APHEX TWIN
The great thing about Coachella (and other like-minded fests) is that it offers the chance for casual fans to explore genres they otherwise may not experience live. Among this year’s electronic acts were such heavyweights as Fatboy Slim and Aphex Twin. The latter, in an increasingly rare live appearance, wowed the Sahara tent in an early, one-hour set. Aphex Twin (nee Richard James) had a simple setup, with James pushing buttons and using a laptop, flanked by stacks of amps and two video screens and a monster sound system. Known for exploring all the corners (even the darkest of them) of electronic music, James alternated between house cuts, drum and bass and some pure noise, all to a mostly thrilling effect that got the packed tent moving.

BLACK KIDS
Florida’s buzzy Black Kids brought youthful exuberance to their suitable sloppy new wave throwbacks . With two synths and a singer that sounds unmistakably like The Cure’s Robert Smith, the interracial, unisex quintet played through a somewhat shoddy sound mix and some off-key backing vocals. The Cure’s influence is immediate, but they also take cues from disco and Prince (sample lyric: “Listen to your body tonight, it’s gonna treat you right.”)

ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI
The Australian collective aren’t just globally minded when it comes to their name, the septet bring a hippie vibe to predominantly electronic pop, and they add everything else as well – Caribbean sounds, congas, a horn section, etc. Ultimately, it’s all too much – a cutesy cacophony that just doesn’t add up to much. Humorously, the lead singer revealed that he went to Coachella 2004, noting “It’s weird to be here (pointing onstage), when last time I was there (pointing to the crowd)”.

Posted by David Lewis