Spain

Amnesia Ibiza

Joseph Capriati presents Metamorfosi Opening Party

Joseph Capriati Presents Metamorfosi

United Kingdom

tech house

uk tech house

Ben Sterling

deep disco house

deep house

house

minimal techno

Jamie Jones

Italy

italian techno

techno

Joseph Capriati

Nigeria

arab electronic

deep minimal techno

electra

Nicole Moudaber

Benin

afro house

AMÉMÉ

Alan Fitzpatrick

Richy Ahmed

Darius Syrossian

Germany

acid techno

float house

CINTHIE

bass house

Mason Maynard

Paradise Closing

Ukraine

Korolova

Romania

romanian electronic

Mahony

ukrainian electronic

Miss Monique

Ninetoes

italian tech house

Roberto Surace

Russia

organic house

Serge Devant

France

french tech house

Sirus Hood

OCHO Episode 8

latin tech house

Dennis Cruz

East End Dubs

SYREETA

uk house

Bontan

minimal tech house

Archie Hamilton

Seb Zito

Netherlands

dutch tech house

Luuk van Dijk

Wheats

Paradise Week 10

Paradise

South Africa

south african house

south african pop

south african pop dance

Black Coffee

Damian Lazarus

Paul Reynolds

United States

organic electronic

Bedouin

Jackmaster

Tony y Not

Hï Ibiza

Black Coffee Week 19

deep tech house

Cuartero

Rendher

FLORENTIA

Joris Voorn

elrow Kaos Garden

Paradise Closing Party

Michael Bibi

Blackchild

DC-10 Ibiza

Solid Grooves Closing Party

CAAL

uk dance

Danny Howard

Fleur Shore

Mar-T

Belgium

belgian techno

Charlotte de Witte

Deborah de Luca

dark techno

Enrico Sangiuliano

Luca Donzelli

russian electronic

russian techno

Nina Kraviz

Amnesia Closing Party 2023

ANOTR

Apollonia

Sweden

swedish electronic

swedish techno

Ida Engberg

Denmark

Manda Moor

Space Miami

Paradise Miami Space Basel

The Martinez Brothers

Chris Stussy

tINI

Cole Knight

tribal house

Nic Fanciulli

Ushuaïa Ibiza

ANTS Week 17

ANTS

Solid Grooves Motel Closing Party

Rossi

Chelina Manuhutu

Calvin Clarke

Mason Collective

Paradise Week 2

Ilario Alicante

Dan Ghenacia

Shonky

french techno

Traumer

Rich NxT

Paradise Opening Party

Marco Carola

PAWSA

Pacha Ibiza

Music On Week 11

Music On

birmingham grime

grime

instrumental grime

uk hip hop

Skepta

TSHA

Jean Pierre

ALISHA

Chicks Luv Us

Paradise Week 13

Amy Jor

Deeper Purpose

Peru

Nicolas Caprile

Neverdogs

Australia

aussietronica

australian dance

australian indie

indietronica

nu disco

Flight Facilities

deep techno

german techno

Stephan Bodzin

Demi Riquísimo

Honey B

downtempo bass

Bad Snacks

Denney

Looking from the outside in, it would seem UK DJ Ben Sterling has had the kind of career that most aspiring artists can only dream of. Despite his youth, Sterling has seen break after break go his way, leading to international recognition. But his charmed status does not illude him. His recent project tells the overarching story of his professional life: respect what comes before and pay it forward.

Sterling has released with some of the most respected labels in the world, including Edible, Origin Rcords, and Hottrax. Yet, he's in the process of launching his imprint, Planet X.

Dance Machine - Original Mix

"I wanted to create a new platform for the young eyes," said Sterling. "There's a lot of new music coming about everywhere… and I just feel like not many labels pick up on it."

Planet X has its roots in Sterling's passions, connecting to a long-time love for science fiction. The correlation between the synthetic sounds associated with sci-fi entertainment and dance music is not lost on him.

 theme song… that was the first created, synthetic track… and it was just such an influence," he explained.

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"I wanted to create something fun, and I thought [the name] Planet X just to be out of this world and having the feeling of listening to stuff that's kind of a bit different." He also will have a sister label called The X Files, which he said will be for "deeper" material and "hidden secrets," while Planet X remains "fun" and "energetic."

Sterling chose the letter "X" to anchor his label because of a Duck Doggers episode of 

 where the classic animated characters go to Planet X. For The X Files, he liked the idea of searching through files to find hidden gems.

Every decision connects strongly to something from his past and the collective past of music. Even the color palette from the label is personal, with purple representing his birthstone, Amethyst.

He's working on an EP for his label now, which will likely drop at the end of February. "I'm gonna push the hell out of it and make it look…" and Sterling gestured with his hands, symbolizing an explosion.

His career trajectory has been something of an explosion. The success came, though, through years of what Sterling dubs "crafting," a term that he uses to describe making sure he was everywhere.

"Every single party... especially in London, there's a lot of parties going on every single weekend… going to all the clubs and just mingling with all the great DJs and people… just trying to get [my] foot in the door." He also worked a part-time job while networking his way into the industry to keep him afloat while he steadily devoted his free time to improving his art and getting exposure.

Planet X Remastered

 got him started when he was only 18. He released the record "Ciao," which impressed UK legend Jamie Jones so much that he played seven of Sterling's unreleased tracks in his EDC Las Vegas set in 2018.

"I thought that was it," said Sterling, "I thought, he's played my track, 'thank you so much, that's enough, thank you.' And suddenly… after that it was just constant, it just spiraled into a snowball, and just everyone started playing it."

Sterling's unique blend of historical music trends started with his parents. "So my dad was very much into electropop," he explained, "And then my mum was very into Balearic, Ibiza, and it kind of just merged together… and I was born."

"There were just so many influences happening at once." As a result, sterling never listened to what was trending on the charts, sticking instead to the eclectic blend his parents introduced to him. He found further inspiration in a documentary on the history of house music 

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"It is very important in the industry to know where everything comes from," Sterling said. "Having the kind of knowledge on what makes house, what makes tech house, what makes acid house what it is today… is so important." He said that by exploring history, artists evolve their sound and discover new sources of inspiration.

"I still want to make it cool, fun and kind of maturic… that's not even a word, but I just made it up," Sterling laughed. The invention of a word that somehow perfectly sums up the collective of style and talent that has informed Ben Sterling's young but varied career, bringing together old and new, infusing what was with what is. Keep an eye on the maturic DJ Ben Sterling.

Looking from the outside in, it would seem UK DJ Ben Sterling has had the kind of career that most aspiring artists can only dream of. Despite his youth, Sterling has seen break after break go his way, leading to international recognition. But his charmed status does not illude him. His recent project tells the overarching story of his professional life: respect what comes before and pay it forward.

Sterling has released with some of the most respected labels in the world, including Edible, Origin Rcords, and Hottrax. Yet, he's in the process of launching his imprint, Planet X.

"I wanted to create a new platform for the young eyes," said Sterling. "There's a lot of new music coming about everywhere… and I just feel like not many labels pick up on it."

Planet X has its roots in Sterling's passions, connecting to a long-time love for science fiction. The correlation between the synthetic sounds associated with sci-fi entertainment and dance music is not lost on him.

"For instance, the Dr. Who theme song… that was the first created, synthetic track… and it was just such an influence," he explained.

Become a Gray Area member for access to exclusive perks!

"I wanted to create something fun, and I thought [the name] Planet X just to be out of this world and having the feeling of listening to stuff that's kind of a bit different." He also will have a sister label called The X Files, which he said will be for "deeper" material and "hidden secrets," while Planet X remains "fun" and "energetic."

Sterling chose the letter "X" to anchor his label because of a Duck Doggers episode of Looney Toons where the classic animated characters go to Planet X. For The X Files, he liked the idea of searching through files to find hidden gems.

Every decision connects strongly to something from his past and the collective past of music. Even the color palette from the label is personal, with purple representing his birthstone, Amethyst.

He's working on an EP for his label now, which will likely drop at the end of February. "I'm gonna push the hell out of it and make it look…" and Sterling gestured with his hands, symbolizing an explosion.

His career trajectory has been something of an explosion. The success came, though, through years of what Sterling dubs "crafting," a term that he uses to describe making sure he was everywhere.

"Every single party... especially in London, there's a lot of parties going on every single weekend… going to all the clubs and just mingling with all the great DJs and people… just trying to get [my] foot in the door." He also worked a part-time job while networking his way into the industry to keep him afloat while he steadily devoted his free time to improving his art and getting exposure.

A residency at London's Ministry of Sound got him started when he was only 18. He released the record "Ciao," which impressed UK legend Jamie Jones so much that he played seven of Sterling's unreleased tracks in his EDC Las Vegas set in 2018.

"I thought that was it," said Sterling, "I thought, he's played my track, 'thank you so much, that's enough, thank you.' And suddenly… after that it was just constant, it just spiraled into a snowball, and just everyone started playing it."

Sterling's unique blend of historical music trends started with his parents. "So my dad was very much into electropop," he explained, "And then my mum was very into Balearic, Ibiza, and it kind of just merged together… and I was born."

"There were just so many influences happening at once." As a result, sterling never listened to what was trending on the charts, sticking instead to the eclectic blend his parents introduced to him. He found further inspiration in a documentary on the history of house music Pump up the Volume.

"It is very important in the industry to know where everything comes from," Sterling said. "Having the kind of knowledge on what makes house, what makes tech house, what makes acid house what it is today… is so important." He said that by exploring history, artists evolve their sound and discover new sources of inspiration.

"I still want to make it cool, fun and kind of maturic… that's not even a word, but I just made it up," Sterling laughed. The invention of a word that somehow perfectly sums up the collective of style and talent that has informed Ben Sterling's young but varied career, bringing together old and new, infusing what was with what is. Keep an eye on the maturic DJ Ben Sterling.

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Alex Stein

Ben Sterling

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