Every month we ask 10 DJs to hype up their buzz track of the month. It could be a fresh fire-up for the floor, it could be a classic that’s rewound their senses, it could be something from a genre you’d never expect… However they’ve picked it, we’ve heard it and we’re all the wiser in the process.
To celebrate the end of 2014 we thought we’d find out what DJs would pick as their Tune Of The Year. Not an easy question; the quality has been exceptionally high this year. But 50 DJs were brave enough to answer it.
Yeah… 50 DJs
Fresh faces such as Bleep Boop and Ownglow to scene titans Datsik and Friction via the likes of Hannah Wants, Kasra,Fox Stevenson, Getter, Xtrah, Bobby Tank, Snails and STACKS more… We’ve gone in deep on this one.
All sub-genres, styles and shades covered, this is a really cool insight into the raw variety 2014 has enjoyed musically. Shouts to all DJs who got involved.
Alvin Risk
Tune: Skrillex – Stranger with KillaGraham from Milo and Otis and Sam Dew
“A ghost lives in this song. The care that Sonny, Sam and company put into this makes it so no matter what you’re doing you can see its lost holograph. Its a deep and impossible piece of music and it’s one of my favorite songs of 2014.”
A.M.C
Tune: Hypoxia
“Its difficult to pick a tune of the year because this year theres been so many amazing tracks. Asteroids – Noisia & Prolix, Overture – Mind Vortex, Heavy Metal – S.P.Y, Heads Up – Audio the list goes on and on. For me, however, Badass by Hypoxia is my tune of the year. Yes it’s on Titan – haha = but Max & Will have been working so hard on their production and it’s starting to pay off. 2015 is going to be a huge year for them and their forthcoming stuff is insane.”
Astronaut
Tune: Snails & Botnekt – KRMT
“We’ve started a lot of our studio sessions in 2014 by listening to Botnek. We think they are the most original house producers to emerge in very, very long time! The bass sounds are insane in this one and we’ve played it every DJ set since it got released. Massive tune!”
Barely Alive
Tune: Skrillex & Ragga Twins – Ragga Bomb (Skrillex & Zomboy Remix)
“We really like the productions of Skrillex and Zomboy, and it was really cool to see them collaborate on a track. The obvious expectation would have been for the two of them to make a dubstep tune, but what they did with Ragga Bomb came out sounding really original and the mixdown on it is really impressive! It’s going to be a part of our sets for a good while.”
Bear Grillz
Tune: Destroid – Bounce (Excision & Space Laces remix)
“I played this for the boys down at the local watering hole and they all lost their shit. I mean, they literally lost their shit and I don’t even know why I played it for them since snakes don’t even have ears. But, every time I played it for the humans they kept saying I was “killing it” but I’m pretty certain I can’t kill my DJ equipment because it was never alive. Whatever that means. Anywho, this song makes me feel like going on a marmot killing spree and I have to give a thumbs up to anything that makes me feel that kind of rage inside. Best song to play in my set all year!”
Bleep Boop
Tune: Yheti – Fresh
“This has got to be the most forward thinking dancefloor songs that I heard all year long. Yheti is a constant source of inspiration for me because he is an incredible producer and also an incredible person. This song encapsulates what is Yheti, and if you ever get a chance to have a conversation with the guy, you will find that it’s kind of like this song.”
Bobby Tank
Tune: Machinedrum – Only 1 Way 2 Know
“I’ve been a huge fan of Machinedrum since 2007, literally every release is pure gold. He’s constantly striving towards pushing the envelope and almost never fails when it comes to keeping ahead of the game. I believe he’s from an IDM background which is fairly evident in his album Vapour City Archives. The one track that really stood out for me was Only 1 Way 2 know. I love the way it evolves from a sultry smooth 90s chord progression into an all out silky melodic club stomper. From the intelligently chopped and carefully positioned breaks to the airy crystalline pads/synths that are held together by bouncing subs just make that tune a instant classic for me.”
Case & Point
Tune: Dyro – Wolv
“Such a huge tune! It not only works great at the club but is also a pleasure to listen to at home. The progression and writing are fresh, the drum production is amazing, and it’s louder than almost anything else out there right now. We really love that Dyro’s bringing the electro sound to the mainstage. Excited to see what he comes up with in 2015!”
Chords
Tune: Wilkinson – Dirty Love
“Catchiest hook out there and still infused with that Wilkinson energy and bass presence that made him a Ram powerhouse. Tune!”
Cyantific
Tune: Moko – Your Love (Culture Shock Remix)
“Culture Shock is probably my favourite producer of the last five years or so, so it’s always good to get a new remix from him. I love his attention to detail. This doesn’t disappoint in that respect, but more than that – it’s a great song, with a wicked bass line. I’ve played it in pretty much every set since I got my hands on it.”
Dabin
Tune: Tokimonsta – Gamble
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRF48hEP5eE
“I’ve probably listened to this song more times than I can count this past year. It’ a song perfect for any time of the day. I’m in love with her percussion arrangement and selection, and the way she utilizes those horns and strings is stunning. Can’t help but bob your head to this one!”
Datsik
Tune: Fox stevenson – High Five
“It’s not just my favorite track, it’s one of my favorite EPs that has dropped this year. This seems like a strange choice for me, but I find Fox interesting. He manages combines a ton of different influences to make something that is completely original and he rips all tempos like a G. He has STELLAR mix downs and his musicality is insane. He’s got the whole package. I see Fox doing very well in 2015.”
David Heartbreak
Tune: The M Machine – Just Like
“Sometimes in music, we forget to let go and just have fun, and that’s what this tune does. It just puts me in a good mood and the mix is sick as shit haha…”
Diamond Eyes
Tune: Koven – Eternal & You
“This song, well… from the first time I heard it, the song gave me goose bumps… I must have listened to it at least a hundred times & each listen still gives me the same feelings as the first time, mad love to Koven.”
Dodge & Fuski
Tune: LAXX – Invisible Invaders
“One of the most original producers to break through over the last year or so. Probably my favourite track to date in terms of raw energy, and the lead line gets stuck in your head like nothing else out there.”
Etherwood
Tune: Logistics – Triangles
“Easily one of my favourites from Logistics to date. It’s both simple and intricate and the choices of samples and patches in this really makes it stand out for me, revealing more with every listen. I love playing it out as it strips the whole set back for a moment without losing any momentum. Top tune.”
Fox Stevenson
Tune: Zomboy – Survivors Ft. MUST DIE!
“Probably an unexpected choice coming from me, but this track upped the game so much in dubstep for me, that i’ve hardly been able to make a dubstep tune since. There are few 140 tracks I know of that can do to a crowd what this track can, total hype.”
Frankee
Tune: Loadstar – Stepped Outside
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHcSSVXHdYU
After much thought on the huge amount of great D&B that came out this year, I settled for Loadstar’s vibing vocal roller. When I first heard the tune I fell in love with it, the breaks, the samples, the vocals… Everything just fits in perfectly. This year has seen a lot of really amazing technical D&B released but for me its tunes like Stepped outside that standout, make an impact and will no doubt be played in years to come.”
Friction
Tune: Fourward – Exile
“It’s just been one of those tunes that has smashed it everywhere I’ve played it from Toyko to Croatia. Fourward always deliver!”
Getter
Tune: Freeway – Flux pavilion & Kill The Noise Remix
“This is definitely my favorite tune of the year. Everything about it is just perfect. The intro brings you into a positive headbob followed by anthem-worthy vocals. The way the vocals blend into the drop are just so amazing. Any time I listen to it I just get happy. Period. Definitely worth checking out if you haven’t already!”
Grabbitz
Tune: Nero – Satisfy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHFevxf3IKA
“This record embodies a classic, yet refreshing sound to electronic music as a whole. The members of Nero are veteran writers and producers who have found, and capitalized on, a great unique sound. ‘Satisfy’ struck a nerve in me, as a musician and a music lover.”
Hamilton
Tune: Brookes Brothers – Anthem
“This is an easy one for me because I absolutely love this track! Been in every set I’ve played since I got it, without fail! Dan (Brookes) played it to me round at his house during the summer and I was just blown away, such a catchy vocal and great music! A massive track from two hugely talented, and really genuinely nice, guys!”
Hannah Wants
Tune: Cirez D – On Off
”It’s literally impossible to pick one favourite tune of the year however one track that I’ve consistently pulled out in sets throughout 2014 is the 2009 classic Cirez D – On Off. It’s such an amazing track and it’s never failed to get the crowd hyped in a rave!”
Hybrid Minds
Tune: LSB – Leave
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=il5joztnoQg
“Has to be one of the most played tracks in a lot of peoples sets this year. It’s a prime example of a classic liquid track at its best. Crisp rolling beats that keep coming, uplifting strings and beautiful atmospheres and FX to tie it all together. LSB has stood out for us this year, as I’m sure he has for a lot of other people. The tracks simple approach just keeps rolling without a dull moment due to the subtle ever changing sounds. He’s really keeping that classic sound alive to modern production standards.”
June Miller
Tune: I Am Legion – Make Those Move (Teddy Killerz Remix)
“From the moment we first even heard the talented Teddy Killerz were remixing this tune we were already excited! The tune delivers on all fronts and takes you on a roller-coaster of sonically crushing basslines too rip your face off drums. A little piece of remix magic!”
Kasra
Tune: Emperor & Mefjus – Disrupted
“Slightly biased but a tune that started life as one of the standout tracks from our takeover of the moat at Outlook in 2013 became one of my favourite tunes of 2014. Some smart yet highly destructive tech by two producers who had a big year.”
Keeno
Tune: Hugh Hardie – Open Your Heart
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuildREgrKU
“Open Your Heart has made an appearance in almost every single set I’ve played this year. For me, it’s always been a highlight because no one expects me to drop a house tune in the midst of the stuff I usually play. But more importantly, every time I’ve played it, it’s caught everyone off guard and gone down both absolutely amazingly and, sometimes, poorly. This tune is my track of the year because it’s challenged me to be more daring in my sets and play songs that people need to hear, not tunes they’ve already heard.”
Logistics
Tune: Seinabo Sey – Pistols At Dawn (Culture Shock remix)
I’d be surprised if I’m the only person who’s chosen this track as I’ve been hearing it in lots of peoples sets recently but it really is a stand out track for me this year. The arrangement is something slightly different for him but just works so well, the vocal is also a cut above most other tracks out there right now and I’m pretty sure I’ll be playing it for months to come.”
LAXX
Tune: Slum Village – Fall In Love (Moody Good Remix)
“I was thinking for a while on what has caught me this year, and this definitely did. An old school hip hop intro and then big bag baselines and plenty of sketchy flips and cuts throughout. Moody Good appeared out of nowhere with this and it’s an instant classic. Its one of those tracks you hear and you lose sense of where you are and who’s with you, it takes a lot for me to feel like that. It’s not often a track like this would work on a dance floor, but I guaranteed to make you screw up your face and shock the fuck out!”
Mefjus
Tune: Phace & Misanthrop – Sex Sells
“My personal favourite this year. Not only is this an outstanding track with an amazing production and the necessary amount of funk and dirt but also delivers quite an interesting message, which is really rare in today’s electronic music. 10/10.”
Metrik
Tune: The Prototypes – Pale Blue Dot
“I’ve chosen this as my track of the year because it’s been one of the most distinctive tracks in my DJ sets for the best part of 2014. It’s one of those tunes you can hear a mile off when it’s played live. It has this “end of the world” vibe as well as a huge mixdown. Impossible to ignore!”
Mind Vortex
Tune: Chris Lake – Helium ft. Jareth (Rene LaVice Remix)
“We can’t get enough of this tune. It never gets boring for us; we love the mix, the musical and vocal breakdown and then what a switch of a drop. We also love all the layers that Rene uses in this remix. Every time we listen to it, it’s like we notice something new. It’s always a great tune in our sets and a highlight for us. The combo of music and bass is a 5 star.”
Mob Tactics
Tune: Ed Rush – Scarabs
“It’s been an absolutely wicked year for big drum & bass tracks – in our humble opinion of course! So it’s hard to pick just one standout, but Scarabs by Ed Rush probably just about pips it to the post for us. It’s been a staple for pretty much every set we’ve played in 2014. Pure killer tech-funk, executed with absolute precision! Ed Rush, we doth our hat to you sir.”
Naked Fish
Tune: Apashe, Dabin & Kai Wachi ft. Ariane Zita – Forsaken
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fpT7Z1to8I
“Such a forward thinking track with a perfect mixture of melody, sound design & baaaass! We’ve played it every gig since it was released.”
Ownglow
Tune: Logistics – As Sure As Sunrise (Feat. Hugh Hardie)
“Logistics is one of my biggest inspirations as a producer, anything he makes is gold. When I heard he was releasing a new album I might have been a little excited to say the least, As Sure As Sunrise was the stand out tune from that album for me, it brought back so many memories and times I want to relive, just an absolute party tune, however genuine and uplifting, the details in the production are next level, the vocal chop verses always get me singing along! Incredible work Matt!”
Phantoms
Tune: Ho99o9 – Bone Collector
“This became our tune of the year while we were finishing our album… probably because it sounded nothing like our own music. The catchy yet chaotic song wouldn’t be complete without Jean repeating, ‘let them do their job and let them take it down.'”
Plastician
Tune: AWE – Crystals
“When I first signed the track, we were deliberating whether or not to do a full vocal version. Joe from Nero got in touch after I sent it to him and he wrote a topline for the vocal. We got in touch with Lorde’s management and they seemed fairly keen on working with us on it too… About two weeks later Lorde literally exploded after her track Royals hit the US charts… Everything went a little quiet on their end so eventually the decision was made for us to just put it out as an instrumental. It’s such a blinding piece of music though, and sits perfectly well on its own. Very proud to have put this one out on Terrorhythm early in 2014. There were so many great tracks released this year but this one was certainly one of the biggest in my own sets.”
Rene LaVice
Tune: Prolix – Jetpack
“This track is gangster as fuck but still puts a smile on my face. It’s an absolute dance floor decimator and gets everyone in the mood to party with its badass bassline firepower and speedy drum kit. LIFTOFF!”
Six Blade
Tune: Mind Vortex – Underworld
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGJRKuhCeOU
“This tune has smashed it in our sets ever since we started playing it. The energy and production on it is ridiculous. We usually have to take our headphones off when this tune drops so we can bounce around the place and punch things. I can’t remember a time when it was hasn’t instantly been rewound! As soon as it was sent to us, we had to tweet Mind Vortex telling them what a sterling job they had done. Great work gents!”
SKisM
Tune: LAXX – Step Two
“Like many times before, and many times since, when LAXX first sent me a clip of Step Two my response was limited to two words and two words only…’F**K OFF’. It’s the clear winner for the Never Say Die anthem of 2014 and has still not left mine, nor any of the artists’ sets. The horns in the intro are both epic and dramatic and the drop is so simple and catchy it makes most producers kick themselves for not thinking of it first, so much so there’s been a number of tracks since its release that have clearly been inspired by it. Instant Classic.”
Snails
Tune: RL Grime & What So Not – Tell Me
“My song of the year goes to… DRUM ROLL… RL Grime & What So Not – Tell Me. The reason? Just because it is perfect for everyday listening. Travelling, at the club, relaxing or even golfing (lol I don’t golf). It literally fits everywhere. My mom could listen to this song and she would like it you know?. But yeah, I’ve basically been playing it out at every show since I heard it. This tune will turn into a classic like Metallica or Led Zeppelin. 10 years from now people will remember our era and think about this song. Good job guys “SNAILED IT!””
Stealth
Tune: Ulterior Motive – Tape Pack
“Ulterior Motive never fails to do the business as far as I’m concerned. The Fourth Wall album was amazing; there are a few bits off it I’m still caning in my sets. Tape Pack has just got that anthem quality to it and makes it stand out. A classic sound palate and great arrangement mean it’s not just a flavour of the moment gone tomorrow too. This tune will stand the test of time I’m sure and will still be played in years to come. Big up James and Greg!”
Tokyo Prose
Tune: Anile – Depths
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nCNVgIgodw
“This one is amazing. Pure understated brilliance. Gentle atmospherics give way to thunderous breaks with a subtle but highly effective bassline. This one is a dance floor destroyer and I can’t see it leaving my DJ sets anytime soon.”
Trivecta
Tune: Vaults – Lifespan
“It’s a near impossible question, but this is one of those tracks that just has that magic to it. Everything feels executed perfectly. They didn’t try too much, yet what they created transcends the actual audio recording in so many ways.”
Twofold
Tune: Porter Robinson – Lionhearted ft. Urban Cone
“The biggest track for us this year was Porter Robinson’s Lionhearted. It’s very clear he’s moved in his own direction creatively, and that’s something we both appreciate. It stands out in the dance music scene and that’s a really good thing to us.”
Valentino Khan
Tune: MUST DIE! – Hellcat
“I love this song because it’s really a modern rave sound. The stabs in the intro set the tone from thestart. And then it just turns to craziness. I play it every set.”
Varien
Tune: Trivecta – The Surface
“The main melody has the emotional impact of something you might hear in an iconic movie score, the overall production is hard hitting but tasteful, and the atmosphere is beyond immersive. Roniit’s vocal work is the proverbial icing on the cake; I couldn’t think of a better duo!”
Virtual Riot
Tune: Manufactured Superstars ft Jarvis Church – Stay (Au5 Remix)
“Even though this track might seem quite cheesy to most, it hits my taste of melodic dubstep on spot. The chords in the drop and the vocals make this track an emotional masterpiece for me. Au5 did a great job on this with just the right blend of heavy basses, huge chords and dreamy melodies.”
Virus Syndicate
Tune: Son Of Kick – Hours (Feat. Lady Leeshur and Paigey Cakey)
“This little number was battered on BBC Radio one and BBC 1xtra this year by all the key players and has stuck out this year for us as a track of the year. The way the tempo changes throughout the song and the way the vocals keep switching up is something which really jumped out at us from the very first time we heard it. We’re big fans of Lady Leeshur and Paigey Cakey and we fell in love with this monster straight away… What they did to it was ridiculous! It’s so fresh and unique! The hook reminds me of something Kanye West would make and the verses are straight venom. Son Of Kick played us it and we were like “broooo…. we need to sign this.” And the rest is history. HUGE TRACK!”
Xtrah
Tune: Noisia – Running Blind
“The first time I heard it, it gave me the same feeling as the first time I heard tunes such as Planet dust by Bad Company or Signal by Fresh. You just know that it’s going to destroy the dance, in fact everything on the Purpose EP is fire. As always Noisia have re-invented theirselves and changed the game. I have the upmost respect for those guys, no matter what, they continue to push themselves and their production to new levels. This tune is just another example of them doing exactly that. Huge tune!”
Zombie Cats
Tune: Disphonia – War Bunker
“These guys have fantastic production and use many intricate layers to create an amazing vibe. Just a tremendous technical roller that would have been extremely annoying to make. Tasty edits ending the bars make it a dope tune to mix too. Sick.”
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