Natural Selection: Top 100 2011

For months, I've been selecting the most moving, beautiful and revolutionary tracks with endless listing. This top 100 has come together out of all those months of top 10's. This list is the absolute cream of the crop for my music year. Enjoy.

01. Axwell - Heart Is King
Axtone Records

The fact that Axwell's track is on top is not quite a surprise for me. It is quite ordinary though, that the man makes one singular track and instantly hits the number one spot. It's no wonder that when people ask who my favorite artist is, I say Axwell. For years and years and years, Axel was busy formingdecorating my personal hall of classics. Well, not just for me, but for many other enthusiast all over the globe. I've checked the records and I noticed that Ax makes no more than 2 tracks a year, and this and last year just one. And yet, those productions are enough to keep me happy and wanting for more. The time, effort and gentle touch this Swedish legend puts into his work is unique. No wonder that "Heart Is King", is the absolute highlight of 2011.


  Axwell - Heart Is King by axwellofficial

See you in 2012, Ax



02. Dusky - Stick By This 
Anjunadeep

I did kind off made it look like, that "Heart Of King" was the only rightful throne sitter of this year. But to be honest, I spent hours thinking about this. "Should "Stick By This" be at number one"? The final answer, as you can see, is no. But it was an incredible close call. Dusky, better known as Solarity, made something so truly touching, so pure, that I can't help but take my time for this track. I won't listen this, until I absolutely feel like it. I always like to think that this track, is a track that stands for the reason why music was made: to feel when you need to, any given time of the day or night. I completely lost track about how much I've listened to it, but I won't frown when it's over a 100. And after a hundred plays, it still get's to me. I guess it's the best production of 2011.


The best track still goes to Ax, but he's got a very tough enemy to beat next year.

  Dusky - Stick By This by Anjunadeep

 Thank you, Dusky, for a wonderful year.

03. Kim Fai - Era
SIZE 

I've been waiting for "Era" for so damn long...But it
was surely worth the wait. Kim Fai somehow conquered my heart with his mature sounding productions, without even releasing a particular legendary one. But this year, it finally came to light.

Bigger than this, literally bigger, isn't imaginable. It's damn hard to explain it, and that's why it's so good.

Fai's eye for detail and passion for big big BIG fucking tracks make this is untouchable and unmatched.

Era is the great example of a true anthem.


  Kim Fai 'Era' (90 Second Clip) by sizerecords

04. Solarity - Marsch
Anjunadeep

Solarity has really made a great impression on me, as you can see. Their second production on the top 100 is already here.

"Marsch" is so good because it completely warped my vision about Progressive House around. The entire tracks builds up, in the same melodic atmosphere...but it doesn't get boring for even a minute!

I heard it first on Anjunadeep 03, where it closed  the long line of already good tracks. It didn't matter how good those other tracks may have been, because "Marsch" blasted them all away with one single play. Someday, I wish I could make gems like this in my room, but until that day I will go back to this one.

  Marsh by Solarity

05. Joris Voorn - Incident Miyagi
Rejected

I think everyone with a sensible mind, followed the Fukushima disaster with a horrible feeling. A lot of artist on social media naturally spoke out their reaction, but only a few actually did something. One of those artist is my fellow Dutchman, Joris Voorn. Because of the horrifying events around Tokyo and because he played a gig there at the moment (he got to see the horrifying event in full effect) , he decided to brush up an old classic and send it's earnings to the Red Cross.

 The track brought up around 5000 US Dollars, but not only because of it's purpose but certainly also because of it's brilliant production value. A brilliant track with a brilliant intentioned design. Amen to Voorn!

  Joris Voorn - Incident (Miyagi) - Short Preview 128 kbps by Joris Voorn

06. Arty & Mat Zo - Rebound
Anjunabeats

As said before, I sortof made the step from House to Trance this year. But that House is still in my heart, is to be seen with the above tracks. It couldn't take any longer though, before the first of many Trance tracks showed itself. The absolute number one track has to be this one. "Rebound" is made by the two artist who lured me into the Anjunabeats scene, with their brilliant collabs and own singles. Both Mat Zo and Arty are clearly incredibly gifted, because I have yet to find a set of young producers who are this profilised. They both have an entirely different musical philosophy, but their combined works are brilliant anyway. I remember hearing this track in the one true summer week of Holland's 2011 summer, and I was in love at the first play.

The incredible "rave" elements that energizes "Rebound" made by Arty, in combination with the heartwarming detailed melodic aspects by Mat Zo, make this track a true classic for me. I sincerly hope that I can still catch this track when I'm on ASOT 550, listening to Arty's set. Year defining record for me this one.

  Arty & Mat Zo - Rebound by Anjunabeats

07. Tim Mason - Anima
SIZE

This track is still not done making a solid impact on me, because it was released just seconds before the absolute deadline of '11.

First heard it at the infamous AN21 & Max Vangeli yearmix, and it stuck intensely. I kept coming back to that very average mix, because of just that track.

 It's like the Kim Fai one: a true anthem.  It's very rare these days when you hear a track that you can only describe as big. Skyscrapers, Oceans, Whales, Air-buses...Anthems. This new Tim Mason single had and has everything you could ask for: a promising young producer, a tasteful label...It may have been called "Spirit", but this track is full of life!

  Tim Mason - Anima (Original Mix) by Tim Mason

08. Laidback Luke - Natural Disaster (Instrumental Mix)
Mixmash

My idol simply had to be in the top 10, but not only because it's the Luke but also because it's simply a great great, great listening experience.

An EDM track about a Natural Disaster is quite an interesting production set up. Every time I put Luke's gem on, I have the idea that I'm listening to a beast of a track...literally.

No wonder why KOA choose the above artwork as the cover. The bass is brutal, the melody unforgiving, the synths overwhelming...but it all seems to work, and that deserves a spot in the top 10.

By far the most powerful track of 2011.



  Laidback Luke - Natural Disaster (Instrumental Mix) by LaidbackLuke


09. Dominik Eulberg - Der Tanz Der Gluehwuermchen
Traum

Rare, would be the perfect way to describe this ode to nature.

 I bought the whole album, "Diorama", mainly because of this track. Looking back now to that fantastic album, I was very right to do so.

I heard it first at one of Jaytech's podcast I believe, and I was immediately in love. Everything about this track is as beautiful as the world it describes.

The highlight of a wondrous album, that inspired fired up my passion for nature once again.




  08 - Der Tanz Der Gluehwuermchen by McMell

10. Above & Beyond - Thing Called Love (Mat Zo Remix) 
Anjunabeats

In this year between mixed House and Trance, Mat Zo guided me through the perfect middle.

A lot of his singles, but especially this remix balanced slowly lured me into the scene of Anjunabeats. I got to admit, that the insanely fast, vocal, trance "1.0" is a bit too much for me. But Mat Zo has shown me that Trance doesn't necessarily need to blast away your speakers.

Zo gave me a sophisticated yet calm example of how a remix should be. I honestly didn't start listening to Anjuna or A&B, but after his remix I got quite interested. I like to think that because of this, I'm the Anjuna fan I'm today. A great way to end the top 10.


  Above & Beyond feat. Richard Bedford - Thing Called Love (Mat Zo Remix) by aboveandbeyond

11. Electrobios & Liluca ft. Interplay - Depends on You (Electrobios & Liluca Remix) - Anjunadeep
12. Andrew Bayer - Distractions (Movement 4) - Anjunadeep
13. Above & Beyond - Every Little Beat (Myon & Shane 45 "Summer Of Love" Remix) - Anjunabeats
14. Above & Beyond - Prelude (Album Version) - Anjunabeats
15. Henry Saiz & Jesse Somfay - Honey Whine (Extended Balance Mix) - Balance
16. Mike Shiver Vs. Matias Lehtola - Slacker (Maor Levi's Big Room Mix) - Armada
(5 sterren ^)
17. Boys Will Be Boys - We Tell - Musical Freedom
18. Dezza - Allure - Oxygen
19. Tim Mason - The Moment
20. Max Cooper - Ripple - Traum

21. Stephen J Kroos - E-No - Anjunadeep
22. Round Table Knights - Paparussi - Made To Play
23. Sander Van Doorn pres. Purple Haze - Timezone - Doorn
24. Jamie Woon - Night Air (Album Version) - Polydor
25. Sunny Lax - Contrast - Anjunabeats
26. Nero - Reaching Out - MTA
27. Soundprank - Beginnings - Anjunadeep
28. Mat Zo - Frequency Flyer - Anjunabeats
29. Wippenberg - Phoenix - Get Whipped
30. Boom Jinx & Soundprank - Pieces Of The Puzzle (Solarity Remix) - Anjunadeep

31. Laurent Garnier - Flashback (Christian Smith & Wehbba Remix) - Tronic
32. Nero - Promises - MTA
33. Andrew Bayer - Dedicated To Boston's Waste Management (Album Version) - Anjunabeats
34. Funkin Matt - Anywhere - Fjordin
35. Yasmin - On My Own (Burns ESM Remix) - MOS
36. Solarity - Tapepack - Anjunadeep
37. Lykke Li - Sadness Is A Blessing (Gold Panda Remix) - LL
38. Guy J & Henry Saiz - Meridian (Pryda Remix) - Bedrock
39. Mat Zo - Superman - Anjunabeats
40. David Tort - One Look (Axwell vs. Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike Remix) - Axtone

41. Above & Beyond - Sun & Moon (Kim Fai Remix) - Anjunabeats
42. Andrew Bayer -  A Drink For Calamity Jane (Album Version) - Anjunabeats
43. Mat Zo - Synapse Dynamics (Arty Remix) - Anjunabeats
44. Tiësto & Mark Knight - Beautiful World (Club Mix) - Toolroom
45. Arty - Kate - Anjunabeats
46. Matt Lange - Rift (Andrew Bayer Remix) - Anjunadeep
47. Third Party - Duel - SIZE
48. Suspect 44 - Japanese Schoolgirls (PROFF Remix) - Anjunadeep
49. Boom Jinx & Andrew Bayer - By All Means (Solarity Remix) - Anjunadeep
50. Chris Lake - Sundown (Laidback Luke Remix) - Ultra

51. Amyn - Elle (Henry Saiz "Balance" Edit) - Balance
52. Swedish House Mafia - Save The World (Knife Party Remix) - Virgin
53. Benny Benassi - Cinema (Congorock Remix) - Ultra
54. John Dahlbäck - You're In My Heart (Elektrokid, Timofey & Dave Lambert Remix) - Mutants
55. Dinka - Violet (Inpetto Remix) - Unreleased Digital
56. Arty - Around The World - Anjunabeats
57. Axwell - Feel The Vibe (Whelan & Di Scala 2011 Bootleg) - Axtone
58. GTA - U&I (Laidback Luke Remix) - Mixmash
59. Joris Voorn vs. Moby - After The After - Rejected
60. The Whip - Secret Weapon (Alex Metric Remix) - Southern Fried

61. Erick Prydz - 2Night (Maor Levi's "Breaking 2Night Mashup" Mix) - Pryda
62. Nero - Departure (Album Version) - MTA
63. Michael Cassette - Memories (90's Piano Mix) - Anjunadeep
64. Calvin Harris - Feel So Close (Nero Remix) - Fly Eye
65. Filterheadz - Everything Explained - Doorn
66. Jaytech - Overdrive - Anjunadeep
67. Crystal Fighters - Champion Sound - Different
68. Swanky Tunes & Hard Rock Sofa - Smolengrad - SIZE
69. Nero - Reaching Out (Booka Shade Remix) - MTA
70. Arty - Zara - Anjunabeats

71. Dirty South & Thomas Gold - Alive - Phazing
72. Polarsets - Sunshine Eyes - Kitsuné
73. Dezza - I Wonder - Oxygen
74. John Dahlbäck - Pour Te - Mutants
75. Kyau & Albert - Be There 4 U (Mat Zo Remix) - Euphonic
76. Sander Van Doorn - Beyond Sound (Godskitchen Urban Wave Extended Mix) - Doorn
77. Andrew Bayer - Counting The Points (Club Mix) - Anjunabeats
78. Exoplanet - Delta III - Proton
79. Sharam Jey pres. Soundz Fresh - Spinnin
80. Mat Zo & Arty - Mozart - Anjunabeats

81. Nari & Milani - Kendo (Steve Angello "Size Matters" Edit) - SIZE
82. Kings Of Tomorrow - Take Me Back (Sandy Rivera's Original Mix) - Defected
83. Moonbeam - Hate Is The Killer (Arty Remix) - Moonbeam
84. The Madison & Simon J - Follow Up - Enhanced Progressive
85. Cosmic Gate - Be Your Sound - Black Hole
86. Hard Rock Sofa & St. Brothers - Blow Up (Axwell vs. Thomas Gold Remix) - Axtone
87. Solarity - Tiny Black Circles - Anjunadeep
88. Niki & The Dove - The Drummer - Mercury
89. D-Mad pres. Yummy - Blaze Away! - Enhanced Progressive 
90. D.I.M. & Tai - Glass - Boysnoize

91. Tate & Diamond - Electrified (Mat Zo Remix) - Anjunabeats
92. Avesta & B Valley - Dutchano (Laidback Luke Edit) - Mixmash
93. Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike - Generation X - SIZE
94. Mat Zo - Loop - Anjunabeats
95. Laidback Luke & Sander Van Doorn - Who's Wearing The Cap - Mixmash
96. Steve Aoki & Laidback Luke - Turbulence (Sidney Samson Remix) - Mixmash
97. Swedish House Mafia - Save The World (Extended Dub Mix) - Virgin
98. Alicia Keys - Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart (Laidback Luke 2011 Bootleg) - Sony
99. Angger Dimas - Are You Ready (Mahesa Utara Remix) - Vicious
100. Daniel Kandi - Soul Searchin' (Nitrous Oxide Remix) - Anjunabeats