Liu

From: São Paulo, Brazil

DJ style: “Uplifting, dynamic, flexible.”

Best known for: “Big songs like ‘All I Want’ and ‘Coastline’, viral content performing, big festival performances.”

Last year, on entering the Top 100 DJs list for the first time, Liu described his sound as “dance music to make people feel better.” In 2024, the Chinese-Brazilian DJ brought more of those feel-good vibes to the masses, embarking on his biggest tours yet across Brazil, Asia and Europe, including a return to the legendary Ushuaïa Ibiza for a second year running, as part of Martin Garrix’s summer residency. His pumping, big room and future house selections are tailor-made for these kinds of huge stages and, when paired with his insatiable energy in the booth, mean it’s no surprise he’s climbed 19 places since last year’s poll.

Liu has also been putting in the work in the studio. In February, he teamed up with Juicce to release ‘Hello’, a huge future house heater with a dial tone-inspired drop, before putting out a parade of bangers with Khouri & Schillist, Alex O’Clock, Haro Mc, Zuffo, CAKES and Tristan Henry over the summer. Despite this mounting success, Liu tells DJ Mag how he’s always trying to level up. “In my free time, I’ve been trying to learn new languages to communicate better on the tours and also listening to a lot of new music so I can improve my sets every day.”

Fave tune of 2024?

‘‘Addicted’ by Zerb, The Chainsmokers, Ink.”

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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