6) “In The Name Of Love” – Martin Garrix featuring Bebe Rexha
A far cry from the type of big room material that brought Martin Garrix to prominence on his breakout single “Animals,” his summer collaboration with Bebe Rexha on “In The Name Of Love” was a major release that had the goods to back up the hype.
Serving as the next step in the evolution of Garrix’s sound, “In The Name Of Love” is a great song thanks in no small part to Bebe Rexha’s sorrowful vocal contributions. Like The Chainsmokers’ “Closer,” the song utilizes the future bass meets bittersweet pop formula that became all the rage in 2016, as Garrix transforms Rexha’s acapella into a soaring melody layered over encapsulating chord splashes. While it’s a sound that became absolutely over-saturated as the year pressed on, “In The Name Of Love” serves as one of the stronger offerings in this vein due to its over the top emotive quality.
5) “Arsenic” – Malaa and Maximono
Malaa proved to be a dominant force in 2016, gaining support from French mainstays like DJ Snake and Tchami while resonating with club oriented audiences with his crime drenched G-House style. Characterized by muted, plucky bass tones, dark atmosphere and minimal 4×4 rhythms, the sound caught on with club goers, with Malaa becoming the (masked) face of the latest trend in house. And nothing embodies his mastery of the style better than his Maximono collaboration “Arsenic.”
“Arsenic” takes off as a captivating excursion in dark, atmospheric house. The constant pounding of beefy kick drums serves as the rhythmic backdrop, as Malaa and Maximono layer in ghostly siren sequences and muffled bass notes. The effect is an intoxicating dancefloor cut that eschews the usual glitz of house in favor of a more vibey approach, a quality that has helped set Malaa apart.