Kölsch

From:Denmark

DJ style:“Romantic techno.”

Best known for:“‘Grey’ and ‘All That Matters’.”

Rune Reilly Kölsch is an artist who manages to play to vast crowds all over the world but without ever sacrificing the nuance of his sound. His “romantic techno” is laced up with lush melodies that are bittersweet and melancholic — not too dark, but not overly saccharine either. He likes to make it with instruments that “don’t sound very good”, which is what lends his music such an intriguing sense of unusual soul.

That was best exemplified on his fifth album, ‘I Talk To Water’, which came on his long-time label home Kompakt late last year. It married up personal narratives with moving grooves and was followed up this year by collaborations with WhoMadeWho on ‘The Moment’, Goldtrix on AltraModa (‘It’s Love (Trippin’)’, and remixes of ambient wizard Olafur Arnald’s ‘Hafursey (Yfir)’ track. He has continued to light up clubs and festivals, and this year debuted a new live set and headlined everywhere from New York City to Greece, cementing his place at melodic techno’s top table in the process.

Fave tune of 2024?

“Âme ‘Asa’.”

Rising star DJ/producer of 2024?

“Jonathan Kaspar. He keeps delivering gold.”

Could DJs do more to ensure that producers are fairly paid for their art?

“I mostly play my own productions, but all

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Faustix

From:Denmark

DJ style: “Big techno.”

Best known for: “Collaboration with Diplo, Faustix, Imanos and Kai called ‘Revolution’.”

Everything about 2024 was big and bold for Faustix. The Danish dance music lifer found a new sound over the course of the past year, where ropey and dramatic arpeggios dart in and out of brash techno kicks and every drop feels like barreling down a dopamine rollercoaster. Each release seemed to push the envelope further and further — from the soaring emotions of ‘Lead Me To Love You’ with vocalist Mougleta to ‘All My Friends Are Hot’, whose cheeky vocal flip (“All my friends are hot and only listen to techno”) was the perfect summer festival anthem. Add to that a teased remix of Belgian Stromae ‘Alors on danse’ and it’s clear that 2024 was, without a doubt, the year Faustix found a whole new groove.

While he’s certainly been busy in the studio, Faustix has also played everywhere — from 13,000 person raves in the middle of Copenhagen to gigs on the Faroe Islands. Faustix, in other words, hasn’t taken his foot off the gas for even a second. And, with each gig and release, he is testament to how much people still love pumping, hard-edged techno.

Fave tune of 2024?

“Dash Berlin ‘Till The Sky Falls Down’, it’s an all-time classic and still gets me