Dancing Astronaut’s mid-year round-up 2014: Our top 10 remixes and collaborationsMid Year Remies Collabs

Dancing Astronaut’s mid-year round-up 2014: Our top 10 remixes and collaborations

Dancing Astronaut's mid-year round-up 2014: Our top 10 remixes and collaborations

The calendar has flipped to July, marking the year’s official half-way point. With six months in the books, there’s been no shortage of excitement in the dance music world. From stellar mixes and live sets, unique and forward thinking music, interesting collaborations, monumental moments through festival season, artists breaking through month after month, and even surprising news and announcements; Dancing Astronaut is taking it all in and dishing in back out for a mid-year round up, covering all the bases for anyone who’s unplugged headphones on any given Monday, missed out on weekend-long excursions, or have taken their eyes off the dance landscape.

10. The Chainsmokers (Botnek Remix)

Botnek has perfected the trolling of hit records; spoiling the party on any pop saviness, but with distinct and frenetic electro production cabilities. They did it once with Martin Garrix’s “Animals,” and have no taken the concept to another level with a remix of The Chainsmokers’ “Selfie” and a compete bashing of its comedic vocal loops.

9. Ariana Grande - Break Free (feat. Zedd)

It may not be something for more focused listeners, dance trained ears, or seekers of musical x-factors, but Zedd’s newest collaboration is sweeping the pop landscape; and after being thrown into heavy radio rotation quite instantly, is starting to catch on as a contagious song that’s seeming to have been treated as more of a cake walk than a decline in quality from the high-profiled producer.

8. ASAP Rocky - In Distress (feat. Gesaffelstein)

This year’s early blockbuster of Divergent came paired with an equally as appealing soundtrack. It’s deep, minimal, and grunge-warped sounds brought out the best of artists from pop to hip-hop and electro, with Ellie Goulding making appearances on vocals, Zedd debuting the now-popular “Find You,” and Skrillex teasing Recess. But the most engaging collaboration came from ASAP Rocky and Gesaffelstein, where the weaving of both artists’ sounds pulled a page from the book of Yeezus.

7. Iggy Azalea - Fancy (GTA Remix)

Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy” has grown exponentially more popular over the course of the warm-weathered months; what was a considerable radio anthem weeks ago is now a tune unavoidable everywhere from the beach to the bank. Around the same time that Azalea’s “Fancy” began to really skyrocket, its remixes surfaced; one of which, from the hands of GTA, has been one of the year’s most acclaimed.

6. Major Lazer - Aerosol Can (feat. Pharrell Williams)

No artist has been has hot as Pharrell Williams this year (and last), but where the superstar has recently shined in pop culture glory had been tossed out the window for his Major Lazer collaboration. Teaming up with Diplo and Co. for their Apocalypse Soon EP, “Aerosol Can” has been of the the most unique electronica fusion’s of 2014 so far.

5. Lorde - Tennis Court (Flume Remix)

Many have reworked records from Lorde’s Pure Heroin. Many have done so respectively. Only one has scorched to the highest tier of impressing the electronic masses. Flume’s remix of “Tennis Courts” won the internet over recently (for good reason), and will be in every “best remix of the year” conversation until New Year’s.

4. Afrojack - Too Wild (feat. Wiz Khalifa)

From Matthew Koma to Wrabel, from Snoop Dogg to Sting, there’s no shortage of collaborators on Afrojack’s debut album. Forget The World. For his teamwork with Wiz Khalifa, however, one stands out above all. Afrojack took the approach of producing a Wiz track that wouldn’t be heard on a Wiz album, and the result was “Too Wild,” a hearty beach track that’s neither polarizing electro or hip-hop, just an unprecedented blending of both.

3. Bastille - Pompeii (Audien Remix)

Audien’s remix of Bastille’s “Pompeii” has been the most masterfully produced, most well received, and most effective remix of 2014 at the mid-year point, and it will probably remain that way at year end. Audien, here’s the trophy for remix of the year, take it now.

2. Coldplay - A Sky Full of Stars (feat. Avicii)

By now, it seems like Avicii has been involving Coldplay into his edits and live for as long as he’s been Avicii. Only recently, however, has the Swedish posterboy tkane on official duties for the group. With Tim on production for Ghost Stories’s A Sky Full Of Stars,” the thematically dark and woozy Coldplay effort gets a high-spirited EDM flare.

1. Usher - Good Kisser (Disclosure Remix)

They did it once to Pharell and Jay Z’s “Frontin,” reworking hip-hop into their own insignia, but Disclosure upped the ante with their follow-up swing. Remixing Usher’s newest single, “Good Kisser,” the duo transform sexy R&B into some of the hottest sounds sweeping electronic music… their own. If you’ve thought you’ve seen the best from Disclosure, this proves they may just have no ceiling.

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