Duality has always been key for clubland’s cupids DJ HEARTSTRING. Whether it’s their balance between melancholy and euphoria, the way in which the German duo bring pop bangers to the dancefloor, or their crossover appeal that makes them equally as at home on big festival stages as playing Berghain, producers, DJs and songwriters Leo and Jonas have always played to each other’s strengths. 

However, long before they became globe-touring artists with tens of millions of streams who can turn a Berlin corner shop into a tiny rave (with the help of pop icons Sugababes), they were two friends making music for fun. Growing up in a small village without a clubbing scene, Leo instead discovered EDM and artists like Deadmau5 by playing the video game DJ Hero and, aged 16, seeing Netsky perform at a festival. Watching everyone there dancing to his music made Leo think it must be the best feeling on earth. Inspired, he asked his parents for a set of turntables and later received Fruity Loops as a Christmas present. 

After a six-month music production course, Leo moved to Berlin, found its techno scene and was introduced to city native Jonas who, formerly a fan of alternative rock and German hip-hop, was a regular at renowned underground clubs Magdalena and Tresor. Having been introduced to electronic music via Paul Kalkbrenner’s movie ‘Berlin Calling’, he got into production and was throwing open air parties with friends; alongside one pal, Jonas was booked to DJ a small 18-plus party when they were just 16. 

After several years of hanging out, it wasn’t until clubs closed in 2020 that Leo and Jonas started messing around making tunes together – though, crucially, they didn’t put pressure on themselves. Realising they could do everything using just a laptop, they bounced onto the scene in 2021 with their Trance Dance Music (TDM) sound. With a generation of new fans hungry for increased BPMs, the pair - who came up with their artist moniker after brainstorming the most cliché, cheesy, trance-sounding names possible - quickly found their hard-and-fast primed audience. Keeping their faces obscured from social media in the early days also made clear that, while they might not take themselves too seriously, it’s all about the music. 

When venues reopened, the duo’s euphoric yet emotionally-charged hits and high-energy nostalgia-tinged DJ sets - which typically feature unreleased tunes, tracks by like-minded artists and a big hands-in-the-air Coldplay moment - not only made them stand out from the crowd, but proved a tonic for ravers ready to let loose post-pandemic. Leo and Jonas have similarly made up for lost time: in 2024, they played Japan, Europe and America, and went viral with their Boiler Room Melbourne set; this year, they’ll make their Thailand/southeast Asia debut, head to South America for the first time, play a string of festivals and tour North America. 

Despite such a packed schedule, artistic evolution remains key for the duo whose next EP, the emotion-filled ‘You Are The Sun, I Am The Sky’, is the result of the pair locking themselves away in an Airbnb in the German countryside. Doing nothing except making music (and eating frozen pizzas) resulted in a four-track collection of loved-up dancefloor heaters. Ravey opener

‘Emotion Overload’ not only gets the party popping but truly lives up to the intensity of its name, embodying the duo’s hard trance sound as synths build to a huge earworm hook before the whole thing explodes with untamed elation. ‘Last Time Under Purple Skies’ is sure to have strangers hugging, eyes-closed, beneath neon strobes, and peak-time pumper ‘Green Wide Open’ is a surefire bet for this year’s summer anthem thanks to its Ibiza-ready hedonism. Bringing the EP to a close, the comparatively reflective ‘Stay Awake’ is destined to soundtrack that moment before the club light’s come back on – one last rush before the end of the night. 

To celebrate its release, DJ HEARTSTRING will play their biggest show to date in February: a Valentine’s Day rave at London’s 3,000-capacity Camden Roundhouse that’s likely to get tears falling on the dancefloor, and plenty of calls to ex-partners. Encapsulating the pair’s live, laugh, love vibe perfectly, Jonas has the last word: “we just want people to feel something!”