Above & Beyond

From: “UK (Jono Grant, Tony McGuinness), Finland (Paavo Siljamäki).”

DJ style:“Emotional electronic dance music.”

Best known for:“Group Therapy.”

Trance titans and Anjunabeats label heads Above & Beyond have ticked some things off their bucket-list this year, such as performing at The Pyramids in Egypt. Their Group Therapy Weekender returned in July for another instalment at Washington’s The Gorge Amphitheater, and Brighton’s shoreline was turned into Anjunabeach with roster acts Andrew Bayer, Amy Wiles, Anamē, Marsh and Just Her. Paavo Siljamäki, one-third of the London-based trio, released his debut album inspired by nature and the haven of the dancefloor, ‘Deeper Tales’.

Meanwhile, Above & Beyond’s Group Therapy Radio has stood steady. The most recent release, ‘Group Therapy 548’, features the trio’s key collaboration of 2023, ‘Over Now’, with Seven Lions (feat. Opposite The Other). The track’s pure euphoria is reflective of the wellness journeys that A&B have been on. Their 2020 ‘Flow State: Meditations’ album was recently awarded RIAA Gold Record status and was celebrated with a sunset yoga and meditation session co-led by Siljamäki. The group say that 2023 was filled with “listening to old DJ mixes to look for inspiration from decades past and finding ways to bring that into the modern dance world”, adding that they’ve visited “amazing cities” and rediscovered “the joy of clubbing”.

Hero of 2023:“You.”

Fave tune of 2023: “Andrew Bayer an

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Le Shuuk

From: Stuttgart, Germany

DJ style:“Hard dance / electro / hardstyle / techno / EDM.”

Best known for: “The tracks ‘Sandmann’, ‘Toast Hawaii’ and ‘Konje’, as well as being a resident and face of WORLD CLUB DOME Festival.”

A mainstay of the electronic scene for almost 20 years now, Stuttgart native Le Shuuk is no stranger to the rigours of touring. In the last 12 months, he decided to overhaul his lifestyle, committing to exercising regularly and abstaining from drinking during his shows. As a result, the DJ and producer, who is a favourite of the German festival circuit, says that he is having more fun on stage than ever. He credits these changes with allowing him to connect on a deeper level with his audiences, as well as redefine his career goals and look with renewed focus to the future.

The new healthy habits clearly agree with him. As well as recently performing at festivals and clubs across Europe, and holding his own Le Shuuk & Friends parties in his home city, he continues to build on the momentum of tracks like 2020’s peak-rave, German language tune ‘Sandmann’ and 2021’s hypnotic ‘Goodbye’ (featuring Xillions). This year he had another star turn with the explosive ‘Konje’, a collaboration with B-Stylezz that combined modern techno and EDM with the traditional elements of Bulgarian folk songs, with the track receiving big support from the likes of Armin van Buuren, Amelie Lens, and Joyhauser.