The Best Remixes of 2013, So Far

DAD loves a good remix. There's something about a DJ applying the right amount of pressure to established material and not only making the listener rock out to a new rendition, but somehow making it their own. We roundup remixes on a weekly basis, so we know there are a ton of them sitting out there; finding the best is the key. With such a fine crop of talented producers out there, and great opportunities to service tunes in new ways, we're really loving how 2013 is sounding so far.

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Complex Original

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DAD loves a good remix. There's something about a DJ applying the right amount of pressure to established material and not only making the listener rock out to a new rendition, but somehow making it their own. We roundup remixes on a weekly basis, so we know there are a ton of them sitting out there; finding the best is the key. With such a fine crop of talented producers out there, and great opportunities to service tunes in new ways, we're really loving how 2013 is sounding so far.

Daft Punk - "Random Access Memories (Vanderway Edit)"

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While the world was still imagining what Random Access Memories would sound like, Vanderway took the liberty of exploring his own depiction of the final product. With nothing to work off of but the little pieces of what we would soon find out to be "Get Lucky" that played in the background of the pre-release commercials, Vanderway created a masterpiece.

Led Zeppelin - "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You (Free n Losh Remix)"

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We had the pleasure of premiering this wonderful track. Since the premiere, the track has amassed over 57,000 plays, received placements on other sites, and even broke the top 10 on HypeM. The understated remix highlights Free n Losh's immaculate production while allowing the original's integrity to remain intact. When it comes to sourcing the best in classic rock and jazz, and putting their own unique spin, no one does it like Free n Losh.

Rudimental - "Waiting All Night (Kidnap Kid Remix)"

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Kidnap Kid is one of those guys you'll be hip to if you're into the UK bass/garage scene. Remixing Rudimental's "Waiting All Night," Kidnap Kid lets the soulful vibes wash over you injecting a skittering yet hard-hitting percussion. The groove is undeniable, and this is the sort of tune that's just a pleasure to our ears. The remix has found it's way into numerous big sets and even was in Subset's fantastic DAD mix.

Rihanna - "Stay (Branchez Bootleg)"

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"But I don't like trap," she said. "It's all gunshots and about droppin' that ass," she continued. I told her to relax and just stay. Stay she did. Thank you Branchez because you did more for me than I could have done for myself. The smooth bass, the gracefully pitched-up vocals, Branchez really put his stamp on the trap genre with this bonafide slow jam. This along with numerous other bangers like "Shake" are the reason Branchez's name is being bandied about in major label offices. If you need to convert someone to trap music or just want to set the mood, slide this on because they is nothing like it in 2013.

Miguel - "Do You (Cashmere Cat Remix)"

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There's no subtly here. Cashmere Cat takes his future bass sounds and maximizes it with his stellar remix of Miguel. The track has been a near secret killer, massacring dancefloors and dropping panties ever since it was released. The track is absolutely massive and we won't get tired of it for a long time, if ever.

OneRepublic - "If I Lose Myself (Alesso Remix)"

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The Swedish big room house sound can be a bit indistinguishable from the Dutch big room house sound, but this one is a great example of the former. With sparkling leads, tight kicks, and soaring synths, Alesso's remix embodies what makes the Swedish house sound so special. With the vocal from OneRepublic? This one is massive. You might even hear this sort of jam on the radio these days and you most certainly will hear this on any main stage closing set.

Infinity Ink - "Infinity Ink (Skream's 99 Remix)"

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When Skream said he was going '99 on this one, he wasn't joking. He's been moving into the house zone, and with the UK drenched in the garage/house vibes right now, it made sense for him to go all speed garage with this Infinity Ink tune. We had to go into our basement, dig out our bright yellow jumpsuit and goggles and properly skank to this one. Nostalgia FTW.

Foals - "Late Night (Solomun Remix)"

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An indie rock band remix is the sort that can go super bad, super pop, or sometimes, super awesome. With Solomun's take on UK band Foals' "Late Night", the Diynamic label head soaked the track in his unique analog mystical vibes.

Lana Del Rey - "Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Remix)"

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There are few vocalists whose music lends itself to a remix quite like Lana Del Rey. The throwback era siren's emotive vocals is the stuff anthems are made of. With "Summertime Sadness," Lana gracefully balanced that emotion with a catchiness that few are able to do. Cedric Gervais took the original and did the dirty to it. Re-arranging the song and adding in his own arena-sized riffs, "Summertime Sadness" is the sort of anthem even the most jaded of folks can't even help themselves from singing along "I got that...I got that summertime sadness!!"

Zedd - "Clarity (Tom Budin Remix)"

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We picked this one out of a haystack back in January and we we're on the money because the 16-year-old Aussie eventually won the contest. The deadmau5-esque progressive house tune is perfect for those summer's eve. It might be harder to find "true" progressive house like this these days, but this one is just top anyway.

Elvis Crespo - "Suavamente (Kennedy Jones Remix)"

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It's crazy to think this came out in 2013, but it did. Taking Elvis Crespo's classic merengue track, Buygore's Kennedy Jones trapped this out into a HEATER. So heat that not only is it one of the best remixes of non-EDM songs, but even six months later, it's still cracking at festival tents. Kennedy has built upon this remix with a mix for Diplo & Friends, an iTunes chart topping single in "Came To Party" and increased bookings. We're still bumping this beat today, too.

Empire Of The Sun - "Alive (Zedd Remix)"

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Taking the complexro (ugh, we hate that word though) way to Empire Of The Sun's single "Alive," Zedd mashed his unique brand of electro into the synthpop anthem, fitting it for festivals everywhere. The tune has racked up mileage already, with nearly a million plays on SoundCloud and countless festival drops.

Duke Dumont - "Need U (100%) (Disclosure Cover)"

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This is technically a cover yes, but the Disclosure boys put their own spin on it when they performed it live on BBC Radio 1. With the original as a bonafide chart-topper (peaked at #1 in the UK Top 40!), Disclosure sourced a fantastic song with it's traditional verse-chorus-verse structure and put in their own personality. No doubt on repeat all summer long!

Justin Timberlake - "Suit & Tie (Dillon Francis Remix)"

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We assumed there would be trap remixes of Justin's return single, but we had no clue that Dillon Francis, who is definitely a stylish DJ, would undo his tie just a bit, roll up his sleeves, and turn up with this massive 808-heavy rendition. Justin's vocal is pretty much untouched for the hook, but once he tries to sing anything, Dillon runs his vocals straight through the ringer.

Congo Natty - "UK Allstars (Machinedrum Remix)"

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Machinedrum occupies an interesting space in the electronic music scene, but him getting the nod to rework Congo Natty's massive single, which aligned an unprecedented lineup of UK jungle MCs? Machinedrum took this one seriously, blending a tricked out dancehall tune into a jungle hybrid, bringing the amens out with a fury. Fans of old school jungle need to get their lighters READY for this one.

Mat Zo & Porter Robinson - "Easy (Lemaitre Remix)"

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There was a time in 2013 when we were waiting for Daft Punk to return. We found a fitting substitute in Lemaitre, a duo from Oslo who combined that twisted disco flavor, which they perfectly showcased with the undeniably beautiful "Easy," transporting that unforgettable vocal to new heights with their remix. The original was great, but this remix should've been something that made them stars. We're still pushing for them, and if you slept on this, fly over to Oslo and apologize. Then figure out how to get more music from these two.

Jamie Lidell - "What A Shame (RL Grime & Salva Remix)"

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DAD likes to think that RL Grime and Salva got together and said "yo, we really need to just murder one huge remix every year." Last year, they knocked out a sick rework of Kanye West's "Mercy," and while they've not dismantled any Yeezus tracks (yet), they got the opportunity to flip Jamie Lidell's "What A Shame," turning it into a superior trap anthem. RL Grime almost destroyed the EDM Internets when clips of this from his Diplo & Friends guest mix leaked, and getting the full version was so satisfying. It contains an atypical drop (per normal trap standards) that you can't do anything but rock to. Turn (it) up!

Mt. Eden - "Sierra Leone (Ta-ku Remix)"

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Holy unexpected bassblast, Batman! Ta-ku unsurprisingly murdered another hit. The buildup on this one is amazing, as we get sucked into this lush, beautiful pairing of leftfield percussion and vocals, only to be hit in the chest with a sinister dose of bass. We'd classify this as trap, but that bassline is way more dubstep-y than anything else, and it works like gangbusters. One of his best remixes, trust.

Kavinsky - "OddLook (A-Trak Remix)"

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A-Trak came out of nowhere with the unexpected jam. Kavinsky already crafts some of the sleekest beats out there, but A-Trak found a way to improve upon that zone, giving us the best track to jack expensive whips to, speeding along the empty highways of America (or Canadia). He did a great job moving from the crunked up bits to the funkier movements. Almost like Jay-Z getting on a popular instrumental to let the world know he's still got it, A-Trak has to step away form the decks, the office, and the basketball court to hit the studio and show everyone that yes, he's still killing shit.

Mala - "Changes (Harmonimix)"

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James Blake didn't just remix a huge tune; he created his own habitat, and for the duration of this track, you can do nothing but explore it. It starts out delicate, allowing James to set the tone with some calm, serene vibes before pulling the rug out from under us... although the first rumbling is just a fake out. Yes, we're given a slight reprieve to watch the heavens open up, lifting us high above whatever earth we had been planting our feet on. As we ascend higher and higher, the melody is met with the regal horns of the angels, which cut for a second so the thumping of our hearts is the only thing we hear, only to crash back in, letting us know that we're definitely onward and upward, moving to whatever heavenly plateau we'll be ascending to... only to be brought back down just as fast. It's a journey on wax.

Disclosure - "You & Me (Flume Remix)"

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There have been a number of Disclosure remixes out there. A lot of them have been solid. We can barely remember which ones, though, because Flume practically wiped the slate clean with his huge rework of "You & Me." Taking Eliza Doolittle's hook as the driving vocal, he brought the horns out and paired them with a pair of hypnotic drums. It's just perfect, and Rave Gawd knows we hate using that term. What could you possibly add (or take away) that would make this version any better? It has a course and sticks to it, almost like the horns are telling the drums that it'll just be them against the rest of the world. Big tune.

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