There’s no denying how spine tingling a nasty sax solo can be at a live show. We were lucky enough to witness this firsthand at The Hudson Project when GRiZ absolutely tore the house down with his late night Saturday set. With the constant “Ohhhhh’s” and “Ahhhhh’s” from the crowd with every successive rift, it was clear to me that I wasn’t alone in my love for everything saxual.
The lasting impact of this one set in particular led us to do some digging into the most saxophone filled tracks in electronic music; I needed to quench my thirst. Sure, you’ll have to pay respects to some of the classics and OG’s of the sax scene such as GRiZ, Big Gigantic, and Pretty Lights. In here though we tried to dig one deeper and uncover some tracks you might not have been familiar with before. Take a look below and get ready to welcome in everyone’s favorite member of the woodwind family.
1. Wolfgang Gartner – Illmerica (Natty Rico Sax Rework)
When Natty Rico lent his hand to an already perfect track from Wolfgang Gartner, the result was an unthinkably smooth song from start to finish. Only slightly reworking the song itself, Rico let the track stand out on its own while adding his remarkably talented saxophone skills on top of it. This one will always be one of my favorites.
2. GRiZ – Throwback
This might not be the first song that comes to mind when you think of GRiZ, but it’s unquestionably one of his saxsterpieces. Throughout the five-minute journey you’ll run into trappy vibes, some tropical house, and out of nowhere the sweet, sultry sax rears its head at the 4:15 mark. You can choose any number of tracks from an artist like this, but no matter how you slice it this one has to reside near the top.
3. Pretty Lights – Forever Lost
It was only a matter of time before Derek made his way into here. Although not known for his play on the sax, his use of both live and recorded samples is without equal. In this one he tapped into Laura Lee’s “Two Lovely Pillows” and hits you with the horns at 1:30. With the classic old-school feeling throughout, this gem off Smith’s “Spilling Over Every Side” EP is still one of his best to date.
4. Thomas Jack ft. Adrian – The Final Speech
Thomas Jack is one of the hottest names in electronic music right now, and “The Final Speech” shines as one of his best pieces of work. Using the powerful speech from Charlie Chaplin in The Great Dictator, Jack has his recognizable tropical feel to it with help from effortless riffs. Certainly nobody would complain if he decided to work the sax into future productions.
5. Big Gigantic – Touch The Sky
The sultans of sax struck gold with this one off their latest album The Night Is Young. Dominic Lalli is one of the most recognizable names in electronic music in large part to his expertise in the instrument we have all come to crave so much. If you have seen a Big Gigantic show live, you will understand that this track is without a doubt one of the highlights of the night.
6. Big Gigantic – The Night Is Young
The namesake for the album it’s on, “The Night Is Young” is everything we have come to love about Big Gigantic. Awesome vocals supplied by Cherub are always welcomed, surprisingly aggressive electro from Big G is thrown into the mix, and the pure sax at 1:10 is a standout in any artist’s discography. I’m having a hard time deciding which track I enjoy more.
7. Clean Bandit – Extraordinary (Klingande Remix)
Featured on Thomas Jack’s Tropical House Vol 4, Klingande shouldn’t surprise anyone by making noise with this remix dropped two months ago. Using the emotional vocals to his advantage, Klingande keeps it slow with this one. This is a beautifully produced track from start to finish, with the sax being as a bonus.
8. Nina Simone – Feeling Good (Bassnectar Remix)
This may be more horns and less sax, but I don’t care. One of my favorite tracks from Bassnectar, Lorin adds his remarkable talents to a classic from 1965. Layers upon layers of complex music are weaved with ease from the Bass God, with the horns serving as a backbone. Just over a year old, this track is a treat to any lucky fans who get to hear it live when paired with Bassnectar’s otherworldly visual display.
9. Sander Van Doorn & Firebeatz – Guitar Track (Sam Feldt Remix)
Taking Firebeatz electro-house collab and turning it 180 degrees, Sam Feldt made “Guitar Track” into chilled out perfection. With a similar feel to Thomas Jack’s track earlier, this remix focuses on the finer points in producing. Sam Feldt might not be a household name yet, but with a few more like these he’ll be one to keep an eye out for.
10. GRiZ – Mr. B (ft. Dominic Lalli)
When GRiZ and Dominic Lalli come together for a song you know the end result will be amazing. With the jazzy piano intro and trademark GRiZ drop, this would still be a classic even if Lalli didn’t take over the last half of the song with his signature sax. In my mind, “Mr. B” is the crown jewel in Grant and Dominic’s musical catalogue.
We love the sax, so feel free to share with us your favorite sax-tracks on Twitter or in the comments below.
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