39 MORTEN
NEW ENTRY
Style:
“Energetic progressive.”
Best known for:
“Future rave with David Guetta.”
Tune of the year:
“Achilles ‘Touch Me’.”
From: Denmark
Rising star DJ/producer of 2021: “jaakob.”
Danish DJ and producer MORTEN (Morten Breum) jumped straight back onto the DJ treadmill this year, dropping sets of his trademark bigroom crossover dance at New York’s Harbour, Creamfields, Copenhagen’s Arch festival, Øresound Festival in Denmark, Romania’s SAGA event and packing out venues like EPIC Prague, Amnesia Cap D’agde and Florida’s DADR.
His first single ‘Højere Vildere’ with Rune RK and featuring the Danish duo Nik & Jay was back in 2008 but it was the gnarly synths and irresistibly catchy riffs of his ‘Domestic’, also featuring Nik & Jay in 2010, that was his breakout track. Over the last decade, MORTEN has since put out an impressive catalogue of festival-quaking bangers, including plenty of collabs with artists including Steve Aoki and David Guetta. MORTEN and Guetta have worked together several times this year after their huge Fleetwood Mac ‘Dreams’ cover from late 2020. Their electro-house stormer ‘Impossible’ featuring the vocals of John Martin was huge this year, as was their Future Rave remix of ‘Titanium’ featuring Sia.
How was your first gig back after Lockdown?
“It’s was crazy. Thailand in front of 10,000 people, after I was 16 days in quarantine in a hotel room — first show in 18 months! Very emotional.”
How has the last 18 months changed how you view your work/life balance?
“No travelling of course, but I felt very creative. Super productive making music, and we came with 10 tracks during that time.”
What further steps should the industry take to combat climate change?
“The industry has a big voice that should be used to bring awareness that Climate Change is a real threat to the animals living on this planet.”
What’s the best bit of tech you’ve added to your studio or DJ set-up this year?
“I just got new headphones from Aiaiai!”