And here we are with our picks for the best in deep house, techno & tech house from 2012. This will be the last best of list that you'll see for another 11 and a half months so enjoy it. A slightly different take on the best of the year, make sure to check out our top 100 countdown for a taste of the darker side of dance music and have a listen to the best of 2012 mix to get you warmed up and excited for another year of The Club.
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With their addictive garage house sound, brothers Guy and Howard Lawrence aka Disclosure exploded in 2012. Supporting the likes of Hot Chip and SBTRKT on tours throughout the calendar year, the duo also performed at numerous popular music showcases, including Bestival. With a debut studio album slated for release in March 2013, we can expect big things from the Lawrence brothers. Featured here along with the original is the pair's grimy VIP version of their remix of Jessie Ware's massive June 2012 hit "Running", as taken from their Boiler Room set a few months ago (just to get you excited).
Sasha has come a long way since his appearance on the cover of Mixmag in 1991, the first ever DJ to be given the honor. With an ear for tech house, progressive house and deep house, Sasha has no problem keeping your feet moving from start to finish at any club or festival. His DJ skills are undeniable matched only by his talent as a producer. His remix of Hot Chip’s “Flute” is another testament to his musical talents; even after a career that spans over two decades he still has new sounds to bring to the table. His consistency as one of the most recognizable names in dance music has been nothing short of remarkable and we look forward to seeing his dominance continue this year.
UK based dj/producer Daley Padley, the aptly named Hot Since 82, had an unbelievable 2012. With a debut release on "Noir Music", a label widely known for its consistent production of quality house music, Hot's gritty, bass heavy music is perfect for late nights in a packed club. No stranger to the underground house scene, Padley has been playing shows for over a decade, headlining such famed venues as Pacha NYC and Ministry of Sound, and attracting the attention and support of accomplished artists such as Jamie Jones and Audiofly. With a reputation for playing intense, extended live sets, Hot was booked for a number of major events this past year, such as Sydney's High Tide Boat Party. To end off an amazing twelve months, in December, the diversely talented producer released a two single project on “Get Physical Music”, which included the synth heavy "Like You", a great followup to his recent remixes of Sivesgaard's "In The Night", and Yousef's "Beg".
When this remix was released on YouTube in early 2012, no one knew how much it was about to blow up. Starting off as an Internet sensation to becoming a regular play on Annie Mac's radio show in such a short space of time, Cyril Hahn's remix of this R'n'B classic is nothing short of genius. The track has been turned upside down, with its pitched down vocals and catchy tones making it's reinvention infectious. The success of this remix has resulted in many more edits from Cyril, and a European tour in Spring. If you still don't have this mix it is still on his sound cloud for free!
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Julio Bashmore, the fresh faced Bristolian producer, has had one hell of a year. After the success of the club favourite 'Battle For The Middle You', its easy to think, how is he going to come back from that? The deep house, heavy bass roller track 'Au Seve' was the best comeback an underground house DJ like Bashmore could have. The simple technique of call and response he uses, combined with the fast paced hi-hat beat, has a huge effect on the track, which gives it the grimey yet classy underground house vibe. To cap the year off he released Pelican, showcasing yet again why we've had Julio in the top 5 on the top 100 two years straight.
'Levels' is without a doubt one of the most remixed, re-edited, and overplayed dance track of the past two years. Every remix still has that unmistakably cheesy synth, with the Etta James sample still intact, however the bootleg from Harvard Bass takes the track to a different level. The deep house, bass pumping beat for a start gives it a unique twist. The recognizable vocals are chopped up and used in a way no other edit has had. Yet this was only the beginning of what would end up as a very impressive 2012 from Harvard Bass, releasing his collaboration with Green Velvet called "Lazer Beams", an acid techno bomb with just the perfect amount of lazer that will force a smile on anyone who hears it.
If there’s one name you should remember from our top 100 list it is Jamie Jones, Lee Foss,and Hot Natured. Yes, I realize that’s three names, but together these two producer-DJ’s are known as Hot Natured. You’ll find tracks from all three in our top 100 as they’ve dominated the 2012 house scene with their record label Hot Creations. The recent craze over the Hot Natured track “Benediction” featuring Ali Love has been so explosive it cracked the UK top 40. This wave of mainstream popularity encouraged Jones to release a reassuring statement to his underground music fans to negate rumors that these two are selling out. Jones’ dedication to the underground house culture has lead to his launch of a new Hot Creations sub-label called HOTTRAX, targeting the production of more underground dance tracks.
Make sure to support the artists you enjoy by purchasing their tracks at an outlet such as Beatport, Itunes, Juno, Boomkat or other. Contributions to this post from Becky Parker, Julia Martineau & Dustin Kennedy.
