Dancing Astronaut’s Time Capsules: AviciiAvicii Press

Dancing Astronaut’s Time Capsules: Avicii

Dancing Astronaut's Time Capsules: Avicii

It didn’t begin with “Wake Me Up.” It wasn’t “Levels” either.

As the world mourns Avicii’s retirement from touring, we take a step back and examine Tim Bergling’s rise to fame.

What is now an international brand and household name began as a project between Tim himself and manager-turned-music-mogul Ash Pournouri in Stockholm, Sweden just a few years ago, and the productions that kicked off Avicii’s rise to the top still ring impressively today.

Avicii - Ryu (Original Mix)

While it may be hard to believe now, the LE7ELS record label and At Night Management family has not been around forever; Avicii began his career releasing tracks on familiar and established labels. “Ryu,” a track that symbolizes his early beginnings with a clear progressive house vibe and anthemic length, debuted on Laidback Luke’s Mixmash Records in 2009 before finding its way onto Avicii’s compilation album The Singles

Avicii - Alcoholic (Original Mix)

Before “Alcoholic” was turned into a trap monster by modern day production buddies Cazzette, it donned a progressive vibe indicative of Tim Bergling’s early productions. With a vocal drop that is still used in Avicii’s live performances today, “Alcoholic” has become somewhat of a championed track by diehard Avicii fans. As Avicii pushed his 2009 progressive-dominated sound, he honed his craft and refined it carefully with each release.

Roger Sanchez - Bang that box (Avicii vs Philgood remix)

Another early track from Avicii, the “Bang That Box” remix proved to be a massively successful rework. While the track holds a much darker vibe than today’s euphoric productions from Bergling, the track remains an early staple in Avicii’s career for its aggressively catchy chord progression.

Tom Hangs ft Shermanology - Blessed (Avicii Edit)

Before Spinnin’ Records was synonymous with the rise of big room house and transformed into a production factory, the Dutch record label focused on exciting progressive talent. Tom Hangs – another name used for Tim Bergling’s artistic work – successfully infected the world with an enchanting vocal from Shermanology above a mix that begins to resemble Avicii’s productions today with its now iconic main riff. It was this track that put Avicii on the international charts.

Phonat - Set Me Free (Avicii Mix)

One of Avicii’s lesser known older tracks, “Set Me Free” places a heavy emphasis on vocal chops and sampling, a technique we have rarely seen employed by Avicii since. Under the vocal tricks lays the early foundations of the big room movement, during the days the mainstage favored melody over the Pryda Snare. Oh, and Phonat? You can find him on OWSLA now.

Armin Van Buuren feat. Laura V - Drowning (Avicii Remix)

Before these two artists were far too recognizable to ever remix one-another’s productions, Avicii tried his hand at “Drowning,” a track that would eventually launch Avicii’s career to the next level. While the production debuted in 2011 (a late comer to Avicii’s time capsule), the track still captures the magic of electronic music at the time it was crafted and occasionally finds its way into Tim’s live spectacle.

Avicii, Oliver Ingrosso, & Otto Knows - iTrack (Original Mix)

Childhood friends Avicii and Otto Knows linked with Oliver Ingrosso early on in the Swede’s careers for “iTrack,” one of Avicii’s first charting productions. While the project seems to have faded to the background and be buried by the recording artists, the track breathes fresh progressive air into what Avicii’s productions have become. Fans look to “iTrack” for its original Avicii authenticity, stripped of guitars and other acoustic elements that grace his tracks today.

Avicii - Sweet Dreams (Avicii Swede Dreams Mix)

One of Avicii’s heavier electro tunes, known for its unique use of the vocoder, “Sweet Dreams” was one of four mixes to drop on what is now looked at as a hint towards the eventual Avicii by Avicii movement. While the track still shows the young artist in development with transitions that abruptly change the track’s atmosphere, it’s difficult to look back at Avicii’s career without acknowledging this anthem.

Tim Berg - Seek Bromance (Avicii’s Extended Edit)

Again sporting an alternate production alias, Avicii struck melodic gold with the vocal mix of “Seek Bromance.” As his first international hit, “Seek Bromance” reached the standard for multiple Gold and Platinum selling record awards, an accomplishment that is massively understated for a young artist at this time. While the instrumental version of the track allows the stadium-worthy keys of the original production to shine, the Tim found a vocal that feels exceedingly natural to lay atop the main riff.

Avicii & Sebastien Drums - My Feelings For You (Original Mix)

The first Avicii original to reach a charting position, “My Feelings For You” holds a substantial place in the hearts of Avicii fans and Tim Bergling himself. The collaboration with Sebastien Drums still holds a place firmly in Avicii’s live performances, often bootlegged with a number of tracks that never fails to turn a crowd of strong Avicii fans into a pre-”Levels” frenzy. As the final song in Avicii’s time capsule, “My Feelings For You” holds those magical keys used in early Avicii productions that reignite the excitement of the worldwide electronic music boom of the late 2000s.

Take the tour of Avicii's impressive Los Angeles mansion

Welcome to Avicii’s 7,000 square foot Hollywood Hills home. The successful producer behind “Levels” and his genre-blurring debut album True purchased the incredible home for back in December for the measly price tag of $15,750,000. What exactly did Tim get for that much scratch? Serene views, gorgeous architecture and one hell of a bachelor pad perfect for one of the most recognizable talents in dance music. This one gives Calvin Harris’s mansion a run for its money.

Photo Credit: Pinnacle List

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