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It was just one record that catapulted Martin Solveig from a well-respected DJ into one of the most formidable producers and performers in the world. ‘Hello’ has now sold over 2 million copies and earned a global recognition, achieving platinum status in America, Italy, Germany and Austria, as well as going twice platinum in Canada and in Australia… His music videos are renowned as by far the best in their class and his performances continue to electrify audiences in every corner of the globe. With his fourth studio album “SMASH” still seeing its release territory-by-territory, Martin continues to draw us into a world of pure and unparalleled fun…

Martin Solveig’s journey from playful DJ to superstar music maker is as animated as the man himself, so let’s indulge in a spot of history… still in the making.

Like so many, Martin’s love affair with music began at an early age, influenced by luminaries such as Prince, Lenny Kravitz, Stevie Wonder and Serge Gainsbourg. His eccentric taste and non-conformist attitude have been the backbone of what he is today – a multi faceted artist. He sings, he produces, he deejays, he acts and occasionally he dances too as well as a spot of tennis.

Aged 21, Solveig started his own label called Mixture Stereophonic & released ‘Heart of Africa’. The track went on to sell 10,000 copies, offering a clear signal to Martin that a career in music was well worth pursuing. Martin’s first album, “Sur La Terre” released in 2002, achieved critical acclaim and enabled the Parisian to work with Salif Keita for whom he remixed ‘Madan’, one of 2003’s biggest club anthems. The afro-disco bomb as well as Martin’s new funk driven ‘Rocking Music’ both helped to catapult his career to a whole new level.

Next up came the “Hedonist” album, packed with a ream of hit singles such as ‘Everybody’, ‘Jealousy’ and ‘Rejection’, and indicating quite clearly that Martin Solveig had well and truly arrived. “C’est La Vie”, Martin’s 3rd studio album, was his biggest to date, selling in excess of 300,000 copies and winning over fans from far and wide.

In 2009, Martin was presented with two of the most prestigious accolades any Frenchman could hope to win – the ‘Chevalier Des Arts et Des Lettres’ for his contribution to the arts, and the ‘Artiste de Musiques Electroniques de l’Annee’ award at the French Victoires de la Musique – further testament to his ever-growing popularity and truly forward-thinking music style and creativity.

As 2010 was drawing to a close it became very clear that “Hello” would be his biggest career landmark to date… that is until now… The genius creation that is the SMASH YouTube series, Solveig’s own, came to define a new breed of music videos, signalling Martin as a creative force, more powerful than most of his contemporaries – regularly described by many critics as being “in a league of his own”.

First came the legendary Roland Garros stadium, then the incredible Stade De France, a rooftop pool in Singapore as well as sequences shot in Japan. There really is nothing to halt the series from going on to achieving so much more. And this is without touching on the soundtrack that accompanies each episode.

“SMASH” is a modern day masterpiece, bursting at the seams with pure fun, frivolity and all capped off with timeless trademark sounds. Involving the undeniable talents of Dragonette, Bloc Party front man Kele, Sunday Girl plus US whirlwind DEV – it brings Martin to new and dizzying heights.

With Solveig’s magic and finesse for producing music so easily accessible came the demand from the biggest names in music, and right at the front was most successful female recording artist of all time – Madonna. The latter half of 2011 saw Martin Solveig achieve what is surely every pop producer’s dream, immersing himself in the production of what will be Madonna’s 12th studio album, entitled M.D.N.A. The lead single from said album, ‘Give Me All Your Luvin’, a Solveig produced masterpiece, is just one of 6 cuts that will surely cement the Frenchman as a solid production force in an industry that seems intent on exploding. Dance music meets pop is well and truly here, and Martin Solveig is all over it.

2012 will be like no other for the unassuming master, whether it’s headlining festival stages, including a debut performance at Coachella, or performing on national TV the world over for millions of viewers. Everything the man approaches, he does with the same intensity and flare that has spanned his entire career; he has an innate ability to make each and every person in a room feel welcome, invited and free of inhibitions. At the end of the day this boils down to one thing, Martin Solveig is one of the most exciting and talented performers in the world.

Those claiming immunity to the elegant rage of the European Progressive House resurgence are clearly yet to come across enigmatic London duo Third Party. Transitioning from precious Progressive underground players to Size Record’s inaugural British connection, many have tried to replicate the energy of their double-barrelled studio output. To date, none have succeeded.

As resilient as they are melodically inclined, these supposedly opposing elements have made for the best of friends amid the rise of this young production outfit. Mustering the invaluable support of Steve Angello for ‘Release’, the song that would later become their Size Records debut, the globe proved as equally taken by their strong-willed production values for the enigmatic follow-up ‘Duel’ as the head honcho of their now permanent musical abode.

Despite their familiar Progressive appeal, Third Party remain a force to be reckoned with amid a musical revolution to which they have contributed considerably. Taking on Electronic luminaries Cicada for ‘Feel’ and making the familiar reverie of Red Hot Chilli Pepper’s ‘Otherside’ their own with a game changing remix, further remix duties for Swedish House Mafia’s ‘Save The World’ as well as Steve Angello & Alex Metric’s ‘Open Your Eyes’ have established them as an outfit of wide ranging ambition and unlimited capabilities to match it.

Still loyal to club and country alike, their global movements alongside their illustrious Swedish
peers and their inherited musical bloodline at Size Records remain untamed and intense at the outset of their biggest year to date. Next time you think of double-barrelled British House music, think melodic, think tectonic, think Third Party!

It seems there’s nothing one of the EDM scene’s hottest young stallion couldn’t turn into gold right now. In just a couple of years since he won Pete Tong’s competition with “Copacabana”, Beltek’s name regularly pops out on top of EDM music charts and labels such as Dim Mak, Ministry of Sound, Toolroom, Armada etc. His versatile production skills and fingerprint mass appealing sound already assured him remixing duties for major artists such as Faithless, Booka Shade, Gareth Emery and others.., Tiësto picked up “Kenta” for In Search Of Sunrise 7 compilation and supported Beltek in the 15 Minutes Of Fame slot of his Club Life radio show. Stand out productions such as “Par”, “Kenta”, “Eclipse”, “Go” and “Party Voice!” are heavily played, rotated, charted and compiled by leading artists, radios and labels and his never ending touring schedule is taking him all over the world, from Mexico and Spain to Ultra Music Festival Miami, Amsterdam Dance Event or Ukraine’s infamous Kazantip. On top of that Belteks “Party Voice” served as official track for Ultra Music Festival Miami remix competition in the early 2012. Yes, you got it! Beltek is on fire right now and he’s doing big steps on the global EDM scene, so watch out, as he’ll definitely mark the 2013!

Sitting proudly on the vanguard of the global electronic music explosion, Kryder came from virtually nowhere to become one of the biggest new names in the scene in just a few years. Fusing the most potent elements of house, trance, electro and cutting-edge electronica that’s too fresh to even have a genre attached to it yet, his sound is an invigorating take on big room firepower that has found a huge variety of admirers both on the dancefloor and within the dance music industry.

Shrouded in mystery, all that’s known about this hard-working, visor-wearing star is that he was previously a promoter in Manchester before he decided to delve full time into the world of production. The decision paid huge dividends from his very first release – the enormous K2, one of the biggest anthems of the last few years, which Tiësto picked up for his nascent Musical Freedom label back in 2011. Since then he’s graced the legendary Spinnin’ Records, remixed acts as diverse as Swedish House Mafia (his Don’t You Worry Child reworking with Tom Staar a staple in their sets) and Pnau. He’s collaborated with rising Mercury Records signing and star of BBC One’s The Voice, Bo Bruce, and played at Tiësto’s night at the gargantuan Privilege in Ibiza – a room made for his expansive, explosive sound.

Heavy support from the aforementioned Swedes, Pete Tong, Calvin Harris, Laidback Luke, Eddie Halliwell, Zane Lowe, Erick Morillo, Capital Radio’s Andi Durrant and Judge Jules to name but a few have bolstered his status as one of the leading lights of the scene. It’s his melting pot of sounds that has afforded him such widespread support and coverage; those soaring trance chords; guttural electro basslines; hammering techno percussion; anthemic vocals. Whatever sound palette he’s using, his tracks are consistently built to fill those epic spaces and to provide the fireworks needed to give peak-time sets the required energy. From straight-up, heads-down bruisers to melodic belters, his range continues to impress and surprise.

Bro Safari is the alter-ego of DJ and producer, Knick. He’s already well-known and deeply established in the music scene as a result of his work with leading American Drum & Bass group Evol Intent. Not to mention, his wildly popular output as 1/2 of the genre-bending mash-up duo, Ludachrist.

While his production work spans the entire spectrum of bass music, Bro Safari has been relentless at pushing his unique take on the burgeoning Moombahton movement. As a result, Bro Safari is currently ushering in a wave of listeners to the genre and he is set to be an early champion of this new scene.

With support from artists like Diplo, DJ Craze, Knife Party and more, it’s becoming increasingly apparent that Bro Safari is someone to keep an eye on in 2012 and beyond.