The 10 Best Baauer Remixes

With the praise that his Just Blaze-collaboration, "Higher," is receiving, there are a ton of new Baauer fans on the landscape. We've already seen a f

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Complex Original

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With the praise that his Just Blaze-collaboration, "Higher," is receiving, there are a ton of new Baauer fans on the landscape. We've already seen a few rappers take to some of his unreleased beats and slap freestyles on them in the name of "promotion." Let's just get this clear: That won't make us listen to your music any quicker.

In any case, Baauer's status in the game hasn't just been off the back of "Harlem Shake." On the low, his remix work has been intense, landing big credits on albums from The Prodigy and No Doubt, as well as remixing like-minded producers like Ryan Hemsworth and Obey City. While these are just the tip of the iceberg in fully understanding his sound, we figured we'd showcase Baauer's 10 best remixes, so those of you who might be trying to hit his Big League Tour with Just Blaze (which starts on January 24 in Illinois) can get a glimpse of the kind of work this trap prodigy has been putting in.

No Doubt - "Settle Down (Baauer Remix)"

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That's right, Baauer remixed a No Doubt cut from their Push and Shove album. This remix was an iTunes exclusive for those who pre-ordered the album, and Baauer did a great job adding his signature bounce to No Doubt's dub-esque sound, giving them a true 2012 bassline revamp.

Cosmic Revenge - "Palace Gates (Baauer Remix)"

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We admit, we're not that familiar with Cosmic Revenge, but there's something about that name paired up with Baauer's trap-tastic space expedition through the cosmos that gets us open. This definitely is the sound of two androids taking you through the Milky Way in a pimped-out Cadillac.

Drop The Lime - "Shake Baby Shake (Baauer Remix)"

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There's something about this looped, surf-rock sounding guitar line being pitched down and immediately dropping into a classic 808 slap that just puts a huge smile on our faces. Baauer, you're a fool for this one.

Ryan Hemsworth - "Slurring (Baauer Remix)"

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Baauer reworking Ryan Hemsworth is pretty much a hole in one, and he delivers exactly what you want with this one. His version of Hemsworth's "Slurring" (taken from Ryan's Last Words release) feels like a lurching night out, wandering the streets after a number of drunken escapades. All you remember is one particular phrase of a track and the bass emitting from the speakers. This is for the hoodie crew, those who stay with the screwface on in the back of the club, vibing.

The Prodigy - "Mindfields (Baauer Remix)"

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On the low, during Baauer's 2012 ascension into the mouths of every tastemaker on the planet, this was the remix we were waiting for. We have a softspot for The Prodigy, especially since they were so prominent during the great Electronica wave, and we were perplexed: did Baauer ask to remix this track, or was this a special commission? Whatever the case may be, it worked, even if the first two minutes of this remix feels like one huge build-up. He found a way to knick specific pieces of The Prodigy's huge cache of sounds and twist them into a hypnotic trap exercise.

Abel - "Girls (Baauer Remix)"

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Many know Baauer for his "Harlem Shake"-style quirky production, but when you hear him get into certain zones via his phenomenal DJ sets, you hear this more chilled, lush style come about. This remix of Abel's "Girls" is a serene stroll down a desolate beach, snuggled next to the one you truly adore.

Obey City - "Neva Knew (Baauer Remix)"

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This is another one of those tracks where, right from the gate, you know exactly where Baauer is going. That looped "neva knew" builds things up nicely for Baauer's chopped rave chords, although he screws everything over his 808 bounce. The result is awesome, and highlights the heights that trap can be taken if it doesn't get too full of trying to out-808 itself.

Brick & Mortar - "Move To The Ocean (Baauer Remix)"

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This vocal is too perfect; all Baauer had to do was come with a slick beat, but he truly blew it up, giving this one a skanking trap flavor, really playing off the flow of the vocal. It's one of those tracks where you're turning up without realizing how infectious the subtle dub flavors truly are.

Flosstradamus - "Rollup (Baauer Remix)"

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This will be a staple of the Baauer story for years to come. While "Harlem Shake" was the obvious initial hit, this remix of Flosstradamus' "Rollup" for Fool's Gold's Clubhouse Vol. 2 compilation crept out not too long afterwards, and showed that it was no fluke. A humungous bass boom erupts from the speakers once this one gets going, and paired with Baauer's use of the "rollup" vocal plays well atop the heavyweight low-end. Outside that wall of sound, he still manages to make this one snap your neck. Truly a thing of trap beauty.

Nero - "Won't You (Be There) (Baauer Remix)"

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For one of the biggest trap remixes to be featured on a UK single, Baauer took the signature, ethereal wail from Nero's Alana Watson on "Won't You (Be There)" and twisted it around this trap workout. The original is an epic piece of dubstep, and the way Baauer flexed his 808 muscle on the remix keeps the original's intensity in tact.

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