Dixon's beliefs have always been clear. When he started to make waves in 2007, after years spent honing his craft in Berlin, the talk was of a DJ who used melodies, vocals and warmth to tell his story. Six years later, and these guiding principles are firmer than ever. He may have an easily defined approach, but Dixon's sets throw up some interesting contradictions—the music he plays is accessible, but he retains underground credibility; his performances at once feel safe and unpredictable. It's this singular sense of balance that has seen his global appeal widen year after year. The platform for Dixon's ascent has been Innervisions , the label he runs with Frank Wiedemann and Kristian Beyer of Âme. Since starting out as a Sonar Kollektiv sub-label back in 2005, the imprint has become a collective embodiment of their musical identity. Time and again, Innervisions has released standout tracks imbued with hooks, emotions and songwriting, many of which—" Envision ," " Howling ," " Gotham "—have been enormous club hits. This aesthetic was best experienced in 2013 at Lost In A Moment, the Innervisions event series. This title was only used for the first time this year, and it felt telling: it was as though they'd finally figured out a name for their mission. Dixon has made an art out of creating transcendent dance floor moments, and it's the reason he's at number one in our poll this year.