The Flag Gang's Top 10 Artists to Watch in 2021

The electronic dance music scene is continuously evolving. Notably, we've seen a major growth in creativity over the past few years. Artists are frequently bending genre norms and finding unique ways to stand out amongst the crowd. As such, we believe DJs should be recognized for their efforts and contribution to this community. That said, we've compiled a list of upcoming producers we encourage you to keep an eye on. Find out why below...

ANOTR

We know what you're thinking - ANOTR electronic group from the Netherlands..."What's so special about them?" you may be wondering. Well, Oguzhan Guney and Jesse van der Heijden have been recognized for their genre-bending productions.

In other words, they don't shy away from one particular genre; thus, making them standout from their peers. House music enthusiasts will especially appreciate their groundbreaking approach to this particular sound barrier as they have breathed new life into it.

Their unquestionable skillset have lead to some noteworthy international performances, including SWF, the Wonderland Festival, and the Smeerboel Music Festival. If you get a chance to catch one of their appearances, count yourselves blessed - they are on the brink of becoming the next big thing!

Apashe

We're just going to cut to the chase - if you've not yet listened to Apashe, you've not yet lived! Funny enough, you may have heard his productions without even realizing it! He soundtracked the trailers for A-list films such as Fast & Furious: Hobbes and Shaw, The Kingsmen II and John Wick: Chapter 2; as well as for high-profile commercials like Budweiser and Adidas.

You may have also heard his bass-heavy anthem 'Majesty' (featuring Wasiu) as it's a popular TikTok go-to. 'Majesty' quickly set the tone for his already admirable career. It wasn't long before his Majestic Squad fanbase started calling his sound majestic. We believe this couldn't be a more perfect distinction!

In addition to his jaw-dropping live performances in which he recreates his tracks alongside a full arsenal of unreleased edits, originals and killer remixes, Apashe is the most successful Kannibalen Records artist in regards to music sales and licensing. Black Tiger Sex Machine must be so proud!

It's unsurprising in the fact that his flawless way of blending electronics with elements of orchestral and classical music has skyrocketed him to stardom! We got a good grasp of his artistry when we interviewed him last year, but his most recent live stream for Toboggan Festival left us speechless! Check it out below.

ARMNHMR

Joseph Chung and Joseph Abella, the talented duo that form ARMNHMR, are known for their skillful original productions. The blissful combination between powerful drops and cheery melodies are the recipe for the perfect track, and they are continuously serving them to us!

The group started to rise to the top back in 2016-2017, but we've recently seen a peak in their followers over the past couple of years. Their Spotify averages an approximate 345,691 monthly listeners and they are currently sitting on almost 94K SoundCloud followers.

If their fanbase's support wasn't enough to convince you that this duo is a force to be reckoned with, perhaps their wide-range of genre diversity will. Get ready for a trip as they explore sounds from eclectic to trap. It's not every day we get to experience this assortment of soundscapes. 

Insomniac has been one of their biggest supporters since day one. Fans have been treated to countless live streams thanks to the event promoter titan's backing, and we couldn't be more thankful. It's given us an opportunity to get a more in-depth glimpse into ARMNHMR's artistry, like the one that took place in July 2020. Check it out below!

CastNowski

If you're looking for a fresh bass/G-house artist, look no further! Québec City-based CastNowski is rapidly pushing towards the big leagues in term of the quality of his productions. Not to mention, he's one of the founding members of the UpNorth Agency, so you know he's in it for the long run!

You may have caught one of his performances which spanned across Canada and Europe, including ÎleSoniq, Sunsation and Villa Paradizo. Not to mention, his hit live stream on our page! If so, you're aware he's all about tactically choosing tracks to get his listeners grooving! 

Although he's been on our radar for months, it seems as though we're not the only ones. He's been supported by world-renowned artists such as Oliver Heldens, Steve Aoki, BIJOU & Shaun Frank. Most recently, you may have caught Tchami's incredible Confession Livestream in which he dropped CastNowki's hit 'No More'.

We've said it once, and we'll say it again, hard work pays off! This is certainly the case for this upcoming producer. We absolutely can't wait to see what else he'll achieve. Passion should never be underestimated and nor should CastNowski's talent!

Codes

New York-based Codes is a weapon when it comes to his releases! Having first gained momentum back in early 2018, Matthew Cody Murray continues to prove why he deserves a spot amongst the big leagues!

Pushing the musical boundaries is his game; but, bringing his own twist to underground house is what he was born to do! He's continuously shown his appreciation for turntablism by pushing sound barriers, gaining an impressive following and support from A-list musicians in the scene. 

You can explore his vast variety of work on some of the biggest imprints, including Dirtybird, Box Of Cats, and Night Bass. We suggest his The Pleasure or Bumps EPs to begin. He's also taken on the role as record label owner/curator of Holy Molé Music.

We could go on and on about why Codes is simply outstanding - but you have to check him out for yourselves! Once you do, you'll quickly realize why so many artists such as Martin Garrix, David Guetta and more have worked with him in the past. Happy listening, Flam fam!

John Summit

"In the beginning there was Jack and Jack had a groove"...but, now we're grooving to John Summit! Ever since we first heard 'Deep End', A.K.A. the longest-running Beatport #1 last year, we have been completed obsessed with this Chicago-based producer!

His forward-thinking originals have rapidly gained support from some of the biggest names in the dance music industry, including Pete Tong, Gorgon City and Annie Mac, alongside the approval of label-giants such as Defected Records, Repopulate Mars, Dirtybird Records and many more!

It wasn't until we caught some of his live performances that he truly stole our heart. His sheer knack for choosing festival-ready house bangers and simply easy-going stage presence is exactly what we needed in our scene. Feel the good vibes while checking out his live stream below.

The stats speak for themselves - his completely fire Stimulate EP reached #1 on Beatport’s Tech House Releases and 'Forgotten One' landed him a spot amongst Beatport's Top 10 Singles in June 2020. We can guarantee this is just the beginning of a huge wave of success for John Summit.

Maurice West

We first discovered Maurice West when he touched down at Riverside Festival in Gatineau, Quebec. We heard through the grapevine that his sound was similar to Tiësto's - but wow, he completely surpassed our expectations!

His instantaneously recognizable big room and progressive sound stole the show that day and has led to countless releases ever since. You may have heard 'Boogie Machine', 'What The F?!', 'Rhythm Of The Night', 'Partystarter (Where Is The Party)' and that's just to name a few - if not, you have to check out some of his mind-blowing work!

Speaking of which, the now 24-year-old already has an impressive resume under his belt. He quickly gained momentum when he was signed as the first artist to W&W's imprint Mainstage Music as well as joining the Armada team within just a year after releasing his first track. He also remixed the groundbreaking trance track 'ResuRection', which was instantly supported by Armin van Buuren.

It's no surprise he fell into this career as he grew up surrounded by other talented musicians and picked up a wide-range of instruments such as piano, drums and guitar. To get a sense of his undeniable skills, check out the challenge he did with SLAM! below as he creates a track in just one hour!

Without any doubts in our mind, there's no stopping this undeniable talent from reaching for the stars. He's fresh off his China tour and gearing up to unleash a wave of new music, including a collaboration with Sound Rush (we spotted this via his socials). Big room DJs: we're calling it - he's coming for your crowns!

Qrion

Hailing from Sapporo, Japan, Qrion is rapidly gaining recognition amongst the long list of Anjuana artists. Her expert use of organic sounds, often relating to her surrounding environment, alongside her masterful ear while layering electronics is unlike any other. 

She was introduced to traditional instrumental music in her early years by her late father. Since then, her passion lead her to familiarize herself with different software and build an impressive following on SoundCloud. 

Her success skyrocketed since moving to San Francisco where she began to peak the attention of well-known labels such as Moving Castle and Anjuana. It was a welcomed nudge to continuously improve her abilities behind the decks and overall stage presence.

Hard work certainly paid off for this talented musician! She's taken her skills to some of the biggest stages across the globe, including Holy Ship!, Tomorrowland and ABGT350.

While we patiently wait to catch one of her next performances, we'll be blasting her truly iconic Sine Wave Party and Waves EPs. Be sure to give them a listen below as they're guaranteed to sweep even the toughest of EDM critics off their feet!

Rebūke

If you want to get the party started, there's likely no better go-to than Rebūke. The skilled musician expertly blends techno, house and rave records from the early ‘90s to create genuinely exciting productions! 

'Along Came Polly' is one of the most unique tracks of our time. When we first heard it, we kid you not, we fell to the ground. It's not often that a song sweeps us off our feet due to its composition. It quickly climbed to the top of the Beatport charts, staying there for a month's time.

Since this discovery, we started to explore his discography and were completely blown away by his one-of-a-kind productions! His Rattle EP on Adam Beyer’s Drumcode imprint is one of our favourites.

We are counting down until we get to see this upcoming artist perform live. Until then, we encourage you to join his Rebūkes Ravers Club Facebook group to stay up-to-date on all things Rebūke. Nothing beats seeing one of your favourite artist's grow! 

WENZDAY

WENZDAY is an indisputable inspiration to so many! She moved to Los Angeles to commit to DJing full-time at only 16 years old, proving that you should not let anyone or anything stop you from pursuing your dreams.

Her sheer perseverance to achieve greatness had lead to some spectacular achievements. Notably, she was the youngest person to DJ at the Playboy Mansion; thus becoming one of the most sought-after open format female DJs in the city. 

She is also the founder and label manager of clothing company and imprint 40oz Cult. If that wasn't enough work for this busy bee, she also dabbled in weekly radio show on DASH1 in which she featured her originals and showed her support for other artists.

Although bass music seems to be her newfound focus, her list of accomplishments is lengthy, especially for such a young musician. We are looking forward to seeing what the future holds for WENZDAY! If history repeats itself, it will be a successful one! 

*Artists names were placed in alphabetical order as we couldn't pick a favourite!*