Best of the Rest is a daily feature from Dancing Astronaut that recaps the most important posts of the day as well as the stuff we didn’t get to. With the rapidity that dance music news and releases come out it’s difficult for us to hit everything — we hope BOTR serves as a catch-all. Make sure to check it out at the end of each day to ensure you don’t miss anything!
Best of Instagram is a feature from Dancing Astronaut that showcases our favorite pictures from our favorite DJs on Instragram each week. This week, we’ve got gems from Nicky Romero, Steve Angello, Diplo, and more.
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.
Yesterday we kicked off our countdown with the biggest tracks of 2012: 50-41 — Hop past to break to for our picks from 40-31.
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.
Love them or hate them, overplayed or under-appreciated, here are the songs that defined the 2012 EDM explosion, numbers 50-41.
Nervo and Nicky Romero outed one of the biggest releases in progressive house last month with “Like Home,” and the track is now available in the form of its remixes. With help from Nervo’s vocal, the original became a mainstream staple, but Dannic, Dillon Francis, and Gregor Salto have spun “Like Home” in new directions.
Dannic boosts the progression on his take, supplementing his trademark baseline and melodic undertones. Dillon’s facelift strays the furthest with injections of moombah, leaving no trace of Nicky’s original flare. Salto’s version removes all evidence of a feel-good day-time track, creating a deep, dark tune for late night party goers. Listen to all three remixes beyond the break and find the package on Beatport via Romero’s Protocol imprint.
Every Saturday night at 1am in the UK, Pete Tong allows an artist of his choosing to take over the Radio 1 airwaves for two full hours. The Essential Mix is legendary and for many of these DJs and producers, the pressure feels immense. A stellar mix can shoot you to recognition, solidify a career, or facilitate a comeback. Although with the generous input of fans, Pete Tong does eventually crown an Essential Mix of the year himself (last year: Above & Beyond), we also put our heads together to decide on the ten mixes from 2012 that made us listen again, and again, and again.
Nicky Romero and David Guetta unite once more, on a production for neither Protocol or Jack Back, but for Rihanna’s new album Unapologetic. If you’re expecting this latest collaboration to live up to the pop sounds of “Wild One Two,” think again. “Right Now” boasts gritty synths that juxtapose the melodic elements, striking resemblance to their own “Metropolis” with a fair balance of influence from both Guetta and Romero. Certainly not your typical radio track — think Beatport release with a Rihanna vocal.
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Purchase: iTunes
Following in the footsteps of many others in the EDM scene, Nicky Romero gives fans an inside look at the life of a dance music dynamo, with his first installment of “Protocol Flight.” As DJs and producers continue take the lime light–proving they are the new American “rock stars”– fans continue to crave a glimpse into their lives. Protocol Flight #1 was released today giving us the first backstage view of what really happens behind the scenes of one of dance music’s elite. For the first episode Romero gives watchers a look into his non-stop travels, his team–including his manager and booking agent–and peek at his sea of fans.
Fedde Le Grand and Nicky Romero’s progressive chart topper “Sparks” is finally seeing new life on its trance-inspired remix package. The premier offering is Jochen Miller’s rendition, which uses Matthew Koma’s vocal to its potential in its latest form. Keeping the prog-house backbone in tact, Miller builds around the original with more melodic builds and even hard kicks. Purchase Jochen’s remix of “Sparks,” along with versions from Nilson and Iceash, from Beatport today.
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Purchase: Beatport
Fresh off his Nervo collaboration “Like Home,” Nicky Romero strikes back with an electro-tinged remix of Anakyn’s “Point Blank.” With its piano driven melody and feel-good vibe, Nicky dishes out his trademark contribution on the progressive end with an anticipating build and percussion to follow. One of the softer releases on any given Monday, Anakyn’s “Point Blank” with Romero’s rendition serves as the ideal mellow offering. Claim the remix, as well as the original, from Beatport via Big Beat.
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Purchase: Beatport
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