Steve Aoki

DJ style:“Global multi-genre.”

Best known for: “HiROQUEST.”

Fave tune of 2022:“‘Stars Don’t Shine’ Steve Aoki feat. Global Dan.”

Rising star DJ/producer of 2022: “Max Styler.”

Steve Aoki does it all. Whether penning novels, opening pizza shops or producing mindful music for NFTs, the cake-throwing producer, DJ and entrepreneur is constantly racking up new accomplishments in life, and IPs in his repertoire. Last year it was Kura Kura Pa — the anime-themed yakitori joint he helms alongside his brother Kevin at Resorts World Las Vegas. In 2022, however, the chart-topping titan is focused on another kind of handheld obsession.

“I’ve been building the world of HiROQUEST, its characters and story and the musical narrative,” Aoki tells DJ Mag, hinting at his newest LP which ties in directly with MetaZoo, a tradable card game (TCG) for which he is a co-founder.

Aoki and a team of illustrators sat together to create a swathe of colourful new cards for the booming MetaZoo universe, which have since come to life via ‘HiROQUEST: Genesis’, the musical half of the multi-tier concept. The genre-blending album arrived on September 16th and features collaborations with emo legends like Taking Back Sunday, as well as rising stars like Global Dan, Goody Grace and Grandson. The “first-of-its-kind” project is composed of more than 20 tracks which weave through sounds as varied as pop-punk strummers, rap-laced cuts and EDM bangers, and through each “melodia” listeners become immersed in the tale of a future ruled by cryptids. At

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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