Since its inception a little over three years ago, Desert Hearts has gone from a relatively unknown band of artists championing their own sound to one of Southern California's premiere boutique festivals. Inspired by the endless stream of vibes that is threaded through The Playa of Burning Man, Desert Hearts has built itself to become a mecca for house heads and techno lovers alike, a place where weird is the new norm, and everyone is part of the family – and that is what makes it so great. Their motto – “House. Techno. Love” – rings loudly throughout the festival, whether its the never-ending pulse of the Funktion 1 speakers, or the big, warm hugs that festival-goers greet each other with – Desert Hearts has truly cemented itself in the hearts of dance music lovers everywhere.
In just a few short days, Desert Hearts will descend on Los Coyotes Indian Reservation for their three-day spring festival, and featuring a lineup filled to the brim with stellar acts, it promises to be one of the best iterations of the festival yet. Considering the names may be unfamiliar to the typical dance music fan, we've put together a list of five artists that will undoubtedly tear up the dance floor this weekend to help you get acquainted to the festival. You can check out the full festival lineup and set times below the jump.
Latmun
This Nottingham is a relative unknown in the dance world, but he proved that he was ready to tear up the underground scene with the release of his Def EP. “Def,” the title track of the EP, was one of the biggest tech house bangers to be released this year, and with a 10 pm slot on Friday, Latmun is the perfect segue into a night of unforgettable music.
Butch
Butch is undeniably a legend in the underground dance music community. With over 100 releases spread across five years, the German powerhouse has proven himself as an artist with a deft hand at shaping the direction of house and techno in the future. Butch will be ringing in the last day of Desert Hearts, playing at midnight on Sunday.
Fritz Carlton
LA's self-proclaimed purveyor of weirdo house has been a regular in the West Coast's underground dance scene, making his move up to a Desert Hearts an expected, but still exciting, progression. Fritz is one of tech house's most exciting up-and-comers, and he's going to light up the dance floor with his eclectic beats.
Heartthrob (Live)
Known for his bold use of slick melodies, Heartthrob has a knack for experimentation that just works. The German producer will be ringing in the first night at 3:30 am, so don't miss out on this set.
The Desert Hearts Crew
The Desert Hearts crew, which consists of Pork Chop, Lee Reynolds, Marbs, Deep Jesus, and their leader, Mikey Lion, is a lock to play any Desert Hearts show, but that doesn't make their sets any less exciting. Each of them has such an unique ability to control the dance floor, weaving between uplifting house, to heady techno at a moment's notice. Mikey will begin the party on Saturday this weekend at 4, with the rest of the crew following him until 2 am.
