Another year is almost in the books, so here is my recap of the best tracks from 2011! I limited it to a Top 25 to leave only the absolute best tracks, however it was IMPOSSIBLE, so I gave an extra 5 songs what I called "Honorable Mention" because a recap of this year would not be complete without recognizing a few producers who had an amazing year.
My criteria was to add the records that worked best for me with my style and in my sets this past year. I also took into consideration what songs were big at shows and festivals that I attended and that I watched around the world. I attempted to feature at least 1 song or remix from every producer who I felt made 2011 the unbelievable year it was for EDM. And for those curious, I did play some dubstep and moombahton this year, however I kept it out of this countdown and will be doing a separate mix of those genres. Whether you agree or disagree with my selections, that is the fun in compiling a list like this!
The link to download the mix is underneath #1, and it is also available as part of my monthly podcast that you can download and subscribe to for FREE on iTunes with the link below.
I'll also be posting a personal recap of the year for me personally before NYE gets here (which you should be spending with me and Laidback Luke at Pacha get your tickets HERE =)
HONORABLE MENTION
One Look (Axwell v. Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike) - David Tort feat Gosha [AXTONE]
-Couldn't complete a countdown for 2011 without this monster record. Of course Axwell had another great year and he joins forces with the resident mayors of Tomorrowland Festival's Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike on this dope remix to David Tort's banger.
Turn It Down - Kaskade feat Fiona & Rebecca [ULTRA]
-Kaskade had a huge year headlining America's first ever dance music festival tour (Identity) and turning out a double album of Fire & Ice. This was my favorite track off the album. While Deniz Koyu killed the remix, the original is what I played most of the year.
Happy Violence (vocal mix) - Dada Life [SO MUCH DADA]
-These 2 maniacs seemed to produce banger after banger in 2011. Their hysterical in-studio previews of tracks gave way to pounding bass and huge synths. Happy Violence is a perfect representation of Dada, and the vocal version sounds even better.
The End - Tommy Trash [DOWNRIGHT]
-If anyone could be awarded as the "breakout" DJ/Producer of the year, Tommy Trash would be the front runner for sure. "The End" found its way into almost every DJ's sets this year and lead to Tommy releasing more massive tracks with a similar synth throughout. "The End" makes my recap because it was the first of many filthy tracks from this guy.
Koko - Sander Van Doorn [DOORN]
-Although I've certainly strayed from my original trance roots, SVD's Ibiza anthem "Koko" has to be mentioned. The infectious whistle sets up a catchy beat and bassline. I played this record a LOT this year.
and now....
Top 25 of 2011
25. You've Got The Love (Mark Knight Remix) - Florence & The Machine [TOOLROOM]
-This entry is probably the most techy selection on my list. Mark Knight had yet another solid year, and his rendition of Florence & The Machine's megahit is what worked best for me this year.
24. Titanium (Gregori Klosman Remix) - David Guetta feat Sia [F**K ME I'M FAMOUS]
- A recap of 2011 would not be complete without at least 1 track off David Guetta's "Nothing But The Beat" album. Not only was this track my favorite on the album, but Gregori's mix was the one I thought was the best (out of an amazing bunch of remixes) Gregori had his own amazing year, closing it out with monster "Kameha" - But it's his take on Sia's vocals that makes my list.
23 What Happens In Vegas (club mix) - Chuckie & Gregor Salto [CR2 RECORDS]
- Probably one of my highlights in 2011 was spinning Pacha NYC's main floor after Chuckie & Gregor Salto finished up a massive back to back set on Thanksgiving Night (see here) Chuckie turned out a bunch of tracks this year that appeared in my sets, but this track made crowds all over go nuts. Massive electro drop, and with the tag line of "whatever happens in vegas, stays in vegas" made it catchy as hell.
22. Heiress of Valentina (Alesso Remix) - Dune [CAOZ]
- There's always that moment where you discover a new producer or DJ and just know the guy is going to be a star. When I first heard this record I immediately had to know everything about Alesso. His magical 2011 finds 3 songs on my top 25, but this was the first that really got him noticed.
21. Prutataaa - Afrojack & R3hab [WALL]
- This song was everything this year. With the unmistakeable "Whooo!" sample surrounded by driving electro rises and pulsing drums, Afrojack and R3hab have everyone anticipating a follow up from the two.
20. Maximal Crazy - Tiesto [MUSICAL FREEDOM]
- Tiesto had quite an interesting year that saw him seemingly break away from his normal trancy style and incorporate more electro elements into his sets and productions. "Maximal Crazy" was the signature track of Tiesto's back to school tour in the fall that culminated with a record breaking show at the Home Depot Stadium in LA.
19. Awooga - Calvin Harris [ULTRA]
- Calvin had as big of a year as anyone in house music. Maybe his biggest record was the radio smash with Rihanna (We Found Love) but here I picked "Awooga" not only because it worked best for me, but I'm pretty sure almost every DJ I respect and follow played this record. It's video game-type synths layered on top of a deep beat made it a monster for me all year long.
18. No Beef - Afrojack & Steve Aoki [WALL]
-Although this song surfaced late in 2010, it finally got a release in 2011 along with an eerie vocal to match. Afrojack's signature bleepy synths are not even the stand out element of "No Beef". It is that deep kick that rattles the speakers.
17. Zero 76 - Tiesto & Hardwell [MUSICAL FREEDOM]
- Hardwell's 2011 featured a tons of hits, but for this countdown I picked his collab with fellow Dutch resident (and world traveller) Tiesto. These two giants + rolling synths and a hard kick = success.
16. The Moment - Tim Mason [SIZE]
- Originally thought to be a Swedish House Mafia track, Tim Mason stepped out of the shadows and into the EDM world with a bang. The snare buildup right from the jump made "The Moment" not only one of the most played tracks of the year, but was a guaranteed set starter to grab a crowd's attention. Watch out for Tim in 2012.
15. Sending My Love - R3hab & Swanky Tunes feat Max C [WALL]
- Sharing a DJ Booth with R3hab this year was another highlight for me, and this record was his major hit for 2011. Along side the Russian production team Swanky Tunes, they teamed up to build a hard electro, yet melodic track that added the vocals of Max C to complete what was one of the biggest anthems of the year.
14. Rattle - Bingo Players [HYSTERIA]
- "Rattle" was the mega anthem from Bingo Players that featured a simple clap and a clavicle, but wow was it catchy. These guys always seem to put songs together that rock dancefloors and stay stuck in your head. "Rattle"'s key line sent floors into chaos in 2011.
13. Drowning (Avicii Remix) - Armin Van Buuren feat Laura V [ARMIND]
- Of all things Avicii did in 2011, this was probably the most beautiful, melodic song I came across in 2011. And when you out-melody trance master AVB, that's saying something. In my opinion, this powerful uplifting vocal is not only one of the best of 2011, but of all time. I used this song a lot in 2011 especially to close out shows with the lights on.
12. Invisible (Dirty South Remix) - Skylar Grey [INTERSCOPE]
-Dirty South and Skylar Grey seem to have that connection between producer and singer that spawns hit after hit (I'm reminded of Hex Hector and Deborah Cox) Dragan uses a melodic guitar riff as the backdrop to the emotional vocal. Huge rises and big room synths make me fall in love with this track.
11. Flash (Nicky Romero Remix) - Green Velvet [RELIEF]
- As hard as it is to update a classic and have it become an industry wide respected track, Nicky achieved that AND more with his take on "Flash". Although it technically was released late in 2010, this record was heard at practically every set during Ultra festival in Miami and was one of the biggest anthems of 2011.
10. Dangerous (Johan Wendel & Deniz Koyu Remix) - James Blunt [BIG BEAT/ATLANTIC]
- Definitely the most underrated record of 2011 goes to this remix hands down. Johan and Deniz took a James Blunt song and turned it into big room magic. Upon first hearing this I knew the Swedish House Mafia would be all over it, and they eventually were. The rest of the world would follow. This track also gets the "WTF was that?!?" award as people would constantly come up to the booth asking about it.
9. Set Fire To The Rain (Thomas Gold Remix) - Adele [COLUMBIA]
-While "Rolling In The Deep" was Adele's biggest hit of the year, Thomas Gold had other plans. The Germany made a huge mark on the EDM scene in 2011 and his biggest remix (although his Lady Gaga Judus remix was a close second) was his take on Adele. To those who say some songs are better left not remixed, I think Gold's mix actually brings more emotional out of her vocal than the original song does. Amazing remix.
8. Turbulence - Laidback Luke & Steve Aoki feat Lil Jon [MIXMASH]
- Laidback Luke had a huge year in 2011, and I had the pleasure of spinning with him again this year. Probably his most epic record was his collab with Steve Aoki. The song originally featured Aoki's vocal when Luke debuted the song at my residency at Deko Lounge back in March of 2010, however after tweaking the track and adding Lil Jon's infectious energy, Luke had a certified banger ready to crush dancefloors worldwide.
7. Save The World (Zedd Remix) - Swedish House Mafia feat John Martin [EMI UK]
- When it comes to big room vocals, it really doesn't get bigger than 1000's of people singing the lyrics to this song. The Swedes (while now preparing to make house music history in America by headlining Madison Square Garden tomorrow night) featured a vocalist from Sweden to form one of the biggest anthems of the year. Although there were many great remixes to this song, I chose Zedd's because not only did it feature the melodies and emotion of the track, but it also features a great electro drop.
6. Epic - Sandro Silva & Quintino [MUSICAL FREEDOM]
- It never failed. All year long, if I ever needed to send a crowd into a frenzy, I would go to this record. The drop at 2:15 featuring a deep kick and a simple bleepy synth never failed to get that "ouuuuuuu" factor out of the crowd (that you could actually hear over the music). The breakdowns feature majestic strings which only give way to punchy snares and that drop that can only be described as....wait for it..... e p i c.
5. Coming Home (Dirty South Remix) - Diddy [INTERSCOPE]
- Call it a by-product of hip hop crossing into the house culture, but when Dirty South decided to remix Diddy's pop anthem "Coming Home", not only did it introduce the EDM community to the angelic vocals of Skylar Grey, it made it acceptable for big room house music DJ's to play P Diddy records. Of course Diddy has always "dabbled" in house music (lets get up and lets get ill anyone?) but Dragan's rolling bass line was recognizable anywhere and everywhere in 2011.
4. Pressure (Alesso Remix) - Alex Kenji, Starkillers feat Nadia Ali [SPINNIN]
- Although "Heiress" earlier on my countdown was the introduction to Alesso, "Pressure" was the real proof that the kid was not playing around. Nadia is no stranger to house anthems, but it was Alesso's synth's featuring a gate effect on the end of them (choppy sound) and really made this track pop.
3. Tung - Deniz Koyu [FLAMINGO]
-Snares and claps lead into a revisited version of an old Steve Angello track. Doesn't sound like anything special right? Wrong! Deniz updates this classic into a mega big room anthem that instantly set any room on fire. When that kick drum punches in after the synths take you over, there's really no description I can use with words to describe it. If you went out to ANY big events in 2011 you know what I'm talking about.
2. Calling (Instrumental) - Sebastian Ingrosso & Alesso [REFUNE]
- It starts with a simple preview. It's Seb, on his balcony in Ibiza with his black iphone playing a preview of what would become the sing a long anthem of 2011. Funny thing is, it has no vocals, and yet i did say "Sing a long". I can't pinpoint where it started, but by the time the Electric Zoo Festival came to New York Labor Day Weekend, not only did every DJ play this song, but the crowd would chant and sing the melody. One of the SHM's quotes is that the "Goosebumps never lie", and if you were anywhere in 2011 and heard a crowd chant this song, you felt those goosebumps.
1. Levels - Avicii [LE7ELS/UNIVERSAL]
- Is this even a question? Avicii not only burst onto America's EDM scene in 2011, but he kicked down the door with an insane tour schedule (including a stop at Wildlife at Deko where I got to spin with him). "ID" as it was originally know, took a sample of an old Etta James song and surrounded it with an uplifting piano melody that (similar to Calling) prompted crowds to chant the melody. The version featured here was my personal reboot that added a buildup, there was Flo-Rida's (terrible in my opinion) commerical raping of it, and more recently grammy-darling Skrillex's dubstep rendition. But no matter what version you heard, you KNOW you heard the song this year, and you know (even if by now you are sick of it) that at some point, this was your jam!
You can download this mix 2 different ways!
Either head to the iTunes store and search "Mike Bugout" and download my monthly podcast (FREE) or click this button
OR grab it here off Hulkshare:--> HERE or on the player below
Thank you for all the support this past year, 2011 was HUGE for me and 2012 will be even bigger. Don't forget to visit me on FACEBOOK and TWITTER
Party Safe,
MB
