12 times dance music made us glad to be alive in 2016

Every single time I've been to Berghain it's been a pretty holy experience. It’s my favourite club in the world so naturally I was brimming with joy when I was able to take my younger brother there for his debut session. He couldn’t believe his eyes when he first walked up the stairs into the main room. The sound and scale knocked him for six so I took him straight upstairs to Panorama Bar so he could get accustomed to the environment first. After a Watermelon Man and some Apollonia action, it was back down to Berghain to witness Len Faki in action. This is where my brother leapt into action. I'll never forget the happiness on his face at the freeness in the club and the sheer velocity of Faki’s techno. He called me over and shouted in my ear: “Can I take my top off, everyone else has?" I paused, felt a warm fuzzy feeling and said, “You can do whatever you want here”. He’d succeeded in batting away any inhibitions and he gave himself to Berghain. I felt like I’d succeeded as an older brother. Together we left the club seven hours later absolutely beaming. A family that raves together, stays together. Funster, Deputy Digital Editor

This year saw vigorous conversations about female, minority and LGBT representation: The Black Madonna led by example with outspoken insight and a no-shit-taken attitude, gender fluid icon Mykki Blanco returned to the limelight after announcing he was HIV positive, proclaiming the illness would not bring down his character or craft and Black Coffee became the first South African artist to win a BET Award and proved his international recognition headlining shows in North America, Europe and Asia. These are just a few examples.

Networks and publications across the board took hold of the dialogue, publishing content highlighting marginalized artists, driving their exposure and celebrating the “other body”. Consequently, as a group effort between producers, fans and media heads, we’ve guided dance music back towards the road of inclusivity and the all encompassing foundation of love. Sydney Jow, US Digital Content Editor