They think it’s all over. It is now! 2022 has whizzed by in a flash, helped initially by the fact that the industry emerged from the shadow of pandemic lockdowns at the start of the year. Things rapidly appeared to get back to ‘normal’, with first Miami Music Week, and then IMS signalling a start to the Ibiza season that was earlier than ever this year. Then, almost as soon as we’d started getting used to going to clubs and festivals again, the cost-of-living crisis started to bite. In the UK this meant soaring prices and energy bills, which placed much of the hospitality sector in peril once again. But in other ways it’s been a successful bounce back year for DJs, radio hosts, label heads, promoters and so forth. There have been some killer events, and some amazing music has left hard-drives to be thrown out into the ether.
Our End Of Year Lists from page 36 onwards itemise the best tracks, albums and comps from the year we’re just about to leave. The brilliant Loraine James is on the cover this issue, her story expertly told by DJ Mag’s Eoin Murray from page 22 onwards. Elsewhere, we detail the return of the mighty Leftfield (p58); explore how pop music has been infiltrating our beloved scene in recent times (p65); check in with acid fiends Posthuman (p73) and ‘supergroup’ Decius (p82); and report from the Amsterdam Dance Event (p92), which was the most buzzing it’s been for years. To round the year off, it’s our annual Best Of British awards on the 15th of this month, at Steel Yard in London — check the details on page 6. See you there!
Carl Loben
Editor
Our End Of Year Lists from page 36 onwards itemise the best tracks, albums and comps from the year we’re just about to leave. The brilliant Loraine James is on the cover this issue, her story expertly told by DJ Mag’s Eoin Murray from page 22 onwards. Elsewhere, we detail the return of the mighty Leftfield (p58); explore how pop music has been infiltrating our beloved scene in recent times (p65); check in with acid fiends Posthuman (p73) and ‘supergroup’ Decius (p82); and report from the Amsterdam Dance Event (p92), which was the most buzzing it’s been for years. To round the year off, it’s our annual Best Of British awards on the 15th of this month, at Steel Yard in London — check the details on page 6. See you there!
Carl Loben
Editor