Middy’s Top 10 Tracks Of 2013

Posted by on December 20, 2013

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It’s that time of the year, the deluge of top something lists are being forced down your throat, for better or for worse, and we are not going to miss out on the party. In addition, to more general top tracks, albums or the year type of things, some of us have chosen our favorites of the year. Start the countdown.

10. Norman Doray – Filtré (Chocolate Puma Remix)

This beat, this rhythm is just too good. Norman Doray did an outstanding job with the original, bringing in the classic filtré house sound, but the savvy veterans, Chocolate Puma knew exactly what to do with it, chopping it up, and adding their own drums for an unbeatable combo.

9. Armin van Buuren ft. Cindy Alma – Beautiful Life (Protoculture Remix)

There is something invariably epic about this song. Protoculture has been making some thumping remixes this year like his recent Agnelli & Nelson pres. A&N Project “New Light” remix, but this effort is something special. From the moment it was first played on ASOT, the anticipation was about as high as there was for any trance tune this year, and understandably so. The melody is about as big as it gets and combined with Cindy Alma’s vocals, you have a powerful one two punch.

8. Wolfgang Gartner – Anaconda

It is so funky, yet so raw and powerful, there must some sort of sorcery at work here. Wolfgang outdid himself here with a track that is right up there with “Space Junk” (an all-time favorite), in my book. Released early in the year, we have been blessed to have this for 10 months and counting. Don’t expect this to decrease in plays any time soon.

7. Arias – Andromeda

It was really, really hard to choose one track from Arias this year to go in my top 10, because frankly they all deserve it, but after careful deliberation, “Andromeda” was the one that made the cut. “Andromeda” has a prydzian quality with its ultra-progressive qualities, rolling bass line and male vocal interjected just at the right moments. If you aren’t up on Arias yet, then start it now, because things are only going to get better in 2014.

6. Arty ft. Chris James – Together We Are

Forget the issues with the mixdown and just listen to the music for what it is. The melody, the stirring piano and the whole uplifting feeling track is perfect and having been there for the premier at Pier 94 NYE 2012, it is even more special. It can be a hit or miss proposition for tracks of this magnitude, but the vocals are a huge plus for this song. There is no party without Arty.

5. Moguai – Champs

Moguai had an awesome year, starting things out with one of our top tracks of the year (spoiler alert), “Mammoth”, and then releasing this monster on Size. Combining subtle electro growls and a potent, piercing melody, Moguai has himself a winner that was a favorite of many all spring and summer long.

4. Beat Service – Aurora

Beat Service is one of those guys who you know when he releases a single, it is going to be huge. It is just a fact and everyone knows it. It is an incredibly enviable trait to have, honed by patience and hard work to craft each and every track just right. “Aurora” was the biggest and best this year, becoming a summer trance festival favorite, pushing the limits on my speakers many, many times and even finding its way for a full length play in Axwell’s sets for several months. The track may have been released on April 1st, but this tune is no laughing matter.

3. Andy Moor & Betsie Larkin – Love Again (Andrew Rayel Remix)

The top 3, the tracks you just wont get sick of and hold a special place in your heart. I am a sucker for a killer melody, which is what attracts me to trance, because trance = melody in a very simplistic sense, and man oh man did Andrew Rayel do a number on this one. This is why Andrew Rayel has become so revered and if he continues to build on tracks like this, there is no stopping the 21 year old Moldovan.

2. Oliver – MYB

Having the advantage of being released back in January, “MYB” has been on repeat from its release, all the way until now. It’s ridiculously punchy bass line and industrial grit make this incredibly danceable and complex at the same time, showing the genius of Oliver.

1. The Knocks – Modern Hearts

The grand poobah of them all, “Modern Hearts” comes in at number one of my top 10 tunes of the year. Your number one track will be a song that works no matter the mood you are in, has some sort of great memories attached to it, or has helped you out of hard times, and “Modern Hearts” is one of those ole’ reliable tracks that I can always come back to. I knew quickly after listening to this track, that it was likely to be my favorite all year. I am attracted to beautiful melodies, but the groove in this song is just to too irresistible. It is so funky, soulful and playful.

Honorable Mentions:

Pryda – Power Drive
Pryda – Layers
W&W & Ummet Ozcan – The Code
Avicii ft. Nile Rogers & Adam Lambert – Lay Me Down
Knife Party – LRAD
DubVision – Redux

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