The Chainsmokers – Roses
For the longest time, The Chainsmokers’ biggest claim to fame was “#Selfie” – so they decided that they were gonna take it upon themselves to change that. The NYC-based duo dug deep to prove that there was more to them than mere gimmick tracks, and what they unearthed was nothing short of gold.
“Roses” made for a significantly more sincere track than what many critics expected of the duo, and it’s succeeded in finding its way into the collective playlist of the coming-of-age generation.
Between velvety vocals by Rozes (yes, once again “Roses” features vocals by Rozes) and a simple-yet-powerful synth melody, this track demonstrated that The Chainsmokers had come into their own as a contemporary EDM outfit. As tracks like “Let You Go” and “Waterbed” further served to reinforce their emerging sophistication, it looks as though the best is still yet to come from this highly talented duo.
Matisse & Sadko Vs. Vigel – Tengu
In 2015, Matisse & Sadko had the kind of festival season that every DJ dreams about. After a few releases on Steve Angello’s Size Records, the Croatian duo were discovered by Martin Garrix, who then teamed up with them on such memorable main stage anthems as “Break Through The Silence” and “Dragon.” They didn’t need to ride on the young Dutchman’s coattails for long, though, because shortly thereafter they turned out “Tengu.”
Featuring the soaring, euphoric kind of synth lead that ensures a progressive house track substantial placement in DJ sets over the months that follow its release, “Tengu” made for an effective first release of its kind from the duo without Garrix slapping his name on it. Even though Matisse & Sadko have remained relatively quiet since festival season wrapped up, we’re anxious to see what they bring to the table in 2016.