2006: Top 100 EDM Tracks Of The Year

Submitted by sljiva on Sat, 01/13/2007 - 03:22
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  1. 2006 was a very good year for electronic music. Every genre had a certain number of great releases, and there was a couple of really awesome crossover albums like Nathan Fake's Drowning In A Sea Of Love, Faithless's To All New Arrivals and even Holden's weird debut The Idiots Are Winning.
  2. House was strong as always, techno (especially minimal) is becoming more and more popular and trance sound is slowly changing to something better and more entrancing. Downtempo was also on fire last year with the great number of superb releases from guys like Biosphere, William Orbit, BT, Vibrasphere and Zero 7.
  3. So this list pretty much represents my EDM taste from last year. I created this list only with tracks that I have on my hd, so some tracks are missing. One prominent track that I heard on Digweed's Transitions mix which should be in top-10 is Rocco - Roots 4 Acid. But since I don't have it I couldn't put it on the list.
  4. And here is the list:
  5. D.A.V.E. The Drummer & KN - Jack Me (acid techno)
  6. Fast, strong, sharp acid bomb that equally fascinates me every time I listen to it. D.A.V.E. is the leader of UK acid techno movement, and this song (with the very talented Japanese techno producer Kenichi Niwayama) is his best work in 2006.
  7. Djuma Soundsystem - Les Djinns (Trentemøller Remix) (progressive breaks)
  8. This track has quite different sound from other Trentemøller's releases in 2006. Broken beats and beautiful guitar sample on top sound very powerful in this tune. It's also clicks free (by comparison with his other work).
  9. Nathan Fake - You Are Here (downtempo/idm)
  10. Crazy tune. Starts slow and peaceful but on 2:45 turns into noise monster. Fortdax remix of it is also good, but maybe too gayish in my opinion.
  11. Fairmont - Gazebo (Original Version) (tech house/ambient)
  12. Also very weird song. Contains only one loop that creates hypnotic atmosphere through the whole song.
  13. Extrawelt - Fernweh (minimal techno)
  14. Extrawelt were really on fire last year. They released 4 records but i think that this one is the hottest of all. Minimal plinky-plonky sound that I usually don't like sounds very good in this one.
  15. Mads Arp - Slow It Down (Mathilda Mix) (progressive trance)
  16. Cool song. Maybe too cheesy vocals but everything else is solid.
  17. Vibrasphere - Tierra Azul (downtempo)
  18. Opening track on Archipelago album that completely stole the show. Wonderful seaside mood, fat and slow beats and another great guitar sample.
  19. Booka Shade - Darko (tech house)
  20. I love the sound of this song. Everything before the first break is superb, and everything after is pure magic. Booka's Air Tube Mix on Darko vinyl is equally good, maybe even better.
  21. Extrawelt - Titelheld (tech house)
  22. Strong kicks and fat bassline work very well in this song. I really don't know what genre is this: is it techno/tech house/minimal techno or prog. house. Whatever it is, it sounds great. And very entrancing.
  23. Kaito - Hundred Million Light Years (Album Mix) (neo trance)
  24. This could be a sound of trance in future. Even if it contains a minute and a half long breakdown, it doesn't sound dull at all. In fact it sounds fresh, cool and gorgeous.
  25. Starecase - Vapour Trails (Original) (progressive house)
  26. Massive Attack - Live With Me (trip hop)
  27. Vibrasphere - Floating Free (Original Mix) (progressive (psy) trance))
  28. Nathan Fake - Charlie's House (downtempo/idm)
  29. The Field - Istedgade (ambient techno)
  30. Hybrid - Dogstar (progressive breaks)
  31. Spooky - No Return (Spooky Main Club Mix) (progressive house)
  32. Booka Shade - Body Language (Interpretation) (tech house)
  33. Ellen Allien & Apparat - Jet (Paul Kalkbrenner Remix) (tech house/neo trance)
  34. Eelke Kleijn - 8 Bit Era (progressive house)
  35. Hybrid - Dream Stalker (progressive breaks)
  36. Trentemøller - Take Me Into Your Skin (microhouse)
  37. Squarepusher - The Modern Bass Guitar (drum & bass/idm)
  38. Aspekt - Hi Jack (Instrumental Mix) (trance)
  39. Herbert - Something Isn't Right (microhouse)
  40. BT - The Antikythera Mechanism (downtempo)
  41. Kaito - Color Of Feels (Album Mix) (neo trance)
  42. Gui Boratto - Like You (SuperMayer Mix) (tech house)
  43. Booka Shade - In White Rooms (tech house)
  44. Squarepusher - Planetarium (idm)
  45. James Holden - 10101 (progressive house/idm/minimal)
  46. The Field - Sun & Ice (ambient techno)
  47. Vibrasphere - Landmark (progressive (psy) trance))
  48. BT - Good Morning Kaia (downtempo)
  49. Stathis Lazarides - Again (electro house)
  50. AFK - Eclipse (Original Mix) (progressive breaks)
  51. The Field - Over The Ice (ambient techno/minimal)
  52. Extrawelt - 8000 (minimal techno)
  53. BT - All That Makes Us Human Continues (downtempo)
  54. Hybrid - Just For Today (progressive breaks)
  55. Faithless - To All New Arrivals (ambient house/deep (micro) house)
  56. Joey Fehrenbach - Being Around You (downtempo)
  57. Deeparture - Diamond Eyes (Cooljazz Mix) (downtempo)
  58. Steve Porter - Fountainia (house)
  59. U-Recken - Aquatic Serenade (ambient psy)
  60. Faithless - Music Matters (downtempo/deep (micro) house)
  61. Chillwalker - Costa Del Sol (Sunshine Mix) (downtempo)
  62. Booka Shade - Paper Moon (tech house)
  63. The Field - A Paw In My Face (ambient techno)
  64. James Zabiela - Weirder Science (electro house)
  65. Trentemøller - Always Something Better (microhouse/breaks/glitch)
  66. Binary Finary - Remedy (Original Mix) (trance)
  67. Faithless - Bombs (downtempo/deep (micro) house)
  68. Cass & Mangan - I Didn't Mean To Turn You On (Original Mix) (electro house)
  69. Benz & MD - High Roller (progressive trance/progressive house)
  70. Cirez D - Mouseville Theme (electro house)
  71. Marko Laine - MTL One (electro house/techno)
  72. Jaïa - December (downtempo)
  73. Benz & MD - Percasins (progressive trance/progressive house)
  74. Kawatin - Steal The Funk (Original Mix) (breaks)
  75. Skysurfer - Always Away (Wide Open Mix) (downtempo)
  76. Longplayers - Overload (breaks)
  77. Vibrasphere - Forest Fuel (downtempo)
  78. Zirenz - Edge Of Space (Whiteroom Remix) (progressive trance)
  79. Schatsi - Clouds Over Stalden (downtempo)
  80. Meat Katie - Round And Round (Original Mix) (breaks)
  81. Manoa - African Summer (Cool Breeze Mix) (downtempo)
  82. William Orbit - Spiral (downtempo)
  83. Herbert - Moving Like A Train (microhouse)
  84. Vibrasphere - Sweet September (progressive (psy) trance))
  85. Extrawelt & Morelle - Schmedding (minimal techno)
  86. Benz & MD - Underoath (Original) (progressive trance/progressive house)
  87. Plump DJs - Electric Disco (D. Ramirez Remix) (electro house)
  88. Stanton Warriors - Get 'Em High (Single Version) (breaks)
  89. Kaito - Holding A Baby (neo trance)
  90. Extrawelt - Doch Doch (minimal techno)
  91. Freemasons - Watchin' (Club Mix) (house)
  92. William Orbit - Surfin (downtempo)
  93. Junkie XL - Today (Extended Remix) (house)
  94. Pig & Dan - On To The Beat (tech house/neo trance)
  95. Freemasons - Rain Down Love (Original Mix) (house)
  96. DJ Icey - El Camino (breaks)
  97. Benz & MD - Visceral (Original Mix) (progressive trance/progressive house)
  98. Audion - Mouth To Mouth (minimal techno)
  99. Stathis Lazarides - Reach Up (electro house)
  100. Human Blue - Zero-Tonic Passion (psy trance)
  101. Ochre - Anomie (idm)
  102. Extrawelt - Drehfehler (minimal techno)
  103. Steve Angello - Teasing Mr. Charlie (Long Version) (electro house)
  104. Terratropin - Button Bass (electro house)
  105. Ping Pong Bitches - Roc Ya Body (Original) (electroclash)
  106. Azzido Da Bass - Lonely By Your Side (Booka Shade Deep Mix) (microhouse)
  107. Petter - Some Polyphony (progressive house)
  108. Dextro - Destroy The Future Of All Mankind (downtempo)
  109. Nikola Gala - Dream Come True (house)
  110. Sven Vath & Anthony Rother - Springlove (Original) (electro house)
  111. James Holden - Lump (progressive house/idm/minimal)
  112. Binary Finary - Dirty Little Tart (Original Mix) (trance)
  113. Kaito - The Universe (neo trance)
  114. Nathan Fake - Fell (downtempo)
jay_b01/30/2007

Aha, you got a new nickname, I was puzzled for a minute there.
I heard very little of these tracks,a lot of these genres don't quite appeal to me, but nonetheless I admire you're job put in here. And you listen to all these genres, wow, such diversity...

sljiva01/31/2007

Well, thanks :)
As I said before, 2006 was pretty good year for EDM, and I was enjoying doing this list.
And some tracks are really good even for people outside EDM community, especially these downtempo ones, so maybe you should check out something...

jay_b01/31/2007

O yes, I liked some: 'liked the BT tracks, very cool, very well trancy even though it isn't. Liked the Moonlight Party, but more Da Cove remix than the Original one, some samples in the Original annoy me a bit, and Da Cove just flows in soothness for me, so there the preference. Most definitely will get my hands on a lot of other ones, and maybe be back with thoughts. ;)

Merlin01/13/2008

This list is really helpful. It's a great list. Good job mate!

sljiva01/13/2008

Glad you like it. I would definitely change some things now, but a year ago that was exactly the reflection of my taste (and I'm not ashamed of it :))

Merlin01/14/2008

I am curious to know what changes you would make.

sljiva01/16/2008

First of all I'd remove Les Djinns from the list. That track is from 2003, not 2006. Lot of people (me included) just noted it after it was featured on At The Controls and Balance compilations. Maybe I'd remove Gazebo too, since it was released late in 2005, not early in 2006. Body Language also.

Then I'd move Being Around You and Aquatic Serenade nearer to top-10 and Vapour Trails farer. Finally, I'd add some tracks that I just discovered in 2007 like:
Agoria - Les Violons Ivres
Trentemøller - Miss You
Heartthrob - Baby Kate
Daniel Mehlhart - Rauschfrei
Error Error - Your Everlasting Breath (Paul Kalkbrenner Remix)
to the list

Merlin01/16/2008

Wow, Les Djinns is 2003? Even the Trentemoller Mix? It was fabulous btw. I wouldn't have discovered it without your list so, thanks mate!

"Miss You", definitely top 10 material.

I am looking forward to your personal edition of "Best EDM/Trance/[whatever] Songs" list, if you're making one.

sljiva01/17/2008

Glad I helped.
And I already have techno, trance and 2 house lists, what else would you need?