From: Germany

DJ style: “Advanced electronic music.”

Best known for: “VANDIT Records.”

Fave tune of 2022: PvD & Kolonie ‘Wishful Thinking’.

Rising star DJ/producer of 2022: “FUENKA.”

Like many, trance legend Paul van Dyk has spent 2022 back on the road, re-establishing his credentials as the man who first helped spark a global movement via tracks such as ‘For An Angel’. Ending 2022 with a tour of the US, however, he’s never been one to rest on past achievements.

Recent collaborations with the likes of Alex M.O.R.P.H., Fuenka and Rafael Osmo are a taster of new forthcoming album, ‘THE RECORD’, adding to a mighty long-player back catalogue that stretches back to 1994’s ‘45 RPM’. And Paul is still an in-demand remixer, recently delivering reversions of Carlos Vives, Illenium, Café Del Mar and Tritonal.

Perhaps the biggest development though is the launch of VANDIT Alternative. A sub-label of VANDIT, the hugely successful venture that van Dyk founded at the end of the last millennium, VANDIT Alternative promises “a fresh focus on progressive and tech”. Moving with the times while remaining true to the classic roots of trance, he signs off the year with a giant headline show at Berlin’s Zentraler Festplatz.

What’s the best DJ set you’ve seen this year?

“John 00 Fleming at Luminosity Beach Festival.”

Name one great festival you played for the first time this year…

“SHINE London at Printworks.”

What’s the longest DJ set you’ve ever played?

“Eleven hours at E-Werk Berlin.”

What’s the next big sound?

“Danccer, Kay Wilder, Fuenka, Weekend Heroes, Saad Ayub, Rafael Osmo and everything coming up on VANDIT Alternative.”