10 Amazing Productions

Being busy with music a lot I thought it would be fun to make a list of 10 musical categories and write down the artists and tracks I feel are the best in these. As you can see I have a preference for Electronic music, but I listen to (almost) everything and there is also Gothic Metal and Jazz in this list – both fighting for the spot of the “Grandest Sound”.

So let’s see which music made it.

1: Hardest Kick

Blutonium Boy – Hardstyle Instructor (Blutonium Boy Hardstyle Mix)

With the first category we have the ‘hardest kick’. As a kid I listened to both Hardstyle and Trance a lot. Hardstyle kicks and Trance kicks are both naturally hard, but Hardstyle, unsurprisingly, takes it a little bit further. When judging the loudness and effectiveness of the kick I am not so much listening to the transient and the tail, which are the most important part of Euphoric Hardstyle kicks, but to the body of the kick. The body is the part when you stand in a club you feel the soundwave hitting your guts with a sudden shock – the part that makes a kick actually kick. And the kick of Blutonium Boy’s Hardstyle Instructor is the hardest I know. The only track that could perhaps challenge this spot is another track of Blutonium Boy; Make It Loud (Original Mix).

2: Strongest Bassline

Japeboy – Azure (Roald Velden Remix)

This bass is incredibly deep and full sounding. I think it goes without saying, but you need a good soundsystem to listen to this. The sound design of the bass combined with the pitch and rhythm almost creates an earthquake when you’re listening to it. Many producers make many great bass sounds, but this is absolutely one of the best.

3: Deepest Pad

Martin Roth – Deep Style (Original Mix)

Another ‘deep’ sound, but this time it’s the pad. It has a very rich and warm sound. For a full 2 minutes the pad opens up slowly until it is joined by a second pad that sounds very light and airy. It sounds like you are carried into a dream state and you forget all the troubles of the world. The perfect music to listen to at night in your car.

4: Best Use of Odd Rhythms

Perfume – Polyrhythm

Perfume is a Japanese Technopop group. The producer of Perfume is Yasutaka Nakata. Besides Perfume, he is also the producer of Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and he has his own group CAPSULE. He is one of the most successful producers in Japan. Most music uses a steady “four-on-the-floor” rhythm. And it’s a safe way of making music. That is to say, you don’t risk sounding chaotic. But Yasutaka was adventurous with creating Polyrhythm and it ended up sounding great. You will hear it at 1:36 just before the break. Simply speaking a ‘polyrhythm’ is multiple rhythms playing at the same time. It is a very strong sounding polyrhythm, but it doesn’t sound like it’s too much because it is used tastefully. I also have to say I’ve been to different Perfume live performances in Japan and the lighting, laser and stage effects they use with this music is always top-shelf.

As a side note, another artist that uses a similar but different tactic, namely ‘polymeters’ very well is deadmau5. He wins the top spot of the next category.

5: Best Progression and Build-up of Elements

deadmau5 – Quezacotl

Honestly any deadmau5 track could be standing here. But I have chosen the latest because it’s a masterpiece. Not only the build-up en opening up of the synth in the beginning is grand, but also the build-up of the entire track in general. deadmau5’s tracks sound like a story that is unfolding without using any words.

6: Most Euphoric Atmosphere

Matt Darey, Urban Astronauts feat Kate Louise Smith – See The Sun (Aurosonic Remix)

The music I have chosen for this spot is a Trance track. And there are a lot of other Trance tracks that could fill this spot, but focusing on the sun this track is something special. I don’t even like vocals in Trance music that much, but the way it is used in this track is perfect in every detail. The producers of this music have managed to use a sea of reverb without drowning in it. And that deserves some attention.

7: Most Melancholic Atmosphere

Pretty Girl – Rely (Vodka Lime and Sad Mix)

Another House track, but a totaly different atmosphere again. Things that could have been. Things that could be, but aren’t. Dreaming of a life you can feel and know exists but can’t physically see with your own eyes. This music evokes a lot of emotions like that.

8: Most Empowering Lyrics

Russell Watson – Where My Heart Will Take Me

I know this music from the series Star Trek Enterprise. It was around high school I believe that this series first aired on TV. My friend and I liked to watch it a lot. And we really liked the music as well, even though maybe we didn’t pay as much attention to the lyrics. But these lyrics are truly the most empowering I have ever heard in a song. When you feel bad you can sing along to this and without fail you’ll start to feel better again.

9: Most Profound Lyrics

Gregory Alan Isakov – Amsterdam

I went with my dad to a festival called “Once In A Blue Moon” in the Amsterdamse Bos (the forest). A lot of Americana artists were playing there. Gregory Alan Isokov was one of them. Great music, great weather, a great location and great company. I had a great time. For this category I have chosen the track ‘Amsterdam’ for the spot of the most profound lyrics. Although it’s about a few phrases in particular. I really feel it because I experience it myself as well…

10: Grandest Sound

Within Temptation – Mother Earth

You step into a wall of sound and you feel you are being transported into another world. Within Temptation really knows how to make their music of great sound quality. And the arrangement of this song in particular is so good! When she starts to sing about “birds and butterflies…” accompanied by the heavy guitars… you can really feel the power of the Earth. And everything backed by a complete orchestra and choir… I’ve got goosebumps just thinking about it.

Honorable Mentions

Those were the winners of the 10 musical categories. But there are a few artists and tracks that didn’t make it by only a hair and need to be mentioned.

Gigi D’Agostino, Vize, Emotik – Never Be Lonely

This one almost took the top spot for the strongest bassline. Gigi D’Agostino really knows how to make a bass. And the steady rhythm is always a pleasure to listen to.

Genki Rockets – make.believe

This almost took the spot of the most empowering lyrics. I found out about this song around the time I was really into reading and writing in online forums. People were sharing all kinds of Electronic music and this one came up. Great lyrics and great visual videos. You kind of get the idea that it’s made by star seeds.

Shiina Ringo – Nagaku Mijikai Matsuri (Live performance)

Almost took the spot for the grandest sound. Shiina Ringo is a Pop artist with a high musical IQ. In a lot of music she uses Jazz elements, as is the case for this song. Some of her music is Jazzy, other music is Rock or Electronica! Her music styles are very broad.

Akiko Shikata – Utau Oka ~Ar=Ciel Ar=Dor~

Another contender for the grandest sound. This is original music, but it’s based on the music of a videogame. Talk about a wall of sound!! If you like complicated well composed music, this is for you. The biggest part of this song is sung in Japanese, the other part is a self-constructed language by Akiko Shikata and fully functional!

I think making lists like this is always fun. If you have something you are passionate about you should try it.