8 Artists To Watch In 2016
by Devin Balkaran · Published · Updated
Photo Credit: Rukes
There are always new artists making waves in the EDM scene, but these eight are the artists to watch in 2016.
1. Sleepy Tom
Perhaps one of the best hidden talents in the industry right now people have slept on Sleepy Tom for far too long. With a slew of insanely good remixes and originals like “Be Right There”, “Hold On”, “Pusher”, “I Want Your Soul”, and “Cruise Control” it’s easy to see why those who do know Sleepy Tom are so high on him. He’s already worked with some of the top names in EDM like Diplo and Grandtheft and done remixes for Zeds Dead, Anna Lunoe, Martin Solveig and GTA, but he’s just getting warmed up. Hopefully in 2016 we see him hit the festival circuit and really start to get the acclaim he deserves. He’s got a unique sound that I really haven’t heard many people come close to copying and the backing of Fool’s Gold Records, so the sky is really the limit for this rising star.
2. Mightyfools
One of the lesser known names in the Barong Family, Mightyfools is still a force to be reckoned with and might be one of the biggest hidden gems out there right now. Think of Yellow Claw, but more versatile. I mean they can make everything from Amsterdam trap to massive electro house tracks and they always manage to play a little bit of everything in their mixes. The duo has been around since 2008, so they aren’t newcomers by any means but for some reason they just haven’t really been as big in the states as they have been in Europe, but after a string of fire releases this year this just might be the year where they make it mainstream. Just take a listen to their set from Tomorrowland and let your mind be blown. Speaking of blowing minds, they also have a new track called “Blow Ya Mind” which will also do exactly that.
3. Falcons
Falcons first came onto my radar after hearing his remix of “What We Tell Dem” from GTA and Wiwek, but after searching through his library of music I was shocked that I hadn’t heard more of this dude before. He describes his sound as future R&B and hip-hop although I just call it good music. Coming from LA he was exposed to a lot of different cultures and you can see the variety of influences present in his music. He’s also part of the Athletixx crew which includes Hoodboi and Promnite, two men who are honorable mentions for this list. All of them have brought the fashion and sub-culture of the hip-hop into the scene and blended it with EDM culture resulting in something totally new. You don’t see that innovation every day and for that reason alone Falcons deserves to be on this list, but he also happens to make some really good music.
4. The Him
After releasing one of the best remixes for the hit track “Roses” by The Chainsmokers, the duo from Amsterdam known as The Him were thrust into the limelight and they have yet to disappoint. That remix garnered over 2.3 million plays on Soundcloud in just about a month, but they also put out a phenomenal remix of “To The River” by Causes which amassed over 300,000 plays. Their light progressive sound is super clean and a refreshing change of pace from the usual electronic dance music sound. They’ve already gained the support of industry heavyweights like Tiesto, Martin Garrix and Oliver Heldens, but The Him is just starting to hit their stride, especially with their Midnight Mixtape series, and we’re expecting them to make waves in 2016.
5. Autolaser
I’m a big fan of Cashmere Cat and Trippy Turtle and if you are as well then you’re going to love my man Autolaser. The Norwegian DJ has definitely been influenced by those two producers, but he’s also putting his own unique spin on things. Like Cashmere Cat and Trippy Turtle he’s way more about the music than he is about advertising himself so he’s not really well known amongst the more mainstream EDM crowd, however his last few remixes of “Revolution” by Diplo, “Watch Me Whip” by Silento, and “Where Are U Now” by Diplo and Skrillex ft. Justin Bieber have gotten a huge amount of attention. There’s not really too much for me to say about Autolaser, just check him out and listen to his music. You’ll be thanking me later.
6. The Magician
Stephen Fasano otherwise known as The Magician has had a fantastic 2015 and really emerged as one of the premier dance music specialists. Known for combining elements of disco, pop and house he’s another one of the producers leading the way in making music that not only appeals to EDM fans, but also to the general public. In just the last year he’s put out multiple tracks with millions of plays and his music has been featured in a stunning amount of podcasts and radio mixes I mean The Magician is literally everywhere. While he may not be a headlining artist at your favorite festival he’s someone who I could see absolutely tearing a club apart with his refined yet dance inducing tracks. As electronic music becomes more and more popular the industry is going to need crossover artists like The Magician that appeal to a wide variety of listeners and he’s more than happy to keep bringing the beats.
7. Lost Kings
After hearing the Lost Kings do a mix on XM I had to go check out their Soundcloud page and I was very impressed with their work. They’re one of the groups bringing the electro-pop sound to the forefront and while they’ve been killing it with their remixes their originals are really the cause for them blowing up. They’ve actually got the same highly talented management as The Chainsmokers so I’m pretty confident these guys are only going to get better and more well known in 2016. They haven’t even been around that long as far as I know, but Spinnin’ Records has signed them and their releases “Bad” and “You” have collected received well over 2 million plays on Soundcloud. If you’re into that nudisco/electro-pop sound you’ll love Lost Kings.
8. Mike Hawkins
When Zedd and Martin Garrix are requesting you to remix their music you know you’re doing something right. That’s exactly the case with Mike Hawkins who’s been making some serious moves. He’s had releases on Spinnin’, Ultra, Size, Fly Eye, Hysteria, and EMI plus he gets consistent radio play on BBC Radio 1 and XM radio. In the five years he’s been around Hawkins has gotten support from names like Steve Aoki, Tommy Trash, W&W, Knife Party and Showtek, no small feat considering the sheer amount of music that those guys come across. “Hit The Streets” and “Lovestruck” have done really well for the up and coming producer, but thanks to a steady stream of collaborations you can expect even more hits to come from the Mike Hawkins camp in 2016.
