Top 20 Anjunabeats tracks of the year

One year on from our countdown of the greatest Anjunabeats tracks of 2018, it’s time for the sequel – in our now annual countdown – as we kick off the ‘2019 in review’ season; a series of articles to be published between now and 2020, looking back on another incredible 12 months of dance music.

For British trance trio Above & Beyond, 2019 proved to be another truly stellar year, as they blitzed all before them, playing a special set at Armin van Buuren‘s ASOT 900 show, in addition to hosting their own Anjunabeats stage at Creamfields, their very own showcase evening at The Warehouse Project, and headlining Prague’s O2 Arena as part of their ABGT 350 celebrations in October. With their iconic label, Anjuanbeats, playing host to a range of 2019’s hottest bangers, including Group Therapy guest-mixes from dance music royalty such as Third Party, Cosmic Gate, Tinlicker, and Nora En Pure, We Rave You take a peek at the glistening back-catalogue, bursting with prog-trance selections from the likes of Ilan Bluestone, Andrew Bayer, Grum, and many more.

These are the Top 20 Anjuna releases of 2019…

20. Above & Beyond – Another Angel
The main men themselves fly in at number #20 in this countdown, delivering their most recent, and perhaps, final, track of 2019. Blessed with that typically deep and progressive A&B sound, the trio reunite with Richard Bedford once more here, the same man who delivered those famous “I’m sorry baby” lines on ‘Sun & Moon’.

19. Genix – Open Your Eyes
Packing the same kind of chord-based build found in some early-decade Alex Metric tracks, ‘Open Your Eyes‘ showcased the rich proggy style of Genix, who has become an increasingly regular resident to the Anjunabeats family in recent times.

18. Ilan Bluestone – Hong Kong
Of all the acts burrowed beneath the warm wing of Above & Beyond and their Anjuna imprint, Ilan Bluestone has cemented a reputation as something of a ‘favourite son’, with the oriental sounding ‘Hong Kong‘ – first dropped in said location at ABGT 300 in 2018 – marking a strong start to 2019 for the Brit, who released this one back in Spring.

17. Above & Beyond – Hideaway
Originally debuted all the way back in 2017 during their ABGT 250 show at the Gorge, fans were made to wait for ‘Hideaway’, which was finally given an official release in early Autumn, and was then twisted into this emotional edit by fast-rising UK talent, P//RTS.

 

16. Grum – Lose Control
If one producer stepped out of the shadows more than any other in 2019, it was Grum, who amazed fans worldwide with his irresistible album ‘Deep State’. This brilliant production features no less than four times on this list, with the Scot kicking things off at number #16 with ‘Lose Control’.

 

15. Above & Beyond – Is It Love? (1001) – Grum Remix
After featuring on A&B‘s iconic 2018 album ‘Common Ground’, the mighty ‘Is It Love?’, with vocals provided from the trio’s very own Jono Grant, became an instant classic. But it was that man Grum again, who cropped up earlier this year, to bless this incredible release with his own magical sprinkling.

14. Above & Beyond X Armin van Buuren – Show Me Love
History teaches us that when two legends of the global dance music scene team up, the end result is usually a beautifully crafted production which lives long in the memory. That particular formula was once again proved true when the A&B boys displayed their more thunderous side to collaborate with big-room trance giant, Armin van Buuren.

 

13. Grum – Tomorrow
Making up a full 25% of this list with his stunning productions, it’s certainly no exaggeration to say that 2019 has been the biggest year of Grum‘s career so far. Channelling his inner Eric Prydz on this one, ‘Tomorrow’ is topped by the slick vocal performance of Dom Youdan.

 

12. Above & Beyond – Waltz
Debuting this one as a piping hot new ID at the ABGT 350 weekend in Prague, ‘Waltz’ – as the name suggests – sees our favourite Anjuna juggernauts send us spinning through a masterful 4-minute fairground of a track, which lurks from a jaunty melody into a more emotive and blissful breakdown. Utterly superb from start to finish.

11. Andrew Bayer – Voltage Control
If Grum seemed intent on stealing the crown of ‘Anjunabeats artist of the year‘ in 2019, then long-time label favourite Andrew Bayer was certainly giving him an intense run for his money, with the explosive ‘Voltage Control‘ regularly spun by Armada behemoth Armin van Buuren in his live sets.

10. Above & Beyond X Seven Lions – See The End
Californian producer Jeff Montalvo, aka Seven Lions, is certainly no stranger to the Anjuna back-catalogue, previously reworking a flurry of A&B tracks, including ‘On My Way To Heaven’, ‘You Got To Go’ and ‘Sahara Love’. But in 2019, he went one step further, teaming up with the trance trio to spawn the scintillating euphoria of ‘See The End’.

 

9. Andrew Bayer – Magitek
Instantly securing a spot as one of the most-played anthems of the summer, Andrew Bayer gatecrashes the top #10 with his explosive thumper, ‘Magitek’. Dripping in Bayer‘s unmistakable signature sound, this one certainly typifies the more club-focused feel of the Anjunabeats label, and will get you dancing from the off.

8. Andrew Bayer – Immortal Lover (In My Next Life Mix)
Technically a 2018 release, ‘Immortal Lover’ catapulted its way into the hearts of Anjuna fans all over the world last year. But when Bayer decided to re-release his stunning album in 2019 in the form of a special ‘In My Next Life‘ version, fans were treated to a new ‘In My Next Life Mix’ and it’s simply too gorgeous to omit from this countdown.

7. Grum – Stay
Just when you thought Grum was done with this list, the Scottish powerhouse comes steaming in to nab a top #7 position in the form of the sumptuous ‘Stay’, a fresh recipe from the fabled Anjunabeats kitchen, carefully glazed with the shimmering vocals of Natalie Shay.

 

6. Above & Beyond – Flying By Candlelight (Club Mix)
Whilst many A&B fans prefer the more wistful side of their ‘Anjunadeep’ sector, the original of ‘Flying By Candelight’ was simply too melancholic for dance-floors. And so, we were blessed with the oh-so-reliable of treats; the ‘Above & Beyond Club Mix’, which really gives the space needed for Marty Longstaff’s world-class vocals to fully breathe.

5. Grum – Altered State
Dropped by Jono, Tony and Paavo themselves in the ABGT 350 performance in Prague, Grum‘s ‘Altered State‘ is one of the most perfectly produced records you’ll ever hear, thanks to a hook which verges somewhere between prog-trance and a range of sub-genres which tickle much deeper, darker, and more after-hours, corners of the industry.

4. Above & Beyond – There’s Only You (Club Mix)
Rapidly becoming a cast-iron fan favourite in live sets, Above & Beyond roped in the assistance of long-time vocal collaborator Zoe Johnston on ‘There’s Only You’, which was first aired in Hong Kong during ABGT 300. Remarkably, the quartet currently have an even greater production named ‘Reverie’ brewing together, which we eagerly await.

3. Ilan Bluestone – Mama Africa
Monsieur Bluestone returns to our countdown to snatch the bronze medal, and deservedly so, for his jaw-dropping ‘Mama Africa’, which stormed onto our playlists during the beginning of Spring. With EL Waves once again providing Ilan‘s vocals, it’s tough to find a better uptempo slice of prog-trance than this anywhere in the world.

2. Above & Beyond – Distorted Truth
For many Anjunabeats fans, February saw a controversial, yet refreshing change, as our Group Therapy founders delved into their darker side to bring us a moody portion of tech-trance fused with a twisted bass and rippling build. This was true club music, and A&B fans all over the world instantly fell in love with it.

1. Above & Beyond – Anjunafamily
There really can be no way more fitting to round off this finale than with the steep emotion of ‘Anjunafamily’, a track made in honour of A&B‘s huge fan community, who regularly offer one another love, support, and unity through times of trouble in the world. Originally premiered in 2018, it was 2019 that was chosen as the year for an official release for this one, bringing fans to floods of euphoric tears during this ‘Push The Button’ moment in Prague. This is Anjunbeats and WE, are Anjunafamily.