Pink Panda

From:UK

DJ style:“Bounce, mainstage and tech-house.”

Best known for:“Making bangers and touring the world in a panda mask.”

Honing an ability to hop, skip and jump from major league productions and remix duties — for the likes of Dua Lipa, Britney Spears and Elton John — to hitting the dancefloor with classic anthem belters, it’s the recipe that’s helped to put the Pink Panda alliance in the Top 100 DJs poll once again. “It’s been an incredibly busy year. We’ve been touring extensively in Asia and playing at some amazing venues,” the collective tell DJ Mag from behind their now iconic mask.

This year has seen the excitable outfit maintain their mystery and anonymity while continuing to apply their joyful, high-energy vibes to collaborations and own productions across the board. They’ve been working on refining their sound for ‘bounce and mainstage’ and admit to ‘totally loving’ the process. “A major highlight of the year was releasing ‘Set You Free’ on CR2 Records with the legendary Benny Benassi and Alle Farben.” Several tracks for future release are on the cards and they promise that a new EP, ‘Sounds Of Eden’ on Showtek’s Skink Records, will be dropping soon.

Fave tune of 2024?

“I’m really vibing to Ben Nicky x Creeds’ ‘Survive It’, it’s been a game changer this year.”

Rising star DJ/producer of 2024?

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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