Natural Selection: Top 10 Artist 2011

This year has been full with new musical discoveries. Many new artist conquered both my music and my heart! My previously posted top 100 was filled with the best singles and remixes this year had to offer. Now it's time who contributed the most...

01. Mat Zo - 36975 Points

It was on the very last moment that I was writing this post, that I put Zo on number 1 personally. Zo personally made my 2011 with his astonishing vision and take on the music as I once knew it. All of his tracks were stunning and completely new. Not a single sample or tracks that sound alike. But when I was counting the points, Zo didn't appear to come one the number one spot.

That really didn't feel right, and it turned out my feelings were true. I completely forgot about a recently freebie of his that I've been waiting for, for a loooong time: "The Loop"This 0.5 version of "Frequency Flyer" shows again how versatile Zo is, and it couldn't be left out the top 100! But not only this track, but also "Superman", "The Full Frequeny Flyer", "Rebound", his brilliant collab with Arty, and timeless remixes for loads of artist make 2011 the year of Zohar.

And that while his best track's have yet to come! In 2012, Zo will release his debut artist album, and the ID's and previews have been all over the web since that announcement. But that doesn't take away that I have already experienced his unknown versatility as an producer. Samples from a limitless selection of genres (Reggae in Frequency Flyer and a recent Beyonce sample) and the unique way of presenting himself as an artist (I believe the only electronic genre he hasn't proven himself in is dubstep) make it very assumable that Mat Zo is on his way of becoming as timeless as Daft Punk. His tracks have no guide line, which makes him my number one artist of the year.  But it sure was a close call, the closest one ever to be in this list I think.

02. Solarity/Dusky - 36725 Points

Alfie Granger-Howell and Nich Harriman hooked my on their fantastic music the moment I heard "DNA" on Anjunabeats 02. I used it instantly in my 2010 yearmix and since that day, I've been watching their every move. It seems my intentions were right, because every release of the duo has been gold till this day. From their stunning remix for "By All Means"  till their last release in December called "Tiny Black Circles", they've been intriguing me massively. 

But the two absolute highlights of their and my year have to be "Marsch" from Anjunadeep 02 and "Stick By This", released under their moniker Dusky. It has been quite a year from them, and with Anjunadeep 04 on the way, I can only hope it features another series of brilliant Solarity productions.

03. Andrew Bayer - 29425 Points

Andrew is another great new find this year. Andrew Bayer stands for the delicacy that can sometimes be called, electronic music. The first track I came across on, was his fourth track on the ordinary "Distractions EP". Just this EP alone shows that Bayer isn't your everyday artist. On that EP, he took a concept from his workbench, and created four different "movements" (hench the name) with it. 

Although all the tracks were great, the last one really stood out. "Distractions (Movement 4)" made it clear that Andrew knows how to think outside the current EDM box. Then his remix for "Rift" followed, in collaboration with his partner in crime, Matt Lange. That track really made the summer of 2011 for me. After those two anthems, I just had to check out his album "It's Artificial". Although the album only counted 9 tracks, it was more than satisfying. But "Counting The Points", "A Drink For Calamity Jane" and "Dedicated To Bostons Waste Management System" (love to know the story behind those titles!) were so well produced that I just had to put them in my top 100. Although an new album is far from now, I know that 2012 will be another bright year for Bayer!

04. Arty - 23350 Points

Arty is quite a strange story. I already heard of him when I first started listening. In the beginning of 2010, Laidback Luke played one of his singles called "Hope" in one of his sets, which I quite liked. But since it was Trance, and I was quite narrow minded, I didn't went after it. But when I started listening to Anjunabeats, Arty came back into the picture. I was astounded by what I had missed over the past couple of years. This kid was mental! I liked everything of him! I first began with some of his remixes, and eventually "Zara". But I was really blown away by "Rebound". That collab with Mat Zo shook off my narrow minded view, and truly got me into the state of Trance I am today. Since that release, I've been following Arty closely. "Around The World" followed. Wow, what an anthem! I was speechless! Must have been one of my most positive post on Upcomingsoon when I still did that stuff.

But not knowingly, that single changed the whole game for Arty and his trance roots it seems. As soon as Axwell got his hands on it, he made sure the whole world got to hear it. And boom, Arty was truly born. His next single was "Kate", for his girlfriend. I liked it, but I noticed a difference in his genre. I noticed a lot of complaining to under the video. After that, I haven't heard any real Trance from Arty anymore. With "Mozart" and his remix for Dirty South, it was made clear that he will continue to follow the path of House. I'm really curious what will do that to him and what he will do to the scene. Not long ago, Arty was chosen number 8 of the "DJ's" to follow in 2012 by MTV. It was an confirmation for me, that he will not return to Trance any time soon. I can only hope that he will not choose to go down the same road as many House producers do nowadays, and that he will still create tracks with some soul and heart put into it. The house scene is full of slackers, and I can only hope that Arty will show them the right way to do it!

05. Nero - 21575 Points

Nero, the only commercial dubstep producers I can appreciate. They are no life changers for me. No heroes. No examples. No, they are just Nero, and they were plainly insane this year. Their album Welcome Reality exploded like a bomb this August. One of those albums that you are patiently waiting for. It took me a while to fully listen to it, but when I found the time I was glad I did. This is music that needs to be made. Music that you can just put on without having to feel anything but satisfaction. All of those singles and their remix for Calvin were so enjoyable that I kept returning to them. This was the year of Nero, but I'm not sure if they can top that with the remaining album singles next year.


06. Axwell - 13391 Points

Axwell is still my number one when it comes to producing tracks, at least for now. He has got handfuls of ID's and unreleased shizzle under his name, his label is my favorite in the scene and his only 2011 track "Heart Is  King" instantly made it to the number one spot on my Top 100 List.

The reason Ax is not number one though, is because the man takes his time. Like I said earlier, he has only one or two tracks a year, followed by some small remixes for his label and some stuff with Swedish House Mafia. His work is always quite stellar, but few in numbers. But I luckily prefer quality above quantity, so the tracks that he delivers are usually enough for the whole year.

But it can't hurt ofcourse for him to do two tracks this year, or maybe more! There are so many tracks of him that need to see the light of day...


07. Laidback Luke - 17388 Points

I couldn't leave Lucas out of my top ten, just for the principal of the fact that he still is my idol. But I'll be honest with you, this year wasn't great. There were very few good Laidback Luke tracks, and I often felt liking the track because he made it. Without the name of Luke on it, it might have not ended that high on the list. His first single "Turbulence" for instance, didn't felt right at all. Then followed his strange remix for Better Off Alone and some other strange remixes.

The first real good LBL production this year, came out in June. His remix on his own label for "U & I" reminded me of that old fashioned good melodic Laidback Luke again. A month later, he struck again with the brilliant "Natural Disaster", which was the best and loudest Luke track in a long time! But nothing really exciting followed. It was on the very last day of this year that he released his remix for "Sundown", that somehow really worked for me! But when you look at the past few years, the amount of good Laidback Luke tracks is really slimming down.

He will always be my favorite artist, but it's clear that he was not the best this year.

This 2012, he announced to release 6 singles. One of those singles will be "Cambodia", and that single alone will make this year much better I think. Not the best year, but he still managed to squeeze some good productions in. But I'm sure 2012 will be better.

08. Tim Mason - 17600 Points

It took him only two tracks to make it on the list. Both "Anima" and "The Moment" have become anthems to me for this 2011. His mature way of producing music brings a smile on my face! A lot of house producers nowadays, tend to follow the bandwagon of easy happy sounding garbage. I'm glad that there is still a newcomer who refuses to do so, and make his own future. i can still hear the echoes of "The Moment" while jumping and shouting like an idiot to Steve Angello, who played an absolute killer set at the time. Tim Mason will be remembered because he chose to be different in these dark days of House. I salute him!

09. Above & Beyond - 14675 Points

I always wondered what their music would be like when I saw them so high on the DJ Top 100. Now I regret I have always wondered instead of listened. Their music is so soulful. So full of life and meaning. I didn't do a review on their album "Group Therapy", because I would do it short. It's too complex an album, to be doing a review on it. I did liked it incredibly well though, and it's clear in the top 100. I could really relate to their music, both remixed as in the original state. I'm really glad I didn't skipped them and their label. It's because of them I got into Anjuna this year. Maybe with Spotify, I will not make this mistake again and check out the artist in question right away! In many indirect ways, Above & Beyond directed my whole year.

10. Kim Fai - 14300 Points

Just like Tim Mason, Kim Fai needed just two tracks to make it to this list. His "Era" was of epic proportions, and I was waiting eagerly for him since I heard it on his essential mix in 2010. After a long period of waiting, SIZE finally announced the two sided EP! It was even better than I remembered and it ended on the third spot of a total amount of 100 tracks!

I originally never knew he remixed my new found favorite labelbosses, Above & Beyond, but when I heard his incredible take on cult hit "Sun & Moon", I knew that Kim Fai was going to end high. Again, just like Tim Mason, he is one of the few left who still possesses that unique sophisticated house sound.

He is currently busy with his kid, but when he returns to the scene, I hope he will stay true to his fantastic sound.