2014 proved to be both the year of the newcomer and the year EDM made strides to grow up. While formulaic big room house tracks with their builds and drops were still in mass production, there was a surge of tracks topping out the Beatport charts that showed a significant shift away from this sound. Particularly evident in the rise in popularity of Tropical House, with its laid-back, melodic sounds and ’90s style house revival tracks, EDM fans showed an ever evolving taste for music that moved them beyond blasting synths and dirty drops. With that said, here are my picks for the Top 10 EDM Track for 2014:
10) Porter Robinson – Sea of Voices
If you read enough DJ interviews over the year, you probably noticed a reoccurring trend of DJs promising to search for more “depth” in their future projects and a step away from the club bangers that had dominated the scene for the last two years. One producer who made good on that promise is Porter Robinson when he released his debut album Worlds. Cinematic in sound and big in scope, Worlds played less like an album from one of the top DJs in the world and more like the score to fantasy/adventure blockbuster and no track more succinctly represented this than the album’s lead-off single “Sea of Voices.” For this particular selection, I’m including a fan made music video for the track, which includes an excerpt of Charlie Chaplin’s speech from The Great Dictator over a montage of current events and clips representing the general feeling of PLUR, because it’s just that good.
9) Gareth Emery – U
Representing #TranceFam in this countdown is the lead off single from Gareth Emery‘s latest album Drive. Featuring vocals from The Voice UK runner-up Bo Bruce, the track gives a heart-wrenching retelling of a near death experience against understated instrumentals until the moment Bo declares “I just closed my eyes and all I saw was you.” From there, the track bursts into uplifting electro synths as if the track itself were bursting back to life along with the song’s subject mater. Beautifully orchestrated and emotionally stirring, this track represents electro-trance at its finest.
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8) Deadmau5 – Avaritia
Yes, I do appreciate the irony of including an artist who has waged a battle to disassociate himself with EDM in a list of top EDM tracks, but suck it, Joel. My list, my rules. A friend of mine once described Joel Zimmerman (aka deadmau5) best by referring to him as “a musician in a world of producers.” While most producers are content with merely releasing a handful of one-off singles and remixes, deadmau5 gives us entire albums, with this year’s While (1<2) being his most ambitious undertaking yet. Consisting of 25 tracks seamlessly flowing together over two discs, the album displayed deadmau5’s ever evolving sound, flirting with hints of tech-house influences, while still retaining his signature progressive-house sound and its lead off track “Avaritia” provided the perfect introduction to the album’s 2 hour and 15 minute musical journey.
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7) Deorro – Five Hours
This track was EVERYWHERE in 2014. Even if the closest you got to hearing a DJ set this year was picking up your friend down the street from a nightclub, chances are you’ve heard this at least once. I’ve heard this song in so many DJ sets this year, it even earned a spot on the EDM Bingo board. A bit more subdued in comparison to the explosive chaos of its big room house brethren, the track features a funk inspired groove and Deorro‘s signature infectious beat that proved to be a breath of fresh air when it was released back in February.
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6) Route 94 – My Love
One of the biggest tracks to come out of the revival of ’90s-style house music, Route 94‘s “My Love” shot to No. 1 on the UK singles charts, finally ending the reign of Pharrell’s smash single “Happy.” Simplistic in production, “My Love” is a piano-driven track against a techno beat that gives way to allow Jess Glynne’s soulful vocals to take the spotlight. Deriving his alias from the U.S. Interstate that connects Chicago to Detroit, the birthplaces of dance music, the enigmatic producer has so far lived up to his bold choice in stage names. (WARNING: Music video is slight NSFW)
5) Kyla La Grange – Cut Your Teeth (Kygo Remix)
When TomorrowWorld organizers announced Kygo would replace the ailing Avicii as one of the headliners of the 3-day festival, it was a clear indication that the emerging genre of tropical house’s time had come. With its chill but upbeat vibe and synthesized flutes, Kygo’s remix of indie artist Kyla La Grange’s “Cut Your Teeth” not only became definitive of the genre, but his signature style complimented Kyla’s light, airy Kate Bush-esque vocals to produce a track that is both groovy and gorgeous.
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4) London Grammar – Hey Now (Arty Remix)
Despite a strong beginning, Arty has been a bit hit-or-miss as of late, but when he’s on, the man can churn out some amazing productions and such is the case with his rework of London Grammar’s “Hey Now.” Bumping up the original track’s tempo, Arty’s dark, brooding beats and dashes of white noise encapsulate singer Hannah Reid’s haunting vocals, resulting in a track that is hits the perfect balance of Arty’s progressive house and trance influences.
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3) Oliver $ & Jimi Jules – Pushing On
Another product of this year’s house revival, Oliver $ (pronounced “Oliver Dollar”) and Jimi Jules’ Defected Records debut “Pushing On” is a fun, energetic track with a infectious beat and classic Chicago house inspired baseline. The dusky, soulful vocal samples from The Quantic Soul Orchestra’s song of the same name over tailing piano chords produce a tone that is both ominous and spirited, similar to Moby‘s 1999 classic “Natural Blues.”
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2) Eric Prydz – Liberate
The Swedish progressive house stalwart continues to do no wrong. Seriously, if Prydz ever released ten tracks in a year, I would have to rename this list “Top 10 EDM Tracks (aside from Eric Prydz.)” What’s most interesting about his productions is despite the fact no two Prydz tracks sound the same, you always know a Prydz track when you hear it and “Liberate” just continues the trend. With Prydz’s signature celestial vibe, the track features echoing synths giving the song an almost dream like quality, with washed out vocals crooning the rather befitting lyrics “don’t break now, the world’s locked out, just close your eyes and we can push it all away” as if luring you into this dream state the song has created.
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1) Mr. Probz – Waves (Robin Schulz remix)
German producer Robin Schulz came out of nowhere and this track was suddenly everywhere, even managing to land a spot on the Billboard Hot 100. Truly the dark horse contender of the year, the track shatters every EDM stereotype in place. Schulz’s edit slightly increases the song to a mid-tempo beat, improving upon the pace of the original, but retaining the overall solemn tone. The bongo beat adds a bit of a chill house influence, as if to help paint the picture that Mr. Probz is reminiscing on better days with the one that he loves, while his heartbreaking vocals mourn his inability to connect to with that person. Soulful and beautifully tragic, it’s no wonder “Waves” became a breakout hit amongst electronic and pop music fans alike.
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