Boris Brejcha

From:Frankfurt, Germany

DJ style:“High-tech minimal.”

Best known for:“Joker mask.”

The mask-wearing Boris Brejcha cuts a distinctive figure in the Top 100 DJs poll, playing a style of melodic, minimal techno that he simply calls high-tech minimal. This year it’s been a whirlwind of touring, his socials tracking him across Europe, the US and beyond, including a first visit to Morocco and a debut at Coachella.

His label Fckng Serious celebrated its eight birthday with a remaster of 2015 classic ‘R U Fucking Serious’, a collaboration with Deniz Bul. And he was back in the studio with Bul, plus Moritz Hofbauer and Kevin Kaczynski for giant collaboration ‘You Can Forever Be’, featuring Denise. There were plenty more solo singles too: the widescreen ‘Level One’, the menacing ‘Wormhole’ and ‘Space X’, a dark, techno driver whose video was shot in the rugged beauty of Iceland.

His big news, however, is that he’s finished a new album “which will finally be released in early 2024”. With recent single ‘Vienna’, a team-up with vocalist Malena Narvay, an early taster, and other tracks like the piano-led ‘One Paradise’ already lighting up his DJ sets, it’ll be his first since 2021’s ‘Never Stop Dancing’.

Hero of 2023:“Depeche Mode.”

Fave tune of 2023: “Deniz Bul ‘Never Forget’.”

Best DJ set you’ve seen in 2023:“Ann Clue at Tomorrowland.”

What was the most exciting tech development of 2023?“None.”

Rising star D

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Jay Hardway

From:Drunen, The Netherlands

DJ style:“House / melodic / main stage.”

Best known for:“Tracks like ‘Electric Elephants’, ‘Wizard’ with Martin Garrix and my melodies.”

It’s been just over a decade since main stage mainstay and EDM maestro Jay Hardway burst onto the scene via his Martin Garrix collab ‘Registration Code’, a tune that set him on the path to becoming a regular headliner at legendary clubs and global events like Tomorrowland, Pacha and EDC New York, AMF, Mysteryland and Omnia Las Vegas.

Becoming a father last year has meant Hardway has been focusing on maintaining that all-important work/life balance: “In my personal life I made sure to spend a lot of time with my family and it’s been amazing being a father. I still love doing shows worldwide, but I’ve made sure to plan my tours in such a way that I’m not on the road 24/7.”

It’s an approach that’s clearly working as 2023 has seen the Dutch DJ/producer continue to deliver high-impact dancefloor gold, including his big Spinnin’ Records collab with Tujamo featuring Bay-C ‘Energy’,high-drama Emo-DM tear-jerkerLost Souls’with Jeffrey Sutorius on Revealed, and fresh vocal track ‘On Fire’ featuring Nadia Gattas on Rave Culture, with Hardway’s solo releases like ‘The Sound’ and ‘Red Alert’ all picking up strong DJ support too.

Hero of 2023:“My daughter No