Green Velvet, an underground legend cured to perfection by the 90s rave scene, brings his unflappable brand of pulsating techno to this 2014 dance hit. Paired with British DJ/producer Patrick Topping, “Voicemail” samples a series of, well, voicemails, with these deadpan monologues -- “I'm not calling to have you put me on the guest list for tonight, but I was wondering if I could ride with you. I have to get my hair and nails did, so please tell the limo driver to wait for me” -- played over repetitive techno beats. It was an absurd instant classic that delivered the sound of the dance scene's origins to new audiences. -- M.D.
54. Nicolas Jaar, “Time For Us” (2010)
A decade on from its release, "Time For Us" remains a serious vibe, with the seven-plus minutes of Nicolas Jaar’s breakout tune feeling preserved in the amber of 2010. Jaar was a 20-year-old Brown University student when he handed over "Time For Us" to Wolf + Lamb, the white-hot record label run by the DJ duo of the same name. With woozy, cerebral club kids like Seth Troxler, Michael J Collins and Soul Clap among its ranks, Wolf + Lamb was a perfect launchpad for Jaar ahead of his star-making 2011 album, Space Is Only Noise. "Time For Us" is bare-bones, but luxurious, combining Jaar’s natural headiness with a strong club instinct. There’s a plaintive piano line and slow-chugging bassline set against background whoops and chatter, before Jaar’s tranquilizing vocals slide in. -- JACK TREGONING
53. Alison Wonderland, "Good Enough" (2018)
The lead track from Alison Wonderland's sophomore album, Awake, "Good Enough" is a dark, frenetic meditation on worthiness and self-esteem, outfitted with the Australian producer's own cello playing. Since her ascent, the artist born Alison Scholler has been an outspoken advocate of mental health in the electronic music realm, using her work, and her Twitter account, to frankly discuss the challenges of wondering if anything is ever, in fact, good enough. It's an existential question we all deal with in one way or another, and one that fans of this massive, bass-y track answered with a resounding "yes." -- K. Bain
52. Jai Paul, “BTSTU” (2011)
In a scene overrun by spotlight seekers, Jai Paul is a true exception. Back in 2010, the London-based producer casually uploaded a demo called ‘BTSTU’ to his MySpace page. Before long, tastemaking DJs everywhere were desperate to play it out. XL Recordings, then home to the likes of M.I.A. and Vampire Weekend, swooped on the track and released it officially as "BTSTU (edit)."
For a debut single, it felt instantly iconic. From the opening lines -- “don’t f--k with me, don’t f--k with me” -- the song flits from light to dark, with heavy rumbles offsetting the flashes of clarity. Both Beyoncé and Drake sampled "BTSTU (edit)" -- the kind of exposure young producers dream about. But chasing fame was never Jai Paul’s thing. Instead he retreated for most of the decade, only emerging in 2019 with two new songs, "Do You Love Her Now" and "He." No surprises here: they’re also brilliant. -- J.T.