Well, it’s that time of year again: the ball has dropped, roses have been paraded, resolutions have been made, and now it’s time for me to stress over my year-end playlist of dance music. Actually, since “numerical alliteration” affords me 25 spots this year, I didn’t bite off too many fingernails trying to whittle down my favorites from the last twelve months. This year’s collection is my usual mix of deep, funky, disco, tech, organic, and progressive house, so without further ado, I present my 25 from ’25!
PROFF, Michael Cassette, Above & Beyond, Chicane, Qrion, and Romain Garcia all had big albums this year that could have contributed multiple tracks, but in the interest of fairness and variety, I limited myself to just one from each artist. That said, Mark Knight shows up here three times. What can I say? The man knows how to make really fun and catchy dance music.
I’d like to give special mention to the tracks by Dusky and Purple Disco Machine, each of which could have been my song of the year (based on number of plays). Dusky’s “Keep On” is pretty much the perfect example of house music; if there was a dictionary dedicated to genres, this song would appear as the quintessential example, combining all the classic elements in a perfect, fun package. Purple Disco Machine’s remix of Groove Armada (“Paper Romance”) is catchy and joyous, with an almost bittersweet flavor to it; it’s the perfect way to say “goodbye, for now”.
While compiling this year’s list, I discovered that my Spotify likes from the past year randomly included a handful of 20-year-old songs. As an added bonus, I present these throwbacks as my 5 from ’05! (Two of them sample the same original song, but whatever… they’re both great.)
But wait, there’s more! I have to give credit to Purple Disco Machine for putting together one of the coolest – and also one of the best – concert films I’ve seen in a long time. It’s a perfect mix of a DJ set and a pop concert, with dazzling colors, fun surprises, and a euphoric wholesomeness that we could all use right now. It’s even kid-friendly! So put on your best raving pajamas, grab a drink, and enjoy this fantastic party at home.