While we’re still in January, let me indulge my love of lists one more time.
Being a contributor to probably the best dance music website there is, Resident Advisor, I was asked to lend my opinions to their epic polls of the last decade in dance music, which went live on the site this week.
As I have come to expect, my choices differed a little from their – nonetheless authoritative – results, but given the couple of weeks enjoyable effort I put into compiling these lists, I am pretty happy with my run-down and thought it was worth sharing.
Considering the mainstream media wrote dance music off in the noughties, it really was a fabulous time for many genres: the good old days of proper funky and prog. house around the start of the century, the brilliant best of breakbeat during the middle of the decade, and the rise of minimal house and techno (and the inevitable and productive backlash) towards the end; to name but a few trends.
| 1 | FC Kahuna | Hayling | ||
| 2 | Laurent Garnier | The Man With The Red Face | ||
| 3 | Aphex Twin | Windowlicker | ||
| 4 | Ulrich Schnauss | On My Own | ||
| 5 | Leftfield | Phat Planet | ||
| 6 | Djuma Soundsystem | Les Djins (Trentemoller Mix) | ||
| 7 | Spektrum | Kinda New (Tiefshwarz Mix) | ||
| 8 | DJ Shadow | GDMFSOB (Unkle Mix) | ||
| 9 | Boards of Canada | Dayvan Cowboy | ||
| 10 | Soulwax | E Talking (Soulwax Nite Version) | ||
| 11 | Fatboy Slim | Song For Shelter (Chemical Brothers Mix) | ||
| 12 | Sex in Dallas | Berlin Rocks (Stewart Walker Mix) | ||
| 13 | Nathan Fake | Charlies House (Apparat Mix) | ||
| 14 | Rob Mello VS Underworld | Dark Fantasize | ||
| 15 | Royksopp | What Else Is There? (Trentemoller Mix) | ||
| 16 | Zoot Woman | Grey Day / Calmer | ||
| 17 | SLAM | Positive Education / Lifetimes | ||
| 18 | M.A.N.D.Y vs Booka Shade | Body Language | ||
| 19 | Daft Punk | Voyager (Dominic Torti’s Wildstyle Edit) | ||
| 20 | BT | Fibonacci Sequence (Sasha Edit) | ||
| 21 | Cosmos | Take Me With You | ||
| 22 | Gui Boratto | Terminal | ||
| 23 | The Avalanches | Frontier Psychiatrist | ||
| 24 | Justice | Phantom Part 2 | ||
| 25 | RJD2 | Exotic Talk | ||
| 26 | Go Home Productions | Shannon Stone | ||
| 27 | Booka Shade | In White Rooms / Mandarine Girl | ||
| 28 | Switch | A Bit Patchy | ||
| 29 | Felix Da Housecat | Silver Screen Shower Scene (Thin White Duke Mix) | ||
| 30 | JDS | Nine Ways (Plump DJ’s Mix) | ||
| 31 | Midfield General | Coatnoise (Dave Clarke Mix) | ||
| 32 | Tomaz and Filterheadz | Sunshine | ||
| 33 | Air | Alpha Beta Gaga | ||
| 34 | Digitalism | Idealistic | ||
| 35 | James Zabiela & Nic Fanciulli | No Pressure | ||
| 36 | Radioactiveman | Night Bus to Nowhere | ||
| 37 | The Chemical Brothers | The State We’re In / Denmark | ||
| 38 | Introvert vs Bjork | Joga | ||
| 39 | Santos | Sabot (Evil Nine Mix) | ||
| 40 | Freefrom Five | Electromagnetic (Evil Nine Broadway Dub) | ||
| 41 | Hot Chip | Boy From School (Erol Alkan Mix) | ||
| 42 | Layo & Bushwacka | Love Story / Shining Through | ||
| 43 | Deltron 3030 | Madness | ||
| 44 | The Presets | Steamworks | ||
| 45 | Royksopp | Remind Me / Eple | ||
| 46 | Radiohead | Everything in its Right Place | ||
| 47 | Edan | Rapperfection | ||
| 48 | Agoria | La 11ème Marche (Phil Kieran Mix) | ||
| 49 | Loco Dice | City Lights (Martin Buttrich Mix) | ||
| 50 | Tiefshwarz | Ghost Track (Blackstrobe Mix) | ||
| 51 | Lifelike & Kris Menace | Discopolis | ||
| 52 | Phonique | Woman in a Red Dress (Tiefshwarz Mix) | ||
| 53 | New Order | Crystal (Lee Burridge Mix) | ||
| 54 | Alex Dolby | Hazy Way (Evil Nine Mix) | ||
| 55 | X-Press 2 | Muzikizum / AC/DC / Smoke Machine | ||
| 56 | Solid Sessions | Janeiro | ||
| 57 | Evil Nine | Crooked / Cakehole | ||
| 58 | Isolee | Beaut Mon Plage | ||
| 59 | Claude VonStroke | Deep Throat | ||
| 60 | LCD Soundsystem | Daft Punk is Playing at My House (Soulwax Mix) | ||
| 61 | Dizzee Rascal | Fix Up Look Sharp | ||
| 62 | Kosheen | Catch (Way Out West Mix) | ||
| 63 | Maps | It Will Find You | ||
| 64 | Green Velvet | La La Land / Flash (Danny Tenglia’s Nitrous Oxide Mix) | ||
| 65 | Roots Manuva | Witness | ||
| 66 | M83 | Run Into Flowers (Jackson Midnight Fuck Mix) | ||
| 67 | King Unique | Sugar High / Lighters | ||
| 68 | Sharpside | Belgian Resistance | ||
| 69 | Tomas Andersson | Washing Up (Tiga Mix) | ||
| 70 | Underworld | Two Months Off | ||
| 71 | Chicken Lips | He Not In | ||
| 72 | Trentemoller | Moan (Trentemoller Mix) | ||
| 73 | Solid Groove | This Is Sick | ||
| 74 | Umek | Gatex | ||
| 75 | The Roots | Seed 2.0 | ||
| 76 | Ugly Duckling | Lay It On Ya | ||
| 77 | Freeland | We Want Your Soul | ||
| 78 | Sasha & Emerson | Scorchio | ||
| 79 | Sander Kleinenberg | My Lexicon | ||
| 80 | Fatboy Slim | Star 69 (Timo Maas Mix) | ||
| 81 | Orbital | Funny Break (Plump DJ’s Mix) | ||
| 82 | Junkie XL | Future In Computer Hell Part 2 | ||
| 83 | Fischerspooner | Emerge | ||
| 84 | Zero | Emit / Collect (Rennie Pilgrem Agatha Stomp) | ||
| 85 | Depeche Mode | I Feel Loved (Danny Tenaglia Mix) | ||
| 86 | Dave Clarke | The Wolf | ||
| 87 | Bushwaka! | Monster | ||
| 88 | James Holden | Lump | ||
| 89 | Chicks On Speed | Wordy Rappinghood | ||
| 90 | PMT | Gyromancer | ||
| 91 | Squarepusher | My Red Hot Car | ||
| 92 | Timo Maas | Feedback Welcome / Ubik | ||
| 93 | Justice vs Simian | We Are Your Friends | ||
| 94 | Nathan Fake | The Sky Was Pink (James Holden Mix) | ||
| 95 | Baz | Believers (King Unique River Dub) | ||
| 96 | Freeform Five | No More Conversations (Mylo Mix) | ||
| 97 | LCD Soundsystem | North American Scum | ||
| 98 | Thom Yorke | Harrowdown Hill (Extended Mix) | ||
| 99 | Misstress Barbara | Barcelona | ||
| 100 | Justus Kohnke | Yacht | ||
| 101 | Steve Lawler | Rise In (Nalin & Kane Mix) | ||
| 102 | Pig & Dan | Cured | ||
| 103 | Vitalic | La Rock 01 | ||
| 104 | Futureshock | Sparc | ||
| 105 | MGMT | Kids / Electric Feel | ||
| 106 | Funk D’Void | Diabla (Funk D’Void Heavenly Mix) | ||
| 107 | Metro Area | Miura | ||
| 108 | The Gossip | Standing in the Way of Control (Soulwax Mix) | ||
| 109 | Mirwais | Naïve Song | ||
| 110 | Phil Kieran | My House | ||
| 111 | Trisco | Muzak | ||
| 112 | Bolz Bolz | Take A Walk (Paul Daley Full Mix) | ||
| 113 | Fused | Terror | ||
| 114 | Cut Chemist | Whats The Attitude | ||
| 115 | Forme | Kick A Hole (Tigerstyle Mix) | ||
| 116 | Mylo | Drop The Pressure | ||
| 117 | Groove Armada | Superstylin’ | ||
| 118 | LFO | Freak | ||
| 119 | Bobby Peru | Erotic Discourse | ||
| 120 | Ogenki Clinic | First Light |
As ever, I’m sure I’ve missed out several tracks/albums/mixes of worth, so please leave constructive criticism and comments at the bottom.
And the albums (bear in mind this was only supposed to be dance music, even though I sneaked some hip-hop in there as well):
| 1 | The Avalanches | Since I Left You |
| 2 | DJ Shadow | The Private Press |
| 3 | The Chemical Brothers | Come With Us |
| 4 | Fourtet | Pause |
| 5 | RJD2 | Since We Last Spoke |
| 6 | Daft Punk | Discovery |
| 7 | Ulrich Schnauss | A Strangely Isolated Place |
| 8 | Booka Shade | Movements |
| 9 | Deltron 3030 | Deltron 3030 |
| 10 | Gui Boratto | Chromophobia |
| 11 | Layo & Bushwacka | Night Works |
| 12 | Air | Talkie Walkie |
| 13 | LCD Soundsystem | Sound of Silver |
| 14 | Evil Nine | You Can Be Special Too |
| 15 | Royksopp | Melody AM |
| 16 | Felix Da Housecat | Kittenz and Thee Glitz |
| 17 | FC Kahuna | Machine Says Yes |
| 18 | Edan | Primitive Plus |
| 19 | Justice | Cross |
| 20 | Fatboy Slim | Halfway Between The Gutter And The Stars |
| 21 | Unkle | Never Never Land |
| 22 | Digitalism | Idealism |
| 23 | Gorillaz | Demon Days |
| 24 | SLAM | Alien Radio |
| 25 | Ulrich Schnauss | Far Away Trains Passing By |
| 26 | Freeland | Now and Them |
| 27 | Zero 7 | Simple Things |
| 28 | The Go Team | Thunder, Lightening, Strike |
| 29 | Radiohead | Kid A |
| 30 | The Rapture | Pieces of the People We Love |
| 31 | Boards of Canada | Geogaddi / Trans Canada Highway |
| 32 | Trentemoller | The Last Resort |
| 33 | Alex Smoke | Paradolia |
| 34 | Deadly Avenger | Deep Red |
| 35 | LCD Soundsystem | LCD Soundsystem |
| 36 | Ellen Allien & Apparat | Orchestra of Bubbles |
| 37 | Mylo | Destroy Rock and Roll |
| 38 | Ugly Duckling | Journey to Anywhere |
| 39 | !!! | Louden Up Now |
| 40 | Kosheen | Resist |
| 41 | Zoot Woman | Zoot Woman |
| 42 | MGMT | Oracular Spectacular |
| 43 | Claude VonStroke | Beware of the Bird |
| 44 | Fat Freddys Drop | Based on a True Story |
| 45 | Hot Chip | The Warning |
| 46 | The Chemical Brothers | Push The Button |
| 47 | Wagon Christ | Musipal |
| 48 | Cannibal Ox | Oxtrumentals |
| 49 | Lemon Jelly | Lost Horizons |
| 50 | Plump DJ’s | Eargasm |
And finally, my favourite mixes of the last ten years:
| 1 | Jaques Le Cont | FabricLive 09 |
| 2 | Evil Nine | Essential Mix 2005 |
| 3 | 2ManyDJs | As Heard on Radio Soulwax Vol.2 |
| 4 | Trentemoller | Essential Mix 2006 |
| 5 | Sasha | Involver |
| 6 | James Zabiela | Essential Mix 2004 |
| 7 | Spank Rock | FabricLive 33 |
| 8 | Tom Middleton | The Trip |
| 9 | Sasha | Fundacion |
| 10 | Michael Mayer | Fabric 13 |
| 11 | DJ Food & DK | Now Listen |
| 12 | Justin Robertson | Imprint |
| 13 | Adam Freeland | FabricLive 16 |
| 14 | James Holden | At The Controls |
| 15 | Plump DJ’s | Urban Underground |
| 16 | James Lavelle | Global Underground Barcelona/Romania |
| 17 | Fatboy Slim | On The Floor At The Boutique |
| 18 | FC Kahuna | Essential Mix 2002 |
| 19 | The Avalanches | Gimmix / Breezeblock Mix |
| 20 | Booka Shade | Essential Mix 2006 |
| 21 | DJ Yoda | How to Cut and Paste Vol.1 / Vol.2 |
| 22 | James Holden | Balance 005 |
| 23 | Damian Lazarus | Futurism |
| 24 | Ritchie Hawtin | DE9: Transitions |
| 25 | Damian Lazarus | Bugged Out Presents Suck My Deck |
| 26 | 2ManyDJs | Essential Mix |
| 27 | Henrik Shwarz | Live |
| 28 | Adam Freeland | Global Underground Mexico City |
| 29 | Laurent Garnier | Essential Mix Live From the New Terrace at Space |
| 30 | John Digweed | Fabric 20 |
| 31 | Erol Alkan | A Bugged Out Mix |
| 32 | Desyn Masiello | Bedrock OS1 |
| 33 | James Zabiela | ALiVE |
| 34 | M.A.N.D.Y | At The Controls |
| 35 | James Lavelle | FabricLive 01 |
| 36 | Fatboy Slim | Big Beach Boutique |
| 37 | Deadly Avenger | FabricLive 08 |
| 38 | Dave Seaman | The Masters Series Part Three: Desire |
| 39 | Kruder & Dorfmeister | DJ Kicks |
| 40 | Pete Tong | Twisted Beats/Essential Selection |
| 41 | Krafty Kuts | These Are The Breaks |
| 42 | Armand Van Helden | Mixmag New York Loft Party |
| 43 | Francois K | Masterpiece |
| 44 | Ivan Smagghe & Chloe | Kill The DJ |
| 45 | Felix Da Housecat/Justin Robertson | Bugged Out! |
| 46 | Umek | The Torture Chamber 2 |
| 47 | LCD Soundsystem | 45 33 |
| 48 | Danny Tenaglia | Back to Basics 10 Years |
| 49 | Danny Howells | 24 7 |
| 50 | Stanton Warriors | Stanton Sessions |