Martin Garrix makes his Coachella Debut: Five tracks you need to knowIMG 7601

Martin Garrix makes his Coachella Debut: Five tracks you need to know

Martin Garrix makes his Coachella Debut: Five tracks you need to know

Just two weeks after earning the title of youngest DJ to ever play the Ultra Main Stage, Martin Garrix ventured west to celebrate a more personal milestone of first ever Coachella performance. Though two slots short of headlining, the 17-year-old amassed an impossible to ignore crowd that spilled far past the limits of the Sahara Tent, creating one giant, raging road block. While Garrix’s turnout was to be expected, with only a half dozen originals under his belt, what he would play remained anyone’s guess. Here are the five tracks you need to know.

Martin Garrix - Animals (Onderkoffer's Orchestral Intro Remix)

If the people wanted “Animals,” that is just what they got. Garrix kicked off his highly-anticipated set with his fame-inducing single, but did so in an unexpected way. Instead of hearing the tune’s introductory kick, the buzzing crowd was met with almost instantly with a more cinematic edit of the melody, presented with strobes and lasers that danced to the beat. The addictive notes rang out but were backed by swelling strings, crashing cymbals and a lush almost laziness when compared to the original’s intensity. Though after a brief call to make some noise the edit quickly gave way to Botnek’s more familiar remix, the orchestral rework came not from Garrix but from Onderkoffer, a Dutch producer that has caught the attention of several of his countrymen with his remixes. Though still relatively under the radar, if Garrix continues to play out this edit that almost certainly will change.

Martin Garrix vs Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike - Tremor

With the crowd still high on the adrenaline of the intro and “Animals” imagery still swirling, Garrix lay into his forthcoming collab with Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike. “Tremor” has been ripping through the airwaves since the Dutch duo played it at Amsterdam’s DJ Mag awards late last year, but Garrix had reserved the tune for New York and Miami. Heard for the first time on the Best Coast, the reaction was a strong one: the crowd throbbed en masse to the stomping melody and dutifully clapped as one when instructed. The heavy instrumental hit its mark, but fans were rewarded for their patience with a string of familiar vocals that followed the new tune.

Dillon Francis & Martin Garrix - Set Me Free

After a half-hour stretch that included Ellie Goulding, Nirvana, Kid Cudi and Macklemore, Garrix played out a few more of his originals before unleashing this new track, but he didn’t do it alone. Inviting Dillon Francis onto the deck, the pair played their new collab together to the euphoric crowd. While Dillon served more as a hype man and a Lil Jon sample found its way in, “Set Me Free” provided just enough bounce to keep the big room fans on their toes and ready to pounce on the single when it finally makes its release.

Bassjackers & MAKJ - Derp

Keeping the new tracks rolling into the second half (Jay Hardway’s “Bootcamp” and Alpharock’s “Drop The Guns” also getting play), Garrix highlighted a forthcoming Hysteria release in his set. Bassjackers & MAKJ’s “Derp” received its live debut under the Indio sky as its heavy bass and catchy vocal hook kept energy high. The tune’s melody is not unlike Garrix’s own work with its light reverb and punchy kick, but it was its fierce and unrelenting build that saw the most air time and sent the most arms flying into the sky.

Afrojack & Martin Garrix - Turn Up Your Speakers

Hot on the heels of “Derp” was Garrix’s upcoming with Afrojack, “Turn Up Your Speakers.” Proudly announced as such by the young producer, the aggressive tune saw massive success in both artists’ sets at Ultra and was loved in the Sahara as well. Cheers erupted with the Garrix melody while the pounding percussion made the ground shake with the weight of thousands of jumping bodies. While no release date has been announced, the two acts have undeniably stumbled upon a hit. A highlight of Garrix’s set, enthusiasm for “Turn Up Your Speakers” can only be matched by the still-mysterious “Gold Skies” collaboration with Sander van Doorn and DVBBS that closed the set out.

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