DJ LIFE MAG, Vol.3 No.6 Matoma

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LOVE FOR THE BEAT YEAR-END DJ POLL: TOP TRACKS & BIG MOMENTS PICS & MORE: AMSTERDAM DANCE EVENT MOBILE MARKETING STRATEGIES

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NEWS

ADE ’23: GLOBAL DJS SHINE IN AMSTERDAM

Trance Titan: Markus Schulz rocks Melkweg.

DJ LIFE

By Jim Tremayne Amsterdam, Netherlands – The 28th edition of Amsterdam Dance Event delivered big again with its impressive range of club and festival parties, music-industry seminars/keynotes, sponsored activations, and pro-gear exhibitions.

Held this past Oct. 18-22 at a variety of venues all over Holland’s largest city, ADE ’23 hosted more than 2,900 DJ/artists at over 1,000 events and welcomed over 500,000 global visitors, according to organizers.

Additionally, ADE Pro Conference at the Felix Meritis Centre presented seminars that tackled issues like A.I. in dance music and keynotes that featured icons and notables like Grandmaster Flash, Claptone, A-Trak, and The Blessed Madonna. At the ADE Lab Program, a variety of brands – including Roland, VirtualDJ, and L-Acoustics – exhibited their wares and presented sponsored seminars. As usual, DJ LIFE was there to take it all in – here are some highlights from Amsterdam Dance Event 2023: Club Nights: At Diplo’s Higher Ground label party at Het Sieraad on Oct. 18, the famously eclectic DJ/producer lorded over what felt like a wild-and-woolly rave played in a moviestudio set attached to a middle school. Dropping crowdpleasing retro tracks by artists ranging from Depeche Mode to Dr. Alban, Diplo worked the crowd to a full frothy lather.

His set was bookended by tight performances from a pair of Detroit ladies – DJ Holographic and DJ Minx – both of whom rocked the sweaty room with big, bouncy house sets.

On Oct. 20, in what’s become a bit of a Friday-night ADE tradition at Melkweg, trance titan Markus Schulz delivered a forceful set at the club’s Rabozaal concert venue, while “Baron of Techno” Dave Clarke wrecked Melkweg’s Max Hall next door. All-night fans of both genres left the Leidseplein area venue wide-eyed and mostly drenched.

Seminars & Keynotes: During “Black Dance Music: A Conversation Across Multiple Generations” on Oct. 19, British DJ Tiffany Calver moderated an engaging session with DJ Minx, a jock three decades into her musical career, and HoneyLuv, a relative upstart, who’s enjoyed a sharp ascent. While the session discussed the challenges related to race and gender within the electronic-music community, both panelists insisted that their genuine appreciation for the music, their dedication to the craft, and their belief in their abilities are the factors that have most impacted their individual success.

Keynoter: The Blessed Madonna told inspiring stories.

Stephen VB

Legend: Grandmaster Flash tells his tale.

Jasper ten Tusscher

HoneyLuv (aka Taylor Character) revealed a unique bio of a DJ/artist who began as an athlete and then a U.S. service member before falling in love with house music. “After I decided that the Navy wasn’t for me, I fell for the music and realized that I love the community of house music,” said the L.A.-based talent. “It brings people together. I want to help push it forward, so I gotta put in the work. I cannot take anything for granted.”

Minx (aka Jennifer Witcher), who founded Women On Wax collective and label, explained her path, which wasn’t always smooth. “The reason I started Women on Wax collective [in 1996] was because I was tired of playing parties for free,” she said. “I had to keep my respect, but it took time… this is back in the vinyl days. Now, I know what I do and I do it well – it’s about talent. You have to believe in yourself. If you book me, you need to know what I play and let me do it. As a DJ, you gotta stick to it to play through it.”

Later, during “The Blessed Madonna Live” – helmed by ever-capable interviewer Dave Clarke – the popular DJ/producer (aka Marea Stamper) recounted growing up in Kentucky as a rabid fan of dance music, road-tripping to raves all over the Midwest in the 1990s, and becoming a DJ. After a disastrous gig at a Gathering of the Juggalos festival in Michigan – go figure – Stamper decided to get serious about studio work and began to gain some traction. “I wasn’t happy during that period around 2012,” Stamper recalled, “but I worked and I worked and, in nine months, basically turned my career around. Now I work and produce every day.”

Of course, being featured on the 2021 Fred again.. smash “Marea (We’ve Lost Dancing)” put Stamper in a new place in the public consciousness. Nonetheless, she views it more as an artistic opportunity, not a burden, especially now that she expects to release a full-length album in early 2024.

“Neil Tennant [of Pet Shop Boys] said that pop music is meant to be challenging, but I think EDM has given people brainworms,” Stamper offered. “Look, I have been dragged into EDM kicking and screaming because the Fred again.. record put me in a world I am not used to. It’s Fred’s record and I’m grateful. But now, I think it’s my job to raise the level, to remain a thorn in the side of what’s happening in the pop world. I mean, what would The KLF think of what is happening [to dance music]? This music does not have to suck.”

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IN THIS ISSUE

VOLUME 3 NUMBER 6

2023 in Review

100 DJs of All Stripes Offer Up the Year’s Top Tracks & Best Musical Moments

By Jim Tremayne

24

Sound Bites

Dave Audé

DI SUN

DJ Disciple

1O

Hello, Holland…

Scenes from Amsterdam Dance Event 2023

Todd Terry

By ADE Photographers

In the Studio With…

Keys N Krates

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20

DJ Track Star Staci

Inside Position Start Planning Your 2024 Marketing Strategy & Avoid Analysis Paralysis

By Joshua Volpe

34

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Truls Qvale

Love for the Beat & More Ferry Corsten

With Album No. 3, Matoma’s Music Has Matured & His Interests Have Broadened

By Mark Mancino

14 Markus Schulz

8 Feedback

Exhibitors & Attendees Laud DJX ’23

H.B. Monte

36 Club Spotlight Las Vegas’ XS Nightclub

40 Playback

Numark Mixstream Pro Go ACRAZE

+ MORE

42 Studio Session Avid’s Pro Tools Sketch

44 Mobile DJ Profile

All-Star Jersey Jock Gregg Alfonso

46 DJ Business

Digital Sales Rooms: Differentiate Your DJ Brand

48 Gear

New Products from JBL, KRK & More

54 Tracks

Phat Tracks from Seamus Haji, ReTide & More

56 Club Play Chart

The Hottest Records, As Reported by Our Top U.S. Record Pools

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FROM THE EDITOR JIM TREMAYNE

2023: YEAR-END WRAP-UP In this issue, among many other things, we feature Matoma as our year-end cover subject. Born Tom Lagergren, the 32-year-old Norwegian talent has delivered a decade’s worth of worthy work, including his latest album, Love for the Beat. In his interview with our Mark Mancino, he discusses his rise, his gear, and his new album. He also reveals how his sound has matured from his early days of trop-house and how his interests have broadened beyond music. He even explains how, as a global DJ of Nordic extraction, he maintains the legacy of the Vikings… but not in a way you might expect.

Enjoy.

As 2023 becomes 2024, we reached out to the DJ world – club, mobile and studio jocks alike – to find out what most impressed them these past 12 months. Like previous years, we asked them three questions: What was their favorite track? What was their biggest accomplishment? What was the best musical moment they experienced? We took the first 100 responses and now we bring them to you here. (And, as I’ve said before, don’t sleep on the music links – there are some terrific tunes in there).

This issue also includes our report from the Amsterdam Dance Event, which ran this past October. In addition to networking with dance-music industry types from all over the globe, we sat in on seminars, participated in one (“When Brands & Music Meet”), and took in as much music as possible. Our News page offers details, while ADE’s talented photographers fill up Pages 20-23. Also, this month’s Club Spotlight ventures to America’s Sin City for a look at XS Nightclub at Encore inside Wynn Las Vegas.

In Sound Bites, Mr. Mancino connects with Toronto trio Keys N Krates, as its members discuss the making of their third album, IN:TENSION. Additionally, I interview influential NYC jock DJ Disciple, whose recent book, The Beat, The Scene, The Sound: A DJ’s Journey Through The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of House Music in New York City, is a terrific read.

Written with Henry Kronk, it’s more than just a DJ/music memoir, as it delves into some NYC social history and offers a crucial timeline for the city’s club culture.

On the gear side, our Twin Cities-based scribe DJ Deets reviews the Numark Mixstream Pro Go controller for the Playback column. And for our Studio Session column, our Denver-based scribe Wesley King dives into Avid’s Pro Tools Sketch, a new tool for instant musical creations on iPad or desktop.

In our Mobile DJ Profile, we visit with Gregg Alfonso from Allstar Entertainment in Toms River, N.J. For our Business Profile, Jordan St. Jacques explains how to differentiate your DJ brand by employing digital sales rooms. And in a mobile-centric feature, Joshua Volpe encourages DJs to look back on ’23 critically and begin your ’24 marketing plans in earnest.

Before closing, I want to mention the passings of a pair of industry mainstays – Odyssey’s Dave Lopez and Group One’s Vinny Finnegan. Both guys were wonderful and open to me whenever I encountered them, especially at trade shows like NAMM and LDI. From my early days at DJ Times, Vinny – always a gregarious jokester – often pointed me in the right direction within the lighting world and shared great stories from his deep reservoir of memories. Another industry vet, Dave was a former DJ who was genuinely welcoming and knowledgeable, always a straight shooter on industry matters and someone who often helped me take the industry’s temperature. They were great guys, whose insights were never taken for granted, and they’ll be missed.

editor-in-chief Jim Tremayne jtremayne@hazanmediagroup.com editor-at-large Brian O’Connor boconnor@@hazanmediagroup.com web editor and social media manager Mark Mancino mmancino@@hazanmediagroup.com contributors Wesley King, Chris Caruso, Amanda Chavez, Shawn Christopher, Paul Dailey, Reed Dailey, Chris Davis, DJ Deets, Tony Fernandez, Tommy D Funk, Lexi Ferguson.

Ryan Hayes, Greg Hollmann, Erik Miller, Lily Moayeri, Jordan St Jacques, Jeff Stiles, Ashley Teffer, Danny Turner, Phil Turnipseed, Joshua Volpe, Travis Wackerly, Curtis Zack chart coordinator Dan Miller dmiller@hazanmediagroup.com director of sales Josh Kerman jkerman@hazanmediagroup.com creative director Janice Pupelis jpupelis@hazanmediagroup.com director of technologies and project management Steve Thorakos sthorakos@hazanmediagroup.com Chairperson & COO/Co-Publisher Robin Hazan rhazan@hazanmediagroup.com President & CEO/Co-Publisher Shawn Hazan shazan@hazanmediagroup.com

Best,

Jim Tremayne Editor, DJ LIFE

visit our website: www.djlifemag.com 516.767.2505

Editorial and Sales Office: DJ Life, Oyster Bay, NY 11771. (516) 767-2505 • (Sales/all other business): (516) 767-2505 • djlife@hazanmediagroup.com.

Editorial contributions should be addressed to The Editor, DJ Life Mag, Oyster Bay, NY 11771 or sent to JTremayne@hazanmediagroup.com.

DJ Life Mag is published bi-monthly starting with the second month annually.

Design and Contents: copyright © 2023 by DJ Life Mag and must not be reproduced in any manner except by permission of the publisher.

Web: DJLifeMag.com, DJXShow.com and HazanMediaGroup.com Subscriptions: Complimentary Digital Edition. Email: djlifemag@hazanmediagroup.com Phone: 516-767-2505 ext. 502 Web: djlifemag.com/subscribe

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FEEDBACK

DJX ’24 DATES HERE; EXHIBITORS LAUD SHOW Atlantic City, N.J. – The dates for DJX ’24 are set. The long-running trade show/exhibition/conference will run August 5-8 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in AC. Here are some exhibitors’ responses from the ’23 DJX show: “The MIXO team had the most amazing time at DJX ‘23, having come all the way from Britain. We met so many interesting DJs and we’re looking forward to seeing you all again next year!

– Marcus Green, MIXO, U.K. “DJX is our favorite event of the year! We get to showcase our latest innovations, attend exceptional performances, meet new faces and see old friends.

The event was impeccably organized, and we were particularly impressed by the diverse mix of industry professionals – from budding DJs to industry veterans – all eager to share insights and feedback. We’re already looking forward

to next year’s show and strongly recommend it to any business looking to amplify its presence in the DJ world!”

– Lian Amber, BASSBOSS, L.A. “Great vibes and atmosphere – a mustattend show!”

– Jesse DeanGraves, Jesse Dean Designs, Lancaster, Calif.

“With DJX, their whole team went above and beyond for our product and our brand. Very glad our debut was with DJX, Atlantic City. See you next year!”

– Dan Rawson, BoomBox Industries, Australia

“DJX is definitely the place to go for anybody in the music industry to connect with experts in the field. We had a blast meeting attendees at the show!”

– Moise Beda, Mo & Joe Electronics, NYC “Our overall experience was better than we expected!

We had a great time and already thinking about next year!”

– Marcellus Spears, Both Lighting, Greensboro, N.C.

JOIN US '24

SOUND BITES

DJ DISCIPLE: A MEMOIR WITH MEANING As popular as house music may seem to us now, we’re not seeing too many published memoirs from the genre’s influential DJs – not just yet.

However, with “The Beat, The Scene, The Sound: A DJ’s Journey through the Rise, Fall, & Rebirth of House Music in New York City,” DJ Disciple and collaborator Henry Kronk bring a fresh approach to the musicalmemoir segment by adding crucial context for the music, its practitioners, and its settings.

The book describes Disciple’s gradual ascent up the genre’s ladder – via radio shows, underground gigs, choice tracks, and clued-in booking agent Kim Benjamin – to the point where he became an in-demand global DJ/producer by the mid-’90s. It also tells how he successfully navigated all the industry’s changes – vinyl/digital, underground/ open-format, nightclub politics, etc.

But moreover, the book grimly describes the backdrop of the times – ’80s and ’90s urban America, its pains and its glories – so that the music itself stands out more as a genuine revelation than any hipster-led fad. Especially in NYC, this was music with a scene that people needed – and the book makes you feel that. Additionally, it reveals music-industry challenges to Disciple’s faith and conscience that created unique conflicts. We caught up with DJ Disciple (aka David Banks) – who still spins 10

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Author: Disciple explores house music & urban sociology.

in his native Brooklyn – to discuss his thoroughly engaging Rowman & Littlefield book.

DJ LIFE: What was the initial thrill of house music?

Disciple: I loved watching how people danced to it.

“Move Your Body,” “Jack Your Body,” and “Time Marches On” were some of the Chicago house classics that I couldn›t get enough of. “Promised Land” by Joe Smooth was the first record that connected me to the inspiration and gospel side of house music. The fact that the music is morally neutral is the reason why I kept the name DJ Disciple, while still spinning house music.

DJ LIFE: For DJs, promoters, and fans of NYC’s underground club scene, what was the post-Paradise Garage phase like after it closed in 1987?

Disciple: The house music scene was an escape from a lot of the turmoil of dayto-day life. This book lays that out in the roots of NYC house and club culture. The reader gets a glimpse of what happened between the close of Paradise Garage and when other clubs sprung up and became influential. As the early ’90s came to the fore, the Underground Network parties at the Sound Factory Bar

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with Don Welch, Barbara Tucker, and Louie Vega became essential to house music’s survival.

DJ LIFE: Your radio show on WNYE, “New York’s Best Kept Secret,” became very influential to house jocks.

How did that happen?

Disciple: Record-store culture was not enough for me after a while of being on WNYE/91.5. Strictly Rhythm’s legendary A&R chief, Gladys Pizarro, was the first person to give me a promo. I took it and started getting all the labels to give me promos, as I knew all the producers, too. Before you know it, I started premiering unreleased material on the show. I went to multiple clubs every week to listen to different DJs and added music that I heard as well.

Interviewing artists and giving women a platform to spin on the show was also a big plus for me. There are archive shows on YouTube where you can hear that.

After 1995, my show focused on more music that came from Europe. Besides being the first DJ to champion artists like Todd Edwards, I was the first New York DJ to play U.K. Garage on the air. Playing acetates from Grant Nelson, Tommy Musto, and Smack Productions, the show carved out a niche for itself.

DJ LIFE: You lived through several eras in clubland. Why were the Wild Pitch parties so important?

Disciple: Wild Pitch parties moved from venue to venue and carried a heavy reputation in the city as the dopest gypsy party. Wild Pitch parties have been hosted by some of the world’s most famous DJs, including Kenny Carpenter, Timmy Regisford, Tony Humphries, François K, and Louie Vega. DJs like myself made their name playing these parties. It led us to get parties in Europe and in Japan. Wild Pitch also created safe spaces where people could be themselves. It was LGBTQ+ friendly and had diverse hosts.

DJ LIFE: You had conflicting feelings about playing rave gigs. The musical vibes were great, but you didn’t like seeing so many messy kids, right?

Disciple: It was a battle and a struggle for me. I was living in a culture that went handin-hand with drugs, while also speaking out about the plight of the crack epidemic. It made me angry. At that time, the “3 Strikes Law” was alive and well, and it was enforced in the Farragut Houses in Brooklyn where I lived. That cut through whole communities. Compared to Farragut back then, it was like raves occurred in a different country, with different laws. Still,

raves were great experiences, if you loved forward-thinking music. And the message of PLUR – Peace, Love, Unity, Respect – was an amazing culture to be involved in.

Drugs aside, the simplicity of people dancing together, light, and positive vibes was my guilty pleasure.

DJ LIFE: When you began traveling to gigs, what were some of your favorite cities and clubs to play?

Disciple: Motor in Detroit, where the native sounds include disco-influenced house and techno inspired by the industrial nature of the city. I quickly learned that I didn’t have to play 130-140 beats per minute to make an impact, and it was a pleasant surprise that records like “Jaguar” by DJ Rolando and Soul Grabber were strong musical ammunition when I made my debut there.

DJ LIFE: Where else?

Disciple: San Francisco also has some of the best DJs I’ve heard. My favorite was Behrouz Nazari, who was the resident at Release. The Bay Area’s Ruby Skye was also popular. Like New York, the venue had bottle service, an expensive light show, and two dance floors. Also, Ibiza because you get to learn from so many DJs around the world. I did my hardest style of house music for 3,000 people in Montreal at my residency at Red-Lite. It was the last place I played that felt like a rave in the club. The experience was invigorating.

I love San Diego, Denver, and Dallas.

DJ LIFE: What’s the best part of being a global DJ? Disciple: Seeing things for the first time that you’ve never seen before. If you’re lucky, you get to take in some of the cultures, some of which we may not have known about.

Traveling around the world made me want to serve my community more.

DJ LIFE: What’s the difficult?

Disciple: When the specs

are not in order. When flights are delayed or cancelled. When your flight is so long, but your DJ set is so short. When the DJ you are billed with uses sabotaging tactics. When you don’t connect with the promoter that booked you. When a fan starts making things weird for you.

DJ LIFE: You’ve spun in every DJ format now – is there a favorite format?

Disciple: Vinyl because it was more valued and had more life. I recently played an all-vinyl set at the Love Vinyl book-signing I did in the U.K. and got some a great response. There’s something magical in mixing vinyl.

DJ LIFE: In your mind, what makes a great DJ? Disciple: Knowing the audience you play for.

DJ LIFE: Which DJs taught you the most?

Disciple: Johnny Dynell, Roman Ricardo, Naeem Johnson, and DJ Camacho influenced me on my musical journey. Joey Llanos, David Depino, Louie Vega, and Timmy Regisford gave you a great blueprint on how an eight- to-10-hour DJ journey works. Internationally, Paul “Trouble” Anderson, Derrick Carter, Mark Farina, Garth, Pete Tong, and Danny Rampling were great DJs I could hear on the radio or listen to them mix live to know where they were going.

DJ LIFE: What did they teach you?

Disciple: They taught me to think outside the box.

Some places you play are anthemic, while others are more underground. The record shops were your nose to the ground to find out what works in clubs. Now it’s YouTube or even Soundcloud or Mixcloud. Doing homework on listening to their mixes always goes a long way with me. No matter where you are as a DJ, you can always get better.

– Jim Tremayne

ANTHEMS: DJ DISCIPLE’S LIST OF 13

“Follow Me” by Aly-Us (Strictly Rhythm, 1992): “DJ Camacho and I were the first ones to break this tune since our Wild Pitch Days.”

“Beautiful People” by Barbara Tucker (Strictly Rhythm, 1994): “Gladys Pizarro gave me a cassette of this song in her office. It’s house music history now.”

“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Inner Life feat. Jocelyn Brown (Salsoul, 1981): “Jocelyn Brown was close friends with our family. She knocked it out of the park with this rendition.”

“Set It Off” by Strafe (Jus Born, 1984): “Strafe lived across the street from me [in Brooklyn’s Farragut Houses]. This song solidified him as a Farragut legend worldwide.”

“Let The Music Play” by Shannon (Mirage, 1983): “The woman who helped birth the freestyle movement worked with another Farragut legend with Rusty Taylor on bass. Forever a classic.”

“It’s Gonna Be A Lovely Day” by S.O.U.L S.Y.S.T.E.M. (Arista, 1992): “My fellow sister from The Greater Refuge Temple Church made the clubs jump high to this tune.”

“Hide-A-Way” by DJ Disciple (Muzik Pushers, 1995): “Frankie Knuckles winked at me when he dropped my tune during his debut at Sound Factory. I will always love him for helping this be an anthem.”

“Alright” by Urban Soul (Polar Records, 1991): “Before Roland Clark was making hits with Fatboy Slim, his vocals on ‘Alright’ were mesmerizing back in ’91.”

“Ping Pong” by Espresso (Maxi Records, 1990): “A bouncy track by Pal Joey that meshed in well with the acid and house crowds during the rave scenes in ’90.”

“Fired Up!” by Funky Green Dogs (Twisted, 1996): “The Miami duo scored big time with this one as it crossed dancefloors worldwide in ’96.”

“Caught Up” by DJ Disciple feat. Mia Cox (Groovilicious, 2002): “Guido Osorio gave me my first No. 1 Billboard anthem with his remix that still gets played today.”

“Break My Soul” by Beyoncé (Parkwood, 2022): “Remixers Honey Dijon and Terry Hunter were Grammy nominees because of the impact of this anthem. Well done for house music, I say.”

“Bango (To The Batmobile)” by The Todd Terry Project (Fresh, 1988): “An irresistible hook that captivated clubs all over Manhattan and went on to conquer the world.”

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IN THE STUDIO

KEYS N KRATES: MAKING IN:TENSION Keys N Krates have built a venerable reputation as one of the leading live electronic acts today. On the strength of its onstage instrumentation, energetic sets, and string of hits like “Dum Dee Dum,” “Save Me” and “Keep It 100” (with Grandtheft), the Toronto-based trio has enjoyed a thriving 16-year career.

Drummer Adam Tune, keyboardist David Matisse, and turntablist Greg Dawson started out as a live hip-hop act that employed sampled loops.

But these days, the group performs mostly as DJs, while its musical output has evolved more firmly into the realm of house music. The latest album from Keys N Krates is IN:TENSION, a 12-song, full-length that certainly has the dancefloor in mind.

With highlights like the pumping opener, “Feelin Something,” the discoflavored single “Get Up,” and the soulful “Fantasy,” made alongside GRAMMY Award-winning pop/R&B powerhouse Ciara, IN:TENSION is loaded with

Keys N Krates: (from left) Matisse, Tune & Dawson.

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big grooves and top performances. Other collab partners include Dana Williams, Lion Babe, Taite Imogen, and Aaron Carl.

Of their collaboration, Ciara reveals, “After vibing with ‘Fantasy’ for the first time, I had good feels all over. I felt an infectious energy that made me want to dance, and I could envision myself living my best life to this song all over the world. This is the perfect party song for my collaboration with Keys N Krates. House is a space I’ve really been wanting to get involved in, so I’m excited for the world to hear it.”

Between shows that fill out a jam-packed touring schedule in support of IN:TENSION, Keys N Krates connected with DJ LIFE to discuss the LP, working with Ciara, and much more.

DJ LIFE: How and when did you first begin exploring electronic music? And why Keys N Krates?

Greg Dawson: We started as more of a live act, just live remixing classic hip hop, and some classic dance stuff like Daft Punk. We eventually just wanted to produce our own music and dance music felt obvious because we always wanted to be a dance party. We all learned to produce together and started making our beats and then playing them live – and that kinda set it all off. Keys N Krates just felt like a simple and catchy name that embodied sampling and musicianship.

David Matisse: Yeah, our live show came first... which consisted of Greg on turntables, me on keys, and Tune on drums, and that sort of informed the music we made and how we made it. We wanted to make stuff that we wanted to immediately play live, and we also had to make stuff that was playable live.

DJ LIFE: Did you grow up around music or have any classical training prior to forming the group? Who were some of your earliest musical inspirations?

Adam Tune: Matisse is classically trained on piano, and Greg comes from a competitive turntablism background. I’m a drummer, but I mostly learned that on my own.

DJ LIFE: Fast-forward to today. What does your current DJ setup look like?

Dawson: Today we are doing DJ sets instead of the live thing because we are pretty focused on making a ton of music, and the DJ set really fosters that, since it’s a constant feedback loop between what we’re making and the crowds that we are playing for. We use Pioneer DJ CDJs, and a Pioneer mixer – pretty standard stuff. We’re really focused on the tunes and making great edits, and creating a set that just feels like something you can’t hear anywhere else.

DJ LIFE: When it comes to production, what gear, programs, plug-ins do you tend to use most?

Tune: We are Ableton Live guys. We use stock Ableton plug-ins, Waves stuff, a ton of random third-party plugins like the Valhalla reverbs and Soundtoys of the world, and tons of [Native Instrument] Kontakt instruments, just many third-party. We have a [Roland] Juno-106, Moog Sub Phatty, and [Korg] M1 in our studio that we use on stuff, but also a ton of Arturia VSTs. DJ LIFE: Do you have any pre-show routines? Any studio rituals?

Dawson: We are usually listening to music or making edits right up until the point of our set, which is a good energy

for us because it keeps our minds focused on what we are trying to say musically that night. We tend to do that wherever we are staying and then hit the venue 15 minutes before we play just to chill and get comfortable in the venue before we hit the decks.

DJ LIFE: Can you share one of your wildest/craziest stories from one of your shows – either when first starting out or more recently?

Matisse: In Tampa, Fla., we once had a completely naked lady – not even any shoes – rush the stage and jump on Greg’s back while we were playing mid-set. It went viral, and it was on TMZ by Monday. You can still see that on the internet, I believe.

DJ LIFE: IN:TENSION is your third studio album. How did the creative process differ on this album from your previous two? What were the similarities?

Tune: This was a new musical direction for us, being totally focused on house music. We definitely all went off separately more and did our own individual vocal sessions to get song ideas that we’d all later come together and finish. A lot of our past albums, most ideas started and finished with the three of us, and on this one a lot of the first 20-percent of songs started with us as individuals alone or working with a vocalist. This process really allowed for us to flush out a bigger number of ideas for us to be able to choose from than ever before.

DJ LIFE: How long did this album-making process take for IN:TENSION? Do you have any personal favorite tracks from the LP? Dawson: I’d say we really started in January and wrapped in early September of this year, so the whole thing took eight or nine months. They are all our babies, but “Feelin’ Something” and “I Can’t Make You Love Me” have special places in my heart.

Matisse: “What Girls Do” and “Overdrive” feat. Lion Babe are my two favorites.

Tune: I think “Fantasy” and “Need Your Love” are my favs, but it’s tough. I love it all.

DJ LIFE: Let’s discuss “Fantasy” with Ciara. How did this pairing come about and what was it like to work with such a noteworthy R&B/pop artist on this project?

Tune: We started this song idea and had her tone in mind for it, but we didn’t necessarily think we could get her on it. We ended up getting a link to her and sent the idea over to her, and she got super-excited about it and wanted to finish it and cut it with us. We went back and forth on FaceTime’s and text messages with her and eventually tweaked the beat and vocals to where everyone was really happy with it.

DJ LIFE: Who are a few of your dream collaborators?

Matisse: Beyoncé, Janet Jackson, Alicia Keys, The Weeknd, Aluna, Solange, Frank Ocean – to name a few.

DJ LIFE: What do Keys N Krates see in its future? Where do you hope to be in five years?

Dawson: I think producing more for other artists, making dance records for people that haven’t made dance records before and finding their voice in that arena that feels organic, as well as playing clubs all over the world and continuing to just make our own music, remixes and edits and define our sound, catalogue, and live experience. We really just want to continue to do what we are doing now, but continue to get better.

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Love for the Beat

& More With Album No. 3, Matoma’s Music Has Matured & His Interests Have Broadened After nearly 10 years on the music scene, Matoma has cemented himself as one of the leading names within the electronic-music circuit. Born Tom Lagergren in Åsnes, Norway, Matoma has delivered some of the biggest tunes in dance music, both as a solo act or collaborator with top-level talent, and 2024 promises even more big doings.

Exploding onto the scene in 2014, Matoma first garnered mainstream success with “Old Thing Back,” his remix of The Notorious B.I.G.’s posthumously produced “Want That Old Thing Back” featuring Ja Rule and Ralph Tresvant. Credited on the track as an artist along with the late, great Brooklyn MC, Matoma saw this trop-house/hip-hop track, his very first single, achieve RIAA Platinum-certified

Photos by Truls Qvale

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status. The hit also was featured on his 2015 debut album, Hakuna Matoma. (2015).

Since then, Matoma has continued to make waves with his original music with hits like 2017’s “Party on the West Coast” with Faith Evans and The Notorious B.I.G. feat. Snoop Doggs, but also with remixes (for acts like Coldplay, One Direction, and Clean Bandit) and collaborations with powerhouses such as Dua Lipa, Jennifer Lopez, and Jason Derulo.

In 2018, Matoma’s hot streak continued with the release of his second album, One In A Million. The 15-cut effort has gone on to receive over 2 billion streams worldwide, with over a billion coming from his massive hit singles “False Alarm” (with Becky Hill), “Lonely” (feat.

MAX), “Slow” (feat. Noah Cyrus), and “All Night” (with The Vamps).

Now, five years later, he’s just released his third full-length, Love For The Beat, which signifies a matured sound and an evolving artist. The 10-track LP saw its official drop this past November and includes contributions from the likes of BullySongs, Armin van Buuren, HARLEE, JP Cooper, and James Droll, among others. When it came time to create Love For The Beat, Matoma says he “wanted to try to take meaningful life stories from the storytelling and put that into [his] songs. All the songs on the album have a meaningful story to be told.”

He’s classically trained with an impressive ear for the technical, but it’s Matoma’s passion for music and love of the art that truly elevate his creativity and ignites the spark within. The 32-year-old talent is a DJ, producer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, with noteworthy skills and interests that go beyond the realm of music. A philanthropist in his native Norway and a co-founder of the AI mastering service company, Masterchannel, Matoma certainly wants to leave a legacy through his music—but hopes to also be known for so much more than that.

DJ LIFE recently sat down with Matoma, as he had a short break from touring.

DJ LIFE: How and when did you begin exploring dance music? Who were your early musical inspirations?

Matoma: That’s a fun question. My brother was actually the person who introduced me to dance music and that was at a very early age. I think I was about 5- or 6-years old, and he was probably 10. He came home with a cassette and cassette player. He had trance songs on it, and I remember hearing the melodies. Back then, trance was very heavily coming out of Central Europe – The Netherlands, Belgium. And one thing that they have that’s amazing are roots to these Nordic and Scandinavian heritages. I think without them even knowing about it, their melodies are very much inspired by Nordic melodies.

In trance, especially, there are so many chord progressions and ways that you compose the music that are similar to classical Norwegian romantic music. I think that’s why, for me, of all the different genres – techno, house, deep house, all of the genres – I think trance spoke the most to me.

DJ LIFE: The melodies grabbed you…

Matoma: It was because of the melodies and how it sort of portrayed this landscape of Scandinavian scenes. I could see myself skiing down a mountain, having the goggles on, going really fast. I wasn’t dreaming about becoming a DJ or producer – I actually used the music to elevate my nature experiences. In the early days, before Tiësto became more mainstream, he was releasing really dope trance records.

DJ LIFE: Trance is still bigger than ever.

Matoma: Even looking at what’s going on right now within dance music, there are so many elements from trance. I was actually telling Andrew [Jackson], my manager, about this five years ago: I do really think these trance elements – the really big ’90s and 2000s trance tracks with hard drops – are what’s going to be playing in the clubs. And what are we seeing right now? Trance that is dominating the mainstream. To me, it’s so fun because I love trance and I’ve always been drawn to the genre. I don’t know how I ended up making tropical house in the beginning, and not trance [laughs]. Trance is really what I grew up on.

DJ LIFE: That being said, did trance inspire any of the tracks or sounds on your new album?

Matoma: Oh, yeah! When it came to tracks like “Bittersweet” and “Sodium Sky,” and records like “Break My Own Heart,” it was important to me to bring in these elements.

First of all, having that connection is also so important to me, that from the moment you put those headphones on, you get an experience. Whether it’s bad or it’s good – I don’t care. It’s just important for me to have listeners feel like, “Wow, sonically, I’ve never heard anything like this before.” If I can’t make you think, “Oh wow, this is interesting – what was that sound? How did he do that?” If I can’t do that with my music, then I feel very little fulfillment. When I get messages from my fans on Instagram that say, “Oh wow, how did you make that, Tom?” To me, that is the most rewarding thing about music, when people VOL.3 NO.6

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appreciate my art.

DJ LIFE: That’s saying a lot.

Matoma: I don’t care if I have 6 million or 8 million monthly listeners [on Spotify]. Of course, it helps to have 8 million, but I’d rather have 6 million and stay true to my identity and true to my art. I can go elsewhere to make money, and probably so much more easily than I do by making music. So, why when I’m spending so much time on trying to make people dance, why am I trying to please somebody I haven’t met? It’s so much more rewarding to please somebody that I’ve met at my concert, where they’ve said to me, “Oh, ‘False Alarm’ represents an era!” Or “I met my husband or wife to your music.”

When people tell me things like that, I get filled with hope.

I get filled with love. So, over the years, when people have asked me what inspires and motivates me, it always comes down to two things: Human beings and the connection between me and my audience, and second-

Matoma: I was DJing on some crappy MIDI equipment. I had absolutely no idea. I’m classically trained, and my craft is in piano. I started playing piano when I was 7-years old, and I wanted to become a classical pianist. So DJing did not even begin for me as a hobby until I was about 17-years old. It was when my friends started having parties and they needed a DJ, so I was always down to do it. I took it quite seriously because I got my dad to lend me money so I could buy DJ equipment and speakers. I was throwing private parties and charging people to come. I even had some in my basement! After about six months, I had enough money to pay my dad off. I was able to sell it all, buy a good laptop, so that I could really start producing. This was when I was 17or 18-years old and I started saving all the money I would make to invest into better equipment, controllers, PC, and eventually Pioneer DJ CDJs, once I could afford it.

DJ LIFE: How about your current DJ set-up?

Matoma: My current DJ setup is the Pioneer CDJ-3000

ly, traveling, seeing nature, and experiencing and exploring cultures.

DJ LIFE: Global DJs certainly have a unique job.

Matoma: You might not know this, but Vikings back in the day, 4,000 years ago, actually didn’t go around plundering the world. We were tradesmen. I kind of see how being a musician is like a trade. You travel the world, you show people your culture and your flavors, and then they go and introduce their flavors to you. That is how you become inspired. That is how you enhance your life in a positive way and also makes you become more creative.

DJ LIFE: What made you choose the name Matoma?

Matoma: It was my brother who came up with the name. Before Matoma, I was actually called Sub Hero.

When I was in the army, I became friends with a guy who was a designer, and he designed a logo for Sub Hero. I paid him like $1,000 for the logo and I was so proud of that name. During an afterparty, my brother came up to me and said, “Tom, you’re starting to make really good music, but this Sub Hero name… we have to talk about this. It sounds like a cartoon name.” I had so much pride – and because I had spent so much money on the logo, we started having this argument. Then, this one friend that lived with me and my brother came between us and said, “Tom and Dan, can’t you take life easy? You always have to fight. Be more like Timon and Pumba from the Lion King… Hakuna Matata.” My brother was so drunk and all over the place that he said, “Hakuna Matoma!” I thought, “MATOMA! That is fucking dope!” The next day when we woke up hungover, we went downstairs to the living room and the night before we had written “MATOMA” on the whole table. Seven months later, I was signed to Atlantic Records.

DJ LIFE: At that time, what was your DJ set-up?

and the latest Pioneer mixer, DJM-A9. For me, sound is the most important thing, so my monitors have to be the best. Besides that, it’s not too much hocus pocus. It’s not too much of MIDI controllers or the extra stuff. My sets are very much “power mixing” because I like to switch up the tempo and switch up the vibe. I usually don’t do three- four song mixing in one transition, so there’s no need for me to have all the extra technical equipment. What I do sometimes is bring a band. For example, in 2019 in Norway, I had “Matoma Live,” where there were five others. We brought in live singers and guest performances. I do really like to implement my passion for live music into my sets as well.

DJ LIFE: What are your production and studio preferences? Have these changed over time?

Matoma: Over the years, I’ve gradually updated by database of sounds, plug-ins, and software. I’ve spent about $60,000 just on softsynths – and that’s not even including the audio plug-ins. It’s actually quite funny because I also make my own sounds, which I learned when I took my Bachelor’s Degree in music technology and production. I do really invest my money into music production and equipment.

One program that I’ve always used and have not changed is Cubase Pro by Steinberg. During my years in college, I tried out pretty much everything – and if you’re not a live-based sample artist, and you need Ableton to do the sampling and looping, when it comes to traditional production, I would say Cubase gives you the biggest bang for your buck.

DJ LIFE: This past October, you released “Sodium Sky,” the lead single from your new album, with BullySongs. How did that come about?

Matoma: With Bully, I’ve worked with him many, many times. My history with him goes back about five years, at least. Over the years, the opportunity for us to meet and share beautiful experiences have just been amazing. The

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@

Welcome to the THE EDIT a newly launched neighborhood of “Pop-Up Studios” on the DJX Show Floor. Aimed at unifying the community and encouraging industry evolution, THE EDIT will seize the opportunity to educate, network, and share product knowledge with potential and existing customers interested in recording, editing and studio-centric tools in content creation.

S T U D I O @

Exhibit at THE EDIT at DJX’24 and take advantage of a unique opportunity to connect with a diverse, built-in venerable “Distribution Army” of 5,000+ attendees looking to create content. The studio space is designed to be turnkey and effortless for brands to participate with a focus on building relationships with new and existing customers.

(Rendering of THE EDIT STUDIO)

THE EDIT @ DJX– The Crossroad to the Future of Music!

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more we get to know each other, the more we can explore musically.

My song, “Take Me to the Sunshine,” is also with BullySongs and a group called SUPER-Hi. They are two new really talented producers down in South London. I’ve made so many great songs with them over the years, so we have a really strong and close relationship. After “Take Me To The Sunshine,” I was texting them asking them to send over songs or an a cappella because I really wanted to build on “Sunshine.”

That one was a great story, and a lot of people liked it. Bully sent over the topline, and I got the immediate feeling of an Empire Of The Sun-type vocal. I immediately had this idea to add all of these trance sounds because there was so much room for call-and-response, which is what I tried to do. I played around with the vocal and my sound design in the synths.

DJ LIFE: Your new album, Love For The Beat, came out recently. How long were you working on it and was the process different from your last?

Matoma: The process was quite different because this was an independent process where I’m releasing the album independently, which is a big step for me. I think moving away from the big record deal I had and going into this new independent type of situation, it has been flooring with ideas about where I want to take the music. Last year, I really wanted to make an album where I was able to tell the real-life stories of people, which have kind of disappeared. Now we are just taking old records and mashing them up or making a remake. It’s been a great add-on for the dance culture and the movement, but I feel that between 2010 and 2017 there were some really heavy, great EDM records that changed people’s lives. I wanted to try to take meaningful life stories from 18

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the storytelling and put that into my songs. All the songs on the album have a meaningful story to be told.

DJ LIFE: Can you give us some examples?

Matoma: “Won’t Follow You Home,” for example, is about having anxiety that’s following you around everywhere, and the only place that you feel safe is when you’re home. That’s the only place that anxiety can’t take you because, when you’re home, you’re in this safe place.

DJ LIFE: What else?

Matoma: “Sodium Sky” is about being high on life because you feel like you’re constantly overthinking everything. I feel like this is quite relevant in today’s society, where people are overthinking everything. On “Work It Out,” you have a power song about a relationship where a girl finds out that she needs clarity, to work on herself, and needs space. [Collaborator] Bava is such a talented songwriter, and we wrote that song in basically 30 minutes.

DJ LIFE: How do you collaborate with others? How does it impact the quality of the tunes?

Matoma: The reason why I think my songs end up having a more tonal undertone, where you feel the lyrics are a bit more digested and with information to take away from the lyrics, is because whenever I make music with songwriters, I have a process. I like to get to know the songwriters I’m working with before we start the session. Sometimes we’ll talk for hours, and then from there, we make a song. I think that it becomes this really powerful interaction between the people that are in the room making the song. And that’s something I’m really proud about on this album. You can really hear within the songwriters and myself, the trueness in the lyrics.

DJ LIFE: You’re a co-founder of the AI mastering service, Masterchannel. How did that come to life?

Matoma: When Simon [Hestermann] and Christian [Schultz] contacted me about Masterchannel, it was a broad idea, and they had this beta version. I remember when I tested it, I thought, “Holy shit, this is gonna revolutionize the way we look at things like podcasting, spatial audio, regular mastering.”

And I’m not talking about the industry because the industry has

power. This was a way for all the upand-coming, bedroom producers, that before this haven’t had the chance to have this really crafted master that emphasizes their sound, but makes it professional and for an affordable cost.

DJ LIFE: What’s the killer app?

Matoma: On the Masterchannel service, you have a master within 30 seconds – it’s unlimited. In most cases, you’d be spending $400, and the process is two weeks. I remember when I was a bedroom producer and my budget was tight, so I wanted to create a tool where it could help those people.

Something that could get them the quality they need, as long they have a good mix and solid foundation. If you have a balanced mix, Masterchannel does the rest. And that was my main purpose with this tool because I wanted to take the producer and connect them with this finessing and personal touch. So, for us to really be able to make that as good as possible, and to replicate a human, we’ve spent years – a lot of time – coding.

DJ LIFE: Looking at music production and AI, what do you think some of the greater implications might be?

Matoma: I do believe that there will always be people that are going to take advantage of technology – squeeze every penny out of it. That’s just how it is. But I think the trueness of music and art cannot be taken away from a human being because you need to have a soul for that. What I hope is that you will have tools that can help you lift your art, but that you don’t have a tool that makes the art for you. Masterchannel is a service that will provide you with something that can el-

evate your song, but it doesn’t make the song for you. You have to make the song yourself; you have to put in every ingredient.

My point is that if you have tools to help you reach a bigger audience with your art, then I’m supporting. But if the main reason or purpose is to make money or become famous, then I’m not for it.

Because then, you’re taking the most important ingredients and cultural factors away from making music, and that comes from the soul of a human being.

DJ LIFE: You’re also a philanthropist. What got you thinking in that direction?

Matoma: I was very privileged to be growing up in a community where we had enough, but we didn’t have the riches that some communities had. My family came from a working-class family and instilled certain values. My mom worked really hard, and my dad worked really hard, for me and my brother to have the same equal opportunity to do what we wanted to do when that day would come where we wanted to explore. That freedom is not granted for everybody. Even in Norway, with the free healthcare, public schools, affordable transportation, and things that help communities to strive, we still have families and people that are struggling. There are kids that don’t have the opportunity to follow their dreams, and I think that is sad in 2023, where we live in a society where the country is so rich, but you can see the younger generation is suffering from it. They have less cultural activation, and even less social activation because of it.

DJ LIFE: What can you share with us about your philanthropic efforts?

Matoma: Over the last couple of years, it’s been very important for me to go into these local communities, stir around, and inspire these kids to follow their dreams. I have a scholarship grant here in Norway, where I give out scholarships for kids to follow their dreams. This year, together with Mats Zuccarello, the Norwegian hockey player, we hosted an event together with 18 artists that came to perform. I was proud of that, and we raised a lot of money! That is only one of the initiatives I do.

DJ LIFE: What else have you done?

Matoma: I also devote my time to climate-positive initiatives, which I’ve been doing since 2016. I was actually the first artist in the world to contact the United Nations to ask what I could do as an artist to get my footprint down. It’s complicated because people think that you can just pay your way off, but you are appointed people with so much knowledge, and there’s so much good you can do. You can invest money into these things, but you can also use your knowledge, network, and people to influence. I think that’s the beauty of being an artist… really using your platform to do good. Maybe that’s just my roots from my childhood, but I really do feel that in 2023, looking at the world and where we are, we need more people to be responsible. We need more people to use their voice, and we need them everywhere. We need to show humanity, and the only way we can show humanity is by listening to what’s going on in the world – and the world is screaming right now.

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Scenes from Amsterdam Dance Event 2023

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Amsterdam, Netherlands – Held this past Oct. 18-22, the 28th edition of the Amsterdam Dance Event brought the global dance-music industry to Holland for its range of club and festival shows, networking opportunities, seminars/keynotes, sponsored activations, and pro-gear exhibitions. ADE ’23 hosted more than 2,900 DJ/artists at over 1,000 events. (For more on ADE ’23, please see News on Pg. 3.) It all looked like this:

Hello Holland…

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1 The Logo: As seen all over town.

Enrique Meesters

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2 Profound Mysteries: Röyksopp’s Ambient Experience.

Enrique Meesters 3 20 Years: Armada’s anniversary session.

Jasper ten Tusscher 4 Tram Party: Reinier Sonneveld rocks it.

Enrique Meesters

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5 Madness: Mea Culpa Records party at Madam.

Enrique Meesters 6 Turntable Demo: A-Trak on the decks.

Linde Dorenbos 7 After the Storm: Darude at Brakke Grond.

Jasper ten Tusscher 8 At De Koepelkerk: The Alan Walker Experience.

Linde Dorenbos

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9 The Masquerade: Claptone’s live interview.

Stephen VB 10 Melkweg: Legendary venue opens for business.

Linde Dorenbos 11 Modular Mayhem: Colin Benders at Melkweg.

Linde Dorenbos 12 ADE Lab: Attendees fiddle with the gear.

Stephen VB

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13 Gearfest: Keyboard island at ADE Lab. Elske Nissen

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14 Studio Talk: Chuckie’s Bubbling Beat Breakdown Jasper ten Tusscher 15 Melkweg: Tim Clark at Coldharbour label party.

Michael Tellez 16 Demolition XXVI: Antonio Marra takes the title.

Jasper ten Tusscher

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100 DJS OF ALL STRIPES OFFER UP THE YEAR’S TOP TRACKS & BEST MUSICAL MOMENTS

2023 IN REVIEW

ZHU

Wax Motif

Paul van Dyk

Here we are, finally, where 2023 meets 2024. For the most part, the past year eased further into relative normalcy – whether we’re talking clubs, festivals or the private-party scene.

So, as we wrapped up ’23, we conducted a quickie poll to DJs of all stripes and from all over the world, inquiring about the past year. We asked three simple questions: What’s your top tune of the year? What was your best accomplishment? What was the best DJ/musical moment you experienced?

Here are the first 100 responses we got. Off we go…

other DJs at the DJX opening party at HQ2 in Atlantic City.

1 Wax Motif, Divided Souls Records, LA Tune: Odd Mob & OMNOM’s “Losing Control.”

Accomplishment: Selling out the Shrine Expo Hall in LA, along with 13 other dates on my House Of Wax Tour.

Musical Moment: Performing at mainstage EDC Las Vegas.

7 Todd Terry, InHouse Records, Atlanta Tune: Piero Pirupa’s “To The Sky.” Accomplishment: Not missing a flight all year... hahaha!

Musical Moment: Hamilton The Musical... The Bootleg.

2 Paul van Dyk, VANDIT Records, Berlin Tune: Vakabular’s “Proper Time.”

Accomplishment: Bringing my new project, VENTURE X, successfully on the road with amazing shows in NYC, Montreal, Amsterdam, London, & many other cities.

Musical Moment: Having 20,000 people at Dreamstate SoCal sing at the top of their lungs alongside my SOLIKIEN live band to “Home” – a goosebumps moment!

3 ZHU, Astralwerks, LA Tune: Peggy Gou’s “(It Goes Like) Nanana.”

Accomplishment: Crushing the GRACE Tour without having dropped an album.

Musical Moment: Seeing Lauryn Hill with The Fugees at Denver’s Ball Arena was a proper history lesson.

4 ACRAZE, Capitol Records/Thrive Music, Orlando Tune: Fisher & Aatig’s “Take It Off.” Accomplishment: Sleeping at least seven hours every day.

Musical Moment: Selling out my own show at the Hollywood Palladium in LA this year – it was life-changing.

5 Dave Audé, Audacious Records, Nashville Tune: John Summit & Hayla’s “Where You Are.” Accomplishment: In ’23, I found myself writing & producing almost as many records as I remixed.

Musical Moment: I had an amazing time playing & connecting with 24

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6 Ferry Corsten, Flashover Recordings, Rotterdam, Netherlands Tune: Kevin de Vries & Mau P’s “Metro.”

Accomplishment: Committing myself to working on my next “Ferry Corsten” album – my first since Blueprint, which was released five years ago.

Musical Moment: All of my “What The F” shows this year – playing open until close, often eight hours, of my own music feels like an accomplishment in itself.

8 Jauz, Bite This, LA Tune: Dom Dolla’s “Miracle Maker” dominated every set all year in a bunch of different versions.

Accomplishment: Raising my daughter & watching her turn one. Nothing else even comes close.

Musical Moment: Getting to remix deadmau5’s “Ghosts N Stuff” & then seeing the reaction to it was pretty unreal. And it was such a nervewracking song to remix.

9 Markus Schulz, Coldharbour Recordings, Miami Tune: Kevin de Vries & Mau P’s “Metro.”

Accomplishment: The Rabbit Hole Circus, my album & tour, which featured singers and aerialists.

Musical Moment: In October, during the last few hours of my 12-hour open-to-close set at Stereo in Montreal, I had been down mentally from a rough summer. But, at that moment, I realized that I still love what I do to the core of my being.

10 Booka Shade, Blaufield Music, Berlin Tune: Oliver Koletzki & Andhim’s track “Branka.”

Accomplishment: Celebrating 20 years of Booka Shade this summer with a selection of special European shows. We also had a remix package featuring wonderful artists such as 8Kays, Joachim Pastor, Nils Hoffmann, & Qrion.

Musical Moment: Watching our girl JOPLYN making her way up & up.

We’ve supported her since she was 14, & now she’s playing the biggest festivals.

ACRAZE

Dave Audé

Ferry Corsten

Murdock

DI SUN

Markus Schulz

DJ Track Star Staci

11 Joy (Anonymous), Astralwerks/Island, London Tune: Jungle’s “Back on 74.”

Accomplishment: Releasing our album, Cult Classics.

Musical Moment: We put on our own show at ADE & played B2B with Todd Edwards.

12 Mike Walter, Elite Entertainment, Tinton Falls, N.J. Tune: Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night.” Also, “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers turned 20-years old this year, & it’s never been as popular as it is now.

Accomplishment: Focusing on my health & fitness more than ever this year.

Musical Moment: Sting at Jones Beach – a perfect night.

13 DJ Track Star Staci, Scratch Event DJs, Redlands, Calif.

Tune: It’s “Last Night,” based on requests. Morgan Wallen seems to be the new Bad Bunny.

Accomplishment: Earning a standing ovation at an industry event for a seminar I gave about inclusivity in music.

Musical Moment: Getting a rave review from Nike.

14 Joe Bermudez, Mass Movement Radio, Boston Tune: Mau P’s “Drugs from Amsterdam.”

Accomplishment: I’m really proud of the music video for my song, “Love In Code.”

Musical Moment: Seeing Chris Lake & Fisher’s Hollywood Boulevard takeover in LA. 15 Nutritious, Liquid Culture, LA/NYC Tune: Peggy Gou’s “(It Goes Like) Nanana.”

Accomplishment: My EP, Blurs, with artwork designed by John Van Hamersveld.

Musical Moment: Playing Art Basel Miami with Miguel Migs & Jay-J, plus a night dancing to Inkswel & Cosmo Baker at Dante’s HiFi. 16 Christiano Jordano, Termenl Records, Miami Tune: Fred again.. x Swedish House Mafia’s “Turn On The Lights again”

Todd Terry

H.B. Monte

feat. Future.

Accomplishment: I learned how to market my music correctly.

Musical Moment: During Miami Music Week, ARTBAT b2b Argy at Strawberry Moon.

17 DI SUN, mau5trap/Drumcode, LA Tune: Teenage Mutants’ “Dark Clouds” feat. Heerhorst & Peter Pahn.

Accomplishment: I signed tracks with my two dream labels – Drumcode and mau5trap.

Musical Moment: Supporting deadmau5 at the mau5trap x Sound Nightclub residency showcase in LA. 18 H.B. Monte, Universal Music Group, NYC Tune: Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night.” It was played everywhere & remixed in almost every genre.

Accomplishment: Being featured in the NBC TV series, America’s Got Talent.

Musical Moment: Seeing DJ Craze and his Tablism routine.

19 Murdock, Rampage, Antwerp Belgium Tune: Basstripper’s “In The City.”

Accomplishment: Wrapping up my second album, ready for ’24 release.

Musical Moment: Subtronics doing a master class in bass-music DJing on the Rampage Open Air mainstage, blending dubstep, d-n-b, basshouse & more.

20 Surf Mesa, Astralwerks, LA Tune: Swedish House Mafia’s “See The Light” feat. Fridayy. The way this song feels so progressive and euphoric moves me so much.

Accomplishment: Releasing my debut EP, Come True, followed by a headline tour.

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2023

Victoria Engel

HK

Ascendant Vierge

Musical Moment: I had a stomach flu in July, but flew from LA to NYC in a middle seat to play my first headline show in Brooklyn. That was awesome. I survived.

21 Victoria Engel, 444 SERIES, Buenos Aires, Argentina Tune: Skelesys’ “Kill Me With Love.”

Accomplishment: Launching my own label, 444 SERIES, organizing its showcases & my seven-hour sets in Buenos Aires.

Musical Moment: Representing Argentina at the iconic Rock in Rio festival.

22 Emporer, Sommoned Records, Philadelphia Tune: Frankie Bones’ “Call It Techno (Carlo Lio Remix).”

Accomplishment: Finally getting my label project off the ground – excited for 2024.

Musical Moment: Definitely our label-launch event. It was super-personal and intimate.

23 Howard “HK” Kessler, In The Mix With HK, Minneapolis Tune: David Guetta & Bebe Rexha’s “I’m Good (Blue).” Perfect blend of current dance-pop production and nostalgia.

Accomplishment: Growing the size of our audience on our No.-1 rated radio mix show & our brand.

Musical Moment: Breaking the Top 15 on Mixcloud & going to No. 14 on both The Global Remix Chart & Global Open Format Chart.

24 OTR, Astralwerks, Seattle Tune: John Summit & Hayla’s “Where You Are.” It came out of nowhere and took everyone by storm.

Accomplishment: Going on tour for the first time for my album, Be Quiet, They’re Listening.

Musical Moment: Seeing Lane 8 in Denver was a memorable experience.

25 Serafin, Pitch The Tempo, St. Petersburg, Fla. Tune: Peggy Gou’s “(It Goes Like) Nanana.”

Accomplishment: Becoming a home owner.

Musical Moment: Headlining with Two Friends at Armature Works & opening up for Flo-Rida at Hard Rock.

26 Ascendant Vierge, 12 Stars, Paris/Brussels Tune: Mathilde Fernandez: Christine & The Queens’ “Tears Can Be So Soft.” Paul Orzoni: Lil Uzi Vert’s “Just Wanna Rock.”

Accomplishment: Releasing an album and being on tour for nine months, which included playing at Berghain.

Musical Moment: Performing at Solidays in Paris – the crowd was wild.

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Serafin

Boris Brejcha

27 Boris Brejcha, Fckng Serious, Gelnhausen, Germany Tune: Moritz Hofbauer’s “In A Blurry World.”

Achievement: Shooting a music video with my friends in Iceland. It was one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Musical Moment: “What Else (Espresso)” is a song I produced during Covid in 2020, but I played it for the first time in 2023.

28 Innellea, Distorted Youth, Munich, Germany Tune: Skrillex & Nai Barghouti” “XENA.” Accomplishment: Setting a date – Feb. 9 – for my debut album, The Belonging. It features some incredible artists, including Flowdan, Juan Hansen, CamelPhat & more.

Musical Moment: Erykah Badu at Forwards Bristol.

29 Black Legend, Defected/Fool’s Paradise/Positiva, Rome Tune: Cajmere feat. Dajae’s “Brighter Days (Marco Lys Remix).”

Accomplishment: Getting to work with Todd Terry on a collab release, “Move Every Muscle” on InHouse Records.

Musical Moment: Mochakk at Plaza de España, in Sevilla, Spain.

30 Ridney, Paharas Musica, Southhampton, U.K. Tune: Ten Ven’s “What About You.” Nu-disco gem with a pulsating bassline and rising pianos straight from the Future Disco crew. Bit of a secret weapon this summer, everyone’s been asking what it is.

Accomplishment: Making music without pressure and working alongside fellow producers and DJs I love & respect.

Musical Moment: The 10-year anniversary mixes of “Missing You” for Record Store Day. I was so pleased Michael Gray remixed the track and joined a stella package with Eric Kupper, Opolopo & my original mix on vinyl.

31 Ceri, Find Your Own Records, Ibiza/London Tune: Joe Smooth’s “Promised Land.” It’s a timeless classic from 1987, something which I played a few times recently. The words are very poignant at the moment.

Accomplishment: Re-launching my label, Find Your Own Records.

Musical Moment: Playing Panorama Bar/Berghain in Berlin, one of my favourite clubs in the world to play & party at. I cried & the dancers cried – it was very special and emotional.

32 DJ Shakey, Producer Dojo, NYC Tune: WBBL’s “Whole Lotta Wob,” a Led Zep d-n-b remix.

Accomplishment: Grateful to be included in the “Fractal Forest Funk Jam” at the Shambhala Festival in B. C., where I got to play rare funk 45s with the likes of Z-Trip, Skratch Bastid, Krafty Kuts – so fun!

Musical Moment: Jinx in Dub spun a set at the Boomtown Fair festival in

Ridney

Ceri

DJ Shakey

A.M.R

Love,Shaun

Miss Melera Riot Ten

Ray Volpe

the U.K. that not only melted my brain, but gave me a real vision for the kind of music I want to produce next.

33 Chris D’Amico, D’Amico Entertainment, Succasunna, N.J. Tune: Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer.”

Accomplishment: Surviving for a whopping 25 years in business.

Musical Moment: My new project/band opening the Rutgers home football games.

34 A.M.R, Monstercat, Doha, Qatar Tune: Bonobo’s “Rosewood.”

Accomplishment: Releasing my second album, Familiar Faces.

Musical Moment: Getting back into DJing & playing my music live after a long hiatus.

Sinca

Tune: I loved Cloonee’s “Fine Night” or Skrillex & Boys Noize’s “Fine Day Anthem” equally. Both have a certain magic about the way they use that sample.

Accomplishment: Signing to Astralwerks and getting the chance to work with a label who’ve worked with some of the biggest electronic acts still feels surreal.

Musical Moment: Playing my first set at a Coachella opening party with Anderson .Paak and Kaytranada.

35 Ray Volpe, Monstercat, LA Tune: Subtronics & HOL!’s “Mind Pluck.”

Accomplishment: Winning “Best New Artist” at the Electronic Dance Music Awards was absolutely unexpected & amazing!

Musical Moment: Playing Tomorrowland – one of the coolest moments of my career ever.

39 Miss Melera, Coulouizon, Amsterdam Tune: Paradokos’ “Always.”

Accomplishment: A great festival season, my first Colourizon Beach edition last summer, and the release of my track, “Jade.”

Musical Moment: Sven Väth at Akasha Ibiza, a very intimate club with the best sound system ever & trippy visuals. The musical journey Sven created was very inspiring.

36 Riot Ten, Create Music Group/Dim Mak, El Paso Tune: Infekt’s “Boundless” made a massive splash. The crowd reaction for that song is always top-tier.

Accomplishment: I bought my first home this year! I’m so beyond grateful.

Musical Moment: Launching Dog Eat Dog, my side project with Crankdat, at Bass Canyon.

40 Sinca, Anjunadeep, Montreal Tune: Amtrac & Reva DeVito’s “Contrast (Durante Remix).” A great balance of rhythm & melodies.

Accomplishment: Transitioning into a full-time music career in music & parting ways with my conventional 9-to-5 job.

Musical moment: Headlining at Stereo Montreal, one of the world’s best clubs, right in my hometown.

37 Shingo Nakamura, Monstercat, Tokyo Tune: Estiva & Jess Ball’s “Carnal Emotion.”

Accomplishment: My first time DJing in the U.S. in about 10 years.

Musical Moment: Performing in Tomorrowland. I’ll never forget the sight I saw from the stage.

41 Olivier Weiter, Einmusika, Amsterdam Tune: Eelke Kleijn’s “Transmission (Joris Voorn Remix).”

Accomplishment: Getting back on track after a very intense & difficult period in my career because of the pandemic.

Musical Moment: Sven Väth at Akasha Ibiza for the Cocoon closing party in September. Pure craftsmanship.

38 Love,Shaun, Astralwerks, Glasgow, Scotland VOL.3 NO.6

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MicFreak

Chris Washburn

Two Friends

42 MicFreak, QU3/Quantize Recordings, Baltimore Tune: Makèz & Life On Planets’ “Downstream.”

Accomplishment: Helping other artists grow on our label, QU3.

Musical Moment: I got to tour & play for people in different parts of the world.

43 Chris Washburn, Washburn Entertainment, Ithaca, N.Y. Tune: Most Taylor Swift songs. Huge resurgence and major impact on so many dancefloors.

Accomplishment: Earning the opportunity to DJ New Years Eve at Disney World.

Musical Moment: Being the onstage DJ for Hayden Christensen and the “Back to the Future” cast at a ComicCon. 44 Two Friends, SALXCO, LA Tune: Matt Halper: BUNT.’s “Clouds” feat. Nate Traveller. Eli Sones: Knock2’s “dashstar*.”

Accomplishment: Debuting our Planet Two Friends tour at Coachella in April & then bringing it all around North America over the next few months was an absolute dream come true.

Musical Moment: Laszewo put on an epic show in LA recently. We brought them on our tour last year & it’s been amazing watching them grow so much.

45 Cosmic Boys, Legend, Montpellier, France Tune: Teenage Mutants’ “Dark Clouds” feat. Heerhorst & Peter Pahn.

Accomplishment: We are very honored to have made an official remix of the legendary track “Café Del Mar” by Energy 52 – an incredible experience.

Musical Moment: Seeing Hanz Zimmer in concert. We took a real emotional hit. Seeing him play live with his orchestra was an extraordinary moment.

Samstone

DJ Flex

Musical Moment: We played B2B in Amsterdam with Brian Tappert, one of our favorite DJs & most of all, a dear friend.

48 DJ Flex, 88 Productions, Newark, N.J. Tune: Rema’s “Calm Down” because it is the first Afrobeat song to hit 1 billion streams in ’23.

Accomplishment: Releasing my single “Odo,” which is short for odoyewu, meaning “love of life in all its various forms” in West African Twi. Musical Moment: Seeing crowds at all kinds of different events being captivated by my song, “Meliza.”

49 Mija, Never B Alone, LA Tune: Brutalismus 3000’s “Romantika.”

Accomplishment: Entering my producer era, dropping more music in one year than I ever have before & getting to perform it all on tour.

Musical Moment: Watching James Blake perform his latest EDM album at the Hollywood Cemetery, being inspired as hell & dancing my ass off.

50 Juheun, Tronic Records, Phoenix Tune: Len Faki’s “Sexuality (My Reality)” always sets the dancefloor on fire.

Accomplishment: Putting more focus on our local scene with our event company, Circuit, and throwing over 25 events this year in Phoenix.

Musical Moment: My Central America debut and performing live for the first time in Panama City, Panama.

51 Enamour, Various, LA Tune: &ME’s “L.I.F.E.” Accomplishment: My official remix of RY X’s “A Thousand Knives” as the lead single for his remix album.

Musical Moment: DJing at EDC Vegas.

46 Samstone, RCA, Loughborough, U.K. Tune: Songer & K Motionz’s “Vino Bandit.”

Accomplishment: Signing with RCA Records U.K. Musical Moment: Collaborating with Aktive & The Cardigans on “My Favourite Game” was something I thoroughly enjoyed this year. The track will be released in early ’24.

52 Tim Engelhardt, Lifeforms/Scenarios, Cologne, Germany Tune: Rex The Dog’s “Change This Pain For Ecstasy.”

Accomplishment: I doubled the output that I had in ’22 & finished even more amazing music for next year, in between doing shows.

Musical Moment: Playing in Buenos Aires – the crowd & energy is always unmatched in Argentina.

47 Re-Tide, Re-Tide Music, Rome Tune: Donna Allen’s “Serious (Michael Gray’s Remix).” We played it a lot on our radio show.

Accomplishment: Our song with Lukas Setto, “Me & You,” is currently being played on Radio Deejay, one of the best radio stations in Italy with about 5 million listeners daily.

53 SIPPY, Monstercat, LA Tune: Skrillex, Fred again.. & Flowdan’s “Rumble.”

Accomplishment: Hosting a sold-out Ableton/music production workshop in Denver. It’s the first one I have done in America and helping/ teaching others was one of my favorite things to do.

Musical Moment: Playing Hard Summer & seeing how much my crowd

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Nikki Nair

Mistier

Juheun

Tim Engelhardt SIPPY

Noana Sara Simms

Jack Kelly

had grown since I first played there when I first moved to the U.S. in ’21.

54 HNTR, mau5trap, Toronto Tune: Hard to think of a bigger one than Kx5’s “Escape” feat. Hayla.

Accomplishment: Going B2B with Testpilot – that’s bucket-list stuff right there.

Musical Moment: While on tour with Eli Brown in Vancouver, we hit up one of my favorite afterhours to play, Gorgomish. But we just went as fans & got to really experience what it’s like on the other side of the decks.

55 RayRay, mau5trap, Taipei, Taiwan Tune: Skrillex’s Quest For Fire album.

Accomplishment: I finished my Unearthly World deluxe album, signed with US-based Spin Artists Agency & started touring in the USA working with mau5trap.

Musical Moment: ADE week this year because I got to play eight shows in four days & hang out & enjoy other artists’ sets.

56 Nikki Nair, Future Classic/Warp, Atlanta Tune: DJ Swisha’s “Club Megamixxx.”

Accomplishment: I beat Hudson Mohawke at Chess – I also lost a bunch of times.

Musical Moment: My set at Horst Arts & Music Festival in Belgium.

57 Adam Griffin, Perfect Havoc, London Tune: Jazzy’s “NRG.” Just a divine slice of musical pie.

Accomplishment: Hosting the 103 at Ministry of Sound with our Perfect Havoc night & DJing to a packed crowd.

Musical Moment: Playing a vinyl set at the reimagined new Cross nightclub for a Perfect Havoc party with 300 industry friends & fans. The shots-for-all was quite a moment.

58 Sara Simms, Simmetry Sounds, Toronto Tune: Eli Brown’ s “Be The One.” Accomplishment: My release, “Regenerate,” a collab with Adam James on my label.

Rony Rex

Musical Moment: When Simina Grigoriu invited me to perform with her at Ushuaïa during her set at the ANTS party.

59 Jack Kelly, Perfect Havoc, Belfast Tune: Sammy Virji’s “If U Need It.” A must-play banger.

Accomplishment: Getting a record signed to Selected, for sure.

Musical Moment: Playing at Ministry Of Sound with my Perfect Havoc Family was a night I’ll never forget.

60 Mistier, Mistier Music, NYC Tune: Tinlicker’s “All That I Lost.”

Acomplishment: After a while of hibernation to raise young kids, my first releases in a few years.

Musical Moment: Black Coffee at Madison Square Garden.

61 Noana, Youth Control, Helsinki Tune: deadmau5 & Kaskade’s “I Remember (John Summit Remix).”

Accomplishment: I finally got to do my debut releases for my solo artist project Noana.

Musical Moment: Arranging this amazing private “festival” named Hästfest – Swedish for “horse party” – where I played a set with some of my favorite tunes. The response was heartwarming.

62 Rony Rex, Youth Control, Helsinki Tune: Hudson Mohawke & Nikki Nair’s “Set The Roof” feat. Tayla Parx.

Works like a charm on a festival stage & in the club.

Accomplishment of 2023: I celebrated my 10-year anniversary as Rony Rex – to be a decade in as an independent artist feels special.

Musical Moment: The 10-year party we threw in Helsinki.

63 Rony Seikaly, Stride Records, Miami Tune: SIS’ “Chan Chan,” a record I’ve played all summer long to VOL.3 NO.6

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2023

Cristoph

Lauren Mayhew

Seth N’ Sound

dancefloors around the world and the 50th Stride release.

Accomplishment: Playing for Circoloco on the DC10 terrace.

Musical Moment: Hearing PAWSA play. I had never heard him play before, and he really surprised me. Very talented selector.

64 Smok, Youth Control, Oulu, Finland Tune: Netsky’s“Everybody Loves the Sunshine” feat. Chantal Kashala & Daddy Waku.

Accomplishment: My latest, “Desire,” with Sophie Marie.

Musical Moment: The ADE parties from Hospital Records and Toytonic – pure awesomeness.

65 Cristoph, Anjunadeep, Chicago Tune: &ME & Black Coffee’s “Rapture Part III.” Accomplishment: My six-week “Open To Close” tour of North America.

Musical Moment: Selling out Coda Toronto in under 30 minutes & my support sets for HOLO NYC Shows.

66 Lauren “Lolo” Mayhew, Next Level Brands, Tampa Tune: David Guetta & Bebe Rexha’s “I’m Good (Blue)” made a huge impact.

Accomplishment: Touring as the celebrity DJ for Virgin Voyages.

Musical Moment: Headlining a sold-out Halloween show for INVY Nightclub in Indianapolis.

67 Lost Prince, Axtone/Palace Records, Athens, Greece Tune: Argy & Goom Gum’s “Pantheon.”

Accomplishment: Being able to play out my new singles at dark & dirty clubs.

Musical Moment: I have a feeling it might be coming right before the new year.

68 Blanke, Monstercat, Denver Tune: Chase & Status & Bou’s “Baddadan” feat. IRAH, Flowdan, Trigga & Takura.

Accomplishment: Starting the full separation of my d-n-b side project ÆON:MODE by releasing a collab with Metrik.

Musical Moment: My first sold-out headline show in LAs where I played both Blanke & ÆON:MODE sets in one night.

69 Seth N’ Sound, Mind of a Genius/Atlantic, Austin Tune: Calvin Harris & Ellie Goulding’s “Miracle.” This song shifted the landscape for producers to explore.

Accomplishment: Receiving videos of people enjoying my songs from all over the world is definitely my favorite thing.

Musical Moment: Skrillex, Fred again.. & Four Tet subbing for Frank Ocean 30

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Lost Prince

Shogun

at Coachella was 100-percent the greatest EDM moment of the year.

70 Shogun, Neo Tokyo Records, Tokyo Tune: Gorillaz’s “Fools Gold (Dom Dolla Remix)” feat. Tame Impala & Bootie Brown.

Accomplishment: Achieving 572 million Spotify streams.

Musical Moment: DJing in Taipei again.

71 DC Salas, Live At Robert Johnson, Brussels Tune: Midnight’s “Match Box” feat. Elif Murat.

Accomplishment: Traveling & meeting new people, thanks to my music.

Musical Moment: Every gig of my Fuse residency & Rosalia’s performance at Werchter Festival this summer.

72 Jennifer Loveless, Butter Sessions, Berlin Tune: BASHKKA’s “Act Bad.” Accomplishment: Relocating Australia to Berlin & releasing my most vocal track to date, “Pleasure.”

Musical Moment: Closing Golden Plains Fest in Australia & playing Horst Music & Arts Fest in Belgium.

73 John Newman, Tomorrowland Music, London Tune: Swedish House Mafia’s “Ray of Solar.”

Accomplishment: I’ve honed my hybrid-DJ-&-live-vocals set into an experience that I’m really proud of.

Musical Moment: Making my Tomorrowland mainstage debut was a bucket-list moment for me.

74 AVAION, Sony Music, Berlin Tune: Fred again..’s “adore u.”

Accomplishment: I’m super-proud of how my sound & style has continued to develop.

Musical Moment: When I started my own Boiler Room-style “For The Vibes” party/livestream set in my hometown & it went crazy!

75 Axel Haube, Zamna Records, Malines, Belgium Tune: Kevin de Vries & Mau P’s “Metro.”

Accomplishment: Playing in 16 countries over three continents & having seven releases in ’23.

Musical Moment: Playing at Afterlife on Tomorrowland.

76 Dr. Fresch, House Call Records, LA Tune: Space Laces’ “Dominate” helped lead the charge to bring bass house more into focus.

Accomplishment: I had my biggest tour this year, working with some of my favorite artists in bass house & some of the most talented individuals

DC Salas

Dr. Fresch

Tara Brooks

CHLOÉ Illexxandra

DJ Eyecon

Bass Physics

DJ Godfather

behind the scenes to produce these shows, too.

Musical Moment: DJing an immersive set at Shrine LA was insane.

77 Tinlicker, PIAS, Utrecht, Netherlands Tune: The Smile’s “Wall of Eyes.” I’m just a sucker for Tom Yorke & Jonny Greenwood & how they keep reinventing themselves.

Accomplishment: Opening ADE with the Metropole Orchestra & being able to see it afterward on national television, while sitting on my couch wearing a bathrobe was a beautiful moment.

Musical Moment: Saw Bruce Springsteen live for the first time. This was a nice nostalgic moment & seeing them play for three hours, giving it their all, after all those years was inspirational.

78 DJ Godfather, Databass Records, Detroit Tune: The Exaltics & Paris The Black Fu’s “Wea Poni Zadin Form Ation.”

Accomplishment: Releasing more tracks than anyone I know.

Musical Moment: Me, Aux 88 & Egyptian Lover on one line-up, back-toback – magical night!

79 Sam Skilz, GaGa Records, Luxembourg Tune: Anyma & Chris Avantgarde’s “Eternity” was truly engaging.

Accomplishment: It was an exciting year at Skilz DJ Academy. I got to help the music world grow by teaching new artists & having a say in how electronic music is evolving.

Musical Moment: The eruption of cheers at the Mysteryland festival this summer profoundly moved me.

80 CHLOÉ, Lumière Noire Records, Paris Tune: Tirzah’s “No Limit.”

Accomplishment: Being part of a unique, immersive installation called ANIMA. Musical Moment: Joining the beautiful Queer Ranch Festival on the Greek island of Lesbos.

81 Bass Physics, Independent, Denver Tune: MPORT’s “The Jiggler.”

Accomplishment: Opening for Illenium at Mission Ballroom.

Disco Fries

Musical Moment: Playing my new album at Ember Shores in Mexico.

82 Tara Brooks, Bedrock Records, LA Tune: DJ Seinfeld & Confidence Man’s “Now U Do.” Accomplishment: Remixing Motorcyle’s legendary hit, “As The Rush Comes.”

Musical Moment: Playing my new tune “Kaisers” at OK Cool, the Movement Detroit afterparty.

83 Disco Fries, Liftoff Recordings, New Jersey/Virginia Tune: Skrillex, Fred again.. & Flowdan’s “Rumble.”

Accomplishment: Had our first radio No. 1 on our label with Lena Leon’s “Spiral” & hit the Billboard Year End Chart with both “Spiral” & our single “Pieces” w/ VASSY & Bingo Players.

Musical Moment: Oscar G during Miami Music Week & releasing “Love You Loud,” a collab with Ferry Corsten.

84 Illexxandra, Producer Dojo, NYC Tune: Karma Kid’s “CrushDancing” or Sam Smith & Kim Petras’ “Unholy.”

Accomplishment: Being in charge of recording all the emergency announcements for the radio station at Burning Man, during the famous floods this year.

Musical Moment: Cypress Hill at Boomtown fest in the U.K. 85 DJ Eyecon, Direct Music Service, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Tune: Coi Leray’s “Players.” Super-popular song that’s fun to play & brings generations together.

Accomplishment: Expanding my brand by producing exclusively for DMS. Musical Moment: A 600-guest show we did – the entire crowd singing to my edits. Felt amazing.

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JSTJR

Nitefreak

Keys N Krates

86 DJ HAPA, TheDJCoach.com, LA Tune: JVKE’s “Golden Hour.” For the kids.

Accomplishment: Getting our classroom method, Start to DJ, off the ground & empowering students throughout the country.

Musical Moment: Being a part of an initiative with one of my students, Kazami, & Pioneer DJ to help get DJs in Maui replacement gear for what they lost in the fires.

87 Samantha Michelle, The Kagency, NYC Tune: Matt Anderson’s remix of “Courage, My Soul.” It’s a call for resilience, a reminder to keep the faith.

Accomplishment: I got invited back onto Duran Duran/Nile Rodgers’ tour to open for them in my hometown, Toronto.

Musical Moment: I played the closing party for Berlin Science Week on this incredible stage, with epic installation art & a whole cast of dancers & burlesque performers – a wild, immersive experience.

BEC

bringing out some of the biggest names in dance music.

Musical Moment: Will Clark’s late-night set on EDSea. 94 Nostalgix, Monstercat, LA Tune: Knock2’s “dashstar*,” really unique.

Accomplishment: Building out my “Star City” EP, out in ’24.

Musical Moment: Performing at EDC Las Vegas Opening Ceremony.

95 Showtek, Skink Records, LA/NYC Tune: Swedish House Mafia’s “Ray Solar (Tiësto Remix)” Accomplishment: Launching our album, 360 Yellow.

Musical Moment: Our hardstyle show return at Qlimax in Holland.

88 Dirtyphonics, Monstercat, LA Tune: Chase & Status & Bou’s “Baddadan” feat. IRAH, Flowdan, Trigga & Takura.

Accomplishment: Writing & announcing the release of our sophomore album, 10 years after the first one.

Musical Moment: Closing the mainstage at Rampage Open Air.

96 Maddy O’Neal, Mammoth Music Group, Denver Tune: Skrillex, Missy Elliott & Mr. Oizo’s “Ratata.”

Accomplishment: Played two of my dream festivals, Coachella and Bonnaroo.

Musical Moment: The return of Pretty Lights band.

89 Keys N Krates, Last Gang/MNRK, Toronto Tune: Barry Can’t Swim’s “Deadbeat Gospel.”

Tune: Releasing our In:Tension album – definitely our most thoughtful & fun work.

Musical Moment: Playing “Higher” in front of 5,000 people in Calgary for the first time ever & watching them go insane.

97 Sam Divine, Defected Records, London Tune: Butch & Nic Fanciulli’s “I Want You.” Accomplishment: Getting back in the studio & making music I love again with no pressure or agenda.

Musical Moment: Fat Tony for Glitterbox at Glastonbury’s Greenpeace Field – very special.

90 Nitefreak, Deep Root, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe Tune: Alex Wann’s “Milkshake.”

Accomplishment: I had my first tour in four different continents.

Musical Moment: Hearing people sing along to “Ode Ireti (Nitefreak Remix).”

98 Walker & Royce, Dirtybird Records, LA Tune: DJ Glen & Luke Andy’s “2 Tha Moon.”

Accomplishment: Our “Just What the World Needs” tour.

Musical Moment: Dropping “Stop Time,” our collab with Glass Petals & Elohim, at Shrine LA.

91 Tim Clark, Coldharbour Recordings, Las Vegas Tune: FOVOS’ “Lollipop.”

Accomplishment: Being nominated Best New Artist at the EDMAs ’24.

Musical Moment: Playing EDC Orlando.

99 BEC, Trip/Filth On Acid/Factory 93, Berlin Tune: Dispar Vulgo’s “Daydreams of a Megalomaniac.”

Accomplishment: Finding a new direction in my sound & touring to new territories.

Musical Moment: Seeing the dancefloor fill up for my set at Awakenings Summer festival.

92 Wolfgang Gartner, Dim Mak, LA Tune: Tony Romera’s “MS69.”

Accomplishment: Finishing an album without throwing my computer off the Santa Monica Pier.

Musical Moment: The meteoric rise of Knock2.

93 JSTJR, Dim Mak, LA Tune: Aphøtic’s “Thalassophobia.”

Accomplishment: Throwing my party “Group Chat” in LA every month 32

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100 Sharam, Yoshitoshi, Washington, D.C. Tune: Francis Mercier, Nitefreak & Idd Aziz: “Kamili.”

Accomplishment: Limiting my gigs & focusing on making two albums – coming in ’24 along with a tour.

Musical Moment: Burning Man – two incredible shows at Sonic Soul Tribe & Distrikt to an impromptu B2B techno set with Dolls Kill founder Shoddy Lynn knee-deep in the mud.

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For many marketing professionals, managers, directors, and CMO’s, the end of the year marks a pivotal moment for reflection, evaluation, and strategic planning. It’s an opportune time to assess the performance of your marketing initiatives, draw insights from key metrics, and lay the groundwork for a successful year ahead. As a small business, you might not have a marketing professional on your staff. You might also be a solo-op DJ business and you must do everything entirely yourself when it comes to properly marketing your brand and services.

Let’s explore and discuss the essential steps you should take to close out 2023 on a high note and position your marketing efforts for success in the new year, focusing on both metrics analysis and strategic planning.

Inside Position

Start Planning Your 2024 Marketing Strategy & Avoid Analysis Paralysis

By Joshua Volpe

Closing Out the Year: Metrics Analysis 1. Comprehensive Metrics Review Begin your year-end process by conducting a comprehensive review of your marketing metrics. Dive into key performance indicators (KPIs) such as website traffic, conversion rates, social media engagement, and lead generation. Analyze which channels and campaigns performed exceptionally well and identify those that may need improvement.

2. ROI Analysis Evaluate the return on investment (ROI) for each marketing campaign.

Assess not only the financial outcomes, but also the alignment of the campaigns with overall business goals. Understanding the ROI of each initiative provides invaluable insights into where your marketing dollars are best spent.

3. Client Feedback & Satisfaction Don’t overlook the qualitative aspects of your marketing efforts. Collect and analyze client feedback, reviews, and satisfaction surveys. Understand the sentiment around your brand and services. Positive feedback highlights your strengths, while constructive criticism serves as a guide for improvement.

4. Competitor Analysis Gain a comprehensive understanding of your competitive landscape.

Evaluate the marketing strategies employed by your competitors, identify industry trends, and assess where your company stands in comparison.

This analysis helps you identify opportunities and potential areas for differentiation.

5. Budget Assessment Review your marketing budget allocation and expenditure throughout the year. Assess the effectiveness of your budget distribution across various channels and campaigns. Ensure that your budget aligns with your business objectives and that there’s room for adjustments in the upcoming year.

6. Data Security & Compliance Ensure that your data collection and storage practices are compliant with relevant regulations. Review your data security measures and make any necessary updates to safeguard customer information. Compliance not only protects your brand but also builds trust with your audience.

7. Technology Stack Evaluation Assess the effectiveness and efficiency of your marketing technology stack. Ensure that your tools and platforms are integrated seamlessly and consider if there are new technologies that could enhance your marketing capabilities in the coming year.

Preparing for the New Year: Strategic Planning 1. Setting Clear Objectives Start the new year with a set of well-defined marketing objectives aligned with the overall business goals. Whether it’s increasing brand awareness, expanding market share, or launching a new service, clarity in objectives provides a roadmap for your marketing efforts.

2. Audience Persona Refinement Refine and update your audience personas based on the insights gathered throughout the year. Understand the evolving needs and preferences of your target audience to tailor your messaging and campaigns effectively.

3. Content Strategy Development Craft a robust content strategy that aligns with your marketing objectives. Plan content that resonates with your audience, leverages SEO opportunities, and aligns with current industry trends. Consider various content formats, including blog posts, videos, and interactive content.

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Develop integrated marketing campaigns that span multiple channels. Ensure consistency in messaging and branding across platforms, creating a cohesive brand experience for your audience. Integrate both online and offline channels for a holistic marketing approach.

5. Social-Media Planning & Engagement Review your social-media strategy and plan for increased engagement in the new year. Leverage social media analytics to identify the most effective platforms for your audience. Consider new trends and features on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, Threads, YouTube, and LinkedIn to enhance your social media presence.

“Embrace the opportunities for innovation, stay attuned to industry trends, and approach the new year with a proactive and adaptable mindset.”

6. SEO & Website Optimization Optimize your website and content for search engines. Conduct an SEO audit to identify areas for improvement and ensure that your website provides a seamless user experience. Stay informed about search engine algorithm updates and adjust your strategy accordingly.

7. Email Marketing Strategy Refine your email marketing strategy based on the performance of past campaigns. Segment your email lists for targeted communication, personalize content, and leverage automation for efficiency. Prioritize building and nurturing relationships with your email subscribers.

8. Innovative Campaign Ideas Explore innovative campaign ideas that resonate with your audience. Consider interactive campaigns, user-generated content initiatives, or partnerships. Creativity and novelty can capture audience attention and set your brand apart.

9. Adaptability and Crisis Planning Given the dynamic nature of most business environments, incorporate adaptability into your marketing strategy. Develop crisis response plans and strategies to navigate unforeseen challenges effectively.

Conclusion Closing out 2023 and preparing for 2024 requires a blend of analytical rigor and strategic foresight. By diligently reviewing key metrics, identifying successes and areas for improvement, and aligning your strategies with overarching business goals, you position your marketing efforts for sustained success in the coming year as a DJ. Embrace the opportunities for innovation, stay attuned to industry trends, and approach the new year with a proactive and adaptable mindset. As the curtains draw on 2023, set the stage for a new chapter of marketing excellence and brand growth in the year ahead. Until next time friends, take care of yourselves!

Joshua Volpe is the owner of Kalifornia Entertainment in Rochester, N.Y. VOL.3 NO.6

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Scenes from XS Nightclub at Encore Las Vegas Images from Wynn Las Vegas

Cryo & Fire: XS Nightclub sets it off.

Sin City Spectacular Las Vegas – In recent years, Sin City has vaulted to the top of the EDM world with a panoply of spectacular venues along its famous strip. And inside the Wynn Las Vegas luxury resort and casino sits XS Nightclub, one of America’s most prominent hotspots.

Featuring a list of residents and regular performers that includes Diplo, Dillon Francis, Marshmello, and more, XS presents clubland’s biggest-drawing DJs and leaves fans awed by its mesmerizing system of sound, lights and effects. The XS sound system is comprised of a custom Fulcrum Acoustic speaker system, designed specifically for the nightclub, and it’s powered by Crown MacroTech amplifiers and processed by BSS Audio/Soundweb London.

Additionally, the indoor/outdoor venue does full-flame pyrotechnics and CO2/cryogenic shows off its roof. XS also recently added a giant LED screen mapping above the DJ booth (facing the exterior pool area), which provides live feeds of the DJ performance. It all looks like this:

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Power of 3: Swedish House Mafia in action.

Cowboy Wes: Diplo a-whompin’ & a-stompin’.

Joytime: Marshmello with his Vegas friends.

Happy Machine: Dillon Francis in the mix.

Body Back: Gryffin climbs atop the mixer.

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The Chainsmokers: The duo with summertime friends.

Hands Up: Party time at XS.

PLAYBACK

Versatility & Portability:

NUMARK MIXSTREAM PRO GO

By DJ Deets

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Swiss Army knives are known around the world for their versatility. They feature all manner of handy tools.

They’ve become so famous that the very term has been used to describe almost anything that is versatile and immensely capable in a number of different situations.

Could the new Numark Mixstream Pro Go be the Swiss Army Knife of all-in-one DJ controllers? Let’s investigate.

The Basics: The Mixstream Pro Go ($839 MSRP) is a battery-powered 2-channel, all-in-one DJ controller with quite a few tricks up its sleeve. It is a revised version of Numark’s Mixstream all-in-one unit that was released a few years ago. The major change is the inclusion of a rechargeable battery for added portability.

Carried over from the original Mixstream are a big 7-inch touchscreen at the center and the two built-in speakers at the front of the unit. The speakers sound pretty good and get decently loud, but I probably wouldn’t use them for anything more than a small intimate gathering with a couple of friends.

The main focus of these speakers seems to be for DJs to hear themselves mix, as opposed to using them to fill a room with sound – this becomes especially apparent considering they’re at the front of the unit and face the DJ directly. In situations where there are external speakers, I could envision the built-in speakers being used as booth monitors, given their level is controlled separately from the main master output.

Layout & Feel: Hardware-wise, the Mixstream Pro Go feels a lot like other Numark controllers, including the Mixtrack and NS4FX. There are two identical deck sections with a 2-channel mixer in the middle. Each deck section has a 6-inch, touch-sensitive jogwheel, which feels good and has a buttery-smooth feel. Below the jogwheels are four performance pads, which can trigger hot cues, pre-saved loops, auto loops, and loop rolls.

Next to the pads are the pitch faders. They are quite small, but feature a click on center. I can forgive Numark for making them small, given everything that had to fit on the unit. Above the left jogwheel are the headphone controls, and above the right jogwheel are controls for the main output and the front speakers.

Also on each deck section are combo high/lowpass filter knobs. I’m used to seeing filter knobs located just below the EQ controls, so having them above the jogwheels did take some adjustment at first. After a few practice sessions, however, using them became pretty easy. I was also worried I would accidentally press the touch screen while using the filter knobs, but I never found that to be a problem.

The 2-channel mixer section lives in the center, just below the main touchscreen. The upfaders and crossfader are not the greatest ever fitted to a controller, but I certainly have no complaints. The crossfader curve can be adjusted within the settings menu via the screen. The EQ knobs have a nice, rubberized feel to them and are adjacent to the faders.

Also making an appearance on the mixer section are paddle-triggered effects, and I’m glad to see them here. Pulling the spring-loaded paddle down temporarily

activates an effect, and pushing it upward locks the effect until the paddle is moved again. There are four effects in the center: echo, flanger, delay, and phaser. The intensity and timing of any selected effect are both controlled on the screen.

On the front of the unit, there are two sizes of headphone jacks (1/8-inch and ¼-inch) and a ¼-inch TRS connection for a microphone. A level knob for the microphone is also on the front. On the back, there are master outputs on both XLR and RCA outputs. External media sources can be plugged in via two USB ports or an SD card slot on the back panel.

Software & Connections: Tracks can be pre-prepared using the free-to-download Engine DJ software. This software is shared with Denon DJ hardware, such as the Prime series players. There’s also a USB Type-B port, which can allow users to connect the device to a computer. The Mixstream Pro Go currently supports Serato DJ Lite and can work with Serato DJ with a paid upgrade.

Lastly, on the back, there’s a connection for the included power/charging cable and the on-off button. In my testing, I found the on-off button to be a little bit overlysensitive. Thankfully, screen prompts are used to prevent users from accidentally turning the unit on or off. For instance, you have to hold your finger on the center of the screen for a few seconds to turn the unit on and you can’t turn the device off without confirming on the screen.

The Screens: Now, let’s talk about these screens. Any-

Still the one.

one who’s used the previous-generation Mixstream or Denon DJ’s Prime Go will feel immediately at home, given the shared operating system. That being said, I found the screens to be super easy-to-learn and navigate with just a little bit of practice.

The main view shows vertical waveforms for each channel with a center section devoted to track browsing. Tracks can be loaded from physical drives connected to the device or streamed via wi-fi from several streaming sources (Beatport, Beatsource, Tidal, and Amazon Music – a subscription is needed) or directly from a DJ’s own Dropbox account. The screen also allows DJs to tweak a ton of different playback parameters, including pitch range, quantization, whether you can load a new track on a deck that already has a track playing, and whether you want slip mode (called smart scratch) automatically turned on.

The screen also facilitates control of Engine Lighting.

Namely, the unit can wirelessly connect to Philips Hue or Nanoleaf smart-lighting products and control compatible lighting hardware directly from the screens. Engine Lighting even unlocks control of DMX-based lighting and effects directly from the touch screen as well, with on-screen controls for color, position, and effects.

Conclusions: At just over $800, the Mixstream Pro Go is a very compelling all-in-one DJ solution. I could see this device being used by DJs who have to play for gatherings of family and friends. There’s the big advantage of not having to bring a laptop (or even speakers in some cases).

Even after a decade since their introduction, the K Family of loudspeakers, subwoofers and line arrays continues to be the standard for performance, quality, reliability and real, lasting value. With well over a million sold (and counting), it’s the world’s most beloved loudspeaker line.

Visit qsc.com/k.2 to learn more.

©2023 QSC, LLC. All Rights Reserved. QSC, LLC’s trademarks include but are not limited to QSC® and all trademarks are listed at qsc.com/trademarks, some of which are registered in the U.S. and/or other countries. Patents may apply or be pending.

STUDIO SESSIONS

Powerful:

AVID’S Pro Tools Sketch

By Wesley King Something occurred to me recently as I was working my way through some of the software and hardware that’s in my home studio. It’s a thought that’s both overly simplistic, but also, I believe, a very powerful statement about the otherwise complex times we live in: At no time in music history has it been easier to create, record, and distribute music.

It’s a perspective that comes from occupying my space on the planet for an extended period (to put it artfully), and it’s something that’s probably taken for granted by many readers. But the past few decades have brought about a huge shift in the balance of power in the broader music industry, and I think we can credit one particular source for that shift: the emergence of Digital Audio Workstation, or DAW software. It is this software, and the ability to put so much power in the hands of the individual, that still leaves me a little awestruck when I remember “the before times” when getting your music to fans involved a fairly standard, well-worn path involving record labels, professional recording studios, producers, engineers, and more.

One DAW, in particular, was among the very first of its kind, and it’s one that dominates the market today: Avid’s Pro Tools. Alongside Logic Pro, Ableton Live, FL Studio, and many others, Pro Tools brings an ever-increasing array of capabilities to aspiring artists and producers, all the way up to working professional producers and engineers, and everyone in between.

But, by many measures, Pro Tools leads the crowded pack when it comes to DAWs, attributable to its longevity, wide use across myriad audio production use cases, and extensive feature set, among other factors. And after abandoning so-called “waterfall” releases clear back in 2015 (meaning periodic, major new releases vs. fast, more incremental

Sketch Window: Work out ideas anywhere.

ones), Avid has continued to be busy on the innovation front, releasing as many as six incremental updates each year, and clearly working to remain competitive with any newcomers.

Shifting from traditional, long-cycle, waterfall-style releases was more than a software development change for the company, it was also a business-model change — one that many other companies, both inside and outside of music, have adopted. I’m openly not a fan of subscription-based software in most cases. It’s often spun as a user benefit, but the real benefit isn’t to the user, it’s to the companies offering them; regular cash flow (via regularly paid subscriptions) makes it easier to profitably run a software business, which I can grudgingly understand.

I’m clearly not the only one pushing back against more subscriptions, and this year, Avid clearly took that to heart after a period of offering only subscription access to Pro Tools.

While the company still leads with a subscription model for the software, the company also once again offers it through traditional channels, with a traditional perpetual-licensing model. That means users do have the option of spending money once, getting access to updates for a period, and then the user can choose to renew access to upgrades and updates after that as they choose. If you don’t pay, you can keep using your software; if you want new features, you pay for software maintenance once again.

That model aside, to their credit, Avid’s tiered approach to their Pro Tools subscriptions will make that path palatable for many. New customers can get started for as little as $9.99 per month, or $99 per year; that’s not bad. And updates multiple times a year keep the benefits rolling in.

What’s New? Beyond the re-expanded licensing models for the software, Avid has rolled out a number of innovations in Pro Tools in 2023, and Sketch is one of the most interesting. Sketch is both a window inside of Pro Tools, as well as an app for use on Apple iPad tablets. The concept is inspired, no doubt, by its competition, who’ve offered similar functionality in the recent past, but it’s a powerful addition to music-production workflows. You can use the Sketch app anywhere you are

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with your iPad, and as the name suggests, sketch out musical ideas in a non-linear fashion, from the comfort of your couch — or anywhere else that’s arguably often more creatively inspiring than sitting in front of a computer under the dimmed lighting of your home studio. Sketch projects move easily to the full version of Pro Tools on the desktop, and all the tiers of Pro Tools support the workflow.

Moreover, numerous “quality-of-life” improvements have been made in Pro Tools over the course of the year. Among them is the ability to re-order plug-ins, and to add track markers — the latter being a pretty useful tool when working on projects. I find them invaluable to mark out the song structure of my tracks (where verses, choruses, breakdowns, bridges, and the like start), so having them now in Pro Tools is a big workflow benefit.

For Apple devotees like me, Avid introduced native Apple silicon support for that company’s newer machines with M1, M2, and soon enough, M3 processors. (Just in time, too, as I just updated my own home studio with a M2 Pro-based Mac.) Perhaps also Apple-inspired, Avid added support for AAC (M4A) files, on both import and export, something else I personally appreciate.

Finally, there’s a long list of other, smaller enhancements like improvements to the software’s already highly regarded automation; numerous improvements to multi-channel surround mixing; and the ability to export a selected range of a project — some of which depend on the more advanced (and costly) versions of the software.

Why Use Pro Tools?

With so many DAWs available today, and with all the major players in the space playing leapfrog (feature-wise) on a regular basis, it can be a little difficult to choose one if you’re new to music production.

For me, much of it comes down to how much the inter-

face resonates when you use it, and whether that fosters investing the time needed to really get to know the software inside and out.

Thankfully, the price of admission with Pro Tools on that front is quite low: namely, free. Avid’s Pro Tools Intro will get you started, and is just a download away, and if you like what you see, the Artist version can be had for as little as $10 a month (OK, technically, $9.99), whenever you feel that you want to get serious about your projects. If you find yourself outgrowing that? Well, the Studio and Ultimate versions await as your skills, needs, and budgets increase, and both bring extra capacity and extra features (like mixing Dolby Atmos tracks if you want to play alongside the big boys and girls, as Apple, with its Apple Music service and myriad devices, continues to scream loudly from the hilltops about the benefits of immersive audio).

Conclusions If you already use a modern, leading DAW other than Pro Tools, it’s a little tough for me to sincerely suggest changing gears. But for those just starting out, or those who are already accustomed to Avid’s powerful platform for music creation and production, but perhaps opted out of the upgrade cycles? Well, the company continues to demonstrate its commitment to the product with its continuous improvement and regular cadence of both bug fixes and compelling feature enhancements that continue to make it a top contender — just as it has been for years.

In addition, the company demonstrates that it does listen to its users, by ensuring that (once again) you can choose between subscription and perpetual licensing of the software. Subscriptions begin at $9.99 per month ($99 per year), and go up to $99 per month ($599 per year) for the featureheavy Pro Tools Ultimate; special, educational pricing is available to those who qualify.

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MOBILE DJ PROFILE

Accidental DJ Becomes

MULTI-OP ALLSTAR

By Joshua Volpe

Toms River, N.J. – Ask Gregg Alfonso from Allstar Entertainment DJs how he got started in the business and he’ll tell you it was trial by fire.

He had been working for a multi-op in his South Jersey hometown of Toms River, when the owner died suddenly.

He had nowhere to turn. It was 2006 and, for the next several years, Alfonso made every mistake possible.

But things did change because they had to. Alfonso told us about his learning curve, and how he has grown to become one of South Jersey’s busiest multi-ops.

DJ LIFE: How did your DJ career begin?

Alfonso: December of ’87, I was a guitar player, played in hair-metal bands. I wandered into a music store and started striking up a conversation with the store owner about a guitar that somebody ordered and they couldn’t pick it up. They didn’t have the money.

He offered me a really good deal on it.

And I was like, “Well, I really only have enough money for this other one.” And he’s like, “What if I offered a you a job and you work off the difference?” He told me he owned a DJ business and he does weddings on the weekends.

I worked for him as an assistant and worked off the difference on the guitar.

And then I worked with him and his company until 2006.

DJ LIFE: What happened then?

Alfonso: Bob Panichello was his name – Sound Tech Entertainment. He passed away and I kind of had no option, but to do my own thing. That was the start of Allstar Entertainment.

DJ LIFE: What did you learn from him?

Alfonso: The importance of mixing.

That’s the one thing we did that was different back then – we mixed. Even today, a lot of guys at weddings don’t mix, they just kind of fade. He taught me the importance of it – you gotta mix. It’s more energizing when they feel 44

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like the music’s never ending. It keeps them on the dancefloor.

DJ LIFE: He taught you customer relations, right?

Alfonso: Bob made friends with everybody. He probably either went fishing, or hung out or something at some point with just about every one of his clients. I mean, look at me. I wandered into a store to pick up a new guitar. I walked out with a nicer guitar… and not only that, he became a mentor to me in this business. He became the godfather to both my children. He was like a father, older brother and uncle rolled up into one… up until the day he died.

DJ LIFE: What mistakes did you make, as a business owner?

Alfonso: Every mistake you could think of. Not charging enough, not gathering leads correctly. Back then, with WeddingWire, you used to get an email in the morning of brides looking for DJs, and you could buy the leads and they would only sell the leads to three people, and then you would bid on the lead and hope that you got it. I just never thought like I gotta get up early in the morning — I just would wake up and then I look for leads and half of them are sold. So I learned the importance of urgency.

Now you reach out to me on WeddingWire and you’re getting an email within minutes, not like a day later.

DJ LIFE: You’ve got a multi-op. How do you duplicate yourself?

Alfonso: Right now, I’ve got 18 DJs, and they’re all on a ladder scale, ranked one through 18. And that’s how I give them work. And that work is based on where they’re ranked on that scale, where they want to be.

Some of the guys don’t want to give

Jersey Jock: Gregg Alfonso.

up their own things, so they move to the middle. I’ve got four guys that are strictly subs and all their work is from us. We do everything — sales, marketing, closing, etc. So they’re at the top, those four, who get the majority of the work and then everybody else gets filler when those four guys are full.

DJ LIFE: What’s in your main rig?

Alfonso: For speakers, it’s RCF tops and subs. We also use a Pioneer DJ XDJ-RX3 controller, Serato software, Electro-Voice RE3 wireless mics, a Shure SM58 wired mic, Chauvet DJ FLEXstands, Chauvet DJ Wash FX Hex effect lights, various uplights, a Wolfmix lighting controller, and Danny Max photo booths.

DJ LIFE: Let’s talk about music programming for schools. Are kids just listening to choruses?

Alfonso: Yeah, it’s TikTok. I think it’s made them acquire Attention Deficit Disorder. In the past, by the time you did a mini cocktail, a candle ceremony, a father-daughter dance, you’ve got maybe two and a half hours left to dance. In the past, you could play 4050 full songs. Now, you’re getting two songs to three songs a minute. You’re in and out. You’re banging them in and out, except for the songs by Taylor Swift.

They want the whole song. They want to sing the hook, they want to sing the chorus, and they want to chant it.

DJ LIFE: What’s the best part of owning a DJ business?

Alfonso: That I get to do this for a living. I mean, this is what I do for a living!

THESE WERE THE TIMES

Congratulations!

HIP HOP 50 YEARS

DJ BUSINESS

Digital Sales Rooms:

DIFFERENTIATE YOUR DJ

By Jordan St. Jacques When chasing those DJ-related sales, there’s more than one step in the sales funnel.

Depending on what process you follow, there could be anywhere between four to seven funnel steps – keep it as low as possible, please – that you use in order to drive your lead to that final step, the step that generates the Zoom Videocall in order to convert your lead into a sale.

Most of you DJ/operators push people towards your website, which can be a good thing if your website is up-to-date and has good CTAs (Calls To Action) sprinkled throughout the site. However, there’s another funnel destination that you all should at least consider… the dedicated Digital Sales Room.

What Is It? For those of you who aren’t aware, a Digital Sales Room (also known as a Virtual Sales Room or Digital Sales Environment) is an online platform or software solution that facilitates and enhances the sales process for businesses and their customers. It combines various digital tools and features to create a virtual space where sales teams and potential clients can interact, collaborate, and make informed purchasing decisions. Here are some key aspects and features of a Digital Sales Room: ◊ Content Sharing: Digital sales rooms enable the sharing of various types of customer-specific content, such as product brochures, videos, presentations, and documents, to provide potential customers with detailed information about products or services. ◊ Interactive Presentations: They often include interactive presentations and demonstrations that allow sales representatives to showcase their offerings effectively. These can include 3D product visualizations or interactive product tours. ◊ Real-Time Communication: Digital Sales Rooms may incorporate chat, video conferencing, or messaging tools to facilitate real-time communication between salespeople and clients. This helps answer questions and address concerns promptly. ◊ Document Management: Sales teams can upload and manage important sales documents, contracts, and proposals within the Digital Sales Room, streamlining the negotiation-and-agreement process. ◊ Analytics and Tracking: Many digital sales rooms provide analytics and tracking capabilities, allowing businesses to monitor how customers interact with the content and make data-driven decisions to improve their sales strategies.

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◊ Security: Security features are crucial to protect sensitive sales data and customer information. Digital sales rooms often have encryption, access controls, and other security measures in place. ◊ Collaboration: They may support collaboration among team members and external partners, making it easier to work together on deals, proposals, and presentations. ◊ Customization: Digital Sales Rooms can often be customized to match a company’s branding and specific sales needs. This can include custom templates, branding elements, and workflows. ◊ Automation: Some Digital Sales Rooms incorporate automation features to streamline repetitive tasks, such as sending follow-up emails or reminders. ◊ CRM Integration: Integration with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems is common, allowing for seamless data transfer and better customer management.

Overall, a Digital Sales Room aims to create a virtual space that replicates and enhances many aspects of the traditional sales process, making it more efficient, effective, and user-friendly for both sales teams and customers.

It is especially valuable in situations where in-person meetings are not feasible or when businesses want to leverage digital technology to improve their sales efforts.

Most importantly, a Digital Sales Room allows you to create a sales environment for either a dedicated customer target class, or even a specific client. Whereas your website might display your packages without discerning between Wedding, Mitzvah, Corporate, School, etc., a Digital Sales Room allows you to create sales environments to address each of these classes specifically.

Now that you’re sold on the need for Digital Sales Rooms for your DJ brand, what’s your next step? There are actually more than a few platforms out there for creating and

managing these. The one I personally use, though, is as follows: Meet Stageset.

Stageset is a tool that I recently subscribed to that offers all the current state-of-the-art functionality that is expected from such a platform. In no particular order…

• Sales Room creation & management • Page creation and full text editing, including titles and paragraph text • YouTube video embedding • File sharing • Document embedding • E-signature signing for contracts • Pre-formatted blocks, drag-n-drop • Logo display, good for showcasing past corporate clients • Testimonials • Full HTML embedding Using these features creatively, you’re able to use Stageset for some interesting purposes.

Sales Rooms • Onboarding Rooms

• Customer Success • Mutual Action Plans • Contract Signings • Analytics Last, but certainly not least, break down Stageset for these industry-specific purposes for weddings, mitzvahs, corporate events, schools, etc.: • Sales • Onboarding • Post-Event Follow ups To best use this platform, I create a template for a certain type of purpose – for example, create a template for new wedding clients. From there, I’ll clone the template when I have a new client, and change everything within the template to make it client specific. The end result is that the optics of your Digital Sales Room appear as if you’ve spent time and energy on preparing it specifically for that client… which helps to differentiate your brand from the competition.

Jordan St. Jacques is the President/Lead Digital Marketer at Digitera.Interactive in Ottawa, Ont., Canada.

DJXSHOW.COM

SEE YOU AT THE

August 5-6-7-8, 2024, Atlantic City, New Jersey @DJXSHOWOFFICIAL #DJX24 #callingallDJs #nXtDJX #DJXshow Contact djx@hazanmediagroup.com nxt@hazanmediagroup.com (516) 767-2505 www.hazanmediagroup.com

GEAR THE ONE The JBL Professional, a Harman Professional Solutions brand, has released the IRX ONE all-in-one column PA system. It features an advanced acoustic package, 3-channel mixer and Bluetooth 5.0 audio streaming – all packed into an easy-to-use system that can be carried with one hand. IRX ONE utilizes concert line array-inspired directivity control, resulting in a custom-tuned, C-shaped array.

Featuring six 2-inch high-frequency drivers, the array delivers rich clarity, a wide sweet spot and seamless front-to-back coverage.

The advanced 8-inch woofer features a bass-reflex design that ensures low-frequency response down to 40 Hz. Designed to support a range of different users, IRX ONE features a mixer that supports the most popular connections, including ¼-inch and XLR inputs with included 48V phantom power and ¼-inch balanced mix-out. dbx automatic feedback suppression (AFS), 5 EQ presets, Soundcraft audio ducking, and Bluetooth 5.0 audio streaming ensure a professional experience from start to finish.

JBL Professional 8500 Balboa Blvd.

Northridge, CA 91329 (888) 832-4180 www.jblpro.com

IN CONTROL Akai Professional, an inMusic brand, has unveiled the APC64, the next-generation Akai Ableton Live controller, which features 64 RGB pads, eight assignable touch-strip faders for mixer, effects and device controls, and an internal eight-track 32-step sequencer for real-time performing with or without a computer. Other key features include: 8x8 clip launching and note performance matrix; velocity-sensitive RGB-enabled pads with polyphonic aftertouch; note and drum modes for creative pad performance; custom mode with Software Editor for full user configuration; three 1/8-inch MIDI ports to connect keyboards and desktop synths; and eight CV/Gate output ports to control external modular devices. The package also includes Ableton Live Lite 11 production software.

Akai Professional/inMusic 200 Scenic View Dr. Cumberland, R.I., 02864 (401) 658-3131 www.akaipro.com

ALL LIT UP Cameo, Adam Hall’s lighting brand, has released the PIXBAR G2 series of IP65 LED bars with versatile applications and mounting options. With its combination of sophisticated design features, robust aluminum housing and diverse mounting options, the PIXBAR G2 series is aimed at customers who want to expand their lighting-technology portfolio with particularly flexible lighting solutions. The series has launched with the PIXBAR 600 IP G2 (RGBWAUV) and PIXBAR 400 IP G2 (RGBW), plus versions with TW (Tunable White) and SMD LEDs. Both PIXBAR G2 models feature 16 individually controllable LEDs. The new PIXBAR G2 series offers a variety of connection and mounting options that allow users to think creatively in all directions to create seamless lighting effects for unique set designs.

Adam Hall Group 1 S Corporate Dr. Riverdale, NJ 07457 (973) 335-7888 www.adamhall.com

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GEAR PAS APLENTY AVANTE Audio, an ADJ Products brand, has released the Achromic X Series of full-range active loudspeakers. Available in 10-, 12- and 15-inch versions, the series features Bluetooth 5.0+ for wireless audio connectivity, as well as a dedicated iOS app, which allows remote control of levels and DSP settings as well as saving and recalling of presets. Designed for both durability and portability, all three models share the same distinctive look, matte black finish, and versatile feature set. They are manufactured from robust H-PP molded polypropylene and finished with a tough 1.2mm steel grille, which provides protection for the speaker drivers. The cabinets are fitted with ergonomic handles, both on the top and side, making them convenient to carry and set up. They feature an integrated pole mount which can be used with a standard speaker stand or a dedicated wall mounting accessory (WMB001), sold separately.

Avante Audio 6122 S. Eastern Ave Los Angeles, CA 90040 (323) 316-9722 www.avanteaudio.com

DOUBLE DOSE Image Line’s FL Studio has launched FL Studio 21.2 and FL Cloud – the launch of FL Cloud includes music distribution powered by DistroKid. Key features for FL Studio 21.2 include Stem Separation (AI turns mixed tracks into individual instrumental and vocal lines) and Kepler Instrument (a meticulous recreation of the iconic analog synthesizer from the ’80s with colored waveform. FL Cloud is a new service with a growing collection of royalty-free loops, one-shots, and other sounds. Its features include: Direct to DSPs with DistroKid (FL Cloud subscribers get the easiest path to commercial release imaginable); Unlimited access to sounds from FL Studio’s vast sample library, allowing creators to concentrate on making music, not on how many credits they have spent each month; Sample packs and curated Artist Packs from FL Studio Power Users, including 9th Wonder, Murda Beatz, Slushii, K-391, Alex Lustig, and nuphory – new Artist Packs and curated Collections will drop monthly; and unlimited AI-powered mastering.

Image Line NV Franklin Rooseveltlaan 348 D B-9000 Gent Belgium 32 9 281 15 33 www.image-line.com

GOING PLATINUM Mixed In Key has introduced Platinum Notes 10, the latest version its sound-optimization software. Designed with DJs in mind, Platinum Notes 10 ensures every song in a music collection delivers consistent quality, whether it’s played on simple laptop speakers, headphones, or a club’s audio system. The software focuses on giving songs an even average volume and ensures clarity between quiet and loud parts, resulting in distortion-free audio. DJs can now experience seamless, balanced transitions, enhancing the overall performance and audience experience. Designed for Serato, rekordbox, Traktor, Ableton Live, Denon, VirtualDJ, DJ.Studio, and Mixed In Key, Platinum Notes 10 includes new features like: Kilohearts plugin technology for better audio processing; easy overwriting of existing to avoid duplicates; optimization for the M1 chip, offering enhanced speed and responsiveness; enhanced tagging; and format consistency across your files.

Mixed In Key 5660 Strand Court #A29 Naples, FL 34110 www.mixedinkey.com

GEAR IT’S A CLASSIC KRK has released the new CLASSIC 5 powered studio monitors. The CLASSIC 5 is an active, two-way studio monitor that utilizes a 1-inch textile soft-dome tweeter paired with a 5-inch glass aramid woofer. The built-in Class AB power amplifiers provide a total of 50 watts of power, with a 30-watt amp driving the woofer and a 20-watt amp for the tweeter. The CLASSIC 5 Studio Monitor Pack includes two KRK CLASSIC 5 monitors, two 10’ XLR-M to XLR-F cables, and two Split Foam Monitor Wedge Isolation Pads. The CLASSIC 5 defaults to a more accurate frequency solution for precise critical listening—translating into more accurate mixes. The system includes the optional ability to engage LF and HF correction filters to help tune the monitors to your acoustic environment.

KRK/Gibson Pro Audio 309 Plus Park Boulevard Nashville, TN 37217 (800) 444-2766 www.krkmusic.com

SUPER INSTRUMENT Roland has introduced GALAXIAS, a powerful new software-based musical instrument available exclusively on Roland Cloud. GALAXIAS runs as a standalone application on macOS and Windows and will be available in VST3 and AU plug-in formats for DAW music production soon after the initial release. Within GALAXIAS, users can work with any instrument on Roland Cloud and instantly access a vast searchable library with over 20,000 ready-to-play sounds.

From historic icons such as the JUPITER-8, TR-808, and D-50 to modern instruments like ZENOLOGY and SYSTEM-8, GALAXIAS harnesses Roland’s evolving sonic legacy into a single “Super Instrument” with infinite creative possibilities. GALAXIAS provides the ability to layer up to four instruments and create massive sonic superclusters called Scenes. Every layer has its own key range, transpose, and MIDI input settings, plus a dedicated arpeggiator. Convenient learn and drag functionality makes it fast and easy to build intricate sounds that are deeply engaging and demand attention.

5100 S. Eastern Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90040-2938 (323) 890-3700 www.roland.com

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SLAMMIN’ SPEAKERS PreSonus has released two new additions to its CDL Series of loudspeakers: the CDL Sub18 and CDL10P. The constant-directivity radiates a highly focused pattern with consistent SPL throughout the frequency response range, both on-and off-axis. Key features on the CDL Sub18 include: 18-inch custom woofer with 4-inch voice coil; 2,000watt Class D power (1,000 continuous); balanced XLR input and XLR direct output: and onboard variable low-pass filter, output power preset select, and polarity invert. Features on the CDL10P hybrid point-source/line-array include: continuous-directivity constant curve array with six 2-inch cone drivers disperses sound 120-degrees horizontally; 10-inch long-throw LF transducer with 2.5-inch voice coil; 2,000 watts Class D power for high SPLs and fast transient response; and rugged, lightweight plastic enclosure and tour-grade steel grille – great for mobile DJs. PreSonus 18011 Grand Bay Court Baton Rouge, LA 70809 (800) 856-9801 www.presonus.com

GEAR

PAR-FECT Eliminator Lighting has released the Mega Hex L Par. Offering powerful output, lime-infused LEDs, a patented “sit-flat” design, a multipurpose scissor yoke, DMX or IR remote control, and an optional frost filter, the new Mega Hex L Par is a versatile fixture ideal for a wide variety of lighting applications including uplighting walls to illuminating stages, highlighting décor elements to getting the party started on the dancefloor. With a light weight and flexible design, it is equally suited to use by event companies and mobile entertainers as it is for permanent installation in bars, clubs, and other leisure venues. Powered by four extremely bright 20-Watt HEX (6-in-1) color mixing LEDs, the compact Mega HEX L Par offers impressive output in a wide variety of colors.

Each LED combines red, green, blue, lime, amber and UV elements, each with independent 0-100% dimming control, allowing for a huge spectrum of colors to be mixed.

Eliminator Lighting 6122 S. Eastern Ave Los Angeles, CA 90040 (323) 316-9722 www.adj.com

IEMS 4 DJS Westone Audio, distributed Stateside by American Music & Sound, has launched the AM PRO X series of universal in-ear monitors, Designed for musicians, DJs and audio engineers, the range is available in three-driver configurations – AM PRO X 10, AM PRO X 20 and AM PRO X 30. The series uses Westone Audio’s advanced balanced-armature technology and its StageSense filter system to provide users with a carefully balanced mix of audio and feedback from the audience and fellow performers on stage. Its also uniquely suited for DJs, offering precision, control, and sound quality. With the StageSense technology, DJs can now immerse themselves in their music while staying connected to their audience and fellow performers, striking a perfect balance between their mix and the ambient atmosphere.

For DJs who crave both audio excellence and connectivity, this product is the ultimate tool, helping elevate their performances to new heights.

310 Newberry Rd. Bloomfield, CT 06002 (800) 431-2609 www.westoneaudio.com

BIG UPDATE Featuring the next generation of its Neural Mix technology, algoriddim has released a major update to its djay app on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. Free for existing djay users, the update features algoriddim’s new patented Crossfader Fusion technology, enabling seamless morphing of tracks through real-time deconstruction of music and the intelligent application of filters and effects. Additionally, the update introduces Fluid Beatgrid, an advanced beat and tempo matching engine, facilitating seamless transitions across a wide spectrum of musical genres and varying tempos. Originally introduced in 2020, algoriddim’s Neural Mix technology allowed DJs to isolate individual instruments and vocals of any song in real time. In order to take this to the next level within djay Pro 5, algoriddim has joined forces with AudioShake, an industry leader in music source separation, to unveil the next generation of Neural Mix. algoriddim Königinstr. 33 80539 Munich Germany 49 89 416177960 www.algoriddim.com 52

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HEALING AND OPPORTUNITY THROUGH MUSIC ONE PERSON AT A TIME

YOUTH MUSIC PRODUCTION AND DJ PROGRAM ON A NEW TRACK REENTRY MENTORING PROGRAM PRISON ELECTRONIC MUSIC PROGRAM giveabeat.org giveabeat

L igiveabeat F giveabeat

Give a Beat’s mission is to use the power of music as a pathway to healing and opportunity for those impacted by the criminal justice system.

I GIVE A BEAT PATREON MEMBERSHIP Be a champion for the transformative power of music while promoting social justice become a Give a Beat member today!

The I Give a Beat Patreon Membership offers an opportunity to support our mission to use the power of music as a pathway to healing and opportunity for those impacted by the criminal justice system while also receiving valuable perks.

Benefits include discounts and subscriptions to Ableton, Beatport LINK, IO Music Academy, OM Records, ROSTR, great swag and more! giveabeat.org/PATREON

“MAW LOST TAPES 6” Masters At Work MAW Records With their Lost Tapes series, MAW’s Louie Vega and Kenny Dope dive deep within their archives and present previously unreleased tracks and unleash them onto the dancefloor. With this one, “MAW Shonuff,” they bring elements and overdubs originally produced by Frankie Feliciano – chuggy rhythm matched with a mad harmonica solo – for sublime results.

– Joe Berinato

“DESIRE” Tommy Glasses Imagenes Nu-disco all the way on this latest outing from France’s Tommy Glasses. A hip-swinging groove, dramatic strings, and era-defining keys make for a sleek-sounding dancefloor winner.

– Curtis Zack

Mistier

Tommy Glasses

“Dance with Me” Seamus Haji feat. Kathy Brown Big Love Big Love head honcho Seamus Haji teams up with Kathy Brown for an absolute anthem of a track. Just add a big funky vibe with Brown’s legendary vocals and you know you have a winning formula. Tops.

– Curtis Zack

Masters At Work

“MOMENTUM OF LOVE” Nick Hussey, Jamie Van Goulden & Steve Edwards Pina Colada A fierce combination for this latest Pina Colada release and a track that could be the label’s biggest to date. Big pianos, funk guitar, and Steve Edward’s unmistakable vocal give this uplifting cut all the right elements for the clubs.

– Curtis Zack

Seamus Haji

TRACKS

“LOST MY WAY” Mistier Mistier Music Ethereal, yet groovy, this melodic house cut features techy elements and crystal-clear, yearning vocals, recalling moments on ’80s dancefloors. Hooky and heady.

– Jim Tremayne

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TRACKS

“CI-DEVANT” EP Josh Wink House of EFUNK On this five-track EP, Wink delivers some tasty throwback sounds. With “12 Months of Longing,” the 909 kick mixes with a funky progression, while “Sexy Bot” gets techy on the original and somewhat more frenetic on the “Charlie Soul Clap Remix.” On “Used to Be,” Wink returns to his signature acid style. Good stuff.

– Joe Berinato

Dave Lee

Sgt. Slick

“I THANK YOU” Sgt Slick feat. Karina Chavez Neon Records A cover of the Adeva classic, Sgt Slick and Karina Chavez certainly do it justice with this impressive effort. Both the pumpin’ original version and Michael Gray’s remix are equally brilliant, and both deserve plenty of airtime.

– Curtis Zack

Re-Tide

Josh Wink

“GOOD INSIDE” (REMIXES) Sonic Soul Orchestra Midnight Riot With the original version still doing damage, Midnight Riot unleash the remixes. Risk Assessment delivers a belter of a remix with a huge piano hook and irresistible groove, while remix No. 2 comes from Angelo Fererri, who supplies a cool, soulful vibe.

– Curtis Zack

Metamorphosis AC Soul Symphony Z Records This latest album from Dave Lee is an aural feast that harks back to the classic sleek and funky sounds of the ’70s (the groovy title track and “AC Express”) and those disco-infused, string-laden TV themes (“Seneca Village” and “Six Billion Dollar Man”). Every track is unbelievably classy and, if you were around in the ’70s, this can’t fail to invoke fond memories.

– Curtis Zack

“ME & YOU” Re-Tide & Lukas Setto Fool’s Paradise Italian NuDisco trio Re-Tide joins forces with U.K. vocal talent Setto for one helluva booty-shakin’ collab. The gorgeous original, whose vocal hints of Jamiroquai-meets-George Michael, sets the sexy vocal scene with some sweet baby-makin’ music. Aussie producer Dr. Packer really packs a winning disco punch on the remix.

– Joe Berinato VOL.3 NO.6

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Compiled As Jan 15, 2024

CLUB PLAY CHART

Listen the DJ Life National Dance/Crossover Chart on SPOTIFY! LISTEN NOW!

National Crossover Pool Chart

National Latin Dance Pool Chart

1 Dua Lipa Houdini Warner 2 Tate Mcrae Greedy Rca 3 Kylie Minogue Tension BMG 4 Miley Cyrus Used To Be Young Columbia 5 Kenya Grace Strangers Warner 6 Jack Harlow Lovin’ On Me Atlantic 7 Doja Cat Paint The Town Red RCA 8 Tyla Water Fax 9 Taylor Swift Cruel Summer Republic 10 Zara Larsoon F/ David Guetta On My Love Epic 11 Tiesto, 21 Savage & Bia Both Atlantic 12 Taylor Dayne & Cash Cash Tell It To My Heart Ultra 13 James Hype & Kim Petras Drums Universal 14 Troye Sivan One Of Your Girls EMI 15 Olivia Rodrigo Get Him Back Interscope 16 Joel Corry / MK & Rita Ora Drinkin’ Atlantic 17 Paul Russell Lil’ Boo Thang Arista 18 Tiesto, Tears For Fears Rule The World (Everybody) Capitol 19 Cher Dj Play A Christmas Song Warner 20 Selena Gomez Single Soon Interscope 21 Jung Kook F/ Jack Harlow 3D Interscope 22 Brenda Lee Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree Universal 23 Alok & Ava Max Car Keys (Ayla) Sony 24 Pretty Poison/Jade Starling F/Lee Dagger Place In The Sun Tazmania 25 Mariah Carey All I Want For Christmas Is You Columbia 26 Martin Garrix & Lloyiso Real Love RCA 27 Anabel Englund A Lesson In Chemistry Ultra 28 David Guetta / Kim Petras When We Were Young Parlophone Uk 29 Alok, The Chainsmokers & Mae Stephens Jungle Columbia 30 Dom Dolla Saving Up Three Six Zero 31 Morgan Wallen Last Night Repunlic 32 Bobby Helms Jingle Bell Rock Decca 33 Pitbull F/ Nile Rodgers Freak 54 Mr. 305 34 Wham!

Last Christmas Epic 35 Serena Bleu F/ Eric Kupper Get Out Of My Way Serena Bleu 36 Kc & The Sunshine Band Last Christmas BFD 37 Eliza Rose Starring Calvin Harris Body Moving Columbia 38 Zach Bryan F/ K. Musgraves I Remember Everything Warner 39 Sabrina Carpenter Feather Island 40 Vassy Krazy Spinnin’

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Yolanda Duke Orq. Yare feat Julio Cesar Ruiz Adriel Gonzalez Y Herman Olivera Albert Mendez Kali Uchis Y Karol G Tony Fuego Ozuna Lios Choko Bad Bunny Juan Luis Guerra Zacarias Ferreira Raymix y Marama Oscarito Zion & Lennox Maelo Ruiz Chayanne Alex Bueno Y Ramon Orlando Farruko feat Kaito Worship Lios Choko Gary Vera Y Bomplenea

Most Added Tracks 1 2 3 4 5

Pedro Conga Julio Cesar Sanabria Christian Ray Nicky Jam, Yovngchimi, Angel Dior Espinoza Paz Y Mariana Seoane

Ya No Vives En Mi Los Gustos Hecho Y Derecho Pensando En Ti Labios Mordidos Chicolin Chicolon Baccarat No Me Gusta Trabajar Monaco La Noviesita En Peligro De Extincion No Pasa Nada Atrevete Ahora No Te Olvido La Bachata Toque Fondo Hermoso Momento El Negro Sabroso Salsa Y Sazon Dejalo (2023 Mix) 16 de Enero Saramanbiche Last Gatas (Dembow) El Cojin

Reporting Latin Pools ■ Latinos Unidos Record Pool ■ Salsamania Latin Record Pool ■ Lobo/Bass Record Pool ■ North East Record Pool ■ Mixx Hitts Record Pool ■ Ritmo Camacho Record Pool

Amigos Music Cnn Media Mojica Music AMRD Interscope TF Media Aura Music Corp On Top Rimas Rimas LOMG Fonovisa Flame/LOMG Warner MR Sony Mayimba Carbon Fiber On Top GV PC Prod.

JCS CR Music Legado Urbano Virgin

■ Ritmo Internacional Record pool ■ DJ Latinos Record Pool ■ MassPool ■ Record Pool Latino ■ Latin Beat Chicago Record Pool ■ All In Music Pool

ATTENTION DJ LIFE READERS: DJ Life is currently looking for DJs that are interested in reporting to the DJ National Dance/Crossover chart and the DJ Times National Urban Dance chart. Reporterships are open to Record Pools and individual DJs. For more information contact: Dan Miller, dmiller@hazanmediagroup.com

Most Added Tracks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Pitbull F/ Nile Rodgers Vassy Tiesto, Tears For Fears Olivia Rodrigo Swedish House Mafia Icona Pop Diplo, Hugel, Julia Church Tyla Kevin Rudolf & BVRNOUT Britney Manson

REPORTERS ■ Gary Canavo ■ DJ Sticky Boots ■ The Dance Environment ■ Manny Esparza ■ Howard HK Kessler ■ Randy Schlager ■ DJ Ilan Fong ■ Chris Egner ■ Alan Chasen ■ Steve Tsepelis ■ Brian Stephens ■ Peter K. Productions

Freak 54 Krazy Rule The World (Everybody) Can’t Catch Me Now Ray Of Solar Tears On The Dancefloor Stay High Water Let It Rock Fashion

Mr. 305 Spinnin’ Capitol Interscope Republic Ultra Higher Ground Fax Total Smash BMI

masspooldjs The HyperMiXx What’s In-Store Music Nexus Radio In The Mix With HK KNHC 89.5FM Multiple Pod Casts Victors OMAP Pacific Coast Mixxmasters Peter K

Saugus,MA Syndicated Los Angeles, CA Chicago,IL Syndicated Seattle, WA Columbus, OH Milwaukee, WI Washington, D.C. Long Beach, CA Lithonia,GA Syndicated

Listen the DJ Life National Dance/Crossover Chart on SPOTIFY! LISTEN NOW!