The Fig Media DJs and team share their top songs of 2023.
WRITTEN BY BRENT ROLLAND
As we wrap up a very busy year of spinning, laughing, hand-raising-and-waving, and dance floor rocking, I wanted to bring the Fig Media team—our founders, my DJs, and our overseas colleague Mukta—to share their top songs of 2023. Some of the songs that me and my fellow Figgies chose are ones we played at events, while some are meaningful tracks we absolutely adore. We hope you’ll adore them as well in this musical year-in-review.
(Spoiler alert: You’ll get a link to a Spotify list of all the songs at the end.)
“Awungilobolele” | Udokotela Shange Namajaha
“It has the most staying power for me—I’ve listened to it since I discovered it in college working at Pennylane Records in Kansas City. The joy in the rhythms, the feeling it evokes, and come on—it has chickens! Makes me think of the farm I grew up on and that music is a part of life as well as a celebration.”
“Bang Bang” | Fedde Le Grand & 22Bullets
“This song reminds me of the expatriate culture where I grew up in the Far East, specifically Japan and Hong Kong. At least once in Okinawa my father and I sat and watched B-52s take off to bomb North Vietnam. For me “Bang Bang” conjures the pain, angst, and drama of the Vietnam War. This remix accelerates the message and pierces my belly and heart in a way that makes me move and groove. It’s healing in a way. Sad happy it helps me feel!”
"adore u" | Fred again... feat. Obongjayar
“Fred Again is making amazing club hits, and this is a song that is transferable to the wedding dance floor. The lyrics beam with love and it’s an uplighting tribute that serves as a reminder to appreciate life’s connections. “
“I was introduced to this DJ from Hong Kong via sets streamed on YouTube during the pandemic—and learned that she was traveling to Chicago regularly to produce an album with local musician Angel Melendez. I've had the pleasure of doing some vinyl sets with her, and this track pays homage to the sounds of Hong Kong- starting relaxed and then really ramps up. Got to break this one in Chicago days after it came out!”
“Coolin” | Jacob Banks, Adekunle Gold, Samm Henshaw
“It’s definitely not a high energy song, which is great for me because before and after playing sets, I usually try to relax. I love the instrumentation and the harmonies I hear. It’s definitely on my most played for the year!”
“My song of 2023 is Colorado by Renee Rapp. It's a fun and dance-y pop track which is my favorite type of music but I also think that the lyrics are super relatable. I have spent more time than I care to admit thinking that picking up and moving somewhere different would just solve all my problems. It's nice knowing that I'm not alone in feeling that way!”
“Summer In New York” | Sofi Tukker
“A new dance floor jam. With elements taken from the classic ‘Tom’s Diner.’ This track speeds things up a bit and adds some sunshine vibes. We get virtual tour of NYC including some hidden spots. The video actually features the restaurant where “Tom’s Dinner” was written. It’s also the dinner featured in ‘Seinfeld.’”
“One Kiss” | Calvin Harris, Dua Lipa
“My pick would have to go to Calvin Harris ft. Dua Lipa’s “One Kiss.” One, because it’s an amazing song and one of my personal favorites, but also because it’s such a feel-good song and can be used in multiple settings. For me, this song (and also Calvin Harris) has made it easier to introduce a little more house/dance music into settings that may not be so familiar.”
“This is my pick at the moment! I love hype music and this track brought together 2 of my favorite genres: House and dubstep! This track has been dropped in a bunch of my sets recently and to see the reaction from the crowd on the switch-up is such an amazing feeling!”
“Expressing What Matters” | Disclosure
I’m a huge fan of “Lowdown” by Boz Scaggs, and Disclosure beautifully and faithfully samples and uses this funk-soul hit with a driving, popping groove that I can’t help but to jam to. I’ve played this at multiple events to set the tone, and I love how much I never get tired of playing it.
And there you have it! Our year in review. I said there would be a playlist…we got you. Stream and share all of Fig’s ‘23 picks here.
And, reach out to us anytime to discuss how we can make your event shine with the best soundtrack possible.
We can’t wait to see you in 2024, with music abound.