Zedd

From:Saratov, Russia

DJ style:Emotive bangers.

Best known for:Dance-pop anthems.

It’s been another year of high-profile collaborations for the man born Anton Zaslavski, who in the past has worked with bold-face names like Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Justin Bieber. But many of the classically-trained producer’s more recent studio partnerships have seen him hewing a bit closer to the dance-music realm — he’s acknowledged Daft Punk’s ‘One More Time’, as a huge influence, and has stated that Justice’s ‘Cross’ “is still probably the best-produced electronic album of all time” — via collabs with artists like Disclosure and Martin Garrix.

The former (the frothy pop-houser ‘You’ve Got To Let Go If You Want To Be Free’) and the latter (the buzzy electro-house cut ‘Follow’) are just two of the Russia-born, Germany-raised and LA-based DJ’s recent highlights. It’s been a season of high-profile gigs for the avid gamer, including dates at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, his own Zedd In The Park in LA, and a recent 10-year anniversary celebration of his Grammy-winning ‘Clarity’, which saw the ever-youthful artist performing with a 50-piece orchestra at the Dolby Theatre. Not a bad year, we’d say.

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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