Kölsch

From:Denmark

DJ style:Melodic house and techno

Best known for:“The track ‘Grey’ and playing atop the Eiffel Tower.”

After several years on the fringes of the Top 100, Danish talent Kölsch is now firmly ensconced in the big league. He is something of an outlier, too — he doesn’t play big room sounds or any form of EDM, instead pushing his own brand of deeply melodic and emotive house and techno. He had one of the biggest hits of the summer with his remix of ‘Hell To The Liars’ and also has a BBC Radio 1 residency under his belt.

This year he scaled up his sound and impressed with a standout set on the epic Tomorrowland main stage, which he says was his highlight of the year. In the face of his increasing profile, he says he has learned to “stay humble and have fun”, all while working on his new album. It is an intricate work with interweaving themes of family, personal history and grief.

Kölsch says his sound “never stops evolving, these days mostly around technique, but I’m always searching for something special. Lately, I’ve been digging mid-’90s drum & bass again. So many gems there.”

Hero of 2023:“Laurent Garnier.”

Fave tune of 2023:“Jorkes ‘Free From Desire’.”

Best DJ set you’ve seen in 2023:“DJ Koze at Tim

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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.