The Pulse: EDM Roundup

posted in: Music NewsReviews & Playlists

The Pulse is a new, weekly blog dedicated to all things EDM. Join us as we keep our fingers on the pulse of the ever-changing landscape of Electronic Dance Music.

To kick off this new edition to the OurStage magazine, we’ve collected some of the biggest tunes to hit dance floors over the past few months, highlighting some of the new genre break-offs that have emerged while still giving due credit to the styles that proceeded them.

The Pulse: EDM Roundup from OurStage on 8tracks Radio.

Every Day (Original Mix) ” Eric Prydz

Eric Prydz has long dominated the progressive house music world, but with the incessant push for more aggressive dance music, his style provides a feeling that is slightly outdated yet entirely comfortable. The relatively dry main melody gives “Every Day” a subdued quality that pits the shimmering tune against glamorous Ibiza sunsets.

Bootleg Fireworks (Burning Up) ” Dillon Francis

This is a raunchy, violent, booty-shakin’ tune from the prince of mid-tempo madness. Dillon Francis came from the obscure ashes of electro-house, infused some dubstep sound bites, dropped the tempo, and emerged with a style entirely his own; moombahton.

Holdin’ On (Skrillex & Nero Remix) ” Monsta

As the 140 half-time BPM of dubstep grows stale, a growing trend for producers of the genre seems to be to push the tempo to blistering speeds, resulting in a hybrid of drum and bass and dubstep that is as vicious as it is energizing. Like many other tunes of recent months, “Holdin’ On” features soulful vocals and a blistering breakdown that is sure to get you movin’.

Iron (Original Mix) ” Calvin Harris, Nicky Romero

A throbbing mess of sound, this banger features electro flourishes and fills, a pounding bassline, and piano-drenched vocal breakdowns. Calvin Harris and Nicky Romero team up on a tune that pulls from the best aspects of the past three years in EDM.

What I Might Do (Club Edit) ” Ben Pearce

This sultry deep house track has been burning up dance floors all over the underground. With a classic 1990’s style hi-hat pattern and simple-delay reverb, it has a vintage sound while still being current.

Years (Vocal Extended Mix) ” Alesso

Alesso was part of the enormous post-Deadmau5 wave of progressive house producers that have ruled summer festivals for nearly three years now. Always a head above his peers, Alesso’s “Years” marks a decidedly more vocal-centric approach than previously releases, and was one of the biggest hits from summer ’12.

Don’t You Worry Child (feat. John Martin)” Swedish House Mafia

The trio of Swedes have an incredible songwriting ability and will undoubtedly go down as some of the largest torch carriers of the EDM-pop crossover. Their use of acoustic guitar symbolizes the convergence of pop music and dance music. Slinky basslines and John Martin‘s perfect vocal delivery round out this 2012 stand out.

Lights ” Steve Angello, Third Party

Steve Angello (previously of Swedish House Mafia fame) launches his solo career by teaming up with Third Party for a monster of a track that fuses arena-rock style percussion with festival-style synth work, resulting in an off-beat anthem.