Feel like you’re dancing the night away at a city nightclub with these upbeat, techno tracks.

Jonathan’s picks:

1. Superflight – “Outline”
2. Miami Nights 1984 – “New Tomorrow”
3. LeBrock – “Call Me”

Released on April 21, 2018, “Outline” was created by the group Superflight. The song mainly uses multiple electric keyboards in combination with the drummer to create an infectious techno beat that can easily have you moving before you even notice. With addition of the second electric keyboard providing an extra layer to the song, it makes for a great song in a party with friends or even while working on assignments. 

“New Tomorrow” is a techno song that was released on March 8, 2012 and played by “Miami Nights 1984.” The song has a very upbeat feeling to it by playing the electric keyboards at a higher tone and the steady pace of the song provides a sense of chill and calmness. Towards the middle and the end of the song, it explodes with the use of the keyboards before abruptly cutting it off at the end. 

The final song is “Call Me” by the artist LeBrock and it stands out from other types of techno music. Released in 2016, the song mainly uses electric guitars and the singer’s voice with the addition of the electric keyboard and drums. The song has a slightly somber yet heroic tone to it as LeBrock sings about how he is worried about being in a dangerous city with his partner. He warns them to leave him if need be and that he will be there to help when they need him to be. It kind of reminds me of a “man against the world” type of situation. 

Tamya’s picks:

1. Kid Cudi, MGMT, Ratatat and Steve Aoki – “Pursuit Of Happiness (Extended Steve Aoki Remix)”
2. A$AP Rocky, Skepta – “Praise The Lord (Da Shine)”
3. Fred again.., Skrillex and Four Tet – “Baby again..”

“Pursuit Of Happiness” is a song by Kid Cudi that gained mass popularity with an edit created by Steve Aoki. This upbeat, lively track immediately attracts you to the uptempo bouncing beat. The song uses Cudi’s soothing lulls to bridge the hard techno beat and melodic uptempo. This song reminds me of a day party with my friends. When this song comes on, everyone can feel the energy radiating off the verses. Cudi’s raspy voice feels at home in your speakers. “Pursuit Of Happiness” is a song that is going to keep the party going and good times flowing. 

“Praise The Lord” was originally featured on A$AP Rocky’s “TESTING” album in 2018. The original song is A$AP’s most streamed song to date on Spotify. The train-like whistle tone introduction to the song is an immediate head bobber. The whistle note is heard behind the entirety of the track. The song offers a fast pace that is perfect for dancing. Rocky’s repetitive but catchy chorus to the song makes it easy to follow along. This track is perfect for a dance party. The lively beat will have you ready to keep dancing all night. 

“Baby again..” is a track by Fred again.. that loops the hit song, “Baby” by Quality Control, Lil Baby and DaBaby. “Baby again..” uses Lil Baby’s verse as the chorus to the track. The track is fast and upbeat, a stark comparison to the original song that is slower and feels a bit heavier. While this song is lighthearted and very different from projects you would hear Lil Baby’s voice on, this is a fun edit that is a play on another popularized song. The song is perfect for a chill party scene, and the slow nature of Baby’s rapping with the fast tempo and melody makes it a healthy balance for those who don’t listen to techno. 

Lindsay’s picks:

1. Air – “Sexy Boy”
2. Crystal Waters – “Gypsy Woman (She’s Homeless) (Basement Boy Strip To The Bone Mix)”
3. Mr. Fingers – “Mystery of Love”

In January 1997, French music duo Air released “Sexy Boy” as a part of their debut studio album “Moon Safari.” Rom-com fans might recognize this song from the 1999 movie “10 Things I Hate About You.” The song was well-received by critics for its downtempo music style that is not typical to other dance music. The lyrics are mostly in French with the only English words sung being “sexy boy,” which is carried through the entire time. Some sections of the song have an ethereal, fantastic feel to it with brash electronic sounds and guitar riffs that rip through these sections to show the contrast between each language spoken in the song.

“Gypsy Woman (She’s Homeless)” was released 1991 by Crystal Waters and was remixed by the Basement Boys. Originally written for another artist, the song sheds light on the reality of what life is like for some homeless individuals. It tells the story of a woman who puts an effort in her appearance, despite being homeless. The chorus of “la da dee, la da da” is repeated throughout the song with a sampled keyboard riff accompanying it. It has a funky and incredibly infectious vibe, and it is one of those few house songs that everyone can dance to.

Unlike both songs mentioned before, “Mystery of Love” by Mr. Fingers contains no lyrics and relies on the instrumentals of the song alone. The track was created because of the artist’s inability to have creative input on the music he was making. The song starts out with a strong consistent beat and riff that is played throughout the song and ends the same way it starts. Drums and synthesizer are added to create the different melodies. Even with that same riff in the background, no two parts of the songs feel the same to each other.

Sarah’s picks:

1. New Order – “Blue Monday”
2. Channel Tres – “6am”
3. Sped up nightcore – “Cola – Sped Up Version”

In 1983, New Order produced one of the best club dancing songs to ever exist. “Blue Monday” is a semi fast-paced track that blends techno and disco. The song starts out with a hypnotic beat that sounds like it was created on a soundswitch with a person pressing the colorful buttons that create sound. Lyrics don’t come in until around the 2 minute and 9 second mark, but this type of song doesn’t need vocals to carry through, the instrumentals do that. Bass drums and a keyboard rhythm can be easily heard over the layered synthetics of music that was made digitally. The best parts of the song are when a deep “ahhhh” can be heard, which reminds me of Darth Vader menacingly walking through a ship. 

Switching to modern techno, Channel Tres’ “6am” was an easy second pick. The song has more lyrics than “Blue Monday,” but the invigorating instrumentals are more memorable. The lyrics express a feeling of living in one of the best moments of your life, wanting to never leave the riches and clubbing. Tres’ voice sounds like luxury and therefore perfectly matches the style of the song and what’s being conveyed. “6am” is a killer bop that every club should be playing through its speakers at 3 a.m.. 

Nightcore is famous for being everyone’s go-to when they want to listen to a song sped-up. The song “Cola” is by INNA, but this version layers computerized “oomph oomph” beats over the lyrics that are sung at about  2x speed. Much like most music that falls under the techno/house genre, this song is definitely party music, but the dancing scene does not fit this song in particular. This sped-up “Cola” version sounds most ideal when it’s played as background music or in your room in the late night hours. 

Caleb’s picks:

1. DJ P.P. – “Queen of Disco” (Hazzaro and Jerome Robbins Remix) 
2. Lady Gaga – “Judas” (DJ White Shadow Remix) 
3. Chills Affair – “My Body & My Mind” 

“Queen of Disco” is a wonderful, upbeat experience. Released in 2017 on the album “20 Years In The Night” by DJ P.P., the song is remixed by Hazzaro and Jerome Robbins. This song features invigorating dance and electronic beats that are sure to get the heart pumping and the blood flowing. The song’s upbeat tempo is perfect for dancing and getting lost in the music. 

“Judas” was first released in Lady Gaga’s 2011 album “Born This Way.” This remixed version by DJ White Shadow really brings out the house music vibes and the electronic beats of the song. It’s easy to lose yourself in the sick dance beats. Shadow is good at mixing the synthetic and pop beats perfectly to create a mesmerizing experience. It was one of my favorites to listen to at gay dance clubs. 

Rounding this playlist out is a more soothing and light hearted piece. “My Body & My Mind” was released in 2019 in Chills Affair’s album “Soulful Of Ibiza.” This lighter ride has lots of engaging sounds. The song features good dance beats but a bit of slower pace compared to other choices. This song is perfect to wind things down on a night of energetic and high intensity electronic beats.