Monstercat‘s revolutionary compilation albums have become something for every electronic music-lover, producer, and DJ to look forward to. Full of the latest trends in nearly every genre with contributions by some of the biggest names in the game, each and every album has served to seriously impress.
This, however, has been claimed by many to rival the best of the compilation series; and every ounce of praise for 017 is well deserved. With a monstrous single from Pegboard Nerds, two from Rootkit, the 16 year old drumstep phenom, a chart-topping collaboration from Varien and Sirensceol, the incredible premiere of Trivecta, and many more, it is obvious why this particular compilation has been so well-received.
Without further ado, here are my personal highlights from the compilation: 
Grant Bowtie – Reach
Choosing the beginning of any compilation, mix, or set, is one of the most difficult things. How can you properly begin a 30 track journey with enough energy to garner interest yet maintain the correct opening vibe? Grant Bowtie; that’s how. The high school attending Californian prodigy brings his future bass vibes in an uplifting and upbeat melodic track to provide the perfect opener to the perfect compilation: Reach.
Aero Chord – Surface
Aero Chord has established his sound better than any other trap producer out there, in my honest opinion, while still retaining extremely original and unique production in everything he puts out. Surface is no different. A big cinematic opening and unique instrumentation builds along with the bass-line into an alien future-trap drop that is so unique, it makes my head hurt.
Pegboard Nerds Ft. Elizaveta – Hero
Red-tail hawk samples, an epic cinematic-influenced introduction, and a hard dance drop prove once again why Pegboard Nerds are one of the best bass music acts in existence. Their edgy Monstercat releases impress time and time again as they continue to break down genre boundaries that we never thought possible.
Tristam & Braken – Frame of Mind
Drum and bass gold. I am not one to favor and dnb tracks but Tristam always does it right, and this time in collaboration with Braken in Frame of Mind the vocals mesh perfectly with the rave-favorite genre. Beautiful lyrics that speak to the soul is what makes this such a fantastic contribution to this compilation album.
Trivecta Ft. Yohamna Solange – One Night Only
Skipping a few tracks, the next that immediately grabs my attention is Trivecta‘s freshman release One Night Only featuring the graceful vocals of Yohamna Solange. This liquid drumstep track features incredibly manipulated vocals, with chops and unique vibrato added to this intricately assembled track. A guitar solo only adds to the magic that is Trivecta. Be sure to keep tuned to Monstercat for his future releases, as they’re sure to be something special.
Haywyre – The Schism
Haywyre is a glitch-hop god and this, The Schism, is no exception. Impeccable production accompany a chilled-out glitch vibe that is unmistakably a product of Haywyre , and I just can’t get enough of this one. Snare rolls and simple melodies gradually change into ascending bass-lines which, in turn, fall into a head-bobbing complex dance drop that will surely get your feet moving.
Case & Point Ft. Gamble & Burke – All On Me
Easily one of my favorites from the Bostonian duo, All On Me is the Monstercat fueled reunion with the talented Gamble & Burke that we’ve all been waiting for. Electro-house drops are built into haunting melodic breakdowns and mystically layered vocals to create an unbelievable progression from beginning to end. This is some of the best electro I’ve heard in a long time.
Rootkit – Do It
I’ve never heard of Rootkit before, but upon some digging I discovered that he’s a 16 year old prodigy that is unfortunately unknown in the scene. Monstercat made a great choice scooping up this talent. In Do It, he takes drumstep to a whole ‘nother level with chill vocal samples and accompanying chops that meld perfectly with the prevalent melodic breaks. The killer portion of this track comes at 3 minutes with a last-second resurgent drop that tears at your heart-strings. Be sure to pick this one up if you’re only selecting the highlights from this album.
Tut Tut Child – Drink Up
Drink up, everyone, and get ready for some funky-fied throw back glitch-hop that will tear apart the dance floor. Saxophone, trumpet melodies, and super unique instrumentation fuel this nearly four minute banger. It’s absolutely crazy, with clashing instrumentation and brilliant synthesis everywhere, and I can’t wait to hear more from Tut Tut Child.
Varien and SirensCeol Ft. Aloma Steele – Moonlight
To say this is my favorite of the 30 track collaboration is an understatement. After reaching number one on Beatport dubstep charts in a scant amount of days, this collaboration between two of the best electronic composers in the game can certainly be claimed to be an absolute hit. Aloma Steele‘s incredible and uplifting vocals are so fitting, it’s almost unreal. Light and airy bells lead into hard hitting wubs that gradually ascend into epic drops fit for a movie score. Dubstep gold that even includes a time change around the two and a half minute mark proves just how excellent the production in this track is. Just… Wow.
Support on iTunes: monster.cat/017iTunes
Support on Bandcamp: monster.cat/017Bandcamp
Support on Amazon: monster.cat/017Amazon
Support on Google Play: monster.cat/017GooglePlay
If you prefer to pick up individual tracks, follow the Soundcloud links above for Beatport purchase.
