Dancing Astronaut’s mid-year round-up 2014: Our top 10 mixes and live sets
Dancing Astronaut's mid-year round-up 2014: Our top 10 mixes and live sets
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. Kaskade's Redux homecoming
Before his EP of the same name was delivered exclusively on vinyl and later digitally, Kaskade brought his Redux concept around North America and treated fans to the more intimate experience of his traditional house roots in small venues. Back in May, Kaskade made a special stop in San Francisco — a city which he’d once lived — for a homecoming set he couldn’t help but record.
9. Kygo's Diplo & Friends guest mix
Early into the year, Kygo claimed attention with his remix of Syn Cole’s “Miami 82.” Many were instantly impressed. Including Diplo, who claims to have “begged” the rising star to appear on his BBC Radio 1Xtra show — also calling him “100%” and thus predicting Kygo would be a perfect match for Diplo & Friends. Well, he was right.
8. Eric Prydz's three-hour New Year's set
Nothing screams Eric Prydz like extended sets. Admirers of Prydz crave more than what he can offer during an hour-long festival slot. They’re even enamored by his capabilities when given two hours (most notably on his notorious 2013 Essential Mix). So when Prydz celebrated New Year’s Eve in Washington, DC, it was only proper that he rang in 2014 with a three-hour experience.
7. Carl Cox graces 100th episode of Axis
Dancing Astronaut’s own weekly broadcast celebrated a special birthday this year. Launching well over two years ago, Axis has caught artists on the horizon, capturing guest mixes from newcomers, to veterans, to exploding stars. Having hosted everyone from Nicky Romero to Dyro, from Martin Garrix to Afrojack, the monumental 100th episode called for a legendary presence; that’s when Carl Cox took to the reins of Axis or an hour-long tech mix that’s already a landmark in the annals of DA lore.
6. Calvin Harris live from EDC Las Vegas
Calvin Harris has claimed the season for his own. First with his smash hit “Summer,” but next with duties as a headliner among the festival circuit. Where Harris manned this year’s Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas, the circuitGROUNDS was treated to 75 minutes of high-octane movement — a collection of massive records, predominantly new or unreleased.
5. Deep Dish's Essential Mix reunion
This spring had two dance legends reuniting, and in all ways possible. In bringing back the allure of Deep Dish, Sharam and Dubfire stormed Miami Music Week with their first live performance since focusing on solo careers. That path had been paved first with a new single together in “Quincy,” but officially putting the stamp on the Deep Dish collective’s 2014 run came broadcasted internationally with their first Essential Mix in over five years.
4. Galantis' Seafoxchella
Breaking through as one of the biggest names new to dance this year, the partnership of Christian Karlsson and Linus Eklow made a strong enough impact musically with “You” spreading like wildfire. Keeping their live show a mystery, the elusive Galantis performance became a reality at this year’s Coachella where the duo made their live debut — a set that has since become known as Seafoxchella.
3. Steve Angello's Residency with guest Trent Cantrelle
BBC Radio 1 launched its new Residency series this year, with DJs on tap for monthly guest mixes. Instantly becoming the face of the program with the most notable of appearances, Steve Angello made for a splash in delivering dance journey’s to the globe. Angello’s February episode (which had only been his second), has been the unanimous favorite of his fans and dance music admirers alike — enlisting Trent Cantrelle for a thirty-minute guest mix among his two-hour sonic experience.
2. DJ Snake's 'Future Stars' Essential Mix
BBC Radio 1 jumpstarted the Essential Mix’s presence in 2014 with the first four episodes of the year comprised for the ‘Future Stars’ series. Dubbed as the DJs of the next generation, the selection of up-and-comers began with Kolsch, then Friend Within, followed by Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, and, finally, DJ Snake. Snake’s mix solidified his status as a ‘future star,’ and perhaps catapulted him into established star territory.
1. Jack U live from Ultra Music Festival
The set that received the most attention from any festival this year spawned from the union of Skrillex and Diplo — a partnership known as Jack U. Previously only performing together at a select San Diego stop of last year’s Mad Decent Block Party, Jack U would next surface on dance music’s most prolific spotlight — taking Ultra Music Festival’s main stage and even exceeding the wildly high expectations.
Categories: Features