Disco Matt, having procrastinated, cogitated & deliberated, while fending off floods of requests since the year end, cannot hold back anymore, as he delivers the results of who & what made it into his fabulous forty and which towering tune made it to number one in his track chart of 2011.
Fabulous Forty
Well, what a year of magnificent music it has been and one filled by fabulous tracks, whether delighting us on the dancefloor or playing out on podcasts, not a single day from January one to December thirty passing without us adding to a list that stretches well past a 100. And while we are no experts in naming a tune, we like to think we have a good ear for a great track and one that would make for a worthy contender in our now traditional top forty chart of the year. So, having collected a long list, November saw us begin to collate that list into what became our top forty tracks of 2011, the 21st day of that month marking the beginning of what was a daily track posting on Facebook that ran right to 30th December, that’s forty days incidentally. Yet this was this was merely an indication of what tracks made it into our chart, rather than a forty to one rundown, we holding back on the final decision until now, fending off the floods of requests for us to reveal our number one.
Commemorative Compilation
However, the procrastination, the cogitation & the deliberation is done, the decisions have been made and the wait is over, meaning it’s time for that forty to one rundown and a chart that has proven one of the closest in the three years we have been compiling these music reviews, not least as, with virtually no exception, each track has played an important part in some stage of our year, some intrinsically so. Therefore, deciding which would go where, particularly in the upper half of the chart, was very tricky, as it is the top twenty that could easily represent the content of a “Dance-tastic” podcast of 2011, repeating the production last year in what, at the time, was a collaborative partnership that seemed to have legs. But all that is for our “podcast” review, while here we concentrate on the tracks, giving you YouTube, Soundcloud &/or other play/download links to compliment our commentary of why each track made it into our chart, we acknowledging that our chart includes a handful of entrants from before 2011, but ones that nevertheless played an important part in our year, hence the reason their inclusion.
Stronger Shawnie
So let’s not keep you in suspense any longer as we take a look at positions forty to thirty five, first up & in at 40 is Erick Morillo & Eddie Thoenick’s “Stronger”, featuring the vocals of Shawnie Taylor & a track that was, at the time of its release in June, hailed as the new Pitron/DM anthem, but fell into relative obscurity as the world & his wife included in their play/favourites list. However, given the poignancy of the title to our troubles at the time, it is included and worth checking out at http://youtube.com/watch?v=C5mfaSeZAcU, while in at 39 is Michael Gray’s “A Piece Of You” the first of a handful of tracks that was destined to be included on our ill fated “Winter Warmers” podcast series, the track link at http://youtube.com/watch?v=njoi_y8Ff1Y hinting towards why we picked it as one of our favourite video’s of the year, while Mr Gray’s collaboration with Danism, who feature on track 38 in our chart, “Rise” with Yasmeen at http://youtube.com/watch?v=ouKpb6EEQlY, ranks considerably higher in our final chart. Then we have Beyonce’s “Run The World” in at 37, the superchumbo (aka Tom Stephan) remix pricking up our ears when we heard it at Room Service in the presence of its creator, so a worthy inclusion & worth checking out at http://youtube.com/watch?v=ouKpb6EEQlY, while position 36 goes to Ultra Nate’s “Turn It Up”, the Ruff Loaders vs. Scott Giles Mix featuring large on our top podcast of the year, its uplifting nature helping spin around London’s roads too, so definitely worth a listen at http://facebook.com/video/video.php?v=168557863197400, leaving us with the of four Whelan & Di Scala chart entrants, Alisa’s “Sine” in at 35, getting the duo’s dynamic remix treatment and another that was due to be included on our “Winter Warmers” podcast, a listen at http://youtube.com/watch?v=H17Dg8Xv2pA revealing why.
Captivating Concert
Moving straight on, we head to 34 and a track choice that signifies one of the most amazing evenings spent in the company of Tom Fuller & Paul Vlad, when we pitched up at The O2 Arena for the captivating Roger Waters concert, “The Wall”, meaning the Pink Floyd classic “Another Brick In the Wall” had to make it in, the Eric Prydz “Proper Education” remix at http://youtube.com/watch?v=h9gNo-wtjkc our representative choice. Then sitting nicely in at 33 is Antoine Clamaran, an artist that played a big part of the year, his remix of house hit “A Deeper Love” at http://youtube.com/watch?v=JZgil1GDTrg, the first of three entries from this fabulous Frenchman, while at 32 another artist that ends up ranking very highly in our chart, gave us a terrific track in the form of “The Future”, Mark Knight the man & the track at http://youtube.com/watch?v=mWbwQL61d-c proving nearly as powerful as his other chart inclusion. With position 31 taken by an equally powerful track, Neils Van Goch’s mix of Three N One’s “Reflect” at http://youtube.com/watch?v=JMWszKpzzzg representing a period in our year when we were pausing for our own reflection on a close friendship on the ropes, while conversely with Guy Scheiman’s remix of David Jonson’s “Get Down Tonight” at http://soundcloud.com/guyscheiman/get-down-feat-david-jonson-guy, celebrated on new friendship formed on the first day of 2011 that has since grown into a brilliant bond that shows no signs of breaking.
Fuck The Disco
We now point towards our top twenty as we reach 29, Housequake’s “People Are People”, remixed by Nicky Romero at http://youtube.com/watch?v=j8WdbOxdDOQ and was one of a handful of re-works of pop/house hit classics that made our chart, this originally released by Depeche Mode, while in at 28 is another representation of an original remixed, Freddie Le Grand giving the Everything But The Girl hit “Missing” (check it out at http://youtube.com/watch?v=QiOzI3uFlws) a terrific twist and one that has deep meaning & touched our world in a big way in April, Delice Dream & a certain Belgian boy, so had to be included. Then, with Delice & Joeri in mind, we thought it only appropriate to chart the Jan Solo & Taito Tikaro smash “I Surrender” just above at 27, another track with incredible links & meaning, as well as emotions, this also proving to be one of a few that, each time we listen to it, reduces us to tearful (joyful of course) floods, the link to the essence extended mix http://youtube.com/watch?v=oCakKGQGCfg a version which appears on one of our high charting podcasts of 2011. But so does the next track in at 26, “Cross The Line” produced by Chris Lake & Mark Lys also making it to our “Spring Bloomers” compilation, a reflection of how much we liked the track in the early part of the year (and still do), thus sharing the link at http://youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&v=ygFu4cizgzI a joy in itself, our joy extending to entrant 25 in our chart, Bob Sinclair’s “Fuck The Disco” only escaping a top twenty position as a result of the strong competition ahead, a track a version at http://youtube.com/watch?v=iXysR2GcuKQ that was podcast inclusion plentiful during the year, but rarely made it to the dancefloor.
Ga Ga For Verde
So to 24 in our top forty and a track that grabs the prize as our favourite post clubbing play of 2011, Whelan & Di Scala’s “Teardrops” at http://youtube.com/watch?v=3kr-BKmwwyE, its chill-out qualities, along with that title, finding resonance with our after afterhours (Beyond of course) Sunday afternoons & the magical memories they hold and sure to be a continuing feature in 2012, while in at 23 is a track that will forever be about Beyond, about a certain D.J. & our Brazilian Bel, Kosheen’s “Catch” which was given the 2011 remix treatment by Enry the only one here missing its own link, although can be found on an “Afterhours” compilation that features in our “Podcast” review. Then we come to 22 and to a music maker that played a big part in our year, while having a huge year himself, his remix of Lady Gaga’s “You & I” at http://youtube.com/watch?v=0cancobs6ak making it massive for Danny Verde, although it would be another of his productions that would chart much higher here, a similar story relating to Whelan & Di Scala’s third of four chart entries, “Sunset To Sunrise” (link http://youtube.com/watch?v=e1D1ShteWzM) played out a few times in Beyond in recent weeks, very much vying for a replacement for the tear jerking “Offshore”, so neatly charting just below our top twenty at 21.
Lightning Levels
Well, we have made it to that top twenty, “No Words” being able to describe how tight a twenty it is, the track of the same name at http://youtube.com/watch?v=jLDWgfOASUs by Ferren Benavent & remixed by Chris Soler & J Louis, making it to 20 & being another example of a track that was not so much of a dancefloor smash, but perhaps should have been, the same being said for the euphoric “Diamonds In The Sky”, a TV Rocks production that was fabulously remixed by fave (well fourth to be exact) Frenchman Antoine Clamaran at http://youtube.com/watch?v=25N2jv21zPg finding its way into our hearts at a similar time to “Stronger” yet charts a full twenty places higher at 19. Then, in at 18 is a Guy Scheiman find from the summer that was included on our collaborative compilation with our impressive Israeli, Geoff M’s “You Better” at http://youtube.com/watch?v=wRPk__KizOg having since found its way to a host of London based D.J.’s playlists and in so doing making it big on dancefloors across the capital, as has our next choice, Avicii’s “Levels”,which was played out plenty of times with exceptional effect, the video a must view at http://youtube.com/watch?v=_ovdm2yX4MA proving our favourite of 2011, while the track in full glory at http://youtube.com/watch?v=gNYL7-Tu6fQ is set to be a continuing feature deep into 2012, its relatively lowly position at 17 in our chart a reflection of the towering tunes to come. And David Tort’s “One Look”, in at 16, marks the beginning of that tremendous tower, Norman Doray giving the track added dimension at http://youtube.com/watch?v=V4UwxisI2qM, yet is another we prayed to be played at our favourite afterhours but only made it to our ears through a daily played podcast.
Music Is In Our Souls
Leaving “one look” behind, we reach 15 and a track that nearly consigned our “Summer Scorchers” podcast to the rubbish heap, but signalled a step change in a close friendship, although in fairness, the Felix Wenzel dub at http://youtube.com/watch?v=oObmxsLJxEM was a little wide of the mark compared to the version that features large on our top podcast of 2011 and one you would need to search hard to find, while the same could not be said for track 14 in our chart, Whelan & Di Scala’s “Nimbus”, remixed by Manuel De La Mare, the track a simple Soundcloud search as well as a brief Beatport blink away, the former link at http://soundcloud.com/manueldelamare/whelan-di-scala-nimbus-manuel, revealing this terrific track in all its glory. But wrestling position 13 from “Nimbus” is a track that never failed to tip us into tears on the Beyond dancefloor, Antoine Clamaran hitting his highest note in our chart with “Live Your Dreams” at http://youtube.com/watch?v=0bhrLc87b8c proving to us at least that the Junior Caldera & M.O.D.A. remix floated our emotional boat more than any other track in 2011, well with the exception of one. However, it wasn’t choice 12 that was that track, Paul Gardiner’s “Music In My Soul” at http://youtube.com/watch?v=hmUX38dlaCc invoking an opposite reaction that saw us spin on our Beyond spot (and many another club too) virtually right through the year, remaining as fresh at the end of 2011 as it was when it appeared at the beginning, the same being said for the Strobe Club mix of Sebastian Kreig’s “Twist In My Sobriety” at http://youtube.com/watch?v=TIuS-9jrWkI, which squeezes in at number 11 and floats our boat now as it did back in March when it first came to our attention.
Hidden Meaning
So, we reach our top ten and what a ten it is, the Mark Knight 2011 remix of Florence & The Machine’s “You’ve Got The Love”, at http://youtube.com/watch?v=QY3rrKnZ58k looking like it could have been number 1 for a chunk of the year, but due to the tough competition in this tightest of ten, has made it only to number 10, the “Pressure” coming to bear from Starkillers, Alex Kenji & Nadi Ali, whose original version of the track of the same name at http://youtube.com/watch?v=NKfcg85fhTU has seen it make 9 in our chart. But if there was ever a rack that carried the most meaning of our year, it is the prolific Pink Fluid’s “Bitch Lady”, one which charts at number 8 although could have been much higher had it not been for the ones ahead of it, the hidden meaning (only known to a close friend) looking set to remain hidden, while the Craziba remix does no hiding at http://youtube.com/watch?v=ISsU2cGAbVQ. And hiding was certainly not what King Richard & Danny Torrence’s “Stupiddisco 2011” did in this year, another track that was riding high for quite a while, not least due to its Beyond-esque whooshes but lands in at number 7, the original mix at http://youtube.com/watch?v=xkSvhX4TFW0 nevertheless a major tune of DM’s year of “Doing The Disco Matt” on a whole host of dancefloors, while squeezing in at 6 is an equally major mover in our music year, Roy Davis Jnr’s “Enjoy The Ride” in James Talk & Ridney Remix make-up was so close to a top five place, we could hardly split hairs between it and the one just above it in our chart, memories from Later, & Orange pointing to the rides we enjoyed courtesy of this amazing 2011 anthem which you can catch at http://youtube.com/watch?v=xY1CrZw-NPI.
Starry Eyed For Danny
Well that covers thirty five tracks from our top forty chart, so what are our final five? Well, given the magnitude of each, we feel they deserve some extra special attention to the others, Danny Verde’s remix of Ellie Goulding’s “Starry Eyed” the first to get a fuller focus, as it makes it in at number 5, justifiably so, not least that it, for us, it represents our Milano man at his brilliant production best. And while many may claim that “You & I” is a better example of the master at work, “Starry Eyed” seems to have more lengthy appeal legs on it, having featured large in a score of stunning sets at Beyond earlier in the year, was played out by the man himself when we visited Muccasssassina in May and sits proudly on a podcast that has attained second spot in that 2011 chart of ours. But moreover, like all the tracks above it here, “Starry Eyed” holds many magical memories, emotional eruptions centre to those memories, the realisation that it was a Danny Verde production, just as tear flooding as the times we had heard it beforehand. So, we salute “Starry Eyed” for reaching number 5 in our chart and point you in the direction of Danny’s Soundcloud page and the track’s direct link where you can catch it in full 8 minute glory at http://soundcloud.com/holabstudio/ellie-goulding-starry-eyed-1.
If You Need Me Just Call Me
To number 4 now and while “Bitch Lady” may have held a hidden meaning, The Shapeshifters & Shermanology track “Waiting For You” could have been further poles apart in that department, a tune that shouted Steve Pitron from the rooftops, the dancefloors & everywhere else we heard it during 2011. Plus, like “Starry Eyed”, this tremendous track often ravaged us with emotions, good ones you understand, the lyrics having incredible meaning to a friendship that grew closer & closer as the year moved on and one that we now treasure more than any other. And while we probably need to be forgiven for displaying our emotions on our sleeves so boldly, it is those lyrics which start the track off, “…if you need me, just call me, I’ll be right here waiting for you, we’ve been through hell & back again, but I was right here waiting for you…” that are as big a reflection of the tough times the year we suffered in 2011, although safe in the knowledge that the close friend in question was indeed, right there virtually every step of our rocky way, not least when we found ourselves landed in hospital back in June. So, with so much prominence, we ranking it as probably the most emotionally evocative & meaningful tunes of the year when we shared the link, http://youtube.com/watch?v=nnB3t51qRBM, back on 30th November, we cannot fail to be moved by its magnificence, that along with the fabulous friendship it represents.
Joyful Tears Of The Year
Now talking of emotions, this next track was, without question, responsible for more of those joyful tears than any other during 2011, one that originally was brought to our attention by Tony English, but by March had become its most emotionally evocative when played out by Mr Pitron, whether it be at Beyond, at Room Service or at Lo-Profile, our reaction would be the same, those now characteristic emotional floods of tears that were very much a part of our dervishes on the dancefloors. And in the hands of vocalist Rebeka Brown, who performed the track live at The Logan Presents 3rd Anniversary, “Offshore” (A Little Love) proved yet again to be that tear jerking track that nevertheless also proved a brilliant tune to “Do The Disco Matt” to, as we did so often during 2011. So, given the magnitude of its importance to our year, it is no surprise that it charted in at number 3, the Andre Vicenzzo & Co Silco remix version of Magic Solution’s masterpiece our version choice and one you can check it in all its glory at http://youtube.com/watch?v=Mv4I1Qv3SVw, the track delivering not just “A Little Love” but love in abounds in our books.
We Will Always Remember
So to number 2 and a track that totally captivated us from the moment we heard it and another example of a fantastic find in the hands of Steve Pitron who remarked of the track when he first played it to us at Room Service earlier this year, that “…it had a bit of a Crash feel to it…”. And Michael Gray’s “You Will Remember”, featuring Danism & Rae, does remind us a little of those halcyon days at the underground club that started the whole Vauxhall clubbing movement, but moreover is a tune that appeals to our ears as much if not more than it did when we first heard it, no mean feat when you consider it has made it to our daily playlist since its release. Plus, finding itself in position two pretty much mirror’s the achievement of the prolific podcast that it features on, while it was a foregone conclusion that it would be part of our own “Summer Scorchers” podcast too, the only question remaining just how high would it chart and the answer s right here, “You Will Remember” marking a purple patch in our music year, a click onto http://youtube.com/watch?v=5CzWUwyJWn0 giving you plenty of hints why.
Top Tune
Well, we have made it, thirty nine tracks down and now just one left, one being the single most appropriate word and it is this final track in our top forty that has made it to number 1, a towering tune that tops our chart and, to be honest, always looked like doing so, virtually from that magical moment when an excited Steve Pitron revealed it to us. So, having given us “Bitch Lady” which charted highly, it was Pink Fluid’s fabulously funky & disco drenched dream of a dance delectation that won our hearts over, “So Much Love” every inch a winner in our books, although one that rarely made the dancefloor, rather played out on our number one podcast of the year each & every day since its release. And in it’s creators, Pink Fluid, we have our favourite artists of the year, edging out Whelan & Di Scala, as they also gave us the terrific track “Noise In Da House” although with “So Much Love”, like “Bitch Lady”, getting the Crazibiza mix treatment at http://youtube.com/watch?v=hlwfEtdj8MA we have the undisputed champion of our chart and one that has answered our question “…will it make it to the top?…” with a resounding yes.
So that’s it, our track chart rundown of the year, a tumultuous yet tremendous “Best Year Yet” music wise and while we still have our “Podcasts” & “Sets” posts to come, in this first of three rapturous 2011 music reflections on the movers & shakers in our world, we can once again exclaim that through all the highs, the lows, the emotions & the tears, music has once again proved to be the answer. (DISCO MATT)