Dancing Astronaut’s Top 10 Tracks of May 2015

Dancing Astronaut's Top 10 Tracks of May 2015

Looking back on May, Dancing Astronaut breaks down the month’s Top 10 tracks, measured by critical acclaim, airplay, and the editorial staff’s taste-making.

May’s Top 10 spans a handful of genres and includes exciting returns and twists. Efforts include Flume with a new sound, Claptone following up his Essential Mix success, Claude VonStroke reworking Rihanna, Diplo’s newest mega-collab and more.

Editors’ Note: For 2015, the criteria of Dancing Astronaut‘s top tracks each month is being altered from previous years; more than release dates are being taken into consideration as we all know tracks can dominate airwaves months before they are ever officially released. Our picks are those that topped our world in May 2015.

10. The Magician - Together (Original Mix)

While The Magician’s original productions may be rare, when they do arrive every so often it is difficult not to shower them in praise. A fine consolidation of whimsical melody, a soulful topline and The Magician’s signature bass, “Together” acts as another mirthful production within his expanding repertoire. In flirting with the lines of future and deep house, Fasano’s catchy club warmer will inevitably become one of the songs of 2015.

9. Gigamesh - The Music (Original Mix)

Indie dance genius Gigamesh returns to original production duties for one of his most feel-good outputs yet. Appropriately titled “The Music, ” the new single is lively and invigorating, all thanks to its flighty keys and deft sample selection. Just as he did on his last release “Back 2 Life,” the Minneapolis native uses buzzing synths and French touch aesthetics to deliver a twinkling dance composition designed for relaxing in the summer sun.

8. Claptone - Dear Life (ft. Jaw)

A familiar ‘face’ in the recent resurgence of house cuts, Claptone has captured our attention by remaining masked and elusive. The masquerading DJ stands firmly at the forefront of the modern house revival, using modern techniques to design house pressings that herald back to the sounds of early Chicago. Following a praiseworthy Essential Mix the German producer releases ‘Dear Life,’ a vocally-driven house record punctuated by delicate strings and a persistent grand piano. It’s nearly spoken-word at times, but the organic instrumental and humanized drums add an element of authenticity not often captured in the laptop age of production.

7. Eric Prydz - Generate (Kölsch Remix)

While we patiently tap our feet for the first volume of Eric Prydz’s debut artist album, PR(10)DA, all we’ve had thus far to keep our ears happy has been his collaborative effort with CHVCHES, “Tether,” as well as “Generate,” which instantly toppled Beatport upon release. Now, however, Eric Prydz has brought to light the first remix of “Generate” from Danish marvel, Kölsch, to suffice those wanting more. Kölsch reveals a restrained yet sublime synth melody for the final touch on his reconstruction. 

6. Martin Solveig - +1 (ft. Sam White)

Reinvention is coming naturally to Martin Solveig. Stepping out of his comfort zone and collaborating with GTA for “Intoxicated,” he kicked off 2015 with a critically acclaimed tune across both dance floor audiences and pop-savvy ears. Once again poised to cater to both audiences with new sounds and experimentation, Solveig is taking advantage on his newest single. This time going solo on production, he dips into the tendencies of future house without playing into its clichés. Originally premiered by Pete Tong, “+1″ comes forth with hypnotic rhythm and the soulful vocals to match from Sam White. A long way from his “Hello” days, Martin Solveig again has hits on his hand.

5.Diplo x CL x Riff Raff x OG Maco - Doctor Pepper

Mad Decent drops the latest super-collaboration from the minds of Diplo, CL, RiFF RAFF, and OG Maco. A Codeine-laced snare and throaty brass blares soundtrack “Doctor Pepper,” the latest trap house anthem from Diplo’s tastemaking imprint. A freakish amalgamation of styles, K-pop sensation CL provides the hook on this spastic trill trap stomper while Riff Raff’s drops his Versace rhymes alongside OG Maco’s Southern style versework.

4. Avicii - Waiting For Love (Original Mix)

Avicii’s newest vocal song, like many before it, very much walks the increasingly thin line between pop and commercial progressive house. Early Avicii fans will find a pleasant surprise awaiting them with “Waiting For Love” though; Tim Bergling brings back elements of his enticing synth work that simply were not present on any of his recent releases. Simon Aldred, lead singer of the band Cherry Ghost, provides a vocal that is in line with Avicii’s taste, and the combination of the two artists work very well.

3. Rihanna - B*tch Better Have My Money (Claude VonStroke Remix)

Claude’s take on “BBHMM” is a certified after-hours showstopper. The tune rounds together his quintessential sound with wiry layers laced through complex, percussive perfection. He plays with your brain’s incapability to escape Rhihanna’s infectious hook, procuring a fine-tuned house weapon that dominates all other renditions we’ve heard.

2. Disclosure - Holding On (ft. Gregory Porter)

Disclosure fans who weren’t feeling the club-geared “Bang That” can rejoice in knowing that their latest release ‘Holding On’ finds the Lawrence Brothers back to their old habits. It’s another day, another highly infectious top line for the Grammy-nominated brothers, this time courtesy of Gregory Porter’s bluesy vocals.  The same bustling garage production work that put them on the map with Settle is fully present on “Holding On” but the two still manage to keep things fresh and fun ahead of their Sophomore album.

1. Flume - Some Minds (ft. Andrew Wyatt)

With the assistance of Miike Snow’s Andrew Wyatt on the vocals, Australia’s proud star Flume has debuted a new piece of music that can only be matched by the magnitude of its accompanying visual. Following the massive success of his self-titled LP, the young Harley Streten faced lofty expectations for his followup solo original pieces. “Some Minds” shatters any doubts of Harley’s creativity and tendency to innovate through hints of garage and future beat-inspired percussion.