Starkillers at Blue Frog, Mumbai

Formerly known as Nick Terranova, Las Vegas talent Starkillers has been cutting a swathe through the bolshier end of the global house music scene over the last few years with his tough-edged, eclectic sound. Blending big hooks and riffs, soaring vocals, thumping beats and mind-bending effects trickery, his sound is the perfect blend of high-octane, fierce energy and accessible appeal.

It’s not about subtlety or tradition; instead its a question of pushing technology and sound to their limits, and creating in-your-face tracks with plenty of charisma and attitude. There’s nothing mundane going on here. Pitch bending leads, rugged bass, mind-warping FX, huge builds and drops; everything in a Starkillers track is designed for maximum impact on the dancefloor, and his potent blend of electro house groove and sharp trance-laced breakdowns has seen his records signed to huge labels including Doorn, Ultra and Spinnin.

He’s succeeded without the hyperbole that surrounds so many other artists, his popularity speaking for itself with two of Beatport’s Top 25 biggest-sellers of 2009 (including a Number 1 during the same year with his remix of Armand Van Helden’s classic The Funk Phenomenon), and more sales smashes over the last two years. Then there’s his Essential New Tune accolade from Pete Tong and an IDMA Award nomination for his anthem Discoteka, and acclaimed remixes for some of the biggest names in the world – including Robbie Rivera, Paul van Dyk, Paul Oakenfold, Jerome Isma-Ae and iiO. More recently his track with the stunning Nadia Ali and 303lovers’ Alex Kenji, Pressure, has received huge support from DJs across the scene and smashed Beatport’s sales charts once again.