Afrojack
There was a time when Nick van de Wall’s personal life seemed to overshadow his musical accomplishments – he has a reputation for forking out his fortune on flashy cars and let’s not forget his rather public relationship with ex-girlfriend Paris Hilton – but 2014 was the year where he did his best to make it all about the tunes, dropping a long-time-coming debut album Forget the World. The record was a decidedly mixed bag that featured everyone from Snoop Dogg to Martin Garrix, but fresh from a lengthy Vegas residency and on a non-stop tour for years now, Afrojack is a man who knows how to dial in an energetic big beat set with his eyes closed.
Listen to: Last year's breakout anthem The Spark, which put his debut album on the map nearly a year before its release.
Adam Beyer
Techno heads will be happy thanks to the established DJ/producing talent Beyer. A veteran of the mid-1990s scene, he’s a Swedish decksmith whose skills helped put Stockholm on the map a whole generation ahead of Avicii and co. Expect driving beats and an underground approach – this one’s a welcome nod to the purists.
Listen to: Driving minimal techno workout China Girl – not for the faint-hearted.
Marco Carola
More techno sounds come from the Italian legend Carola, another scene veteran who has clocked five respected studio albums and mixes for London’s iconic Fabric club over a storied two-decade career. Last spotted on these shores at Blue Marlin in March last year, Carola is a piece of electronic royalty in our midst.
Listen to: Day and Night – clocking a mighty 1.5 million clicks on YouTube, this retro-flavoured classic must get a spin, surely?
• Creamfields also features sets from Lebanon's maDJam and Ronin & Nesta, Saudi-Turkish DJ Omar Basaad, plus more regional talents including Avid Bold, Greg Gow, Asphyxia & Angelo, Mr Mr, Arcade82 and Smokingroove
