Afrojack

From:Netherlands

DJ style:“Afrojack music.”

Best known for:“I think a mix of bleeps and beats, and sometimes some songs.”

Fave tune of 2022:“Swedish House Mafia ’It Gets Better (Stockholm Version)’.”

Rising star DJ/producer of 2021:“Black V Neck.”

The Afrojack sound is big, warm and accessible, full of epic breaks, joyous synths and space-laser production, often mixed with melancholy chords and lyrics. It’s a sound that has proved hugely popular again this year and the Dutch DJ/producer hasn’t missed a single opportunity to play to his fans, with a 2022 gig schedule that took in Miami, Las Vegas, Paris, Dubai, Bucharest, New York, Tokyo and beyond. And then after a hectic summer season it was straight back into it with the announcement of his fifteen city ‘Jack To The Future’ US tour.

On the release front, Afrojack has collaborated with a series of big artists, producing a steady stream of stellar stadium slayers, most of which dropped on his Wall imprint. Highlights include his Emo-DM ‘Worlds On Fire’ with R3HAB & Au/Ra, his bittersweet summer hit with Chasner ‘Starts Right Now’, and springtime monster tune with David Guetta, ‘Trampoline’, with Missy Elliot, BIA and Doechii. Cedric Gervais remixed this into a main stage stormer a couple of months later. Talking of Guetta, their anthem ‘Hero’ from 2021 also picked up a nomination at April’s Grammys this year, Afrojack’s fourth nomination — confirming his music’s mass crossover appeal. “It’s crazy how currently we’re at a place where

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Cuebrick

From:Germany

DJ style:“Progressive house.”

Best known for:“‘Squid Game’ with Blasterjaxx.”

Fave tune of 2022:“James Hype ‘Ferrari’.”

Rising star DJ/producer of 2022:“Marten Horger.”

What’s the best DJ set you’ve seen this year?“Tale Of Us, Afterlife show at the Brooklyn Mirage.”

After finishing just outside of the Top 100 in 2021, this year German DJ and producer Cuebrick breaks in for the first time this year. He now sits at the top table of global dance music after standout shows everywhere from Los Angeles to San Francisco, Singapore to Bangkok.

While releasing big tunes on labels like Spinnin Records, Armada and Ultra Music, he also works as a radio-host on bigFM’s nitroX show, which is the biggest radio platform for electronic music in Germany.

This year he has worked on a new sound which he says “can best be described as a fusion of different elements from genres such as techno, hard techno, and trance. Hard techno kicks are the foundation, with classic trance synthesizers.” It’s a sound that has seemingly connected with fans, who will be pleased to learn Cuebrick has signed a deal meaning “Smash the House will be the main home for my music for at least the next two years.”

Name one great festival you played for the first time this year…

“Hypercat Festival at Noa Beach Club.”

What’s the longest DJ set you’ve