2018 was an amazing year for remixes. Official remix packages dominated with artists like Diplo, Marshmello, Alison Wonderland, and RL Grime enlisting the likes of QUIX, 1788-L, Jauz, and more of our favorite up and comers. From throwbacks to chart-toppers, 2018 was flooded with a plethora of monumental remixes. Countdown our top 25 remixes of 2018 below.
Run the Trap’s Top Remixes Of 2018 | SoundCloud Playlist
25. Virtual Self – Angel Voices (LICK Dark Edit)
Rising artist LICK has been on our radar for a minute now thanks to his inventive and unique production. Just after Thanksgiving, he dropped off a dope remix of Virtual Self’s “Angel Voices” original and it’s impressive, to say the least. LICK transformed the track into a dark, midtempo heater ready to go off on any dance floor.
24. Flume – Sleepless (Justice Skolnik Remix)
Taking on Flume‘s 2012 classic “Sleepless” might seem like a daunting task but Justice Skolnik handled it with grace and ease in his imaginative remix. Having released shiny remixes of Kygo, Madeon, and Jai Wolf this year, the up and coming producer flexed his creativity on his “Sleepless” remix, flooding it with glimmering effects and addictive melodies while staying true to the original.
23. Porter Robinson – Sad Machine (KLOUD Remix)
KLOUD made some of the coolest music and music videos of the year. For his final creation of 2018, the masked man took on Porter Robinson‘s classic “Sad Machine”. Remixing a song that’s so beloved is hard to do because you have to stay true to the original but add your own flair. KLOUD perfectly balanced that line with his reinterpretation.
22. Maroon 5 – Girls Like You (feat. Cardi B) [CRAY Remix]
Rising female producer CRAY went off on her first ever official remix. The LA-based producer dropped a banging remix of Maroon 5 and Cardi B‘s “Girls Like You” just in time for her performance at Hard Summer. CRAY’s “Girls Like You” remix is a dreamy future bass wonderland, bouncing with sultry synth melodies and crisp vocal chops. CRAY seriously stepped up with this Maroon 5 remix.
21. Alison Wonderland – Church (Party Pupils Remix)
Future funk duo Party Pupils amazed this year with top-notch remixes of MAX, Matoma, Mickey Valen, and more. Our favorite came as part of Alison Wonderland‘s “Church” remix pack and it’s sensationally groovy. Their remix begins with twinkling, breezy synths, snappy percussion, and a thumping bassline against AW’s airy vocals – the perfect concoction for any Party Pupils classic. Bursting into a vibrant drop, glittery percussion and vivacious synths pour over the track with a Louis The Child-esque flow, making this one of Party Pupils best remixes to date.
20. Panic At The Disco – Say Amen (Saturday Night) [Sweater Beats Remix]
Sweater Beats never fails to deliver knockout remixes. This year he took our middle school dreams to the next level with an official remix that was infested with nostalgia. The LA-based producer was drafted by “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” hitmakers Panic At The Disco to craft a spicy official remix of their single “Say Amen”. Sweater Beats tapped into his sinister side for this one by stringing eerie melodies amidst dark bass lines and crisp percussion. He filled the iconic pop-rock vocals with an ominous soundscape that rumbled into a haunting, grungy drop. Wondrously different from his usual vibrant dance-pop atmospheres, Sweater Beats showed us a refined, Jekyll-like side of himself that will instantly capture your attention.
19. TroyBoi – Flamez (Alexander Lewis Remix)
Alexander Lewis has been wreaking havoc and taking trap to the next level for a minute now. By continuing to take risks, he has become a driving force in today’s music scene with huge trombone flips and high octane sets garnering a legion of fans across the country. This year, Alexander Lewis took on the huge task of flipping TroyBoi’s “Flamez”, and his remix hit all the right notes. Opening with an unbelievable synth lead, Lewis successfully reimagined the original by unleashing a steady stream of scorching trap horns. Paving the way towards a hard-hitting drop, the brass elements add undeniable energy that is contagious.
18. Tiësto & Dzeko – Jackie Chan (feat. Preme & Post Malone) [Tarro Remix]
We’ve heard dozens of Post Malone remixes but one of the finest came from none other than Tarro. Taking on the collaborative hit “Jackie Chan”, Tarro swerved his dark, ominous bass lines, trap-infested snares, and twisting, echoing synths and built it up into a classic Tarro banger. This remains one of our favorite Tarro remixes to date.
17. Dua Lipa – Be The One (KRANE Remix)
Some time ago, KRANE unveiled a second SIDETRACKS SoundCloud page to house “bootlegs, beats and other rarities”, and it came with an impeccable remix of Cashmere Cat, SOPHIE, and MØ’s “9 (After Coachella)”. The SIDETRACKS page remained quiet until KRANE resurrected it with his cinematic future bass take on Dua Lipa’s “Be The One is finally here. Boisterous synths zoom amidst crashing percussion, creating an electrifyingly magnetic soundscape. KRANE seriously outdone himself with this Dua Lipa remix.
16. Mija – Falling ApART (again) [Kill Paris Remix]
Kill Paris had a monumental year preparing for the release of his sophomore album Galaxies Within Us. Amidst his glistening singles, Kill Paris released one of the hottest remixes of the year with his take on Mija‘s “Falling ApART (again)”. Turning the already gorgeous track into an absolute banger, Kill Paris perfectly balanced Mija’s catchy vocals with an electrifying burst of dance pop. Simply put, Kill Paris’ remix is infectious and absolutely sensational.
15. Ed Sheeran – Happier (Kasbo Remix)
Rising Swedish producer Kasbo had a hot year with the release of his debut album Places We Don’t Know and tour supporting ODESZA. To top it off, Kasbo unleashed a stunning official remix of Ed Sheeran‘s “Happier”. Layering airy future bass synths and light percussion around Sheeran’s lush vocals, Kasbo brought a rich, romantic feel to the track. Garnering nearly 7 million Spotify streams, Kasbo’s atmostpheric “Happier” remix is an absolute gem.
14. Khalid & Normani – Love Lies (Snakehips Remix)
Khalid and Normani‘s “Love Lies” was one of the most remixed tracks of the year but Snakehips took the cake with their remix. Their official take on “Love Lies” was stunning, with Japanese-inspired plucked synths tingling against Khalid’s infectious vocals before deep bass and sparkling percussion kick in. Garnering more than 9 million streams on Spotify, it’s easy to understand why Snakehips’ “Love Lies” was definitely one of the best remixes of the year.
13. Diplo – Look Back (feat. DRAM) [QUIX Remix]
QUIX had a monstrous year between his phenomenal debut Illusions EP and his official remixes of RL Grime, Alison Wonderland, but most importantly Diplo. As part of the official California remix pack, QUIX served up a fiery new remix of Diplo and DRAM‘s “Look Back”. Boisterous, anthemic percussion build under DRAM’s R&B performance before spiraling into a dark, ominous trap drop filled with wild synths and dirty bass lines. This is one of QUIX’s finest remixes to date.
12. Sasha Sloan – Ready Yet (San Holo Remix)
San Holo makes the kind of music that you listen to and it never fails to make you smile. His remix for Sasha Sloan was no exception. His light-hearted remix was the perfect reminder that a remix doesn’t need to be a total recreation. The original soul of the song should live on – and San Holo does that perfectly. This remix of Sasha Sloan’s “Ready Yet” has the perfect amount of production while still feeling organic. This is by far one of our all-time favorite San Holo remixes.
11. Family of the Year – Hold Me Down (Autograf Remix)
Official electronic remixes for indie rock originals became a huge fad this year and Autograf did it masterfully. The Chicago based trio spun Family of the Year’s “Hold Me Down” into a dark and twisty house-inspired future bass remix that was absolutely sensational. Echoing vocals rang amidst zippering synth melodies and chilled percussion that instantly pulled you in with its hypnotic rhythm. Autograf flawlessly turned this indie rock original into an electrifying electronic banger.
10. Billie Eilish – MyBoi (TroyBoi Remix)
London based trap producer TroyBoi seriously impressed with his V!BEZ, Vol. 2 EP and his insane official remixes of Keys N Krates and ODESZA. His standout of the year was his flip of Billie Eilish‘s “MyBoi”. TroyBoi spun “MyBoi” into a creation of his own, filling it with wonky, trap-infested synths and smooth, rolling snares. TroyBoi effortlessly turned Billie Eilish’s “MyBoi” into a flirty trap pop banger that carries a rich Cashmere Cat flare. Billie Eilish seriously picked the perfect person to reinvent “MyBoi”.
9. RL Grime – Era (1788-L Remix)
1788-L was one of the biggest breakout artists of the year and for good reason. He collaborated with REZZ, Blanke, and TYNAN, remixed the likes of Illenium and The Glitch Mob, and supported k?d, REZZ, and Ekali on tour. The rising producer closed out the year delivering a monumental remix of RL Grime‘s “Era” as part of the official Nova remix pack. Packed with bombastic and thunderous percussion, glitchy and grimy synths, and an anthemic nature, 1788-L’s version of “Era” is the definition of a trap banger. 1788-L’s “Era” remix is everything we could’ve hoped for.
8. Marshmello – Happier (feat. Bastille) [Jauz Remix]
Jauz was tapped by Marshmello to flip his Bastille-featured hit “Happier” and he crafted a masterpiece that truly stood out. Taking a softer, slower approach to the hit track, Jauz flooded the track with dark, ethereal basslines and glitchy, percussion. Jauz showed a side of himself that is absolutely stunning and breathtakingly beautiful.
7. Cardi B – I Like It (Dillon Francis Remix)
Dillon Francis had a massive year between releasing his new Wut Wut album and producing Panic At The Disco’s “Hey Look Ma, I Made It”. To top it all off, the iconic producer unleashed a crazy official remix of Cardi B‘s “I Like It”. Dillon Francis gave the track this Latin-inspired trap vibe that perfectly amped the song into a fiery club hit. This is definitely one you’ll be hearing at festivals for years to come.
6. Halsey – Without Me (Illenium Remix)
Illenium is known for his empowering remixes of Marshmello’s “Silence” and Flume’s “Say It“. Mere weeks following his highly anticipated Call Me Karizma collaboration, Illenium returned with one of the biggest remixes of the year. Premiered earlier at EDC Orlando, Illenium’s massive remix of Halsey‘s heartbreaking new single “Without Me” was everything we could’ve hoped for. Opening with a breezy guitar melody and gentle, rolling snares, Illenium wrapped Halsey’s effervescent vocals in a gorgeous atmospheric soundscape before dropping into a synth and vocal chop heavy break. Illenium’s “Without Me” remix was instantly a contender for best remix of the year.
5. Post Malone – I Fall Apart (Medasin Remix)
Medasin garnered millions of plays across his official remixes of Portugal. The Man’s “Feel It Still” and DJ Khaled’s “Wild Thoughts”, making him a go-to producer when it comes to remixing the hottest chart-toppers. We’ve seen quite a few remixes of Post Malone‘s “I Fall Apart” this year but Medasin’s definitely stands out as the leader of the pack. The Dallas based producer pumped the track with vibrating, electrifying synths that shimmer under Post Malone’s echoing ethereal vocals. Medasin crafted a soulful future R&B banger that is effortlessly gooey and easy to love.
4. Ekali & ZHU – Blame (NGHTMRE Remix)
In one of his most magical remixes to daye, NGHTMRE took on Ekali and ZHU‘s massive collaborative single “Blame”. NGHTMRE flipped the track on its head, breathing this enticing futuristic soulful trap vibe into the banger. Addictive melodies merged seamlessly with ZHU’s chopped up vocals while hard hitting bass drops, firey synths, and bold trap horns gave the remix a much harder hit. NGHTMRE crafted an unimaginable banger with this remix.
3. Porter Robinson – Divinity (REZZ Remix)
REZZ had a massive year but she truly turned heads with the announcement of her Porter Robinson remix. First debuted at a show in Montreal, REZZ has now unleashed her fiery remix of Porter Robinson’s Worlds hit “Divinity”. REZZ reworks the atmospheric original into a dynamite trap banger and it’s magically stunning. Glitchy basslines rumble around crisp percussion and ethereal vocals to create a ghostly, slightly sinister soundscape. REZZ has does nothing short of impressing us with her “Divinity” remix.
2. Calvin Harris – One Kiss (feat. Dua Lipa) [ZHU Remix]
ZHU had a huge year between his phenomenal Ringos Desert album and his jaw-dropping official remix of Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa‘s “One Kiss“. Transforming the song of the summer, ZHU put his classic noir sound on the track. He added his own cover of the vocal to create a stellar layered version of the track.
1. Pendulum – The Island, Pt. 1 (Dawn) [Skrillex Remix]
Remixing Pendulum‘s “The Island” is no laughing matter as the track serves as one of the most anthemic records in electronic music history. Since its release, many remixes have come and gone, so the expectations for this remix were incredibly high. Leave it up to Skrillex to completely knock it out of the park with his refreshing future bass rework. His rendition offers a complete facelift that’ll leave nothing but a bubbly impression. That prominent melody we all fell in love with reigns supreme as it’s given the reggae treatment. Complemented by Rob Swire‘s vocals, listeners are hit with an assortment of saw waves that only Skrillex could perfect. An easy standout of the year, Skrillex’s “Pendulum” takes the cake with the #1 slot on our list.
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