Dancing Astronaut's Top 50 Biggest Tracks of 2013: 20-11
20. Major Lazer – Bubble Butt (ft. Bruno Mars, Tyga & Mystic)
Major Lazer’s efforts in 2013 exceeded all previously acceptable standards in dance music. The live act aside, their Free The Universe album sparked creativity in electronic music, primarily lead by reggaeton influence. The album’s standout, however, wasn’t the typical record expected of the “Pon De Floor” creators. Only fueling the fascination with ass-shaking, Diplo and his squad drew all lovable sounds in a twisted manner for “Bubble Butt,” weaving a defiant attitude from Bruno Mars and tasteful hip-hop verses with electronica. There is no right genre, place, or time for “Bubble Butt.” But that’s what made it so right for 2013.
19. Oliver – Night Is On My Mind (Original Mix)
Oliver’s Mechanical EP was the one of the year’s best, a remarkable output from the LA-based duo on A-Trak’s Fools Gold Imprint. Although “MYB” may have gotten more attention, the real stand out cut on the EP was the much darker “Night Is On My Mind.” Despite its grey scale topcoat, the mix bubbles with intricate synthpop accents. Multi-tiered and elaborate, the mix’s countless layers demand a second listen in order to pick out each and every persuasive rhythm.
18. Nicky Romero & Krewella – Legacy (Original Mix)
This year has been nothing short of successful for Chicago’s breakthrough trio Krewella. Hits like “Alive” and “Live For The Night” have been inescapable and remixed time and time again. The voices of Jahan and Yasmine have been the most desirable in dance, and they put it to enormous use when teaming up with Nicky Romero for “Legacy.” Bringing theire admired live vocal and well-animated act to the live circuit for the first time, Ultra Music Festival became the trio’s landmark as they ascended through the roof set by predecessors. It was there that “Legacy” was premiered by both Krewella and Nicky Romero, and made its way across the Miami grounds to be imprinted on fans near and far.
17. Breach – Jack (Original Mix)
Ben Westbeech had been producing for years before releasing what would turn out to be is breakthrough hit. “Jack” came out of nowhere in June on Strictly Rhythm, but it wasn’t until Claude VonStroke’s Dirtybird released the track a month later that it really hit its stride. A sex-laced techno stroll through thick bass and strange sound effects, Westbeech’s career best quickly made its way into sets throughout the fabric of modern dance music. One of the most unique and inventive tracks of 2013, “Jack” is a rare track that never loses its appeal even after repeated plays.
16. Fatboy Slim & Riva Starr – Eat Sleep Rave Repeat (Original + Calvin Harris Remix)
One of the indicators that a track is bigger than the stages it may grace is when you find the title and/or lyrics not only being hummed from fans bull-rushing festival gates, but plastered on t-shirts and being blasted through the web as a life of its own. No other records this year captured that sentiment like “Eat Sleep Rave Repeat” did. Calvin Harris’s remix made for a staple in most sets of the past six months, as if those four words became a requirement for any DJ looking to entice a crowd.
15. Hot Natured – Reverse Skydiving (Original + Shadow Child Remix)
Anabel Englund’s sensual siren song “Reverse Skydiving” marked the second massive hit for the Jamie Jones- and Lee Foss-led “Hot Natured.” Jones’ talent for techy flairs and percussion matched with Foss’s tasteful pop house bass lines turned this track into a crossover hit, one that flirted with the line between the underground and the mainstream. Shadow Child’s remix transformed the track into something much more sinister, twisting the upbeat original into foggy, disasssociated hypno-house with a persuasive sub bass.
14. Mark Knight – Your Love (Original Mix)
Mark Knight sampled Kylie Minoque and this is what happened. The Toolroom label lead doesn’t release music often but whenever he does it’s always a statement piece. Proof as to why Knight is a modest but deliberate presence in the dance music zeitgeist, “Your Love” is the testament to the veteran producer’s vision and talent. And that bass line.
13. Lana Del Rey – Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Remix)
Before officially being release this year, Cedric Gervais’s remix of “Summertime Sadness” rapidly swept live sets and sound systems everywhere. Perhaps the most applauded remix of the year, it sparked a trend that had everyone from top to bottom putting spins on Del Rey’s vocals. His take even put the original on the map, and was most likely the version a listener would come across on the radio, in the club, or seeping from headphones; as a result, it respectfully earned Cedric Gervais a Grammy nomination.
12. Axwell – Center of the Universe (Remode)
At a time when electronic music was becoming stagnant, Axwell found the remedy in his archives. Digging back for “Center Of The Universe,” he revamped his previously unreleased tune to bring the grooves of his 2009 sound to the modern spectrum when it was most needed. The traditional house core, re-mastered for a postmodern house audience made for the perfect storm, one in which Axwell hit the jackpot and rejuvenated a certain appreciation for the year’s trending tunes.
11. OneRepublic – If I Lose Myself (Alesso Remix)
Alesso is one to release his product sparingly and, when he does show his cards, it’s never subpar. That in-studio precision and uncrushed work ethic results in only the most well-polished records in dance, and that came to fruition best on his remix for OneRepublic’s “If I Lose Myself.” The popular tune stands for everything fans support about the young Swede, and even symbolized his growth in succeeding mentor Sebastian Ingrosso after the split of Swedish House Mafia.