From: The Netherlands

DJ style: “Hardcore techno.”

Best known for: “‘Raise Your Fist’.”

Masked marauder Angerfist dented 2023 with a host of festival appearances and new productions. The Dutch hardcore DJ/producer (real name Danny Masseling) brought his riotous sound to events like Tomorrowland, Hardtribe, Hardfest, Nexus, Defqon.1, Nature One and Decibel through the summer, while also finding plenty of time to hit the studio. His track with Miss K8, the cerebellum-smashing ‘Breinbreker’, hit hard in May, while in June, ‘Lethal Assassins’ with GridKiller did damage. He capped off the season with the festival anthem for Dortmund event Syndicate, ‘Syndicate Of Noise’. It was produced with Nolz, and marked Angerfist’s most collaborative year yet, after 2022’s succession of solo releases.

This year, the DJ also hit the landmark of one million YouTube channel subscribers, swelling his horde of followers. Meanwhile, a new look mask announced a different Angerfist moniker. M4ZE PUSHER is dedicated to lower tempo styles, and will explore Masseling’s love of techno, progressive house and trance. On his Instagram, the artist said: “I’ve been looking to do something like this for quite some time now and it has given me some solid inspiration in the studio”. Fans shouldn’t worry, though: his first track under the name, ‘Swarm’, is similarly thumping. 

Hero of 2023: “M4ZE PUSHER.”
 

Fave tune of 2023: “Deadly Guns & N-Vitral ‘Break Your Face’.”
 

Best DJ set you’ve seen in 2023: “Angerfist at Defqon.1 festival.”
 

What was the most exciting tech development of 2023? “The return of the Burger King Stackers.”
 

Rising star DJ/producer of 2023: “Space 92.”
 

What gives you hope for 2024? “Peter Griffin’s dad noises.”