Blog

Over 3,500 tracks have been curated and rated, with an expert judging panel sorting through a huge number of unique tracks and picking out the top contenders. Each of 50 winners receives thousands of dollars’ worth of software from iZotope, LANDR, Plugin Boutique, Loopmasters and Roland Cloud, and each gets their tracks released and promoted via Beatport.

Working with labels including Glasgow Underground, Terminal M, Critical Music, Suara PIV, Spinnin’, Armada, Night Bass, Radiant and Dim Mark, we’ve chosen the artists across ten genres (that’s five per genre), with special note taken of each submission’s vibe, mixing, emotional qualities and impact. Here we’ll shine a spotlight on one entry from each of the ten genres.  *Please Note: The labels have only committed to listening to the tracks and giving feedback if needed, and not to signing the artist, releasing their music, or any more action with the winners.

Going deeper with ten of the entries...

HOUSE
 

Artist: Luttgenau
Country: Germany

Originally from Germany but now living in the Canary Islands, Luttgenau’s intro to music came early. His love for harmonies, deep sounds, and timeless grooves is evident through his track Take Me ‘90s, which is a tribute to early house music. Witness the uplifting energy and the organic production elements in this winning track for some extra inspiration in house.

Find more tracks by Luttgenau on Beatport

Other winners:
Juannan
AUDIO DROPOUT
Dafunky
Jamie Nugent

DEEP HOUSE
 

Artist: Cultural Blending
Country: Portugal

Cultural Blending is a DJ and Producer with one simple raison d’etre: “making music for people to enjoy life”. Cultural Blending crosses underground dance music with mainstream influences, and his winning track, Sunrise, sees him turn in some simple drum programming alongside powerful chord layering. Above all, it’s this Portugese artist’s dancefloor vibe that have impressed us the most.

Find more tracks by Cultural Blending on Beatport

Other winners:
Tree Threes
Steve Robinson
Un1que
Light

MELODIC HOUSE & TECHNO
 

Artist: Igor Bartyuk
Country: Russia

Mr Bartyuk has long had a connection with any music that doesn’t conform to the norms he hears around him. Having has a passion sparked for techno at an early age, Igor’s production career saw him releasing on Sudam, WHATIPLAY and Motek. In this competition, his track Through The Thorns takes you on a strung-out, meandering journey that couldn’t possibly disappoint.

Find more tracks by Igor Bartyuk on Beatport

Other winners:
Ceren Patron
Qarrassa
Mila Journée
Broken Drum Machine

TRANCE
 

Artist: Martin Covil
Country: United Kingdom

Hailing from Peterborough in the UK, Martin experienced the rave culture of the 90s before being bitten by the trance bug and falling into a highly infectious state, thanks to the influence of classics like Energy 52’s Cafe Del Mar, Binary Finary’s 1998 and Blank & Jones’s Cream. These days, Martin’s more about Armin Van Buuren, Giuseppe Ottaviani, Paul Van Dyk and Aly & Fila as his main influences. His competition submission, Iconic, really hits the spot.

Find more tracks by Martin Covil on Beatport

Other winners:
1st in Line
Almar
Cresta
Andy Alsan

AFRO HOUSE
 

Artist: Elias Kazais
Country: Greece

Coming atcha from the Greek island of Samos, which was once home to historic musical scientist and triangle enthusiast Pythagoras, Elias Kazais sees music as the perfect wat to express his emotions. His release history includes tracks on labels such as Defected, Sunclock, Obenmusik and SP Recordings, and he describes his genre-defying music as a “deep net of rhythm and grooves”. Alaya is a tight piece of music with extra-special instrumentation in tow.

Find more tracks by Elias Kazais on Beatport

Other winners:
1MRN
Cory Centric
Gio (CY)
MIGANOVA

TECHNO
 

Artist: Tusca
Country: Argentina

After finishing a mixing and mastering program at Point Blank Music School, Tusca has handed us We All Complete, which is a dubby techno number complete with shuffling bass drum, spellbinding sub bass, crisp hi-hat design and a melody that’ll plant its hooks in you and not let go. Tusca has a real knack for combining organic sounds with electronic arrangements.

Find out more about Tusca

Other winners:
Koichiro Toki
Robin Flux
GANDER
Djayz

MINIMAL / DEEP TECH
 

Artist: Latrans
Country: United Kingdom

A connoisseur of groove, this DJ and producer has spent years honing his own sound and learning the art and science of music production. Coming after last year’s Future EP, Latrans’ entry for this competition, Stations, is a bass-heavy tune with melodic and harmonic elements that’ll take you to another world.

Find more tracks by Latrans on Beatport

Other winners:
Neither
Jacko Plakinoff
Nuendo
Lim Tzo

DRUM & BASS
 

Artist: Massive Zebra
Country: Austria

Vienna natives Michael Plank and Pascal Obermayer go together to form the drum n bass duo Massive Zebra, whose powerful, epic tunes sit on a background of beats inspired by the two’s combined experience in playing the drums. Schlepper demonstrates Michael and Pascal’s furious beatmaking, slathered with musical elements to do the track justice in true-to-form DnB fashion.

Learn more about Massive Zebra

Other winners:
MVDVY
Alien Exposure
Miso, AeN
Kidsonic

TECH HOUSE
 

Artist: InfamouZ
Country: Italy

Sicillian Dj and producer Gabriele Domicolo (that’s InfamouZ to his fans) has made headway in his electronic music career already. Despite being all of 22 years old, Gabriele has releases music on Flashmob, Low Groove and Claw, and his submission for this particular competition – the infectious banger The O.G. – brings it all, with perfectly constructed drums, a punchy sub bass line, well-timed spot FX, and an infectious vocal. That’s why he’s soon to be InfamouZ.

Find more tracks by InfamouZ on Beatport

Other winners:
Santez, GIORG
Dj Feders
Non-Essential
Filthy Pitch

DANCE / FUTURE / BASS HOUSE
 

Artist: Meywenz
Country: Poland

Meywenz, better know to his loved ones as Michał Kołodziejczyk, is the 27-year-old Polish DJ and producer behind a slew of great bass house tunes. Signing with the label FRKNTN brought about his single Konnichiwa, and remixes of it have seen support from Marshmello, Jauz, Krewella, Firebeatz and Timmy Trumpet. While Meywenz has experimented with house music, it’s this success that started his blueprint in bass house, leading to his submission for this competition, No More, which is full to the brim with production power and raw musical energy.

Find more tracks by Meywenz on Beatport

Other winners:
N Effect
BXN
João Faria
Xit

All of the winning entries can be played and purchased through the Beatport winners page.