first set of the session at the iconic Sahara stage, unleashing a fiery wave of organic Afro house rhythms. His performance featured the much-anticipated Bona Fide Remix of ‘Neo Yame’, a standout track infused with the soulful vocals of RedRos8e that added an unmistakable African essence. This powerful tune, a collaboration with Joseph Kaz, set the tone for what would be an unforgettable start to the weekend.

Backstage at Sahara, we got an exclusive peek at Alok’s rehearsal—complete with 50 live dancers and a powerful message to ‘Keep Art Human.’ It was a poetic statement in a time when AI buzzes louder than ever. Coachella has always been about feeling, and this performance reminded us why nothing artificial can replicate soul.

Inside the icy oasis of Yuma,  Beltran brought the temperature right back up with infectious Brazilian-infused tech minimalism, blending remixes like Kelis’ ‘Bossy’ with his own heavier cuts like ‘Smack Yo’ and ‘Firewhip’. He dropped more signature grunge-y underground beats with unreleased tracks like ‘Sunday Afternoon’ by LuSiD, setting the precedent for the rest of his high-octane set. The vibe: sweaty, ecstatic, and fully locked in.

Golden hour belonged to  The Martinez Brothers x Loco Dice at Quasar. Their B2B was a rhythmic odyssey of their signature rolling, thick basslines and bouncy percussive drops like those in ‘Brazuca’ by Sunday Noise. At one point, they cracked the crowd wide open with a tech-house twist on Michael Jackson’s ‘Off The Wall’ – pure dancefloor nostalgia with a futuristic edge. Back in Yuma, BBC Radio’s Pete Tong and Ahmed Spins delivered a genre-bending set of Afro house, tribal electronica, and groove-laden deep house that transformed Yuma into a sonic melting pot – from ethereal, sensual tracks like ‘Waterfall’ by Ahmed Spins and Elderbrook to the uplifting, chilling piano riffs heard in ‘Lola’s Theme’ (Tripolism Remix) by The Shapeshifters.

Then came the crown jewel, Chris Stussy – a name that practically set the Yuma ablaze. Mixing soulful tech house with electro-tinged polish, his set, anchored by his masterpiece ‘Desire’, struck that elusive balance between sublime and seismic. The line outside the tent? Biblical. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, Crankdat threw a surprise set and detonated a DnB/Dubstep bombshell that had the entire valley shaking to close out the Do Lab.

Saturday was equally saturated in sound. Disco Lines kept it light-hearted at Sahara, with pop-infused, high energy tracks like ‘Techno and Tequila’ and the star of the show, his track ‘Wide Open’, while SOSA and Kaz James commanded the decks at Do LaB with electric and hip-hop grooves like ‘Liqour Store’ by Joel Corry and ‘Rocker In The Disco’ by Kaz James.

A B2B2B of  Barry Can’t Swim, Salute, and 2manydjs turned Quasar into a rhythmic thunderstorm of synths and stabs with tracks like ‘Easy’ by Tiga, Chloé Caillet and Luke Alexi’s ‘The One’ featuring legend Jocelyn Brown, and ‘Second Story’ by Mark Knight.

Keinemusik closed Sahara with a spellbinding Afro house set, with the trio paying plenty of homage to their recent classics, including ‘Move’ and ‘Say What’, while slipping in personal favorite gems like DSF’s vibrant ‘Don’t Stress Me’ off label Rhythmica. They also included some highly anticipated unreleased cuts like ‘Positions’, leaving fans suspended between memory and anticipation.

Sunday unfolded with Tom Breu’s melodic house set, which featured a surprise guest appearance from JOPLYN, where they played their new emotionally charged anthem ‘TOGETHER 2.0’ live at the climax, preceded by free-spirited tracks like ‘Sweat!’ by Disfreq and ‘With You’ by Tom Breu and Sion Louks.

Quasar erupted that evening with a fiery unannounced set by  Odd Mob, busting out banger after banger of his including ‘All Day, All Night’, his edit of ‘Deceiver’ with Green Velvet, John Summit’s ‘Palm of My Hands’ remix, and ‘Won’t Be Possible’ with Tiësto.

Speaking of  Tiësto, he took the reins next and carried us into nightfall, crafting a euphoric sunset soundtrack that was part throwback, part evolution, blending tracks like Fred again..’s ‘Jungle’, Vintage Culture’s remix of ‘Sweet Disposition’ by The Temper Trap, and ‘Holding On (feat. rhys from the sticks)’ by Anti Up. Of course, his own anthems made their mark – tracks like ‘Raven’ with Sidepiece and ‘I Follow Rivers’ with Oaks bridged day and night with ease. Safe to say, anticipation is sky-high for his ‘Searching for Sunrise’ set at EDC Las Vegas next month.

Weekend 2: The Breezy Afterglow

Where Weekend 1 brought the heat, Weekend 2 cooled things off with a more relaxed, though no less electrifying vibe.

Loboman  brought breezy, pop-infused house to Sahara kicking off Weekend 2 with tracks like Laszewo’s ‘Messy’ (a favorite anthem of this year’s festival), Fisher’s ‘Stay’, and Jamy Nox’s remix of ‘It Feels So Good (feat. Sonique)’ by Matt Sassari and HUGEL, setting the stage for Chris Lorenzo, who followed with a fat stack of his tech-house slammers like ‘U Should Not Be Doing That’. Lorenzo’s signature tech and bass had Sahara properly amped up with layered anthems like ‘Bad Bitch’ with Chynna and ‘MAMI’ with COBRAH.

We caught up with artist  Stephanie Lin in the midday heat, the creative force behind ‘Taffy’, a towering desert installation composed of pastel-hued cylinders. Inspired by mid-century desert modernism, the sculpture shifted in tone and texture with the movement of the sun. Designed as both a visual anchor and a place of rest, ‘Taffy’ quietly underscored the deep connection between music, art, and the environment that defines the Coachella experience.

Max Styler has been one to watch, and his surprise Do LaB set Friday evening proved why. From the jump, heaters like ‘On Repeat’, ‘I Know You Want To’, and ‘See You Sweat’ had the crowd in a frenzy, dripping with energy and bass. Just when things couldn’t get hotter, he dropped a blistering remix of Bronski Beat’s ‘Smalltown Boy’, sending a shockwave through the dance floor. Bold, nostalgic, and high-octane – Styler delivered one of the weekend’s most unforgettable sets.

Vintage Culture again proved why he’s one of the scene’s emotional anchors. This weekend saw less techno, more tropical, and dance-floor focused. His remixes of ‘Ayo Technology’, and Empire of the Sun’s ‘Cherry Blossom’, plus tracks like Max Styler’s ‘Inferno’ lit the night on fire.

Saturday saw Pretty Girl heat up the Do LaB with her standout track ‘Rain Falls’ while over at Quasar, Kaskade Redux x Idris delivered what could only be described as a trance-laced love letter to millennial ravers, complete with ‘4AM’ synth nostalgia, tracks like ‘Tears Don’t Fall’ by Kaskade and Enisa, ‘Weak’ by Vintage Culture, Tom Breu, and Maverick Sabre, and Nic Fanciulli’s Remix of ‘Rhyme Dust’ by MK and Dom Dolla, leading us to one of the greatest standout sets of the weekend.

The Snakehips x What So Not  B2B delivered a jaw-dropping bass-heavy 15 new tracks to Do LaB, plus What So Not’s ‘Mercy’ remix by Jon Casey and his much-loved track ‘Jaguar’, and Snakehips dropped his epic track ‘All My Friends’. Mau P burned Sahara to the ground with the track that saw him rise to international stardom, ‘Drugs From Amsterdam’, and a wild tech-trap hybrid remix of ‘Beats for Underground’ that broke the damn desert floor.

The night ended with another  Keinemusik showcase – different set, same intoxicating groove. ‘Not Going Home’ and ‘More Love’ were crowd favorites, spun with that signature hypnotic warmth. Plus, they dropped a sick remix of Charli XCX’s fan favorite ‘360’, an homage to the artist who played her own hell of a set both weekends.

Sunday closed with pure gold. Tripolism kicked off Yuma with heaters like ‘Dope Dance’ and ‘Flying Away With You’, ending in a three-way group huge – because why not? Infectious, wholesome, and hard-hitting. Sammy Virji and friends (Salute and Interplanetary Criminal, anyone?) snuck in with a surprise UKG set that had Do LaB shaking, including Sammy’s tracks like ‘Damager’, ‘Goodums’, and Interplanetary Criminal’s ‘Slow Burner’. Did the US deserve this UKG goodness? We’ll let you decide.

Sparrow and Barbossa’s tribal-fueled progressive house made for a mesmerizing Yuma experience with soaring remixes of ‘Dirty Cash’ and  ‘Champion’, while Gorgon City x Alesso Body Hi lit up Quasar with radiant chemistry, felt between tracks like ‘Touch’ by Gorgon City & Max Styler and ‘Lonely Heart’ by Alesso and John Alto. Zedd then took the Outdoor Stage by storm, closing with fan favorite ‘Clarity’ accompanied by the whole crowd belting every lyric and the LA Philharmonic. Yes, you read that right. An orchestra. At Coachella. For EDM. Plus, he brought out Incubus for ‘Wish You Were Here’; pretty sweet.

Polo & Pan followed, serenading the stars with cuts from their new album ’22:22′, amongst our favorites being ‘Disco Nap’ and a live performance of ‘22:23’ with Vico. The duo playing their beloved track ‘Mirror’ was the perfect coda to close the festival on a dreamy, synth-soaked note that still has us reminiscing.

There was just one more surprise. The tech house maestro himself,  Mau P, circled back again to close out at Do LaB before it was all just a distant memory.

One Festival, Two Stories

Coachella 2025 reminded us why it remains the crown jewel of the global festival circuit. Weekend 1 was fire and frenzy; Weekend 2 was breeze and bliss. But both shared the same heartbeat – one that echoed through the desert long after the last beat dropped.

Coachella 2025 was a reminder. Of rhythm. Of connection. Of the ways sound can still surprise, stir, and unite us. Whether sweating under the mirrored disco shark at Yuma or getting down at Quasar to a sunset bassline, the energy never dipped.

Two weekends. Infinite beats. And the feeling that somehow, it all mattered.

See you under the desert sky next year.

Xx,

Chesney

Saturday night sizzled with anticipation as Framework brought Keinemusik, the dynamic German electronic trio, for their highly anticipated show in downtown Los Angeles. Their debut was highly coveted and one of the hottest tickets in town. The atmosphere crackled with excitement as eager fans poured into Exposition Park, arriving early and staying up until the last beat faded.

Photo Credit: kinderella

Andre Power warmed up the stage properly with an eclectic mix of sonic delights that had the crowd pulsating with energy, combining whimsical electronic tunes like Themba’s remix of ‘World Holds On’ by Steve Edwards and Bob Sinclair, and ‘Insimbi’ by Deep Narratives, ZVRI & Culoe De Song.  Hip-hop beats and soul samples kept the crowd on their toes, with remixes of well-loved tracks such as ‘We are the People’ by Empire of the Sun sending waves of euphoria throughout the audience. The energy stayed high and was only increasing.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the stage had been set for Keinemusik, formed by &Me, Adam Port, and Rampa,  to take the center. With their iconic glowing ’Peace Kloud’ casting a radiant glow against the LA skyline, the trio launched into an electrifying 5-hour marathon of music that left the crowd spellbound. Blending their signature afrobeat rhythms with percussive, exuberant melodies, Keinemusik’s infectious sound swept through the crowd, igniting a collective sense of joy and celebration. It was impossible to deny the vibrance. Crowd-pleasers no doubt, many of their grooves were easy listening and free-flowing. They dropped tunes like ‘Father Stretch (CS Remix) ‘ by Kayne West and ‘Downstream’ – Màkez and Life On Planets (Lazare Remix), and each track was met with applause in the form of singing and swaying.

But it wasn’t just the hits that had the crowd buzzing; Keinemusik also treated fans to a slew of unreleased tracks, keeping them guessing up until the last minute. With Adam Port, Rampa, and &ME at the helm, the night was a testament to the power of electronic music to unite and uplift. As the final notes faded into the night downtown, the party continued at Framework’s own Sound nightclub where Rinzen brought down the house with an electrifying finale.

What did you think of Keinemusik’s unforgettable performance?

Xx,
C

It was the 23rd edition of the Indio two-weekend celebration.

Photo Credit: Coachella – Official

Coachella is one of the world’s top-tier music festivals for a reason and 2024 left no room for disappointment. I had the pleasure of being present during both weekends and these were some of my highlights.

Weekend 1:

ANOTR led us into Friday night with lively dance grooves like ‘Relax my Eyes’ and their new single ‘How You Feel ft. Leven Kali’, a singer-singer writer whose journey I’ve been following for years. Hearing this collaboration for the first time on Yuma’s dance floor made perfect sense as the first big highlight of the night. The bar reached new heights at Anti Up, Chris Lorenzo and Chris Lake’s progressive house brainchild, with ‘Keep Calm, Says Who?’ spray painted along the backdrop in true underground fashion. You could feel the attention to detail infused in the entire atmosphere as Mojave turned into a giant dance floor alongside the British duo.

Opening Sahara on Saturday, Massio and Loboman returned to Coachella as Lobomassio and set the stage with euphoric Afro house anthems including Sparrow and Barbosa’s remix of DIKEBO by CISUMMI and hot track ‘MALA FAMA” by Moeaike. Their infectious, breezy set was accompanied by a killer view from atop the new Sahara Hill – one of the best additions to the festival grounds. Belgium’s powerhouse Charlotte de Witte captivated the audience after sunset, the pounding acid techno rhythms making it impossible not to move. The impeccable next set came from Gessafelstein, French producer dubbed “dark prince of techno” and boy, he did not disappoint. Touching every sensory perception, Gessafelstein lands right on your pulse. His music captivates and enchants, and tells a powerful story. The last stop was Dom Dolla, where he dropped an unreleased, contagious ID with Tove Lo called ‘Cave’.

Sunday began with an incredible set by Adam Ten x Mita Gami, followed by Folamour and Artbat. Spent all afternoon under one roof raving, AKA the Yuma. Bicep shut it down at Mojave afterwards – an unreal moment when they dropped their classic ‘Glue’. The visual journey there took on a life of its own.

Weekend 2:

Friday started off strong with Rufus Du Sol’s sunset set at the brand new Quasar stage, featuring double monolithic screens that often mimic the desert’s jaw-dropping surroundings, especially at dusk. They had a message for the crowd, “Life is Simple” and kept it going, keeping the dance floor grounded in the present moment for hours to come.

On Saturday, Maz started up the Yuma at 2 pm, transporting you to a mystical place through his melodic, tribal grooves. It was a no-brainer that we went back for round two of Gessafelstein later that night – the second set was even better. Dom Dolla seconds after that where he brought out Tove Lo for the final announcement of their new track together, ‘Cave’. Sunday was packed with happy, lighter dance tracks from DJ Seinfeld and Flight Facilities at Yuma, to Diplo and Mau P’s sunset set back at Quasar. This new stage is truly the most beautiful spot to be for sunset at Coachella, with a powerful sound to match the insane imagery. Barry Can’t Swim ended our journey on the perfect playful note, dropping tunes like ‘How It  Feels‘ and ‘God is The Space Between Us’, waves of nostalgia and melancholy swirling in the air.

Additional highlights included meeting the lovely Morag Myerscough at Lobomassio’s set – creator of the whimsical and playful art installation ‘Dancing in the Sky’ featured at Coachella 2024. It’s a geometric plaza full of color and child-like playfulness that encapsulates the energy of exploration and creativity most perfectly. The Do Lab debuted their new and improved setup, featuring immersive life-size mushrooms made of satin which act as shade structures by day and morph into lively interactive beings that dance alongside you by night.

What were your highlights from Coachella 2024?

xx,
C