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The 5 Deadliest Drops Of 2010

Swedish House Mafia
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Swedish House Mafia DJ Steve Angello (middle) was responsible for one of the biggest drops of 2010, "Knas."

Swedish House Mafia
EMI Music

Swedish House Mafia DJ Steve Angello (middle) was responsible for one of the biggest drops of 2010, "Knas."

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December 31, 2010

A drop is the moment in a dance track when tension is released and the beat kicks in. Great drops create overbearing drama. They're built for the unabashed and uninhibited, releasing the enormous energy accrued during a song's progression.

These are moments not for the frail or those with sensitive ears, as this list promises to leave even the most devout club-rats drained and deaf. These five songs show no mercy, instead decimating dance floors with their awesome might.

Think about it. The clock winding down, sweat prickling from your brow. The beat climbing higher and higher until the trudge becomes an inescapable roll of sixteenth notes, the momentum building, the heights dizzying, stomachs churning, the pitch rising, the tension mounting, bigger, louder, until suddenly — the drop.

The 5 Deadliest Drops Of 2010

Congorock

Congorock, 'Babylon'

  • Album: Babylon

Before "Babylon" dropped, the Italian producer Congorock was relatively unknown in electronic dance music circles, but this smash hit put his name into the set lists of dance music’s biggest stars. The hazy synth that drops at 1:13, when heard on the right system, can turn your bones to jelly.

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Steve Angello

Steve Angello, 'Knas'

  • Album: Knas

It was quite a year for Swedish House Mafia member Steve Angello. In addition to his work with SHM, his solo work was routinely found at the top of Beatports charts. This drop manages to be both grimy and incredibly polished, and was a DJ favorite at this year's Electric Zoo festival.

YouTube
 
Mutfakta

Chuckie & Gregori Klosman, 'Mutfakta'

  • Album: Mutfakta

Something about the drop on Chuckie and Gregori Klosman's "Mutfakta" makes my teeth chatter.  Maybe it’s the lead synth, all minor and dark, or it might be the reverb that makes it sound like it's being played in a humongous warehouse. Whatever it is, it's filthy.

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Balt B More

Bart B More, 'Brap!'

  • Album: Brap

When I first heard this song, I thought to myself, "No way could this ever be played in a DJ set. It's too loud, too brash, too obnoxious." But on second thought, that’s what’s incredible about this drop. On "Brap!" Bart B More shows that he's got guts, daring to take his electro-synth to a level unmatched by any other producer.

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Rusko

Rusko, 'Hold On (Sub Focus Remix)'

  • Album: O.M.G.!

Whats a list of drops without a little dubstep? I love the way vocalist Amber Coffman's sweet voice carries through the build, giving way to a low-frequency growl at the drop.

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