Dancing Astronaut’s Top 10 Tracks of October 2014
Dancing Astronaut's Top 10 Tracks of October 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 October and ranks them based on a combination of reader feedback, track quality, editorial preference & critical reception.
Dancing Astronaut wraps up October for you with another edition of our top 10 tracks of the month. October’s list features massive tracks from reader favorites David Guetta, Calvin Harris, and Cazzette. Not to be missed are also fantastic efforts from Gorgon City, EEKKOO, and Madeon.
10. Higher Self ft. Lauren Mason - Ghosts (Original Mix)
nce the launch of Spinnin’ Deep earlier this year, it has been bringing the previously less listened to sub-genre of deep house to the masses. With track after track being injected into festival and club sets everywhere, it’s quite apparent that may be the direction many of today’s big name DJs are taking. Today we have a gem from Higher Self, ‘Ghosts’. The track starts with a smooth piano progression which is met by the soulful vocals of Lauren Mason and a deep-inspired beat.
9. Boys Noize - Alarm (Original Mix)
For his latest, Boys Noize delivers a new film score to accompany a big-screen thriller. “Alarm” is a brooding, dark techno production that rounds up the best of Boys Noize with a moody, minimalist beat. Ridha’s latest is an eerie rendition that likely fits the film’s motif perfectly, however the track could easily and effectively tie into any Boys Noize set with its sharp drum arrangement and robotic synth shrills throughout.
8. Galantis - Runaway (U & I)
Galantis haven’t gone anywhere since implanting themselves upon an electronic music landscape in which they filled a giant void. That void being sweeping melodies and enchanting tones that are relatable to an audience with tendencies to gravitate to concert-tailored sounds. That’s where they’ve executed all year, and exactly where they continue to do so with their newest work. “Runaway” bring all said notions of production quality to the surface, with Galantis following through on high, self-set expectations.
7. Gorgon City - Go All Night (feat. Jennifer Hudson)
Off their brand new album Sirens, Gorgon City’s “Go All Night” is easily their biggest collaboration to date, finding them alongside Grammy Award winning singer Jennifer Hudson. The song boasts some classic house vibes, and as usual, the production behind it is top notch. Hudson provides a stellar vocal performance, falling in line quite naturally alongside Gorgon City’s piano chords and bassline.
6. EEKKOO - B.L.A.C.K. (Original Mix)
EKKOO, the Canadian talent who earned his first BBC play for his remix of deadmau5 and Wolfgang Gartner’s “Channel 42″ returns to the limelight with the release of his second EP, Hell is Other People. Inspired by the existential horrors of Sartre’s “No Exit,” EEKKOO’s sophomore effort crafts a bleak tapestry of melancholy vocals and mechanical shivers throughout the 5-track experiment. “B.L.A.C.K.” travels deeper down the rabbit hole, shunning any familiarity for a menacing gauntlet of progressive techno and an ever-present metronome of iron-clad percussion.
5. Cirez D - Ruby (Original Mix)
It’s barely been a month since Eric Prydz unleashed EPIC 3.0 upon Madison Square Garden, but the Swedish heavyweight is already making big moves for the final quarter. Following the unloading of two free originals back in August, the multifaceted maestro known as Cirez D strikes again with a brand new A-side from his warped studio tendencies. Tense and rigidly ascending techno is the score for “Ruby,” a track well aligned with the darker side of Prydz’s studio get-up that makes for another fine addition to his collection of Mouseville offerings. There’s plenty more to come from Stockholm’s progressive wizard, but another strike from Cirez D has the techno chain of his fan base feeling notably recognized for 2014.
4. Madeon - Imperium (Original Mix)
Seemingly immune to the yawn-inducing epidemic of banality that courses through the veins of EDM’s top acts, Madeon has managed to carve out a niche for himself through inspired productions and impeccable craftsmanship. His latest creation, “Imperium,” is testament to that fact. Served up as an impromptu free download, “Imperium” is much grittier and aggressive than his earlier work yet still maintains a familiarity that long-time Madeon fans will appreciate.
3. Cazzette - Blind Heart (feat. Terri B!)
Following up their 2014 trademark of “Sleepless” wouldn’t be easy, but Cazzette make such effort seem like a cake-walk. Their latest is “Blind Heart,” a brave approach to electronic music that’s somewhere between its predecessor and David Guetta’s “Dangerous.” Vocalist Terri B brings soulful attitude that pairs well with the original percussion, making for a sound that couldn’t be more traditional, nor more modern, all at once.
2. Calvin Harris - Slow Acid (Original Mix)
Calvin Harris’s long-awaited follow-up to 18 Months is just around the corner. Set for a November 4th release, Motion is backed by singles like “Under Control” and “Summer,” but it’s presumed that another handful of hits will manifest from the album in full. The latest to surface is “Slow Acid,” a surprising departure from Calvin’s norm when putting out a pop-savvy, top-40 packed selection. Far from his radio persona and what’s expected to come from collaborations with the likes of Big Sean and Gwen Stefani, “Slow Acid” is grunge warped acid house with a tunnel vision aesthetic — a single that obliterates any preconceived notions of the upcoming project and proves its fate to still be in the air.
1. David Guetta - Dangerous (feat. Sam Martin)
David Guetta’s lead single “Dangerous” featuring Sam Martin is lead by two impressive fronts. The first being its wide ranging use of instrumentation; from piano, to strings, to orchestral effects. The second being the strings segment itself, where he takes a page of out Nile Rodgers’ book to find a funky bassline. “Dangerous” is (as Guetta says) nothing like we’ve heard from his in the past — or, at the least, in many years.