New Years Eve saw Ministry of Sound taken over by Defected Records, an imprint that needs very little in the way of introduction. They’ve held their residency here for four years now, taking over all four rooms each time, and bringing with them some of the finest selectors in gritty, underground house music. Worth particular mention this time round was head honcho Simon Dunmore, whose midnight set brought the New Year in in real style, French duo Amine Edge & Dance, and northern talent Josh Butler.

So as I’m sure you’d expect, the tunes played were nothing short of quality. And as we like to do, we’ve wittled it down – with much difficulty! – to our top 3 favourites. So here’s our pick of the top 3 tracks that really did destroy the dance. Tune in and brace yourselves, these ones are naughty.

Track No. 1 – Tiga – Woke (Patrick Topping remix)

The original was a belter – period. And the first set of remixes were also greatly welcomed. So when Hot Creations affiliate Patrick Topping came along with a remix, keeping the sound fresh and interesting was a hard nut to crack. But in true Geordie style, the Newcastle native did just that, reworking it into a rolling piece of beeps and squeeks. And hearing this, courtesy of Amine Edge & Dance, on the soundsytem in The Box? Well that was serious indeed.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/353288066″ params=”color=#ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”300″ iframe=”true” /]

Track No. 2 – Soul II Soul – Back to Life (Jess Bays and Sammy Porter remix)

1989, just under 30 years ago, saw the release of the classic. Fast forward a bit, and now two upcoming talents in the UK house scene have given it their very own spin. Techy and bleepy, this one is definitely one to watch out for this year, with a chunky bassline that delivers a proper punch. Keep you ears peeled, release date for this one is sometime next week, so be sure to tune in.

Track No. 3 – Dakar and Sonny Fodera – Turn Me Up 

Soon to be released on Green Velvet’s Cajual, this track really is a heavyweight. With a reverberating vocal sample that gives way to a dark and driving snare drum, this beast is set to be making a regular appearance in the Aussie’s sets. We’re not sure of the release date yet, but it’s definitely one to watch out for.

And there we have it, our pick of the best tracks that graced our ears this New Years Eve, courtesy of the Defected Records takeover at Ministry of Sound. Two unreleased beauties, and an already certified groover, played in a wonderful club, by a wonderful imprint, creating a truly wonderful way to see in the New Year. Defected and Ministry of Sound, we salute you!