Dancing Astronaut’s top 10 tracks of March 2014

Dancing Astronaut's Top 10 Tracks of March 2014

Want an easy way to make sure you’re up to date on all the latest, best music? Dancing Astronaut takes a look at the top 10 tracks officially released in March and ranks them based on a combination of reader feedback, track quality, editorial preference & critical reception.

Dancing Astronaut wraps up March for you with another edition of our top 10 tracks of the month. March’s list features massive tracks from reader favorites Mercer & DJ Snake, Eric Prydz, Skrillex and more. Not to be missed are also fantastic efforts from MK, Deep Dish and Porter Robinson.

10. Wayne & Woods - Ghetto Funk (Original Mix)

Since scratching the surface as Size Records understudies, Wayne & Woods have come a long way — yet their recent surge of releases has still only unveiled the tip of their talent iceberg. “Favela” was a step forward for the Swedish production duo, and returning to Cr2 this month they make an even larger stride. Flexing their electro muscles, Wayne & Woods send the message that they mean business with the release of “Ghetto Funk,” a record that embodies its labeling and has an evolved sound at its fruition. The strong push is anchored by an urban core that grows anthemic, tinged with nostalgic elements of old school dance and flashes of disco, and fortified full-circle by rolling percussion. Wayne & Woods now see another W — scoring in the win column with “Ghetto Funk.”

9. Deep Dish - Quincy (Original Mix)

With releases dating back as far as 1994 and an impressive holding of the middle grounds between upfront house and its more progressively inclined ranks, there return reignites the sort of agenda that could only play as an immediate head turner to an industry otherwise distracted by buzz sounds. Murky but meticulously formed, the subtle melodic progressions and groovy percussive undertones of “Quincy” marks one of the more immaculate and deviating tracks to bless the digital market in 2014 so far.

8. Ellie Goulding - Hangin On (I See MONSTAS Remix)

This season’s blockbuster brought along a soundtrack that’s notable to say the least. The minimal, grungy compilation of electro-assisted pop and hip-hip features the likes of Skrillex and Gesaffelstein, but it’s I See MONSTAS who swoops in with a hidden gem. The remix of Ellie Goulding’s “Hangin On” is as contagious as any of the accompanying record.

7. Oliver $ & Jimi Jules - Pushing On (Original Mix)

German house mogul Oliver $ and Swiss peer Jimi Jules representing the latter of musical mediums for impending collaborative label debut “Pushing On.” Earlier Hive Audio collaborative offering “Soggy Cereal” was enough to convince us that the duo had incredible compatibility, but for Defected the stakes are raised considerably higher for the lesser-groomed ranks of European house music and an affliction for Chicago’s heyday that is still all too apparent. A persistent groover oiled with infectious sample work throughout, “Pushing On,” reigns testament to just how powerful the union of a steady beat and a tempered bass line can be.

6. DJ Snake & Mercer - Lunatic (Original Mix)

If a track titled “Lunatic” with a partnership backing of epic house proportions could find a proper time to shine, there would be no better time than the present: At the cusp of spring with festival season looming on the horizon, the DJ Snake and Mercercollaboration builds a gritty escalation of electro fueled by a hotheaded energy that is guaranteed to spread like wildfire across big room stages. Beating chords and crowd call outs layer tantalizing tension one over the other – the perfect formula for a striking dancefloor hit. “Lunatic” has arrived, fresh from DJ Snake’s Essential Mix to Beatport, and is available today on Spinnin Records.

5. Eric Prydz - Liberate (Original Mix)

For his first official release of 2014, Eric has unveiled “Liberate,” an uplifting progressive house piece formally known by his fans as “Waterpark ID.” Drawing you in with delicate arpeggios, the track mounts to a sumptuous Prydz bassline. The song’s chopped vocal line flutters in and out with delightful ease, meshing emphatically with the melody. “Liberate” is exuberant to say the least, and clearly designed with the impending summer sunshine in mind.

4. Avicii - Shame On Me (Avicii by Avicii)

This month, Avicii reworked his True for a live set-savvy remix album, and one track in particular comes head and shoulders above the rest. It is hard to put the atmosphere of Avicii’s rework of “Shame on Me” into words. Yet one comes to mind: fantastic. Shining head-and-shoulders above the rest of the project, “Shame on Me” will be cemented as a good track, while the Avicii by Avicii version will be held in the highest regard, and considered great. The groove is brought on heavy for live performances with this updated track.

3. Skrillex - FucK That (Original Mix)

Skrillex dropped his Recess project in near-Beyonce fashion this month, unleashing his latest and expected album ironically unexpected. The effort in full sports a wide range of familiarity and refreshing sounds from the producer, with each individual track has its own identity. “FucK That” experiments with a vintage techno synth arrangement that wobbles and bops, further adding to the album’s rich, sonic diversity.

2. Porter Robinson - Sea of Voices (Original Mix)

Porter has released “Sea of Voices,” his first reveal from Worlds. The 21-year old star has lived up to his promise to shy away from the mainstream and found a perfect balance of his inspirations: natural, organic sounds blend with his impeccable production abilities for a movie soundtrack appropriate tune. Moments before releasing his latest on Soundcloud, Porter took a moment to share his inner journey behind the making of Worlds. “I found the more I forced myself to work within DJ-friendly limits, the more I resented the genre. I realized the rift between the music that works for DJs and the music that I love had grown too huge to ignore.”

1. Duke Dumont - I Got U (MK Remix)

As the official remixes of Duke Dumont‘s “I Got U” continue to roll out, Marc Kinchen‘s take on the track has finally arrived to a computer near you. Aligned with the likes of Tensnake, Bondax, Jax Jones and High Contrast, MK’s deep, sultry leanings complement Duke Dumont’s more tropical, upbeat style. In stripping the song of its steel drums and replacing them with grooving piano, pulsating percussive undertones and immaculate house cuts, MK’s latest is simply another successful effort to add to his overflowing discography of remixes.