It’s inevitable that countdowns will always spark controversy, that’s just the nature of the beast. Some tracks will be snubbed, some overlooked, and some ranked higher than you may have expected. We’ve already gone over our ranking criteria at length but despite our own self-imposed guidelines, 2012 proved to be more difficult to rank than years past. With the EDM explosion officially in full swing throughout the year, the sheer number of releases was mind numbing, and — consequently — nearly impossible to rank. There has been no greater challenge for the editors at Dancing Astronaut than creating the list of the Biggest Tracks of 2012.
So here we are, standing on the brink, about to list the Top 10 Tracks of 2012. We’ve already covered 50-41, 40-31, 30-21, and 20-11. So without further ado, here are Dancing Astronaut’s picks, 10-1.
One to always stay relevant in the release circuit, John Dahlback follows his own “Get Wild” with a remix for Promise Land. Complete with big room melody and a euphoric vocal from Georgi Kay, “Emotions” is a well rounded dance offering that has been electrified by its remixes. Dahlback leaves the harmonic side of the track alone while swapping Promise Land’s progressive catalyst for his own electro contribution. While his rendition may not come as a drastic change from the original, the new flavor broadens its appeal. Grab Dahlback’s take of “Emotions,” along with remixes from Mikael Weermets and Master Mood from Beatport via Big Beat.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Since co-producing “Breaking Up” alongside Chuckie, Promise Land has been looking for their own big break. This week, the duo is back with a big room release featuring lyrics from the same vocalist responsible for the emotion behind “In My Mind” — Georgi Kay. The ‘Miami 305 Vocal Mix’ of “Emotions” crosses progressive house with a big room melody, with a vocal to seal the deal. Expect this uplifting tune to gain airplay at your next festival or club appearance, and catch the official release on Beatport via Big Beat.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
We haven’t heard much from Australian producer Walden recently, but he has been hard at work. His remix of “In My Mind” breathes life into one of the most overplayed tracks of the summer. The remix uses a light synth melody which retains only the high points of the original, creating a more uplifting track. It’s unusual that a track of this magnitude has a remix that compares to the original, but it seems that Walden has done just that. If this track made you fall in love with the Aussie, head over to his Soundcloud for some free downloads, and don’t forget to support his latest release on Beatport.
After seeing the video for Porter Robinson’s “Language” yesterday, we are slowly being convinced that nature and electronic music go hand in hand. The video for Axwell’s mix of Ivan Gough, Feenixpawl, and Georgi Kay’s ”In My Mind” depicts a group of girls as they tour the West Coast with their long boards. Shredding down the side of mountains, through national parks, and parking garages, it seems that these girls are living, well, without anything on their minds at all. We’re not quite sure where the inspiration for the video came from, but it sure looks like they had a good time making it.
