A subjective shortlist of all the things you need to hear before you head for Indio.

ALVIN RISK: VENTURE

In the words of LessThan3: “if ever there was a man who didn’t give a fuck about genres, it was Alvin Risk”. (Agreed and + more of this please.) 2014’s Venture EP, revealed over a series of leaks, marked the artist’s most complex musical narrative yet.

RYAN HEMSWORTH: HEMSWORTH COUNTRY

Ryan Hemsworth’s basedworld is surreal and sharp and must be seen to be believed (or believed to be seen). Here’s a crash course, in 7 albums and select tracks curated by Hemsworth himself.

GRAMATIK: DISCOGRAPHY

Gramatik grew up glued to his stereo: a kid in Slovenia raised on R&B and jazz. By 13, he was building his own tracks; mixing beats on an old PC. His sound grew up. And it grew bigger and broader than electronic music’s traditional boundaries: part hip hop, part soul, part electronica, all backed by live instrumentals and vocals. Expect awesome things from this live set.

TOURIST: PLACID ACID

Tourist’s 2014 EP Placid Acid is swathed in the sounds of Brighton, a town in England by the sea. It’s synth pop and buzzing. And a killer collection of tracks. Grab the Bundle to unlock the 4-track EP for free.

BADBADNOTGOOD FEAT. GHOSTFACE KILLAH: SOUR SOUL

Thank u Coachella gods (or Goldenvoice) for Ghostface and Raekwon. Ghostface’s standout contribution to BBNG’s Sour Soul makes the album an early contender for track of the year. You can grab the lead single, and more, here.