Music is subjective. Let Nobody Tell You What is The Best.
This means that this list is not about to tell you a definitive answer on a question that just cannot be answered with any degree of truth. It really just refelcts my personal view on the Techno scence right now and is supposed to give you a recommendation on who you absolutely have to check out. We will be diving into the details what makes the selections just so incredible and for me stand above the rest of the absolutely talented pool of Djs that compose the ever growing scence that is techno music. I have done the rating based on overall feeling, including released music, appearance and most importantly their live performances. So without further ado let's start with our Top 5.
5. 999999999 (9x9)
When I first heard 9x9 at Awakenings 2021 I was blown away. My ears had never heard the amount of impact and pace before that the Italian Rave Duo have made their trademark. If you ever get the chance to listen to a set live you will not believe the energy that they put in you and what crazy rythms the duo is capable of. I have to say that their Spotify discography is not their strongsuit, but it is obvious it is not their main priority. As a first listen I can strongly recommend their Awakenings Easter Festival Set which features some amazing beat switches. If you have a look at the crowd (I was there :D) you can just see that this one was special. 9x9 have nothing that you could complain about in their live sets. For me personally they do lack a really individualistic collection of songs and sounds on e.g. Spotify that other Djs up this list provide that have made them the towers of the Techno scene that we will discuss now.
4. Rihkter
If you have every seen the man with the mask live you know that he does not mess around. Famous for his live sets and crazy soundscapes the Russian born has engraved his name into the Techno Scene forever. He had one of my favorite sets during Unreal in July 2023. I was dancing in the crowd and I swear on everything that the 2 hours felt like 2 minutes. I was hearing sounds in the back corner of my head that felt like I was imagining them, but they were really there, just super small details in a thunderstorm of hard and trancelike techno like only the one Rihkter can do. I also want to mention R Label Group here, which for me personally is a huge inspiration as they paved the way to high Fahsion in the techno scene. I am not a fan of the 200€ for one piece policy, but man their clothes look fire. Rihkter is a must see for every hard techno fan and everyone that knows agrees.
3. Kalte Liebe
The second duo on this list and these two actually have a high ceiling for me and could potentially make it all the way up to number one if they keep on going as hard as they are now. Kalte Liebe has a good amount of my all time favorite Techno Songs. Bangers like Dopamin, Komm in Mich or Betäubte Triebe are just insane and I cannot wait to see them live (Edit: it was so fira). So you have to take what I have to say about the two with a grain of salt, I myself have to verify what they can actually do with me on the dance floor :) (I did it was crazy) But there isn't really any doubt in my mind that the hardest Basslines in Techno will also go crazy live. Keep an eye out for the future.
2. Brutalismus3000
Victoria and Theo have actually transcended Techno a bit for me, but I still want to put them on this list, because they deserve my number 2 spot without any doubt. Their new Album Ultrakunst was a huge success in my eyes. Filled with new sounds the two have outdone themselves as always. My friends and me went to their concert and I am not lying to you when I say, everybody was going crazy start to finish. Nobody was leaving the dance floor, because that would have meant missing out at least a couple of unforgettable wild moments. Their discography has of course been filled with classics before. If you know about German Techno you know about songs like Romantika or No Sex With Cops.
1. Klangkuenstler
If you did not already guess this one (and you have if you know me) the number one spot belongs to the King of Techno himself Micha. There isn't really that much to say, because I would start rambling for hours about what this man has done and is still doing, but let me try to make a couple of things clear to people who are not familiar with greatness. Klangkuenstler has a discography without bad songs. Sure I like some more than others but there is nothing that evokes more emotion in me than hearing songs like Weltschmerz, Untergang, Deine Angst because they are connected to memories on the Dance Floor that I will remember deeply all my life. The first Klangkuenstler All Night Long (trendsetting btw) was the single greatest party I have ever been to and most people I have talked to agree. Micha lives Techno and you can hear it in sound, appearance and expression that he will do so until he's done. If you have never seen him live, buy tickets today or check him out on Spotify. Also keep an eye out for our Crimson Klangkuenstler Edit. We want to hear your feedback!
Alright this was my short Top 5 of my personal favorite DJs last revised in June 2023. If you enjoyed it I would really appreciate if you check out our site: https://crimsonc9.com/ and take a look if you like something. Like the DJs on this list we want our spot in the scence and we are working tirelessly to make sure that Techno is being better with us. Have a good one everyone and thank you so much for reading!
Catch me at an event with these legends :P CrimsonCEO Aaron