Top Electronic Music Albums (1960's to present)

Electronic music is one of my passions in life thanks to the Hartnoll Brothers (Orbital). They are the ones that stopped me in my tracks almost 20 years ago and started my love for electronic music. Since the early 90s, I have continuously searched...

american-bloke asked: Hi, I'm really into electronic music as well. The historical evolution of many genres, I would say. I have a radio show at my school, my concept being the evolution of genres. My first of the year is this Sunday and I am starting with the electronic genre. Your blog came up as a good place to learn about more artists from the past. Thanks for being passionate.

That’s awesome. So glad to hear that. If you need any help or recommendations or anything, let me know! Music is my life.

TechMo

My Top Electronic Albums (As of 4/8/14):

1. DJ Shadow  -  Endtroducing…         

Year:  1996

Electronic Genre:  Abstract Hip-Hop

Country of Origin:  USA

My Rating:  5.0 (Perfect album)

Review (by darktremor): “Nothing on this album is original, the entire thing is made up of samples of other artists, and you’d never know it from listening.  This is now a cliché, but not when Endtroducing came out: people had sampled before (lots), but for the most part (EDIT: there are a couple of very rare, forgotten, and essentially lost albums made entirely of samples. I haven’t heard them, but it seems fairly unlikely that they’re very good anyway) no one had ever been able to make an entire album without doing something themselves. Not until Endtroducing.

But don’t let the process fool you: this would be a perfect album no matter how it was made. Jazzy beauty oozes out of every note (Does the word “note” even mean anything anymore?): DJ Shadow plays his turntables like a hip-hop Miles Davis. You can’t even tell it’s a technical masterpiece, this is pure (the only?) jazz-hop genius. It’s the perfect soundtrack to a 20th century post-modern poetry reading in a poorly lit cafe on a cold, rainy night. Only, you listen to the music instead of the poetry. But still, like all great electronic music, it has its own feel, its own personal emotional core that no other album has ever captured, that can never really be described. While there are other perfect soundtracks to 20th century post-modern poetry readings in poorly lit cafes on cold, rainy nights, there are none that feel quite like this (and none that are nearly as good). Hell, if I ran 20th century post-modern poetry readings in poorly lit cafes on cold, rainy nights, this would be the soundtrack every single time.” 

For more info, refer to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endtroducing.

2. Aglaia  -  Three Organic Experiences

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Ambient

Country of Origin:  Italy

My Rating:  5.0 (Perfect album)

Background/Review (by darktremor): “This is probably the most underrated album of all time. No one anywhere knows this album exists, but that’s really the world’s loss.  But, I’m not going to rage at horrible marketing that would just overshadow a perfect album. 

This is THE BEST ambient album ever created. I have listened to it more times than any other, it’s better than Biosphere, better than Aphex Twin; it’s even better than Brian Eno. It combines all the ambience of everything previously mentioned, with a mystical, ancient sound, slowly coalescing in and out of organic drones (if that’s even possible). Listening to 3 Organic Experiences is like exploring a mythical version of Earth before humans came into existence. The first part brings you under the sea, the second onto land, and the third into the Arctic, and eventually, the sky. And you see (and hear) everything you would expect in a world just ending its Goddess-driven creation.”

3. Orbital  -  In Sides

Year:  1996

Electronic Genre:  Breakbeat (Leftfield/IDM)

Country of Origin:  UK

My Rating:  5.0 (Perfect album)

Background/Review (Stylus Magazine): “For better or worse, we here at Stylus, in all of our autocratic consumer-crit greed, are slaves to timeliness. A record over six months old is often discarded, deemed too old for publication, a relic in the internet age. That’s why each week, one writer takes a look at an album with the benefit of time. Whether it has been unjustly ignored, unfairly lauded, or misunderstood in some fundamental way, we aim with On Second Thought to provide a fresh look at albums that need it.

Where were Orbital in 1996? That was the year that big beat exploded in the US, cemented by the premiere of the AMP TV show on MTV and breakthrough singles by The Chemical Brothers and The Prodigy, whose “Setting Sun” and “Firestarter” videos could be seen playing in heavy rotation next to, say, Dave Matthews Band’s “Crash Into Me” or Metallica’s “King Nothing”. MTV was not so kind to Orbital—although their stunning video for “The Box” was played a couple of times, their breakthrough to the US was significantly smaller in scale than that of The Chemical Brothers or The Prodigy, or in the next year, Daft Punk and Fatboy Slim. That’s because while everyone else was concerned with block rockin’ beats and going out of their head, Orbital had been busy with their masterpiece of elegance and frailty. In Sides shimmers like no other album in history, delicate but staggering, in a way so transcendental that it makes the rest of the AMP generation seem clumsy and foolish by comparison. And there was no way in hell they were going to be rewarded with too much commercial success for that.

Orbital started out in the early 90s, more or less, as a straight dance act. Their first album (known as either Orbital 1 or The Green Album) contained a number of fabulous dance songs, but not too much more—the songs were relatively lightweight and the album worked only as a singles collection of sorts. Out of this period, however, came two unmistakable highlights that proved Orbital’s potential to be something far, far greater.

The first of the two was “Chime.” Their 1989 debut single, it was infamously recorded on extraordinarily cheap equipment at a cost of less than 100 pounds, but managed to hit the UK top 20 all the same, and become one of the defining singles of the era. Quite possibly the most euphoric dance song since New Order’s “Temptation,” “Chime” was absolutely stunning, with a chugging beat that suggested but did not insist upon dancefloor participation, a fairly ingenious sample lifted from Joey Beltram’s “Energy Flash,” and what is, simply, the greatest hook in all of electronic music. The techno equivalent of George Harrison’s “Day Tripper” riff, whose influence can be heard on future dance classics ranging from Underworld’s “Rez” to Darude’s “Sandstorm,” the “Chime” hook is like the ringtone to the cell phone of the gods, with a gorgeous shimmering effect (key word, if you hadn’t noticed) that could be heard all throughout Orbital’s future work.

However, “Belfast” was even better, and would be a much better touchstone for later Orbital, most notably In Sides. “Belfast” maintains a fairly steady, catchy beat, but is in no way a dance song. Even ignoring the end section with the gradually decreasing BPM, I don’t think I could dance to this song if I wanted to, halfway through I’d probably slow to a stop and just start crying. Electronic music might’ve tried to be emotional before this, but comparing this song to most early dance classics would be like, continuing the Beatles metaphor, comparing “A Day in the Life” to “Please Please Me”. Rockists complaining about the lack of humanity in electronic music need to listen to this song right now—the emotional gravity of “Belfast” can not possibly be properly expressed.

From there, Orbital’s albums just kept on getting better, through their great but heavily overrated so-called “defining moment” Brown album, a.k.a. Orbital 2 (with the great but heavily overrated so-called “defining single” “Halcyon + On + On”) and the quirky, misunderstood, far underrated Snivilisation (with In Sides-predicting lead single “Are We Here?,” one of the best 15-minute three-movement electronic symphonies about evolutionary theory to ever hit the UK top 30). Unlike with “Chime” and “Belfast” on Orbital 1, with these albums, the highlights kept getting toned down until eventually on In Sides, there were no obvious highs and lows.

In Sides starts with “The Girl With the Sun in Her Head,” a protest song (about the death of friend Sally Harding) with no words, recorded using only solar power. Can you tell that the song is about Sally Harding without reading the liner notes? No. Can you hear the power of the sun at play in “The Girl With the Sun in Her Head?” Yes. It is a gorgeous, triumphant head to In Sides that guarantees with its gentle, paintbrush strokes of heavenly electronics that Orbital have not taken the easy way out with this album. Just like Snivilisation’s “Forever” was bound to confound listeners expecting Orbital’s “jungle album,” “The Girl With the Sun in Her Head” clearly stated that Orbital had not succumbed to the increasingly powerful big beat juggernaut.

Not to say that In Sides is all soft, however. “P.E.T.R.O.L.” is as hard as Orbital gets, with a hook that puts you in the middle of the Indy 500 and beats so frenetic that it’s no surprise the song was included on the soundtrack to Pi, possibly the most paranoid movie of the 90s. The tension created from this blowout of a song is carried over into what is probably the album’s centerpiece, “The Box.” Thankfully (oh god, so thankfully) pared down from its unbelievably excessive and undeniably putrid 28-minute single version, “The Box” is nonetheless stretched out over two tracks, the second part being the single from In Sides.

Having a single pulled from In Sides was inevitable, and “The Box, Pt. 2” is a fairly worthy choice. The video for “The Box” even made the rounds a bit in late ’96, a brilliant video which properly complements the fear and confusion of the song (MONSTERS EXIST appearing on the TV in the display window being one of the most startling images ever to make daytime MTV). But ultimately, pulling an individual single from this album made as much sense as pulling “I Believe in You” from Spirit of Eden, and the U.S. success of “The Box” was limited. It makes for a wonderful centerpiece to In Sides, however, and complemented by the silently creepy “Pt. 1,” remains one of Orbital’s most memorable moments.

There, through “Dwr Bdwr,” the In Sides track most closely resembling early Orbital (especially “Halcyon + On + On,” with its hovering, wordless female vocals) and the buildup track “Adnan-S,” and we get to the album’s grande finale, “Out There Somehwere?.” The song attempts to musically explain the mystery and grandeur of the universe in 25 minutes or less, and comes scarily close to doing so. The song (more of a piece than a song, actually) leaves In Sides open-ended, celebrating the possibilities of the world, whereas the album’s opener was a funeral for a friend.

Although In Sides was not the mainstream breakthrough that some of Orbital’s peers achieved in 1996 and 1997, it did not go unnoticed. In Sides broke through in a different way, being covered in alternative publications as well as dance publications, becoming many a rock fan’s introduction to electronic music. And although it is still Orbital 2 that is somehow claimed to be Orbital’s masterpiece, it is unlikely that it will hold up a quarter as well as In Sides will in the future—In Sides is a timeless classic, miles above the curve in 1996.”

4. Steve Reich  -  Music for 18 Musicians

Year:  1978

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimalism)

Country of Origin:  USA

My Rating:  5.0 (Perfect album)

Background/Review (by darktremor): “Music for 18 Musicians is not even electronic, not in the slightest. However, the structure of most electronic music, the audio world most of the mega-genre resides in was perfected here. You see, there was a genre of music created in the 60’s called “minimalism.” Traditional composers had long exhausted the “classical” sound, and were now all using a style called “serialism.” The purpose of this “music” was to control every aspect of the sound to the point that any two playings of the composition would be exactly the same. The result? Compositions that became a) unbelievably difficult to play; b) Almost completely soulless; and c) Impossible to enjoy without mathematically analyzing the musical structure. For everyone who likes the feeling of being trapped in a burning iron maiden, try some 50’s Stockhausen, and you’ll understand serialism really quick.

So, since no one actually liked serialism, a bunch of composers decided to rebel against it and reject everything serialism stood for in one of the 20th century’s great strokes of artistic genius: minimalism. Why not make simple music that is almost completely based on chance? And predictably, the results were beautiful, alive, and permanently kicked out of the artistic community. Oh modernist pretension, where would we be without you?

Anyways, yeah, that’s minimalism. Repetitive, rhythmic, almost danceable, melodic, tuneful, atmospheric, organic, and accessible, but still intelligent and open to analysis. This music was almost totally based on slowly shifting repetition, which was often purposely generated by pure chance (i.e.: Terry Riley’s In C was made by telling a bunch of musicians to play their parts “at their own pace,” and by only playing what they felt like.). Music for 18 Musicians wasn’t the first minimalist piece (Music for 18 Musicians is the first minimalist piece in the same way that the Andromeda Galaxy is the first thing you’ll find outside of New York), but it was probably the very best of the style. Gorgeous, catchy, ever-shifting melodies, and a light and lovely atmosphere made up of an amorphous wall (Great Wall of China, really) of the prettiest traditional instruments. And it never gets tiring: there are days when I want to mix the first and last track on this album together and listen to this album on repeat. It’s like an infinite song, and since it loops back on itself (the end IS the beginning), it’s seems like that’s what Reich wanted you to think when he made it.”

5. Manuel Göttsching  -  E2-E4

Year:  1981

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimalism/Trance)

Country of Origin:  Germany

My Rating:  5.0 (Perfect album)

Background/Review (by darktremor):  “The instant E2-E4 hit the shelves, trance and techno existed. While this did not have acid, or breakdowns, or even the TR-909, the atmosphere and groove of the styles were birthed right here: 4 years before anyone else thought of it. 

Surprisingly, this is all managed with a single 59-minute track, with a single melodic center. Unlike other epic 59 minute albums, or any later trance or techno music, for that matter, with plenty of songs and changes, this is all managed in one track, with just one main melody (although with plenty of variations), without ever growing tiring. It never feels like Göttsching is trying as hard as he can to fill the 59 minutes, it’s more like he simply wanted breathing room to let all of his ideas slowly develop out of each other: as if he wanted to let the music blossom at its own pace from his initial seed of silence, in the same way as 70’s minimalism. In fact, it was almost as if Göttsching simply took minimalism, and made it groove-oriented. I’d even go so far as to say that this is the missing link (and it is missing: E2-E4 is all but forgotten) between modern EDM and 60’s/70’s minimalism.

And all that without MIDI. (In other words, if Göttsching played the first 57 minutes of E2-E4, then fucked up on the last bar, he’d have to go back and replay the entire first 57 minutes again. No wonder electronic music took so long to catch on).”

6. Sasha & John Digweed  -  Northern Exposure (Disc 1)

Year:  1996

Electronic Genre:  Ambient Trance (Progressive House)

Country of Origin:  UK

My Rating:  5.00 (Perfect album)

Review (by darktremor): “A DJ mix CD is supposed to be a musical journey, perfectly showcasing the DJs talent along with an immaculately chosen flow of music. However, until 1995, with the release of this masterpiece, the vast majority of DJs simply threw their favorite tracks together on a CD with minimal mixing, the theory being that no set of CDs would ever really capture the feeling of being at a rave or party. All of that changed with Northern Exposure. The modern ideal was born (then later forgotten. Oh anthem trance). Northern Exposure is to artistic DJ mixes what sex is to children: totally impossible and nonexistent without it (and better than anything that results after it). Northern Exposure was the first, and it’s never been topped (and never will be).

For people who don’t care about process, you’ve got a single-track ambient trance masterpiece on your hands. I mean it: the tracks fit together so exactly that it almost seems they were written to be together. There is a gradual feel of build from the beginning of CD 1 to the end of CD 2: beginning with The Orb’s float tank ambient, ending with Underworld’s stratospheric trance anthem “Dark Train,” the built is so subtle it can’t even be noticed, yet lacking the monotonous flat line of other DJs managing similar effect: it’s dynamic and alive. Listening to this mix is like watching someone take pieces out of 40 different jigsaw puzzles and put them together (unmodified) to make a completely different picture that is not only infinitely more beautiful than the originals, but contains no seams between the pieces. This mix is the reason why Sasha and Digweed are the only DJs on the top 10 that are worthy of their position. This is the musical personification of balance.”

7. Spicelab (aka Oliver Lieb)  -  A Day On Our Planet           

Year:  1994

Electronic Genre:  Ambient Trance

Country of Origin:  Germany

My Rating:  5.0 (Perfect album)

Background/Review (from amazon.com): “There’s no word to describe this masterpiece. It’s not very known all around because is mainly techno music composed in early techno years, and distributed on the label called Hardhouse from Frankfurt (Germany). This album is made by Oliver Lieb, a techno guru very well-known under L.S.G. project. He’s one of the most talented musicians of all times.

The CD was probably inspired by Frank Herbert SF book DUNE. It has only 4 tracks, each 16 min long. Mr. Lieb makes his music in J.S. Bach and J.M. Jarre style (multiple polyphonic layers & special electronic effects) with a lot of rhythm and nice melodies.

The first track called “Falling” starts as a descent in the dark underspace and transforms itself in beautiful melody which will bring you to the voyage in the bright light of very large space. You can imagine yourself being part of giant cosmic space. There’s a lot of effects, strange sounds, floating mini-melodies and 144 BMP rhythm will keep you “strength”.

The second voyage starts in the middle of chemistry lab. Everything is bubbling, there’s a circulation of liquids in tubes and weird E.T. scientists are preparing a “substance”. After 6 min of painful work finally “We got spice” (that’s the name of the track). As you can imagine, the moment is very special! A sweat melody comes out with dance rhythm which will keep you running for longtime. You are in the middle of melodic landscape, which inspires a wisdom and hope.

The third voyage is a kind of music which would be done by some extraterrestrial species while they are performing tam-tam party around the nitrogen acid. It will serve them to cook you for a tasty dinner. You feel the presence of danger; you feel the power and lot of uncontrollable energies are erupting everywhere. It’s totally freaky. When the rhythm starts you are engaged in frenetic fight. Then everything stops and changes to something very abstract, very far… It may be a memory of something lost, a memory of yourself? You get a new perspective about life after hearing this. When the rhythms come back, you are totally shocked and reset.

Finally, the voyage will end with the fourth track which is the most rhythmic. You take part in a funny place called “planet spice”. To listen this track you should turn your stereo to the maximum volume, because you’ll go to the techno voyage with a big powerful machine.
The idea behind the whole album is spiritual voyage that you can realize with “spice”. The spice may be considered as an “amplifier of emotions”. The one may think (like I do) that “spice” is a chemical substance which people are used to take on techno parties. Our parents were using a lot of those during ‘70 when they was listening “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”. However, you do not need “those nasty things” to enjoy this CD.

A “Day on our planet” is a brilliant masterpiece! Comparing to this work, the whole production of electronic music from '70 and '80 may be considered as a prehistoric age of electronics. After listening to this CD I have impression that guys like Jarre, Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk etc. were actually lacking the imagination and were just “using their electronic machines” to “make music”. But not yet “to compose”.

I’ve bought this CD in 95 and we are now in 2007. This is still my favorite CD. After 13 years of techno music, and 30 years of electronic music, this is still and definitely THE VERY BEST ELECTRONIC CD MADE ON THIS PLANET.  I hope that Mr. Oliver Lieb will go back to “Spicelab” project very soon. We need a lot more stuff like this on this planet.”

8. Global Communication  -  Pentamerous Metamorphosis               

Year:  1998

Electronic Genre:  Ambient Dance

Country of Origin:  UK

My Rating:  5.0 (Perfect album)

Review (from amazon.com): “I stumbled upon Pentamerous Metamorphosis kind of by accident. Back in the early 90’s I was a huge fan of Mark Pritchard’s Reload album “A Collection Of Short Stories” (which I highly recommend), and I realized that he and Tom Middleton were given a crack at remixing Chapterhouse’s “Blood Music” album. Being a bit pedestrian about Chapterhouse I figured it couldn’t kill me to check out this “remix” album. After all, it was, and still is, quite rare to let one act remix an entire album by themselves. I made sure to listen to the Chapterhouse original first as I love to compare and contrast the differences and similarities in the re-productions and ideas of remixers. I thought it was pretty good as shoe-gazing albums went, and I was pretty pleased with it in general. I flipped the case over to listen to disc 2 of the Global Communication remixes hoping to hear something that would do the originals justice. What I heard completely changed me forever. I know that may sound corny, but it’s the raw truth.

“Pentamerous Metamorphosis” is one of the most emotional and stunning pieces of music I have ever heard in any genre. Forget the tags “ambient” and “electronic” and “dance” and whatever else you associate with your electronic music collection. This album comes from a distant planet that has not yet been discovered. Since I bought this album in 1993, I have listened to it on a regular basis, month in and month out, for 16 years. It’s resonance and power cannot be understated in the least. It has become a watershed event in the world of electronic music which is understandable as it’s one of those albums that slipped out of people’s radar due to its odd pairing with a band like Chapterhouse who sounded nothing like it. Listening to this album helped me realize that instrumental electronic music could be every bit as warm and emotional and striking as a Clash record, for instance. The love and care that Pritchard and Middleton put into this effort is hard to describe in words as it transcends most genres. I guess “ambient” is the easiest tag to give this LP, but when you hear other “ambient” acts like Brian Eno or the Orb you realize that this album takes that idea to the next level, whatever that level is. It’s an indescribable level, really.


Though there are only five tracks on this album, it lasts for an hour, and all the tracks flow seamlessly into one another. And after 16 years of listening, I am still hard-pressed to hear any similarities to the original material these mixes supposedly stem from. The opener, a 16 minute-plus juggernaut entitled “Alpha Phase”, warbles out of the ether to offer nothing more than a slight echo and faint pulse. Five minutes later the pounding drum and throbbing bass-line build into epic proportions as the melody takes its sweet time to intertwine itself with the rest. Ambient? Hardly.

To start an album with a 16 minute gem like this is risky, but the four tracks that follow help us realize that these five tracks cannot survive without the other. This is a complete experience meant to be heard in its entirety. The album ebbs and flows, passing through you, never wasting a single moment, before it quietly exits as gracefully as it entered. You’ll be left dumbfounded at how an hour can pass by so quickly.

As you can tell, I am very passionate about this album. I have listened to this so much that I have a copy on vinyl and a copy on CD. As you can see from the present prices for this LP it is a much sought after gem. It is worth it. It sounds silly, but if you have a spare 100 dollars I would buy this without hesitation. Pritchard and Middleton are in talks to get this re-released, but who knows if it will ever happen. In case it doesn’t you may want to collect it now before the prices get higher in the future.
Right now, in December, 2009, “Pentamerous Metamorphosis” has lost none of its power. In fact, the more time passes, the more one realizes how special a moment I had when I heard it fresh and new, right out of its box. I didn’t realize that it wouldn’t be bested for 16 years, and probably never will be. Listening to it is simply one of the best experiences I have.”

9. Orbital  -  Snivilization

Year:  1994

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Leftfield/Downtempo)

Country of Origin:  UK

My Rating:  4.90

Review (from amazon.com): “In 1998 I purchased Snivilization, In Sides, and a handful of other seminal electronica albums, little knowing that I would spend the next five years searching for a musical experience as fulfilling as Orbital’s best work. The more time I spent scanning the electronica landscape, the easier it became to convince myself that the sonic experiments of Autechre, Aphex Twin, et al. amounted to satisfying listening. “Glitch Hop;” “Drill 'n Bass”: as with any genre, the more precise and fiercely territorial the sub-genre, the more sterile and academic the music. Everything is cerebral, everything has a “point.” Texture trumps melody, technique trumps emotion. Every recommendation must come with a qualification - eg., “If you can tolerate the sounds of children’s nightmares, or automobile parts being fed into a psychotic drum-machine chipper, then you might like…” This may sound overly critical, and I do love the aforementioned artists, in all their prickly glory. But it is possible to have too much of a good thing. So I pulled out Snivilization again, only to be reminded anew of how stunning it is, and how it makes most of the work by others in the field seem puerile by comparison.

This is truly a masterpiece, flaws and all. Though In Sides is a more perfect work, Snivilization is arguably more ambitious: it contains multitudes. Stunningly emotional, fiercely political, sweeping, intimate, grandiose, mystical, quirky. Most of all, effortlessly confident. Listening to this album reminds me of watching an actor on the verge of stardom in his breakthrough film role. Somehow it captures that startled, injured innocence, the reaction of pure artistry when confronted with the ambiguities, complexities, and harshness of the world for the first time. I know I’m waxing a bit eloquent here, but there really is a reason so many people find Snivilization and In Sides so cathartic. In these two albums, I believe the Hartnolls set out very deliberately to catalogue the insecurities of the modern era, and then propose a transcendent musical solution that is remarkably free of New-Age self-importance. If you have any ear for electronic music, you simply must listen to these albums. (Unfortunately, the Bros. seriously lost the plot on their subsequent releases.)

About the music. I can’t really improve on what others have said, and the album is so multifaceted that any analysis probably says more about the listener’s mood at the time than anything else. After many, many listenings, I will say that Kein Trink Wasser has emerged as a surprise favorite. There is something about this track that epitomizes the appeal of Orbital for me. It begins with what sounds like an attention-starved child banging on the same piano key over and over again, then almost imperceptibly other piano melodies are introduced and begin to interplay and weave around the simplistic core. What was initially annoying is suddenly startlingly poignant. Just as the listener begins to surrender and drift along with the music, the piano stops. Again an incongruous element is introduced; instead of the annoying piano we hear a cheesy 80’s sounding drumbeat. Not very promising. But the music continues, more layers are added, until suddenly the piano is reintroduced and everything comes together in such a masterful way that I am floored every time. This is what separates Orbital from most other electronic artists: their music is always full of wonderful surprises, but rarely sadistic. The ultimate goal is always to provide solace and transcendence to the listener.

The album is perfectly bookended by two magnificent opening tracks - Forever and I Wish I Had Duck Feet - and two stunning closing tracks - Are We Here? and Attached. But I won’t describe them, you’ll have to listen to them yourself.”

10. Orbital  -  Brown Album

Year:  1992

Electronic Genre:  Techno

Country of Origin:  UK

My Rating:  4.88

Review (from amazon.com): “Back in 1993, when today’s legendary second Orbital album named the “Brown Album” came out, it was an album with something unheard of at the time, it was a masterpiece that started a revolution. Although it’s in the same vein as their first “Yellow/Green” CD, it has a very different, more complex structure.

It starts with “TIME BECOMES” a sample borrowed from Star Trek, a vocal sample spoken by Worf which goes: “there is the theory of the Moebius, a twist in the fabric of space, where time becomes a loop…where time becomes a loop” and on and on and on, almost 2 minutes of non - stop hilarious mixture of sounds ( Orbitals’s humorous side, which is much more noticeable on “Snivilization”, as there are more vocal samples).

…“even a stopped clock gives the right time twice a day”…
starts “PLANET OF THE SHAPES”. Slow, loops up and down, left and right, and suddenly explodes into a 10 minute harsh and at moments beautiful ambient melody. “PLANET OF THE SHAPES” fades out slowly, the same way it started…

…“even a stopped clock gives the right time twice a day”…
and then you’re off! “LUSH 3 -1” will come at you so fast you won’t know what hit you. And it gets even better! It stretches on to “LUSH 3 -2”. It’s calmer but it’s also more intense.
Unnoticeably it flows into another 10 minute delight, the chillingly dark and scary “IMPACT (The earth is burning)”. It’s really beautiful, one of the best tracks on the album.

“WALK NOW…” is more different than the last four tracks. It’s much calmer, and it’s probably the most danceable track on the whole album. It’s constantly followed with a buzz - like sound that flows in the background of the song making it really hypnotic.

“In - Sides” had the best for last, and the “Brown album does the same. "HALCYON + ON + ON” is a classic, one of Orbital’s all - time best songs, and one of the most favorite of all Orbital fans. Don’t get confused if you hear just too much about it, or seeing it on various soundtracks and compilations. It has that recognizable enchanting sound. You hear a piano playing over a keyboard layer with one of those beautiful smooth spaced out female vocals over a mid - tempo bass line. Another true electronic ballad from the true masters and innovators of progressive electronic music.

The album ends (“INPUT OUT”) the same way it started, Orbital (brothers Paul and Phil Hartnoll) having a laugh. It’s another vocal sample going round and round.

With this (and “In - Sides”), Orbital elevated electronic music to a higher level, and introduced many people to electronic music, and more importantly they pawed the way for many other electronic acts.
This is truly one of the best, most important and original electronic albums ever.”

11. Superpitcher  -  Kilimanjaro

Year:  2010

Electronic Genre: Tech House (Downtempo/Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.82

12. Autechre  -  Incunabula

Year:  1993

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Techno/Ambient)

Country of Origin:  UK

My Rating:  4.82

Review (www.sputnikmusic.com): Autechre’s debut Incunabula is seen in the eyes of many as a step forward in the electronic genre. Autechre’s debut varies in style ranging from hollow to benevolent within the music. Initially the first album brought out by Sean Booth and Rob Brown would actually join a catalogue from Warp Records entitled Artificial Intelligence. Its purpose? To show the change and immense capabilities in electronic music from 1992-1994. Although they’re known as the leaders of IDM, techno, and the electronic genre now, as unknowns Richard D. James, Autechre, The Orb, and Richie Hawtin are the few who contributed to this collection for their label Warp. There is no doubt that series has left an imprint on the minds of many for the generation only learning to love a relatively new genre. Obscure and unrelenting at times, IDM can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Incunabula is the testament of Autechre’s and a genre’s legacy, which is still going strong after 20 or so years.

It may be the reason from immense progress that so much of Incunabula feels linear in a way. Each direction of the music takes a turn for the better, even if it isn’t something new to the ear nowadays, it can be seen across the genre in the present time of Autechre’s vast influence. Although the style changes from classic electronic movements, ambient, and sometimes minimalistic techno Incunabula shows how important Autechre was for this movement. Incorporating all signs of experimentation within their debut there wasn’t much to go from there. “Kalpol Introl” remains to be their most popular and noticeable song on Incunabula; the album’s only single would later be featured on Darren Aronofosky’s modern masterpiece Pi. The serene, whirling, and calm “Kalpol Introl” is what electronic music was about at the time. Pure experimentation, these tracks as other electronic artists in the early 90’s are to thank for such an solid, exciting, and unusual approach. If anything Autechre’s debut signals the foretelling of a progressive genre; the very same year Aphex Twin’s minimalistic ambient techno affair Selected Ambient Works 85-92 would see great admiration from all. With each new artist, a new classic would be brought to the forefront.

The album plays a similar tune for lack of a better word. From “Kalpol Introl” the track “Bike” follows in its footsteps within the peaceful and humbling waves of electronic. The eeriness ensues within “Autriche”, but the overall feeling is not lost within the music. As I said the tune of the album is similar in stature, just different in tone, much of “Autriche” as well as Incunabula takes a moderate and gradual climb within each track, by either peeling and whisking away at the layers or adding a few more. “Basscadet” is where the energy starts to pick up, its hand drum intro with glitchy atmosphere is relevant as addictive in every sense of the term. Gradually building upon the initial beats “Basscadet” sets of in a dark journey in the mind of any IDM enthusiast. With each murmuring of “I have no idea what’s going on”, a layer is slowly put together to create 5 minute session of excitement. Although one of the shorter songs on Incunabula it remains one of the strongest. “Eggshell” may scrap the minimalistic techno beats from the former track “Basscadet”, but the subdued haunting atmosphere works even better. As the various twists and turns of ambient music skew towards waves of electronic benevolence a resounding and proper closer “444” takes Incunabula full circle. Summarizing the album from its beginnings towards it’s smooth end.

Incunabula can be seen in the eyes of many as a journey for beginning of a relatively new and exciting genre of electronic music. Each track takes on a different approach within its tone and atmosphere, from serene and peaceful, dark and menacing, to eerie and haunting all is here to love.

13. Shpongle  -  Ineffable Mysteries from Shpongleland

Year:  2009

Electronic Genre:  Trance (Experimental/Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.75

14. F.U.S.E. (aka Richie Hawtin)  -  Dimension Intrusion

Year:  1993

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Abstract/Ambient)

Country of Origin:  Canada

My Rating:  4.75

Review (from amazon.com): Dimension Intrusion is Richie Hawtin’s overlooked masterpiece. It’s a much more varied and warm selection of music than his later works as Plastikman or his more recent minimal releases for his own Minus label.

Although this edition is basically just a re-press, as opposed to a full on re-issue (I’ve seen it advertised as the “2009 edition” on some websites), it’s still a welcome opportunity to get hold of one of the quintessential Detroit techno LPs - even though it’s not, strictly speaking, from Detroit but from nearby Windsor, Ontario.

Sonically it’s probably closest to Underground Resistance, sharing their ability to switch between dark, home-made acid to more romantic chilled-out sounds. However, as NME’s Sherman alludes to in the sleeve notes (written in 1993 and retained for this edition) F.U.S.E. lacks UR’s “fear inducing” qualities.
Nevertheless, the album really does provide a perfect snapshot of early 90s Detroit techno - so little of which has, as of yet, been released digitally. As such it serves as an ideal point of entry to the genre, irrespective its aforementioned impure lineage.

15. Aphex Twin  -  Selected Ambient Works 85-92

Year:  1992

Electronic Genre:  Techno (IDM)

Country of Origin:  Ireland

My Rating:  4.77

Review (amazon.com): “Allow me to introduce you to Richard D. James (alias Aphex Twin, AFX, and a slew of other inscrutable pseudonyms), a charming bon vivant from Cornwall who is known today for his delightfully blithe eccentricity and iconoclasm. Before he played at clubs using sandpaper on the turntables instead of records, however, and before that hilariously bizarre “Come to Daddy” video, he made Selected Ambient Works 85-92, and by doing so basically singlehandedly created contemporary electronica.

I have no easy explanation for why Selected Ambient Works is as good as it is. Here’s what I’ve got it down to: this music is possessed of a remarkable spontaneity and unpretentiousness. The best talents always made their work seem like play, like it came effortlessly to them, without taking themselves seriously. The songs on this album are like that. They are marvelous in their simplicity. It’s as if Aphex Twin sat himself down and peeled off great song after great song with complete abandon. It’s the work of someone who simply loved making sounds - in fact, you can tell when you’re at a sound AFX liked particularly, since he tends to linger on his favourites and extend their playing time. That’s not a flaw. The sounds are so good that you’ll want to linger on them as well.

On this album, Aphex managed to take many a cliche of electronic music and give them all a completely original, unworldly quality. Most of the songs are built around groovy, but more or less conventional dance beats; however, they are bathed in soft feedback and melodies of unearthly beauty. The end result - the waltz-like “Xtal,” the exultant “Pulsewidth,” the eerie “Hedphelym,” the blissfully wincing “Ageispolis,” the flight above- and underground of “Green Calx,” and so on, and so on, and so on. Electronica is often accused of being emotionless, and more often than not rightly so, but Selected Ambient Works is anything but that. This is beautifully emotional music; it’s the music your subconscious plays in your sleep. It’s music that for all its simplicity has a richer vocabulary than language.

I find myself at a loss for words. I don’t want to use this as an opportunity to practice my adjectives; I only want to get you to purchase this record. Aphex Twin’s achievement was aped by many much-touted “electronic wizards,” most of whom fancy themselves musical geniuses because they can slap together a beat and a bassline on their computer in their parents’ basement, but of course bettered by none of them. James himself never did (though he came close in some later songs such as “On”). Then again, it might not even be possible.”

Also, refer to: http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/223-selected-ambient-works-85-92/?utm_campaign=search&utm_medium=site&utm_source=search-ac

16. Black Dog, The  -  Radio Scarecrow

Year:  2008

Electronic Genre:  Techno (IDM)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.73

17. Ulrich Schnauss  -  Far Away Trains Passing By

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Downtempo)

Country of Origin:  Germany

My Rating:  4.75

Review (BBC): “An office favorite around here for almost a month now, this new full length from Ulrich Schnauss hasn’t left our stereo pretty much since the day it arrived, and with good reason. Infusing the emotional intensity of classical compositions from J.S. Bach or Ludwig Van Beethoven with the electronic warmth of Richard James or Global Communication’s more ambient work, Ulrich Schnauss has created a bit of a minor masterpiece with this six track album of unprecedented beauty.

Hailing from Berlin, this 24 year old composer has been releasing a few records here and there over the past few years. Pushing out drum and bass under the names of Ethereal 77 and View To The Future, his output so far has been notable enough, but hindsight really can’t really prepare you for the lushness of this new release.

Simply put: Far Away Trains Passing By is elegant, simple and beautifully refined ambient techno. These melodies aim straight for the heart and capture it, embracing you in a dance of pure bliss that will have you spinning around the room like a whirling dervish.

One of the things that’s so immediate is that Schnauss’ creations ebb and flow without a single glitch or DSP effect in sight. The production here harkens back to the pre-glitch days of IDM or experimental electronica; a time when people composed tracks rather than simply tweaked them. Still - it would be folly to say that this is dancefloor friendly. The beats here are pretty thin on the ground, and while they offer just enough quantization and swing to give just the right amount of momentum, they simply pale in comparison to the lush orchestrations and tonality of the melodies. Schnauss it seems, it simply incapable of writing ugly songs.

Our German friend may not have the catchiest or trendiest of names, but rest assured, if the man keeps pumping out albums like this, he may very well be crowned king of the IDM scene in 2002. Quite frankly, this is one of the most stunningly beautiful releases of the year and now that I’ve finally got my review copy back from the greedy vultures here in the office, this baby is staying right where it belongs: In my office stereo.

If only more musicians would be doing stuff like this, the world would certainly seem a much brighter place. Without question, one of the most impressive releases we’ve heard in quite a while.”

18. Sasha & John Digweed  -  Northern Exposure (Disc 2)

Year:  1996

Electronic Genre:  Ambient Trance (Progressive House)

Country of Origin:  UK

My Rating:  4.73

Review: Refer to “Northern Exposure (Disc 1)” above.

19. Arc of Doves  -  Mille Plateaux

Year:  2010

Electronic Genre:  Dub Techno (Modern Classical/Ambient)

Country of Origin:  Japan

My Rating:  4.71

Review: I have yet to find one but I will say, it’s a difficult album to find (as only 50 copies were released) but well worth it if you can.

20. Amon Tobin  -  Bricolage

Year:  1997

Electronic Genre:  Drum n Bass (Breaks/Downtempo)

Country of Origin:  Brazil

My Rating:  4.64

Review (amazon.com): Rarely does an album come along that breaks new boundaries and pushes the envelope. The first time I heard this album I was for lack of a better word I was speechless. Truly beautiful textures and tones are only complimented by the hard breaks and innovative drum work. In reading some interviews I learned that this album was made with Qbase on an old mac and a sampler. The planning and time this must of took blows my mind. So many time in the recently developed and somewhat pretentious DJ scene, one must listen to album after album to find anything original and fresh. I was quite inspired to hear Amon Tobin’s album. Bricolage is evidence that music will still continue to evolve and progress as an art-form. The technology and talent equation sometime is often subtracted by hype and divided by ego. I am glad to see that a few individuals are still able to equate technology + talent to = music.

21. Shpongle  -  Are You Shpongled?

Year:  1998

Electronic Genre:  Tribal (Downtempo/Ambient)

Country of Origin:  UK

My Rating:  4.71

Review (amazon.com): “Honestly, I believe 'Are You Shpongled?’ is up there with Dark Side of the Moon and is one of greatest albums in my collection. I didn’t really get the music at first and as other reviewers have written it sounded weird and cartoonish, but once I got IT this album became PROFOUND. This is true psychedelic music where the auditory blends into both visual and tactile experience. As Simon and Raja Ram have commented, this is especially visual music where sounds evoke undulating colors and shapes. It is consciousness altering. From the beginning of Shpongle Falls you are transported away to a mysterious place where hypnotic synth textures seem hijack your brain waves, hooking you into a instant state of meditation. Each track constructs a sort of space with layered mandalas of evolving rhythms, colors and textures. There is even an element of animism to many tracks where different sounds seem to possess personalities and talk to one another in an alien musical language. 

Music like Shpongle functions in a way that goes beyond the forms we are most familiar with in pop, classical, jazz, etc. Like any new kind of music it takes a little time to learn its language.
I’ve owned this one for 4 years and it still amazes me.

22. Banco De Gaia  -  Last Train to Lhasa

Year:  1995

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Ambient/Downtempo)

Country of Origin:  UK

My Rating:  4.71

Review (amazon.com): “Envision a free Tibet.  Toby Marks is at it again! Another intriguing disk blending ethnic and techno into a mindspace of freedom and openness. Although I gave it a full five stars, I feel it really only deserves 4.5. The second disk lacks the powerful marriage of ethnic and modern sounds, and while satisfying, is not worthy of a full 5 points.

The first disk is an interesting meld of ethnic and electronic music. Disk two is mostly electronica. Both compel, and cannot easily be turned aside. I find that Banco de Gaia has blended a seductive mixture, which too often lures me away from my work and leaves me in a creative trance, communicating with the Kosmos.

Why “Last Train to Lhasa?” The liner notes say it well: “In 1950 China invaded Tibet, a country the size of Western Europe. The Tibetans have calculated that 1.2 million died as a result of the chinese take-over. In 1959 the Dalai Lama was forced to flee his home and now travels the world gathering support for his people. The biggest threat to Tibet today is the hundreds of thousands of Chinese moving in and squeezing the Tibetans out. In 1994 the Chinese government announced that it intends to build a railway across Tibet to ease the way for even more settlers.”

Imagine the *last* train to Lhasa. Imagine the Chinese leaving Tibet. This double CD set begins with railroad sounds blending into flowing synthesizer over a steady beat, reminiscent of a train clacketting along the rails, speeding over the steppes. Tibetan chanting voices fading in and out. Let the music carry you to a place where you envision the Chinese on that train. Leaving Tibet. Going home.

Track two, “Kuos,” continues the railroad motif. Exotic horns (reed instruments of some sort, maybe?)lay over the locomotive sounds, gradually percussion blends in, a wild mix of exotic sounds. The horns fade to synth work, with some electronic percussion as well. Finally, the Tibetan sounds return, with rhythmic chanting overlaying the exotic percussion.

China (clouds not mountains) opens with some esoteric harp music underlying a narrated fable of how persistent work will win out over an insurmountable obstacle. The feel to this track is very flowing. The synth holds the rhythm, while a Chinese sounding melody weaves through the song, synthesized to sound alternately like gongs, bowed- and then plucked-strings.

Amber, begins with windchimes, adds in some distant chanting, then pulls in very mid-eastern sounding rhythms and chanting. Some western orchestration accompanies this piece. Very compelling.

Kincajou begins with percussion. It’s a very techno number. Still, the ethnic feel is there. Distant chanting, which almost sounds Native American overlays the dance rhythm and synthesizers.

23. Burial  -  Untrue

Year:  2007

Electronic Genre:  Dubstep

Country of Origin:  UK

My Rating:  4.69

Pitchfork’s review: http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/10877-untrue/?utm_campaign=search&utm_medium=site&utm_source=search-ac

24. Global Communication  -  76:14

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre:  Ambient Dance

Country of Origin:  UK

My Rating:  4.67

Review (from amazon.com): Global Communication exemplifies skillful mastering of synthesizers, mixing, and intricate yet minimalistic melodies to create one of my favorite albums in my music collection. Hell, it’s worth buying this album just for “9:25” alone (one of the most genius tracks I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to!), but the entire album is superb in every way. While not as layered or bleepy or “glammy” (dare I say it) as The Orb, or as flat and filtered as Brian Eno, Global Communication pulls off their own unique interpretation of ambient music that ought to be used as the new prototype of what the genre itself ought to exemplify. Again, tracks like the dreamy “9:25”, the robotic “7:39”, and the temple-ish “4:14” have changed the way I understand music, and will probably do the same for you too.  Also, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/76:14

25. DJ Shadow  -  Preemptive Strike

Year:  1998

Electronic Genre:  Abstract Hip-Hop (Downtempo/Breaks)

Country of Origin:  USA

My Rating:  4.64

Review:  Enough with the arguments. Everyone knows what Shadow’s best tracks are. Some of them are on Entroducing. Some are on Preemptive Strike. A couple are on Private Press. He also did some real magic with James Lavelle on Psyence Fiction. And almost all of his best are on In Tune and On Time.

But if you look at In Tune and On Time, his live album, as a reflection of what Shadow is most proud of and what he is most “into” at the time, it seems pretty clear to me that he is 1) enamored with his recent work (Private Press), but 2) still sees his vision as a product of his early musical conceptions. It is these early musical conceptions (and some revamped ones) that you get with Preemptive Strike.

I am a huge Shadow fan and have been for a long time. blah, blah, … I was fortunate enough to see him perform the In Tune set live at Stubbs in Austin when he toured for the release of Private Press. Shadow is a showman extraordinaire and I was blown away. The amount of brilliance that went into his visuals and track order have seen few equals. I remember that he dropped the first track (Fixed Income) after the following words:

“The most important thing for me is that you know how much I appreciate you and have a good time. You see, I view you, the fans, as my employers, and this is my resume …”

This kind of humilty and appreciation is sadly missing in most musicians.

Therefore I don’t think that it is out of line to view In Tune as a reflection of his own view on his career. The two clear winners are Private Press and Preemptive Strike. Private Press can be explained by recency, but I think the reason that Shadow still plays so much Preemptive Strike is because it still reflects how he views himself.

As much as I love Endtroducing (Building Steam, Midnight, and Stem/Long Stem are clearly some of his best), Preemptive Strike is no less essential listening. Between In Flux, High Noon, and Organ Donor, you have as much of a concentration of greatness as the best tracks on Endtroducing. And then there is What Does Your Soul Look Like, which is like a warm blanket, flowing, changing, and walking you through Shadow’s own soul. Just amazing. It seems incredibly ironic to me that Preemptive Strike seems to flow more smoothly than Endtroducing, despite it being a chronological compilation of previous endeavors.

My point is not to pick a fight between Entroducing and Preemptive Strike (or fuel the existing battle), but to encourage any fan of DJ Shadow to make sure Preemptive Strike is on your absolute shortest list of must own albums. Do not underestimate this album because of its origins.

26. Max Richter  -  The Blue Notebooks

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  Modern Classical (Spoken Word/Ambient)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.64

27. Sascha Funke  -  Mango

Year:  2008

Electronic Genre:  House (Minimal)

Country of Origin:  Germany

My Rating:  4.67

Dusted Magazine’s review: Enough time has passed, and enough artists have shamelessly Xeroxed the template, that we could now deign ‘Early Kompakt’ its own genre, as opposed to a formative period in the German label’s pro-pop campaign. Sascha Funke punches that equation into the calculator a few times on Mango. On “Take a Chance with Me,” the elegant lines, unyielding boom-tick, and blocky, grayscale drones all owe something to Kompakt in the late 1990s. And why shouldn’t they? Funke was one of the originators, flying high with the label when their catalogue ran to double digits.

Songs like “Take a Chance with Me,” and the opening title track, are Funke in his prime. “Double-Checked” pings along with piston precision, each note piercing the song’s surface like a typewriter branding Braille into parchment. Hi-hats hiss like gas leaks, while dried-out handclaps crunch honeycomb between your palms. With reduction his natural modus operandi, Funke is great at both tech-house’s weightless glide and skip, and the unassuming rendering of detail required for minimal. In its light, springy step and pleasingly reflective surfaces, Funke’s best productions are Apollonian, with no glumness to sour the softness.

On “Summer Rain,” field recordings and guitars, tolling into an echo chamber, are close to the Pop Ambient territory of peers like Klimek; the eighties syn-drums and clichéd tones of “Lotre (Mehr Fleisch)” don’t sit quite so well, feeling out of place on a record of such subtlety.

Admittedly, Mango isn’t riveting listening, but it’s a good, focused album, and where a lot of minimal recently has lost the plot trying to over-reach itself, Funke’s productions quietly test their boundaries even while they play out as formal exemplars.

28. Saschienne  -  Unknown

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Tech House (Minimal)

Country of Origin:  Germany

My Rating:  4.63

Review (www.ibiza-spotlight.com): “The three Kompakt honchos have a reputation for releasing cuts from quality acts that defy real definition, and this LP is no exception. There are few ways to describe it, other than by simply stating it’s the work of Sascha Funke and his vocally talented wife.

But any thoughts of Amanda and hubby Julius ‘Judge Jules’ O’Riordan, and their millennial-era output under the Angelic moniker, should be dispelled (sorry if that’s what you were hoping for). It’s probably pretty clear that a guy best known for heads down techy grooves wouldn’t make commercially friendly trance though, so let’s just move on to what the LP sounds like, rather than what it doesn’t, which is no easy question to answer.

In the same way Stelios Vassiloudis’ Bedrock album, It Is What It Is, merged a kind of soulful blues into progressive undertones, here Sachienne (Mr Funke and spouse Julienne Dessagne) meld a sexy, smoky barroom lyricism with electronica and robotic, funk infused four four moods. The result is a little like a David Lynch soundtrack realised with Casios and Korgs as oppose to soaring Americana chords, a place where electroclash femme fatale lyrics are juxtaposed with the subtlety of deep house.

Evocative stuff to say the least, fans of recent work from artists like Christian Prommer, Douglas Greed, and Slove should certainly take this release very seriously indeed, because it’s really all very good indeed. The opening title track, for example, is a deliciously sombre and sparse affair that’s truly mesmerising, and served with precisely the right kind of two-minutes-and-13-seconds-long, delicately whispered intro before its lugging kick finally drops.

Then offerings like Grand Cru, and its grungy, bass g-tar baritone, building organ line, expansive horns, and rather sensual vocals give things a little more bite- coming across almost more like a live blues rock band than anything else. Later, jazzier tones can be heard through the jaunty plucked strings and bouncy keyboards of Aile Mut, whereas La Somme’s beautifully rendered ambience is enough to send anyone into an opiate haze. It’s a futurist arrangement that counterbalances the songwriting-focused perspective at the root of this album. A pop-house-electro-experimental hybrid gone right, it’s every bit as exciting as that ludicrous tag suggests.”

29. Robag Wruhme  -  Wuppdeckmischmampflow

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Electro/Tech House)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.64

30. Future Sound of London  -  Lifeforms (Disc 1)

Year:  1994

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Leftfield/Ambient)

Country of Origin:  UK

My Rating:  4.63

Review (from amazon): For anyone who is absolutely new to FSOL or ambient techno, I should first say that it really is a viable, meaningful form of music that goes beyond the long-standing stereotype of being lifeless and computer-generated. FSOL is the perfect example of really great ambient techno, for its music seems to send you on an endless journey with every song. However, it can be hard to get into music like this, and people are often quick to dismiss it as boring, uninspired, or slow. This is a typical reaction of people used to mainstream pop or techno, and even FSOL fans who have only been exposed to the widely-known 'Papua New Guinea’.  To put it concisely: don’t expect a cd full of beat-driven club hits like Papua New Guinea. Most FSOL music goes far beyond that.

Lifeforms, like other FSOL albums such as ISDN, Cascade, Lifeforms (Paths 1-7), Amorphous Androgynous’ Tales of Ephidrina, and to some extent Dead Cities, is more of a musical experience, going beyond the typical musical beats found in most techno and absorbing the listener in a collage of extraordinary sounds. Each disc of lifeforms is really one, long, extended musical masterpiece, as you could listen to the entire disc and not realized you listened to eight or eleven different 'songs’. This is truly an album you pop in the cd player and sit back and experience, as all FSOL albums are. One minute you may imagine yourself at the edge of the earth, the next floating in space, the next at a crowded airport with FSOL playing over the loudspeakers. As far as 'songs’ go, the ones that come closest to your typical songs would be cascade, vertical pig, vit, omnipresence, room 208, and flak.

Lifeforms (or any FSOL cd for that matter) is definitely worth your attention. However, for those only familiar with Papua New Guinea, be prepared for music that goes far beyond one club smash. Sure the music may be hard to warm up to, but once it does you will find yourself listening to the beautiful sounds over and over again. And for the new techno fan, try lifeforms first and let your mind float away. Then acquaint yourselves with the more 'mainstream’ likes of Papua New Guinea.

31. Plastikman  -  Musik

Year:  1994

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Downtempo/Acid)

Country of Origin:  Canada

My Rating:  4.60

Review (from amazon): This album is probably one of the most awe inspiring minimal techno works I’ve heard by the likes of Richie Hawtin or anyone. It has slow droning progressions that allow you to completely envelope your mind in the tracks. The sound of the synths themselves are masterpieces, but their sequencing is even more bewildering. To some people this music would seem repetitive, but its subtle builds and peaks will take you to another cerebral dimension. I recommend this album to everyone, but particularly people who are into any form of electronic music.

32. Cujo (aka Amon Tobin)  -  Adventures in Foam (Disc 1)

Year:  2002

Electronic Genre:  Breakbeat (Future Jazz/Drum n Bass)

Country of Origin:  Brazil

My Rating:  4.57

Review from amazon:  Before Amon Adonai Santos de Aravjo Tobin shortened his name to simply Amon Tobin, he released his debut album under Cujo alias (indeed borrowed from a Stephen King novel), on a small south London label, Ninebar Records. Soon after, Ninja Tune noticed the Brazilian born artist, and signed him in 1997 for his critically acclaimed Bricolage. The rest, as we say, is history. Covering Tobin’s bio and discography is a lengthy task, so I’ll leave the research up to you [and shame on you if don’t know the artist already]. In 2002, Adventures In Foam was re-released on Ninja Tune, this time as a double CD, containing previously unreleased material. Here’s a statement from the label: “[The] fact remains that "Adventures In Foam” was a really good record, one that deserved to be heard, so when Ninja were offered an opportunity to re-release it, they jumped at the chance. Not least, because a rather unscrupulous company in the States have been circulating a version of the record with a changed tracklist, different (and unapproved) cover art and mis-titled tracks". So this should settle it once and for all. If you first fell in love with Amon Tobin after hearing his Bricolage, full of jazz infused, Latin influenced downtempo and drum'n'bass breaks and broken beats, then you’ll definitely enjoy another round of Tobin’s signature sampling techniques. You’ll even smile after recognizing familiar sounds and beats, later reused in his subsequent albums. Definitely still enjoyable after all these years, as a first or repeated listen. A must for collectors. Artist cloud includes DJ Food, Funki Porcini, Bonobo, Wagon Christ and The Herbaliser. Favorite unreleased track: The Brazilianaire (on disk 2).

33. Orbital  -  Wonky

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Leftfield/Dubstep)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.56

Pitchfork Review: http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/16458-wonky/?utm_campaign=search&utm_medium=site&utm_source=search-ac

34. Field, The  -  From Here We Go Sublime

Year:  2007

Electronic Genre:  Shoegaze (Techno/Minimal)

Country of Origin: Sweden

My Rating:  4.60

Pitchfork Review:  http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/10022-from-here-we-go-sublime/

35. Streets, The  -  Original Pirate Material

Year:  2002

Electronic Genre:  UK Garage (Grime/Garage House)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.50

Pitchfork Review:  http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/7531-original-pirate-material/

36. Jürgen Paape  -  Kompilation

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Dub/Brass Band/Ambient/Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.62

Review (Pitchfork): http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14957-kompilation/?utm_campaign=search&utm_medium=site&utm_source=search-ac

37. Four Tet  -  Pink

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Techno (IDM/Deep House/Experimental)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.63

Pitchfork review: http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/17093-pink/?utm_campaign=search&utm_medium=site&utm_source=search-ac

38. Bonobo  -  Animal Magic

Year:  2000

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Future Jazz)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.60

39. From Within (Richie Hawtin & Pete Namlook)  -  From Within I          

Year:  2000

Electronic Genre:  Ambient (IDM)

Country of Origin:  Canada

My Rating:  4.60

40. Pass Into Silence  -  Calm Like a Millipond

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  Ambient

Country of Origin:  Germany

My Rating:  4.60

Review from amazon: Try this album after a rough day at work. Or better yet, while you’re at work. More Eno-esque than Eno himself! This collection brings together the very best elements of Eno’s Ambient Music work into clear, crystaline jems of structure. Each piece has a strict internal logic. Progressions and patterns grow organically, following the rules of nature - they feel like branches and leaves growing from a stem. Primarily synthesizers and lush vocal samples combine then dissipate into silence, as indeed they must. The pieces are rhythmic, with deceptively simple, yet haunting melodies. These guys have been producing some of the best Ambient music since the mid 90s. Hard to find, but worth the effort.

41. Amorphous Androgynous  -  Tales of Ephidrina

Year:  1993

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.57

Review (amazon.com): Due to its 'side-project’ nature, and suggestions of it being leftovers from 1994’s FSOL album “Lifeforms”, “Tales of Ephidrina” often gets left out of discussions and lists regarding FSOL and early '90s ambient techno. Which isn’t to say that it’s underrated - you’ll be pushed to find a negative review of this little album, and quite fairly so.
Sitting comfortably between Dougans and Cobain’s earlier techno-led, four-to-the-floor album “Accelerator”, and the aforementioned sprawling ambient magnum opus “Lifeforms”, “Tales of Ephidrina” combines pulsing kick drums and snappy hi-hats with field recordings, synth textures and other sonic debris that the FSOL name eventually became synonymous with. Opener Liquid Insects features one of the duo’s trademark two minute 'environments’ opening the album, before launching, full-throttle, into a pounding techno number that gives the dance music leaders of their day a run for their money. Similar energy is found in the album’s near-title track, Ephidrena, and the bleep house of Auto Pimp. Elsewhere, things calm down, with slower breaks and shuffling beats driving Fat Cat and In Mind forward at a more thoughtful pace. Only on Mountain Goat, however, do we witness the band’s full ambient potential, with its layers of acoustic guitar, strings and gurgling sounds (which sound suspiciously like something from Tangerine Dream’s “Phaedra” album), suggesting the path the band would take in the future.
Like its intended follow-up (1994’s scrapped Amorphous Androgynous album, “Environments”, which turned up under the FSOL guise in 2007), “Tales of Ephidrina” is a bite-sized album, running little longer than 45 minutes, but one which deserves more recognition as an example of some of the best rhythmic music to come out of the '90s ambient boom.

42. Plaid  -  Rest Proof Clockwork

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Leftfield/Abstract)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.56

Review (legendsmagazine.net): In the early 1990’s I developed a taste for ambient music thanks to techno groups like the Orb, Orbital, FSOL, KLF and various entities on the Warp label. By definition ambient music shouldn’t engage your mind or body to the point of distraction - it should exist in the background like wall paper, or a soundtrack score, adding to the mood without forcing you to pay attention or “shake your booty.” The Warp label, host to bands like Aphex Twin, Autechre, Squarepusher, µ-ZIQ and the Black Dog Project, challenged notions of what was ambient by presenting musicians who were so groundbreaking and clever, that listeners had no choice but to listen.

Somewhere along the line the Warp group Black Dog Project disbanded and partially reformed as Plaid. Their first album, the excellent and recommended Not For Threes, was a small departure from the Black Dog sound which was gentle, electronic and synthetic. Not For Threes introduced some acoustic piano, bass and drum beats into the mix, but Plaid still sounded like Black Dog.

Rest Proof Clockwork is a significant change. The majority of the music on this album sounds like it could have been played by a live jazz band, with some assistance from a hip-hop DJ and a small chamber orchestra. Rest Proof Clockwork is a mixture of many music styles and moods, borrowing from just about every dance music genre*. Shakbu and Little People are soulful stews of hip-hop ingredients, reminiscent of Money Mark and DJ Shadow. Gel Lab and Ralome have liquidly delicious jazz grooves. Tearisci and Dead Sea are powerful excerpts from an imaginary movie soundtrack. Dang Spots, their one and only dance track, has the Euro-techno flavor of Daft Punk. Plaid somehow makes this array of styles work, well, like clockwork.

Plaid’s perfect mixture of analog and electronic instrumentation betrays their musical talent: it’s obvious that they are true musicians first and not some hacks simply looping samples or laying some echo on a two finger keyboard riff. Listen to the world class jazzy keys on Shackbu, or the eerie, intricate melodies of Gel Lab and Pino Pomo, and you’ll hear what I mean.

I enjoy listening to Plaid when I’m programming**, or writing. The music seems to capture any stray thoughts, allowing me to concentrate on the matters at hand. Beyond listening to Plaid while in front of a computer, just about anytime you want to relax is fine, 'spark up,’ or whatever pleases you. Plaid, more importantly, is perfect for romance.

43. Max Richter  -  Memoryhouse

Year:  2002

Electronic Genre:  Modern Classical (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.56

44. Bonobo  -  Dial M for Monkey

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Abstract Hip-Hop/Trip Hop)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.56

45. Biosphere  -  N-Plants

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Abstract/Ambient)

Country of Origin: Norway

My Rating:  4.56

Review/Info (amazon.com): N-Plants was inspired by the nuclear power plant disaster in Japan.  There are some tracks that contain someone talking in what would assume is Japanese, aside from this, there are no other aspects of the album that noticeably link it to Japan or the disaster.

“The name “Geir Jenssen” has become synonymous with “isolation”. When we think of Biosphere we think of his stark compositions such as the “Insomnia” soundtrack, or his early forays into techno on albums such as “Patashnik”, or his general bleak take on electronic music in general. Jenssen has taken a tired ambient genre and transformed it into an exciting cinematic experience which rivals any “darkwave” or other sinister styles that claim to plunge into the deeper parts of the psyche. On Biosphere’s latest, “N-Plants”, Jenssen achieves something he hasn’t reached before in bringing all of his styles from the past into one cohesive piece of work. In doing this, he has never sounded warmer or closer to his beloved machinery.

Always present on a Biosphere album is its soundtrack quality. There isn’t a single instance in the Biosphere catalog where you wouldn’t be able to paste the music against a celluloid backdrop and not be able to make the viewing experience more rich because of it. Opening track “Hendai-1” is a stark mood piece with an underlying and sinister synthesizer foundation stringing the faint melody and percussive elements together into an intriguing introduction. “Shika-1” follows, and sets the tone for the rest of the album. It’s a warm, dynamic, and human moment with Jenssen abandoning the cold and minimal sounds of most of his recent work and exploring melodies and drum patterns more akin to his early albums.

“Ikata-1” is similar with its more open approach and subtle hand claps whilst layered upon a simple foundation. Instead of being intent on establishing a complete and total reduction of the senses, Jenssen pulls you in closer and illuminates the way. With “Monju-1”, the sound of a foreign voice crawls into the ear and whispers with an intense sincerity, and empathic tone. It’s been quite some time where any vocals were present on a Biosphere album, but Jenssen makes sure it is poignant when it does appear.

“N-Plants” is the sound of being welcomed after a long, solitary, intense journey. Jenssen is a master at creating landscapes of sound mirroring our need to be entrenched in mystery and unease. This album extends its hand and brings you inside after the freezing walk through the tundra. “N-Plants” has more form and shape than any Biosphere album before it, but instead of completely departing from the signature sound, Jenssen uses his power of subtlety by incorporating old tricks and applying them to what he knows works. The foundation is what’s important, and he slowly builds upon it by immersing himself in melody and form. He’s never sounded more full and realized, not being shy to be overtaken by more traditional arrangements instead of immersing himself with desolate minimalism.

Oddly refreshing is the album’s detour into nostalgia. Much of this album sounds as if it was imported from the mid-90’s with its employ of synthesizers and drum pads, but instead of sounding washed-up and exhausted, it comes together in a naturally progressive way. Jenssen’s nod to the old school is sincere, and you feel that he only references his past self to make his present sound more complete.

To say “N-Plants” is the best Biosphere album would be a silly thing to claim. The albums all feel like a natural extension of the other while never feeling like a silly conceptualization project. Jenssen is capable of producing music that feels like icicles being jabbed into your spine. He conjures a remoteness that can be stifling yet inspiring. “N-Plants” is a departure from this aesthetic without losing any intensity. It’s not as emotionally devastating as most of the Biosphere we’re used to, but we don’t mind being uplifted, even for an infinitesimal amount, after trying to adjust to the darkness.”

46. G.O.L.  -  Sensations of Tone

Year:  1995

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Dub/Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.56

Review/Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gods_of_Luxury

Sensations of Tone is quite an unusual trip in the land of electronic soundscapes – ambient and full of ephemeral echoes and enigmatic whispering. “Feel how the Greater Being Comes, rejoice and, in rejoicing, die. Melt in the music of the drums for I am you and you are I. Half a gram for a half holiday, one gram for a weekend, two grams for a trip to the gorgeous East, three for a dark eternity on the moon”. For their “Soma Holiday” lyrics G.O.L.use hymns from “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley. And the entire album sounds closer to the collection of some experimental mantras than to rock music.

47. Dominik Eulberg  -  Diorama

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.55

Review (amazon.com):

Dominik Eulberg is from Germany. He seems to have a heartfelt interest in making the world a better place. A little cursory research reveals that he studied ecological geography in Bonn. This mission is, to a degree, also reflected in his music.

His new album 'Diorama’, whilst observing many of the tenets for creating contemporary electronic music, has a particular sonic topography indicative of a man who looks both inside himself and out into the world simultaneously. It’s sort-of ambient and kind-of dancey as well as being entertaining. Truth-be-told it doesn’t take a whole lot of effort to make music like this (bloke + bedroom + machines has done the trick for a hundred thousand others) but Mr Eulberg’s inner-ear and imagination raise his inventions to the top of the genre’s pile.

There are eleven numbers in the set. The beats are hypnotic; the melodic content spare but engaging; the textures rich and varied. Much of it would serve to set creatures of the night seriously twitching on subterranean dancefloors across the land.

'Teddy Tausendtod’ (just loving some of these titles!) is a particularly good example. Amid wonderfully wonky synth intrusions the solid pulse of its rhythmic backbone does not waver. If The Clangers had a summer barbecue this one would go down a storm. There are darker moments too. 'Das Neunauge’ is a nicely sinister piece, full of brooding bumps and rumblings which (despite its somewhat jaunty latin-esque beats) had me thinking about some of the moody creations of Mr Eulberg’s American clansperson Lorn. 'H20’ paints an interesting landscape. The crisp and crunchy drum loop which emerges from the mists of the murky opening chords is a corker! There isn’t (either here or elsewhere) a great deal of thematic development but this should not trouble us unduly. There is more than enough going on to sustain our interest and attention and to promote involuntary twitching in our tired limbs. 'Wenn Es Perlen Regnet’, too, skips and trundles along without a care in the world. Sometimes I like a little bit of less-is-more.

'Diorama’ isn’t going to rattle the mainstream cage but more than deserves its moment in the sun before evaporating without a trace.

48. DJ Shadow  -  The Private Press

Year:  2002

Electronic Genre:  Abstract Hip-Hop (Downtempo)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  4.50

Review (amazon.com): It is incredibly difficult to release a second full-length album and have it make a strong, positive impression after one’s debut release is considered a classic innovation. That is exactly what DJ Shadow is facing with the release of The Private Press. His debut release, Endtroducing…, created a genre. It was based in hip-hop, yet dark and philosophical. Endtroducing… scared people because it seemed like many of the records were specters trying to whisper something in your ear. Call it “cinematic hip-hop” or “ominous turntablism;” there was an incredible rawness to it. Edges weren’t smoothed out. Sometimes this was intended, and other times it was a result of the artist jumping headstrong into his first major release. The Private Press will not break ground like Endtroducing… did, but it showcases an older, more versatile Shadow, and in many ways it is a better record.

DJ Shadow’s style often unfolds like cinema, with many sweeping scenes that ultimately fit together. This causes several tracks to go well over the seven minute mark. These arresting, epic tracks stand out for their originality and amazing production quality. “Monosylabik” is a track that Shadow himself admitted will be hard for many of his fans to grasp, because it is so different from past work. There is a cold, mechanic quality to the different samples that fly at the listener in rapid, dizzying succession. “Monosylabik” is actually made up of several different sections with dissimilar colors; however, they are linked into a congruous whole by the rhythmic cadence that is present in the melody of each part. Even though the song is somewhat segmented, it works well together as a piece of music.

“Blood on the Motorway” has a mystical feel, and, like other songs in his catalog, it shows Shadow’s interest in the afterlife as a theme. Envision the journey that might originate from the time a heart stops beating until a bright light of some sort is encountered, and that’s where this epic travels. A three-second silence is boldly placed mid-track, separating the instrumental section from the entrance of the vocal. This increases tension to captivate the listener, while adding to the narrative aspect of the track.

Even though he has one of the largest and most varied record collections in the US, Shadow likes to use primarily newly purchased records to construct each of his releases. Since 99% of his music is sample-dependant, whatever genre predominates local record stores at the time tends to define the album’s sound. On The Private Press, that sound is heavy in new wave and '80s rock. “Right Thing” and “You Can’t go Home Again” are two tracks on which the “me decade” comes through full force. “You Can’t Go Home Again” is the most impressive track on the disc, because it is the first lengthy song that does not bog itself down. Several dramatic changes are not necessary to hold interest in the song, and the upbeat, Devo-style bassline commits the track to memory. “You Can’t Go Home Again” is evidence that Shadow has matured, as it makes a strong statement (“here’s a story about being free”) without having to rely on dark timbres or flailing drum lines to drive the point home.

So, does Shadow play hip-hop, or is it merely an influence of his? Many feel that DJ Shadow does not fit into the traditional hip-hop niche well enough to be classified as part of the genre. Some want to make Shadow a turntablist, while others claim he doesn’t scratch or trick enough for this distinction and want to place him in a trip-hop category. As The Private Press continues to show, Shadow is trying to innovate and expand the hip-hop horizon. He recently described his record making process to Jockey Slut Magazine, “To me, it’s about manifesting my original understanding of hip-hop, which was taking what’s around you, subverting it and spitting it back out through a hip-hop paradigm.” RZA continues to dip into the Portishead fountain for Wu-Tang samples, and Madlib uses any bizarre sound/audio filter combination that his spliffed out mind can come up with, and this question does not arise with either of them. The hip-hop community should not be asking “Does this fit in?” Instead, it should be embracing releases like The Private Press as an elevation and continuation of the paradigm that Shadow talks about.

There will never be another Endtroducing…, but Shadow has added new shades to his musical palette. He no longer relies on stock tactics such as dry, aggressive snare drums and dark strings to carry many of his songs. There is more sonic variety from track to track, and Shadow has proven he can make upbeat, even danceable, records. Every detail of the release is placed to further the narrative, and the tracks flow well together in the style of a classic rock LP. DJ Shadow can’t create a brand new sound with every release. With The Private Press, however, he’s shown he can continue to fuse his varied influences to explore the many uncharted territories of hip-hop.

49. Brian Eno  -  Music For Airports

Year:  1978

Electronic Genre:  Ambient

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.50

50. Infected Mushroom  -  Converting Vegetarians (Disc 1)

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Psy-Trance (Experimental)

Country of Origin: Israel

My Rating:  4.50

51. Carl Craig  -  Landcruising

Year:  1995

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Detroit Techno a.k.a. Classic Techno)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  4.50

Review (amazon.com): A rare gem, Landcruising is an electronic concept album that is a dark, cool and subtly immense piece of work. It is perfectly suited to its subject matter, created for - or inspired by - night-time driving. From the click of Craig’s seat belt at the start of the album, you are on a journey across dark, strange lands, through amber-glow urban sprawl and lost concrete realms. The sounds reflect perfectly the artificiality of the built environment - complex road systems, dark sinister architecture, the loneliness of cities.
I first heard (and loved) this album shortly after its original release. It has aged well, unlike many electronic albums.  If you want your music to not just entertain but to become a soundtrack to your life, this could be for you. If you also love driving, then Craig’s album is as essential for your car as the steering wheel. Landcruising has the ability to turn an otherwise mundane journey into an memorable (cinematic) experience. I would go so far as to say that all contemporary vehicles should come with this album 'as standard’.

52. Michael Mayer  -  Mantasy

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Techno (House/Tech House)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.50

53. Ulrich Schnauss  -  A Long Way To Fall

Year:  2013

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Shoegaze)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.50

54. Thievery Corporation  -  The Cosmic Game

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Dub/Future Jazz)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  4.50

55. Aril Brikha  -  Deeparture In Time (Revisited)

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Detroit Techno/Tech House)

Country of Origin:  Assyria

My Rating:  4.50

Review from amazon: “Deeparture in Time” wasn’t so much a groundbreaking techno release, as a consolidating one.  Under the supervision of Derrick May, Aril Brikha put together a polished (maybe too polished) archetypal, as opposed to definitive, techno album.  Melodic and clean cut, but lacking the raw edge and the political element of the work of his Detroit mentors, Brikha’s debut is likeable but sterile.

This two disc re-issue re-jigs the running order of the original releases (- this is actually the THIRD release of “Deeparture”, which Transmat put out previously in two slightly different versions) and adds, by my count, nine unreleased tracks on disc two. According to the liner notes, these were recorded at the same time (10 years ago) but have not seen the light of day until now. Not sure why, as they’re all at least as good if not better than what’s on disc one.  For techno fans, this is therefore most definitely worth getting hold of for the extra tracks. For newcomers to the classic Detroit techno sound, “Deeparture in Time” is also an ideal starting point.

56. Various Artists (Astralwerks)  -  Barramundi 1: Introduction to a Cooler World

Year:  1994

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Downtempo/Ambient)

Country of Origin: Belgium

My Rating:  4.50

57. Spicelab (aka Oliver Lieb)  -  Lost in Spice

Year:  1993

Electronic Genre:  Trance (Techno/Experiental/Acid)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.50

58. Burial  -  Burial

Year:  2006

Electronic Genre:  Dubstep (Abstract/Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.46

Reviews: Dubstep is although a relatively recent music genre, it’s a successful splicing of the rhythmic arrangements and some of the instrumentation, normally associated with 2-Step/Garage, with the bass and reverberation of Dub reggae. And what initially seems like an unusual/oddly confusing pairing of genres, works remarkably like a mash-up of dancefloor friendly, bass-heavy 2-step. But there is a new lineage of producers willing to experiment with the boundaries of the genre…taking other elements of genres, and slowly filtering them into the Dubstep genre. Enter low-key producer “Burial” with a altogether more sinister approach to the genre. His masterstroke is to take the sound out of the clubs, and shift the focus towards something far more suited towards an intimate home-listening experience, slow the beats down and give them an eerie, disembodied paranoid edge, and take the mood & atmosphere of Electronica and imbue them against melancholy keyboards, throbbing acid lines, and fragmented beats, and arrange them into hugely atmospheric slow-moving almost filmic sci-fi productions, that make up the albums tracks.

It’s a largely gloomy and ghostly sound, one that expresses a mournful sonic sentiment, via the use of spacious, sparse productions with little touches like static and echo effects, that recall night-time cityscape aerial-views of the capital at night. Sounds and moods are build around samples, shifting awkwardly around each other. “Gutted” shapes an impressively claustrophobic track, which would be ideal, for driving a car through the city after dark, around what sounds like a sample of a gun (pistol) being reloaded. “Prayer” uses a more spooky and decidedly haunted echo derived sound to get it’s point across admirably, by not only showing considerable skill as a producer, but the insight to argument moody & sonic texture beautifully. 'Distant Lights’ mixes incredibly sparse programmed beats, into a stretching metallic-organic hybrid soundscapes, by coupling a shimmering vocal against a bass-reverberating rumble, and like pretty much all the tracks here, it’s construction is in theory…fairly simplistic, but it more than compensates by any technical limitations offered by the producer, by being hugely atmospheric and tremendously evocative.

Some people are calling this their “underground Album of the year” (2006), and although I’ve heard far too much in 2006, to award any one particular album that accolade. I will agree that this is a truly remarkable album, one that is a reasonably innovative album…in so far, as truly pushes the genre forward, it’s spare/stark/claustrophobic/melancholic mood and tone, is completely at odds with the more dance-oriented sounds of Dubstep. It’s an album that sounds truly at it best, under the cover of night….using it’s more sinister manipulation of moods, in a way that develops into a truly brilliant album of such cold inspiration and druggy emotion, ethereal atmospherics, submerged soundscapes, and a shimmering tension to the music, that so incredibly well realised, that how he’ll follow this up, is anyone’s guess. Another reviewer mentioned that a rough description of this album, would be something akin to an Instrumental version of “Massive Attacks - Blue Lines” (or “Tricky’s” Work), and that a fairly good comparison. If you could imagine an instrumental version of `Blue Lines’ (or more closely, Tricky’s Albums) with the tension turned way up, the string sections removed, and the rhythmic arrangements stripped down to their barest elements. And the Dub side made harsher, and replacing the soulful beating heart of Blue Lines, with something far Colder in sound, it could reasonably be considered that is what to expect. But irrespective of that, this is one of the most startling albums I’ve heard last year, and easily deserving of inclusion on all of the critics end of year `Best of’ lists.

Also, see Pitchfork’s review at: http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/9138-burial/

59. Autechre  -  Amber

Year:  1994

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Abstract)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.55

60. Gui Borrato  -  Chromophobia

Year:  2007

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal/Tech House)

Country of Origin: Brazil

My Rating:  4.46

61. Soundtrack: π - Music For The Motion Picture

Year:  1998

Electronic Genre:  Breakbeat (Acid/Drum n Bass)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.46

62. Dominik Eulberg  -  Heimische Gefilde

Year:  2007

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal/Experimental)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.45

63. Leftfield  -  Leftism

Year:  1995

Electronic Genre:  Progressive House (Leftfield/Breaks)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.45

64. Pantha du Prince  -  Black Noise

Year:  2010

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.45

65. Infected Mushroom  -  Classical Mushroom

Year:  2000

Electronic Genre:  Psy-Trance (Goa Trance)

Country of Origin: Israel

My Rating:  4.44

66. Infected Mushroom  -  B.P.Empire

Year:  2001

Electronic Genre:  Psy-Trance (Goa Trance)

Country of Origin: Israel

My Rating:  4.44

67. Akufen  -  My Way

Year:  2002

Electronic Genre:  Tech House (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Canada

My Rating:  4.40

Review (amazon.com): There are plenty of artists out there using samples in effective, if predictable, ways, but there are only a handful of artists who I consider sampling innovators. DJ Shadow, Daedelus, and Prefuse 73 spring to mind. Count Akufen in with them. It’s not simply a matter of his source (who else samples exclusively from the FM?), or his precision (there are plenty of micro samplers out there) - it’s how he puts them together to form a gestalt.

The result is much less fractured than one would imagine. I will go as far as to say that the sliced up samples have flow - real musical flow. Achieving a sense of measure to measure, beat to beat flow is difficult when you take into account the variety of sources, their variance in amplitude, not to mention the zipper noise that is the bane of anyone who works with many tiny samples. When you listen, you almost have to remind yourself that you’re hearing many small segments of second-hand music, as opposed to something expressly recorded for this particular album. I don’t know how he does it.

Above all, “My Way” is very listenable. His technique may be experimental, but the music enjoyable, danceable, and fun. It’s also great for just listening. That’s really my criterion for any sort of electronic music with a 4/4 bass drum foundation - is it something I can sit down and listen to with interest? Akufen delivers on this point.

I can partially understand why some are driven to call this music “house.” The BPM fits squarely in the house range and its 4/4 bass drum can give the impression of house music, but that’s really just the shell containing Akufen’s excellent and unique music. It also serves to stabilize his experimentalism. Often times when artists use innovative production techniques, the music can suffer if the whole thing begins to become more about the technique than the music itself. The palatable “house” container on these tracks help to make the music more inviting to a larger audience.

While I might not recommend it as an essential purchase for casual listeners, those who enjoy innovative and experimental electronic music should check out Akufen.

68. Abakus  -  That Much Closer To The Sun

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  Breaks (Progressive House/IDM)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.42

69. Andy Stott  -  Passed Me By

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  Dub Techno (House/Dubstep)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.43

70. Pantha du Prince & The Bell Laboratory  -  Elements of Light

Year:  2013

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Experimental/Modern Classical/Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.40

71. Biosphere  -  Shenzhou

Year:  2002

Electronic Genre:  Ambient (Experimental)

Country of Origin: Norway

My Rating:  4.42

72. Thievery Corporation  -  The Richest Man in Babylon    

Year:  2003    

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Dub/Future Jazz)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  4.40

73. Various Artists (Platipus)  -  Platipus Records Vol. 2

Year:  1995

Electronic Genre:  Acid Trance (Goa Trance)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.40

74. Cosmic Baby  -  Stellar Supreme

Year:  1992

Electronic Genre:  Trance (Ambient)

Country of Origin:  Germany

My Rating:  4.38

75. Thievery Corporation  -  The Mirror Conspiracy

Year:  2000

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Boss Nova/Dub)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  4.38

76. Thievery Corporation  -  Culture of Fear

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Dub/Trip Hop)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  4.38

77. Nightmares On Wax  -  Smoker’s Delight

Year:  1995

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Dub/Trip Hop)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.38

78. Photek  -  DJ-Kicks

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Dubstep (Techno/Downtempo)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.37

79. Superpitcher  -  Today

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre: Tech House (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.36

80. DAB (Digital Analog Band)  -  Cafe Del Mar: The Best, Vol. 1

Year:  2002

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Dub/Future Jazz)

Country of Origin: Spain

My Rating:  4.36

81. Ellen Allien & Apparat  -  Orchestra Of Bubbles

Year:  2006

Electronic Genre:  Techno (IDM/Broken Beat)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.36

82. Gui Borrato  -  Take My Breath Away

Year:  2009

Electronic Genre:  Tech House (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Brazil

My Rating:  4.36

83. Orbital  -  Blue Album

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  Breaks (Leftfield/Downtempo)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.33

84. Various Artists (Kompakt)  -  Total 3        

Year:  2001

Electronic Genre:  Tech House (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.33

85. Bonobo  -  Black Sands

Year:  2010

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.33

86. Squarepusher  -  Hard Normal Daddy

Year:  1997

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Drum n Bass)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.33

87. Photek  -  KU:PALM

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Experimental/Bass Music)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.33

88. Shpongle  -  Nothing Lasts… But Nothing Is Lost

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre:  Breaks (Future Jazz/Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.33

89. Caribou  -  Swim

Year:  2010

Electronic Genre:  Electro (Folk/Experimental)

Country of Origin: Canada

My Rating:  4.33

90. Thievery Corporation  -  Sounds from the Thievery Hi-Fi

Year:  1997

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Dub/Trip Hop)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  4.35

91. Michael Mayer  -  Immer

Year:  2002

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal/Tech House)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.31

92. Orbital  -  Green Album

Year:  1991

Electronic Genre:  Techno

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.30

93. Spacetime Continuum  -  Emit Ecaps

Year:  1996

Electronic Genre:  Techno (IDM/Downtempo)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.30

94. Dominik Eulberg  -  Flora & Fauna

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.30

95. Notwist, The  -  Neon Golden

Year:  2002

Electronic Genre:  Glitch Pop (Leftfield/Synth-pop)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.30

Expert Review (darktremor): Glitch pop has never been lovelier than it is on this sexy little bastard child. Equal parts MORR music (German electronic pop label) and Oval, this was the last thing anyone expected from The Notwist at the time of their conception: coming from a generic alternative and nu-metal band, suddenly we get a glitchy, emotional masterpiece. And what a masterpiece it is.

To me, it sounds like the soundtrack for a small town of lovable people in a post-apocalyptic future. They’re all mutated and changed to the point of being no longer human, and are thus unable to leave, but are otherwise happy (though always yearning for escape from their isolated existence).

The lyrics are completely abstract, but more important is their delivery: Notwist’s lead singer has a brilliantly charismatic voice that makes the sound of the music itself difficult to focus on, but still ever-present as atmosphere. However, if one manages to escape his engaging pull, you’ll find clicks and cuts and broken melodies, worthy of any of Mille Plateaux’s best, seamlessly mixed with a perfect indie-rock guitar preciousness.

96. Telefon Tel Aviv  -  Fahrenheit Fair Enough

Year:  2001

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Leftfield/Experimental/Ambient)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  4.33

97. Astral Projection  - Amen

Year:  2002

Electronic Genre:  Psy-Trance (Goa Trance)

Country of Origin: Israel

My Rating:  4.30

98. Daft Punk  -  Random Access Memories

Year:  2013

Electronic Genre:  Disco (Funk/Electro)

Country of Origin: France

My Rating:  4.29

99. Apparat  -  Krieg und Frieden (Music For Theatre)

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Score/Post Rock)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.30

100. Plastician  -  Beg To Differ

Year:  2008

Electronic Genre:  Grime (Dubstep)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.30

101. Air France  -  No Way Down

Year:  2008

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Leftfield/Synth-pop)

Country of Origin: Sweden

My Rating:  4.30

102. Plaid  -  Not for Threes

Year:  1997

Electronic Genre:  Electro (Leftfield/IDM)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.29

103. Spacetime Continuum  -  Sea Biscuit

Year:  1994

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.29

104. Cosmic Baby  -  Heaven

Year:  1998

Electronic Genre:  Trance (Downtempo/Ambient)

Country of Origin:  Germany

My Rating:  4.29

105. edIT  -  Crying Over Pros For No Reason

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Glitch)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  4.30

106. Evan Marc  -  Dreamtime Submersibles

Year:  2008

Electronic Genre:  Dub Techno (Ambient)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  4.29

107. Infected Mushroom  -  Vicious Delicious

Year:  2007

Electronic Genre:  Psy-Trance (Experimental)

Country of Origin: Israel

My Rating:  4.27

108. Black Dog, The  -  Spanners         

Year:  1995

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Leftfield/IDM)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.27

Review (amazon.com): A brave and inspiring 'non-mainstream’ techno album. Another classic release from WARP records who, with Aphex Twin, Autechre, Plaid, and others, have had an impressive list of cutting edge techno artists on their books. The genre-defying 'Spanners’ demonstrates the Black Dog’s apparent fascination with all things alien ('Chase the Manhattan’ features samples of interviews with Roswell 'witnesses’), ancient (the Egyptian style artwork), and in places ambient. A sort of musical equivalent of the Stargate film.

The album has a far richer and diverse sound than previous release 'Bytes’ beginning with the almost funk sound of 'Aaxmus’ ranging through mid-east influences ('Tahr’) to its ambient endings. This is certainly not techno to pack the dance floors with Balearic ravers. It is far more subtle and far less 'safe’ than that - one of those rare albums that is prepared to push boundaries and take risks to achieve something altogether more exciting. Up-tempo paranoid techno-beeps are satisfyingly provided early with tracks such as 'Barbola Work’ and 'Psil-Cosyin’ while the album increasingly mellows towards the latter stages arriving via the chilled breaks of 'Pot Noddle’ at the classical in style and exquisitely uncomplicated harp-esque 'Chesh’.

Along with Future Sound of London’s 'Lifeforms’ this was one of the essential and most influential techno albums of the mid-nineties and still sounds fresh today. Indeed similarities in the sounds between this and splinter group Plaid’s 2001 release 'Double Figure’ highlight how 'now’ Spanners still sounds. After the release of 'Bytes’ a few years previously this is not quite how it all began, but is certainly an essential album for anyone interested in the development of the techno sound.

109. Various Artists (Waveform)  -  One A.D.

Year:  1994

Electronic Genre:  Ambient (Dub)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  4.27

110. Thievery Corporation  -  Radio Retaliation

Year:  2008

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Dub/Trip Hop)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  4.27

111. Joris Voorn  -  From A Deep Place

Year:  2007

Electronic Genre:  House (Techno/Broken Beat)

Country of Origin: Netherlands

My Rating:  4.26

112. Orbital  -  Middle of Nowhere       

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Breakbeat (Techno/Electro)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.25

113. Michael Mayer  -  Immer 2

Year:  2006

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal/Tech House)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.25

114. Michael Mayer  -  Touch

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  House (Techno/Tech House)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.25

115. Skream  -  Skream!

Year:  2006

Electronic Genre:  Dubstep

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.23

116. Banco De Gaia  -  Apollo

Year:  2013

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Tribal/Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.22

117. Michael Mayer  -  Fabric 13          

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Tech House

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.23

118. Long Range  -  Madness & Me

Year:  2007

Electronic Genre:  Breaks (Leftfield)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.22

119. Plaid  -  Double Figure

Year:  2001

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Leftfield/Downtempo)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.21

120. Pantha du Prince  -  This Bliss

Year:  2007

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.20

121. Michael Mayer  -  Immer 3

Year:  2010

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal/Tech House)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.20

122. Various Artists (Warp)  -  Artificial Intelligence II

Year:  1994

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Techno/Ambient)

Country of Origin: 1994

My Rating: 4.20

123. Sascha Funke  -  Bravo

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal/Tech House)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.18

124. Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx  -  We’re New Here

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  UK Garage (Electro/Dubstep/Conscious)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  4.20

125. SCSI-9  -  Easy As Down

Year:  2008

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Tech House/Deep House/Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.18

126. Bonobo  -  One Offs Remixes & B-Sides

Year:  2002

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.18

127. Cujo (Amon Tobin)  -  Adventures in Foam (Disc 2)

Year:  2002

Electronic Genre:  Breakbeat (Future Jazz/Drum n Bass)

Country of Origin: Brazil

My Rating:  4.17

128. Field, The  -  Yesterday And Today

Year:  2009

Electronic Genre:  Shoegaze (Techno/Minimal)

Country of Origin: Sweden

My Rating:  4.17

129. Amon Tobin  -  Permutations

Year:  1998

Electronic Genre:  Drum n Bass (Leftfield/Future Jazz)

Country of Origin: Brazil

My Rating:  4.17

130. Ellen Allien  -  Berlinette

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Electro)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.18

131. Field, The  -  Looping State Of Mind

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  Shoegaze (Techno/Minimal)

Country of Origin: Sweden

My Rating:  4.14

132. Various Artists (Kompakt)  -  Total 2

Year:  2000

Electronic Genre:  Tech House

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.15

133. Four Tet  -  Rounds

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Leftfield/Glitch)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.13

134. Four Tet  -  There Is Love In You

Year:  2010

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Deep House/Experimental)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.13

135. Superpitcher  -  Here Comes Love

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre: Tech House (Downtempo/Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.11

136. Flashbulb, The  -  Kirlian Selections

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre:  Breakcore (Modern Classical/IDM)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  4.11

137. Kaito  -  Special Love

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Ambient

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.17

138. Eat Static  -  Implant

Year:  1994

Electronic Genre:  Trance (Goa Trance)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.13

139. Paul Oakenfold  -  Soundtrack: Swordfish

Year:  2001

Electronic Genre:  Breaks (Electro/Progressive Trance)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.13

140. Seefeel  -  Quique

Year:  1993

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Abstract/Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.11

141. Aril Brikha  -  Ex Machina

Year:  2007

Electronic Genre:  Tech House (Progressive House)

Country of Origin: Assyria

My Rating:  4.10

142. Autechre  -  Tri-Repatae

Year:  1995

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Abstract/Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.10

143. Infected Mushroom  -  IM the Supervisor

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  Psy-Trance (Experimental)

Country of Origin: Israel

My Rating:  4.10

144. Richie Hawtin  -  DE9 / Transitions

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Canada

My Rating:  4.10

145. Sasha  -  Global Underground 013: Ibiza (Disc 2)

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Progressive House (Progressive Trance/Breakbeat)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.10

146. Tiësto  -  In Search of Sunrise 5 (Disc 2)

Year:  2006

Electronic Genre: Progressive Trance (Trance/Progressive House)

Country of Origin: Netherlands

My Rating:  4.10

147. Various Artists (Platipus)  -  Platipus Records, Vol. 3

Year:  1997

Electronic Genre:  Progressive Trance

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.10

148. Various Artists (Platipus)  -  Platipus Records, Vol. 4

Year:  1998

Electronic Genre:  Progressive Trance

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.10

149. Black Dog Productions  -  Bytes

Year:  1993

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Abstract/Downtempo)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.09

150. Orbital  -  The Altogether (Disc 2)

Year:  2001

Electronic Genre:  Breakbeat (Techno/Electro)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.09

151. Various Artists (Earthjuice)  -  Ambient Dub, Vol 2

Year:  1993

Electronic Genre:  Ambient Dub (Techno)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.09

152. DJ Shadow  -  The Private Repress

Year:  2002

Electronic Genre:  Abstract Hip-Hop (Trip Hop/Electro)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  4.08

153. Various Artists (Kompakt)  -  Total 5

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Tech House (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.09

154. Various Artists (Kompakt)  -  Total 9

Year:  2008

Electronic Genre:  Tech House (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.09

155. Future Sound of London  -  Dead Cities

Year:  1996

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Leftfield/Downtempo)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.08

156. Art of Trance  -  Wildlife On One

Year:  1996

Electronic Genre:  Trance

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.10

157. Dominik Eulberg  -  Kreucht & Fleucht (Disc 2)

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal/Tech House)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.08

158. Kiki  -  Run With Me

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Electro)

Country of Origin: Finland

My Rating:  4.08

159. Deaf Center  -  Pale Ravine

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre:  Modern Classical (Ambient)

Country of Origin: Norway

My Rating:  4.08

160. Abakus  -  We Share The Same Dreams

Year:  2008

Electronic Genre:  Progressive House (Downtempo/Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.08

161. Shpongle  -  Tales Of The Inexpressible

Year:  2001

Electronic Genre:  Psy-Trance (Tribal/Downtempo)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.00

162. Various Artists (Mille Plateaux)  -  Clicks & Cuts (Disc 1)

Year:  2000

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Abstract/Experimental)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.08

163. Plaid  -  Tekkonkinkreet (鉄コン筋クリート) O.S.T.

Year:  2006

Electronic Genre:  Alternative Rock (Score/Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.07

164. Dominik Eulberg  -  Kreucht & Fleucht (Disc 1)

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal/Tech House)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.07

165. Madonna  -  Ray of Light

Year:  1998

Electronic Genre:  Electronic Pop (Electro/Downtempo)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  4.07

166. Kiki  -  Boogy Bytes, Vol. 1

Year:  2006

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Finland

My Rating:  4.06

167. Bonobo  -  It Came From the Sea

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre:  Breaks (Downtempo)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.05

168. Infected Mushroom  -  Converting Vegetarians (Disc 2)

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Psy-Trance (Experimental)

Country of Origin: Israel

My Rating:  4.00

169. Various Artists (Kompakt)  -  Total 7

Year:  2006

Electronic Genre:  Tech House (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.00

170. Bonobo  -  The North Borders

Year:  2013

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.00

171. Cosmic Baby  -  Thinking About Myself

Year:  1994

Electronic Genre:  Trance (Ambient)

Country of Origin:  Germany

My Rating:  4.00

172. Raja Ram  -  Raja Ram’s Pipedreams

Year:  2013

Electronic Genre:  Psy-Trance (Trance)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.00

173. Four Tet  -  Pause

Year:  2001

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Leftfield/Experimental)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.00

174. Astral Projection  - Ten

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  Psy-Trance (Progressive Trance)

Country of Origin: Israel

My Rating:  4.00

175. Skream  -  Outside The Box

Year:  2010

Electronic Genre:  Dubstep (Drum n Bass)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.00

176. Photek  -  Modus Operandi

Year:  1997

Electronic Genre:  Drum n Bass (Experimental)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.00

177. Ulrich Schnauss  -  A Strangely Isolated Place

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Leftfield/Ambient)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.00

178. 1200 Micrograms  -  1200 Micrograms

Year:  2002

Electronic Genre:  Psy-Trance

Country of Origin: Spain

My Rating:  4.00

179. Future Sound of London  -  Lifeforms (Disc 2)

Year:  1994

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Leftfield/Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.00

180. Paul Hartnoll  -  The Ideal Condition

Year:  2007

Electronic Genre:  Breakbeat (Modern Classical/Electro)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.00

181. John Tejada  -  Parabolas

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  Techno

Country of Origin: Austria

My Rating:  4.00

182. Jonas Bering  -  Sketches For The Next Season  

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal/Synth-pop)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.00

183. Ada  -  Adaptations Mixtape #1

Year:  2009

Electronic Genre:  Tech House

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.00

184. SCSI-9  -  Metamorphosis 

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Deep House/Tech House)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.00

185. Andy Stott  -  We Stay Together

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  Dub Techno (House/Drone/Dark Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.00

186. Rhythm & Sound  -  Rhythm & Sound

Year:  2001

Electronic Genre:  Dub Techno (Dub/Downtempo)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.00

187. Basic Channel  -  BCD-2

Year:  2008

Electronic Genre:  Dub Techno (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.00

188. Can  -  Future Days           

Year:  1973

Electronic Genre:  Krautrock (Psychedelic Rock)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.00

Expert Review (darktremor): Banco De Gaia, Peter Gabriel, Deep Forest, Tangerine Dream, Enya, Enigma, The Orb, the entire Escapes and Cafe Del Mar series’, hell, every electronic artist that’s decided to put backwards Mongolian warbling or glitched-up ant flutes of the Serengeti, or Kalahari tongue-clicking into their tracks owe everything to this one album here. It’s psychedelic and rambly texture, as only krautrock can be, but with very subtle ethnic influence. Unlike the shamelessly tribe-sampling world beat artists that would dominate the downtempo world for the next 20 years, this is all under-the-sound, it’s all very hidden and elegant. It seems to recall some unknown ethnic group you’ve never heard of…it’s almost like general ethnic, with no actual direct influence. Sort of like…the experimental music of a parallel universe where an Arabian-African hybrid civilization became Earth’s dominant society.

While this is only arguably electronic, there’s so much keyboard and found sound here that I think it’s a crime to call Soon Over Babaluma anything else. (Oh yeah, it was a major influence on trance music too).

I’ve decided to add Future Days here: repeat listens (thanks to lukeprog) and similar concept. I’m putting together sets of any two albums that I feel were similar enough in concept that the second was just a development on the first, but still worthy of its greatness. In other words: the two CDs could have been initially released as a 2-disc set.

189. Plastikman  -  Artifakts (B.C.)

Year:  1998

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal/Acid)

Country of Origin: Canada

My Rating:  4.00

190. Abakus  -  Silent Geometry

Year:  2013

Electronic Genre: Downtempo (Dubstep/Breaks)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.00

191. Nestor Torres  -  Dances, Prayers & Meditations for Peace

Year:  2006

Electronic Genre:  Latin (Instrumental)

Country of Origin: Puerto Rico

My Rating:  4.00

192. Basic Channel (Scion)  -  Arrange And Process Basic Channel Tracks

Year:  2002

Electronic Genre:  Dub Techno (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.00

193. Salt Tank  -  ST 7 Science and Nature

Year:  1996

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.00

194. Steve Reich  -  Drumming I-IV

Year:  1970

Electronic Genre:  Contemporary (Post Modern)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  4.00

195. Thomas Fehlmann  -  Gute Luft: Original Soundtrack from 24H Berlin

Year:  2010

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Dub Techno/Ambient)

Country of Origin: Switzerland

My Rating:  4.00

196. System 7  -  Golden Section

Year:  1997

Electronic Genre:  Breakbeat (Trance/Techno)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.00

197. Terry Riley  -  In C

Year:  1968

Electronic Genre:  Contemporary (Minimal)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  4.00

198. Terry Riley  A Rainbow in Curved Air

Year:  1969

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal/Ambient)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  4.00

199. Various Artists (Kompakt)  -  Total 6

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre:  Tech House (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.96

200. Cliff Martinez  -  Drive (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  Electro (Score/Synth-Pop/Ambient)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.95

201. DJ Shadow  -  In-Fluxuations

Year:  1995

Electronic Genre:  Abstract Hip-Hop

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.95

202. DJ Shadow  -  Reconstructed - The Best of DJ Shadow (Deluxe Edition)

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Abstract Hip-Hop (Downtempo/Trip Hop)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.96

203. Various Artists (Astralwerks)  -  Barramundi 3: The Spirit of Wandjina

Year:  1996

Electronic Genre:  Trance (Tribal/Techno)

Country of Origin: Belgium

My Rating:  3.94

204. Future Sound of London  -  Environments, Vol 2

Year:  2009

Electronic Genre:  Modern Classical (IDM/Abstract)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.93

205. Paul Oakenfold  -  Resident: Two Years of Oakenfold at Cream (Disc 1)

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Trance (House)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.93

206. Banco De Gaia  -  10 Years (Remixed)

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  Breaks (Dub/Leftfield/Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.92

207. Mouse on Mars  -  Iaora Tahiti

Year:  1995

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Abstract/Downtempo)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.92

208. Future Sound of London  -  Accelerator

Year:  1991

Electronic Genre:  Techno

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.92

209. William Orbit  -  Strange Cargo III

Year:  1993

Electronic Genre:  Ambient (Leftfield)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.92

210. Gui Borrato  -  III

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  Techno

Country of Origin: Brazil

My Rating:  3.91

211. Orbital  -  The Altogether (Disc 1)

Year:  2001

Electronic Genre:  Breakbeat (Techno/Electro)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.91

212. Plastikman  -  Consumed

Year:  1998

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Illbient/Minimal)

Country of Origin: Canada

My Rating:  3.91

213. Sasha  -  Airdrawndagger

Year:  2001

Electronic Genre:  Breaks (Progressive Trance/Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.91

214. Various Artists (Astralwerks)  -  Barramundi 2: Dreamtime Planet

Year:  1995

Electronic Genre:  Trance (Techno/Downtempo)

Country of Origin: Belgium

My Rating:  3.91

215. Aphex Twin  -  Chosen Lords

Year:  2006

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Electro/Acid)

Country of Origin: Ireland

My Rating:  3.90

216. Bjork  -  Homogenic

Year:  1997

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Electronic Pop)

Country of Origin: Iceland

My Rating:  3.90

217. Plaid  -  Plaid Remixes (Parts In The Post)

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Breakbeat (IDM/Electro)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.90

218. Various Artists (Ninja Tune)  -  ZEN RMX: A Retrospective of Ninja Tune Remixes

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Trip Hop (Leftfield/Downtempo)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.90

219. Various Artists (Rephlex)  -  Grime 2

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  Dubstep (Grime)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.90

220. Various Artists (Waveform)  -  Four A.D.

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Ambient Dub

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.90

221. Deadbeat  -  Something Borrowed, Something Blue

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  Dub (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Canada

My Rating:  3.90

222. Underworld  -  Dubnobasswithmyheadman

Year:  1993

Electronic Genre:  Progressive House (Trance)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.89

223. Infected Mushroom  -  The Gathering

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Psy-Trance (Goa Trance)

Country of Origin: Israel

My Rating:  3.89

224. Carl Craig  -  Fabric 25

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre:  House (Techno)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.89

225. DJ Shadow  -  The 4-Track ERA Collection, Vol. 3

Year:  2008

Electronic Genre:  Abstract Hip-Hop (Instrumental/Cut-up DJ)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.88

226. Hallucinogen  -  Twisted

Year:  1995

Electronic Genre:  Trance (Goa Trance)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.88

227. Ozric Tentacles  -  Strangeitude

Year:  1991

Electronic Genre:  Alternative Rock   (Space Rock/Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.88

228. Salt Tank  -  Wavebreaks

Year:  1997

Electronic Genre:  Trance (Breaks/Progressive Trance)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.88

229. Various Artists (Kompakt)  -  Total 8

Year:  2007

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal/Tech House)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.86

230. Wiley  -  Treddin’ On Thin Ice

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  Grime

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.85

231. Various Artists (Kompakt)  -  Total 12

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  Tech House (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.85

232. Amon Tobin  -  Supermodified

Year:  2000

Electronic Genre:  Breaks (Leftfield/Future Jazz)

Country of Origin: Brazil

My Rating:  3.83

233. DJ Shadow  -  The Less You Know, The Better

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  Abstract Hip-Hop (Instrumental/Experimental)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.84

234. Kraftwerk  -  Computer World

Year:  1981

Electronic Genre:  Electro (Synth-pop)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.83

235. L.S.G. (Oliver Lieb)  -  Into Deep 

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Trance (Downtempo)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.83

236. Bonobo  -  Days to Come

Year:  2006

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.82

237. Orbital – Pusher Soundtrack

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Soundtrack)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.81

238. Taragana Pyjarama  -  Tipped Bowls

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Deep House (Leftfield)

Country of Origin: Denmark

My Rating:  3.80

239. Oxia  -  Tides of Mind

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Deep House)

Country of Origin: France

My Rating:  3.82

240. Plastikman  -  Sheet One

Year:  1993

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Downtempo/Minimal)

Country of Origin: Canada

My Rating:  3.82

241. Dimension 5  -  Transdimensional

Year:  1997

Electronic Genre:  Goa Trance

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.80

242. Steve Bug  -  Collaboratory

Year:  2009

Electronic Genre:  Deep House (Minimal/Tech House)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.82

243. Orb, The  -  More Tales From The Orbservatory

Year:  2013

Electronic Genre:  Dub

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.82

244. Sasha & John Digweed  -  Renaissance: The Mix Collection (Disc 1)

Year:  1994

Electronic Genre:  Trance (Progressive House/Progressive Trance)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.80

245. Various Artists (Kompakt)  -  Pop Ambient 2007

Year:  2006

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Ambient)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.80

246. Harold Budd  -  Avalon Sutra

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  Modern Classical (Ambient)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.79

247. Benga  -  Diary Of An Afro Warrior

Year:  2008

Electronic Genre:  Dubstep

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.79

248. Dizzee Rascal  -  Maths + English

Year:  2007

Electronic Genre:  Grime

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.79

249. Sasha & John Digweed       Renaissance: The Mix Collection (Disc 3)

Year:  1994

Electronic Genre:  Trance (Progressive House/Progressive Trance)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.79

250. Biosphere     Microgravity

Year:  1992

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Downtempo)

Country of Origin: Norway

My Rating:  3.78

251. Dave Ralph  Transport, Vol. II (Disc 2: Arrivals)

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Progressive House (Trance/Tech House)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.78

252. Philip Glass  -  Music In 12 Parts

Year:  1996

Electronic Genre:  Modern Classical (Contemporary/Minimal)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.77

253. James Holden  -  Balance 005

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Progressive House (Techno/Electro)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.77

254. Banco De Gaia  -  The Magical Sounds Of Banco De Gaia

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Tribal (Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.75

255. Andy Stott  -  Luxury Problems

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Dub Techno (House)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.75

256. DJ Koze  -  Amygdala

Year:  2013

Electronic Genre:  Deep House (Tech House/Ambient)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.77

257. 1200 Micrograms  -  Heroes Of The Imagination

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Psy-Trance

Country of Origin: Spain

My Rating:  3.75

258. DJ Shadow  -  Total Breakdown: Hidden Transmissions From The MPC Era, 1992-1996

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Abstract Hip-Hop (Instrumental)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.74

259. Marcel Dettmann  -  Dettmann

Year:  2010

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Abstract/Dubstep/Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.75

260. Michael Mayer  -  Kompakt: The Early Years 1998-2004

Year:  2009

Electronic Genre:  Tech House (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.75

261. Pantha du Prince  -  XI Versions Of Black Noise

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  Dub Techno (Deep House/Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.73

262. Blackmill  -  Reach For Glory

Year:  2011    

Electronic Genre:  Dubstep

Country of Origin: Scotland

My Rating:  3.73

263. Ulf Lohmann  -  On Frozen Fields

Year:  2005    

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Ambient)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.75

264. DJ Shadow  -  Diminishing Returns

Year:  2009    

Electronic Genre:  Garage Rock (Instrumental/ Cut-up/DJ)

Country of Origin: USA

      My Rating: 3.73

265. Deadbeat  -  Journeyman’s Annual          

Year:  2007

Electronic Genre:  Dub

Country of Origin: Canada

My Rating:  3.73

266. Robert Miles  -  Dreamland

Year:  1996

Electronic Genre:  Trance

Country of Origin: Italy

My Rating:  3.73

267. Various Artists (Platipus)  -  Platipus Records Vol. 1

Year:  1994

Electronic Genre:  Acid Trance

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.73

268. Plaid  -  Trainer (Disc 1)

Year:  1991

Electronic Genre:  Breakbeat (Abstract/Techno)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.71

269. Various Artists (Kompakt)  -  Total 10

Year:  2009

Electronic Genre:  Tech House (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.71

270. 1200 Micrograms  -  Magic Numbers

Year:  2007

Electronic Genre:  Psy-Trance

Country of Origin: Spain

My Rating:  3.71

271. Martyn  -  Great Lengths

Year:  2009

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Dubstep/Deep House/Ambient)

Country of Origin: Netherlands

My Rating:  3.71

272. Andrew Thomas  -  Fearsome Jewell

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Ambient (Abstract)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.70

273. Orb, The  -  The Orb’s Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld

Year:  1991

Electronic Genre:  House (Dub/Experimental)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.70

274. Plastikman  -  Closer

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal/Acid)

Country of Origin: Canada

My Rating:  3.70

275. Various Artists (Warp)  -  Artificial Intelligence I

Year:  1993

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Techno/Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.70

276. DJ Cam  -  Seven

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Trip Hop)

Country of Origin: France

My Rating:  3.70

277. Aphex Twin  -  Classics

Year:  1995

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Techno)

Country of Origin: Ireland

My Rating:  3.69

278. Skylab  -  #1

Year:  1994

Electronic Genre:  Trip Hop (IDM/Downtempo)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.69

279. Various Artists (Kompakt)  -  Total 1

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Tech House

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.69

280. Plaid  -  Heaven’s Door

Year:  2008

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Soundtrack/Score)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.69

281. Aphex Twin  -  I Care Because You Do…

Year:  1995

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Techno)

Country of Origin: Ireland

My Rating:  3.67

282. Electric Skychurch  -  Knowoneness

Year:  1995

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Ambient)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.67

283. Future Sound of London  -  ISDN

Year:  1994

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Leftfield/Downtempo)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.67

284. Hybrid  -  Wide Angle

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Breakbeat (Trance/Progressive House)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.67

285. 1200 Micrograms  -  The Time Machine

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  Psy-Trance

Country of Origin: Spain

My Rating:  3.67

286. Modeselektor  -  Monkeytown (Deluxe Tour Edition) (Disc 2)

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Leftfield (Dub/Glitch/IDM)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.09

287. Jean Michel Jarre  -  Oxygene

Year:  1976

Electronic Genre:  Electronic Rock (Synth-pop/Ambient)

Country of Origin: France

My Rating:  3.67

288. Polygon Window (Aphex Twin)  -  Surfing on Sine Waves

Year:  1992

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Techno)

Country of Origin: Ireland

My Rating:  3.67

289. Sasha & John Digweed  -  Renaissance: The Mix Collection (Disc 2)

Year:  1994

Electronic Genre:  Trance (Progressive House/Progressive Trance)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.67

290. Gas (Wolfgang Voigt) -  Gas

Year:  1996

Electronic Genre:  Dub Techno (Abstract/Ambient)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.67

291. St. Germain  -  Tourist

Year:  2000

Electronic Genre:  Deep House (Future Jazz/Downtempo)

Country of Origin: France

My Rating:  3.67

292. Drexciya  -  Neptune’s Lair

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Electro)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.67

293. Various Artists (Waveform)  -  Three A.D.

Year:  1996

Electronic Genre:  Ambient Dub

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.67

294. Various Artists (Kompakt)  -  Total 11

Year:  2010

Electronic Genre:  Techno (House/Disco)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.65

295. Bonobo  -  Black Sands Remixed

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Future Jazz/Leftfield/Abstract)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.64

296. Various Artists (Kompakt)  -  Schaffelfieber 2

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.64

297. Spacetime Continuum  -  Double Fine Zone

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Acid Jazz/Future Jazz)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.64

298. Philip Glass  -  Koyaanisqatsi

Year:  1998

Electronic Genre:  Modern Classical (Contemporary/Minimal)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.63

299. Various Artists (Kompakt)  -  Kompakt Benefit Compilation For Japan

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  Deep House (Leftfield/Minimal/Tech House)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.62

300. Various Artists (Kompakt)  -  Total 4

Year:  2002

Electronic Genre:  Tech House (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.62

301. Bonobo  -  Black Sands Remixed (Bonus CD)

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Future Jazz/Leftfield/Abstract)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.63

302. Bleep (Biosphere)  -  North Pole By Submarine

Year:  1989

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Ambient)

Country of Origin: Norway

My Rating:  3.60

303. John Tejada  -  Where

Year:  2008

Electronic Genre:  Tech House

Country of Origin: Austria

My Rating:  3.60

304. Venetian Snares  -  Rossz Csillag Alatt Született

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre:  Breakcore (Modern Classical)

Country of Origin: Canada

My Rating:  3.64

305. VCMG  -  Ssss

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Techno

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.60

306. Thievery Corporation  -  DJ Kicks

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Dub/Future Jazz)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.59

307. Actress  -  R.I.P

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Leftfield (Glitch/Techno/Experimental)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.60

308. Plaid  -  Trainer (Disc 2)

Year:  1991

Electronic Genre:  Breakbeat (Abstract/Techno)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.58

309. Popnoname  -  Surrounded By Mars

Year:  2010

Electronic Genre:  House (Techno/Ambient)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.58

310. Sasha  -  Global Underground 013: Ibiza (Disc 1)

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Progressive House (Progressive Trance/Breakbeat)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.58

311. Squarepusher  -  Hello Everything

Year:  2006

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Future Jazz)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.58

312. Various Artists (Mille Plateaux)  -  Clicks & Cuts 2 (Disc 1)

Year:  2001

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Glitch/Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.58

313. J Dilla  -  Donuts

Year:  2006

Electronic Genre:  Abstract Hip-Hop (Instrumental)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.58

314. Amon Tobin  -  Boxset Sampler

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Rhythmic Noise (Leftfield/Abstract/IDM)

Country of Origin: Brazil

My Rating:  3.57

315. Banco De Gaia  -  Big Men Cry

Year:  1997

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.57

316. Ricardo Villalobos  -  Thé Au Harem D'Archimède

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal/Tech House)

Country of Origin: Chile

My Rating:  3.56

317. Jazzanova  -  In Between

Year:  2002

Electronic Genre:  House (Broken Beat/Acid Jazz/Future Jazz)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.57

318. 1200 Micrograms  -  Remixes

Year:  2006

Electronic Genre:  Psy-Trance

Country of Origin: Spain

My Rating:  3.56

319. Thomas Fehlmann  -  Visions of Blah

Year:  2002

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Dub Techno/Ambient)

Country of Origin: Switzerland

My Rating:  3.55

320. Streets, The  -  Everything Is Borrowed

Year:  2008

Electronic Genre:  UK Garage (Hip-Hop)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.55

321. Streets, The  -  The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living

Year:  2006

Electronic Genre:  UK Garage (Hip-Hop)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.55

322. Astral Projection  - Trust In Trance

Year:  1996

Electronic Genre:  Goa Trance

Country of Origin: Israel

My Rating:  3.56

323. Daedelus  -  Of Snowdonia

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Downtempo/Experimental)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.54

324. Various Artists (Mille Plateaux)  -  Clicks & Cuts (Disc 2)

Year:  2000

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Abstract/Experimental)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.54

325. Ellen Allien  -  Dust Remixes

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  House (Techno/Electro/Tech House)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.50

326. Daft Punk  -  TRON: Legacy

Year:  2010

Electronic Genre:  House (Modern/Romantic)

Country of Origin: France

My Rating:  3.51

327. Daft Punk  -  Discovery

Year:  2001

Electronic Genre:  House (Electro/Disco)

Country of Origin: France

My Rating:  3.50

328. Streets, The  -  Computers & Blues

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  UK Garage (Musique Concrete/Hip-Hop)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.50

329. E-Man  -  E-Man

Year:  1984

Electronic Genre:  Electro (Synth-pop/Minimal/Ambient)

Country of Origin: Norway

My Rating:  3.50

330. Future Sound of London  -  Environments, Vol. 3

Year:  2010

Electronic Genre:  Modern Classical (Abstract/Experimental/Downtempo)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.50

331. GusGus  -  Arabian Horse 

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  Progressive House (Downtempo/Tech House)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.50

332. Neu!  -  Neu!           

Year:  1972

Electronic Genre:  Krautrock  (Early Synth/Experimental)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.50

333. Oxia  -  24 Heures

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  Breaks (Techno/Electro)

Country of Origin: France

My Rating:  3.50

334. Paul van Dyk  -  Politics of Dancing (Disc 2)

Year:  2001

Electronic Genre:  Progressive Trance

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.50

335. Plastikman  -  Recycled Plastik     

Year:  1994

Electronic Genre:  Breakbeat  (Techno/Acid)

Country of Origin: Canada

My Rating:  3.50

336. Skream  -  Skreamism (Outside The Box Bonus CD)

Year:  2010

Electronic Genre:  Dubstep (Drum n Bass)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.50

337. Various Artists (Mille Plateaux)  -  Clicks & Cuts 2 (Disc 2)

Year:  2001

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Glitch/Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.50

338. Various Artists (Tempa)  -  Ammunition & Blackdown Present: The Roots Of Dubstep

Year:  2006

Electronic Genre:  Dubstep (Breaks/Grime)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.50

339. Various Artists (Waveform)  -  Two A.D.

Year:  1995

Electronic Genre:  Ambient Dub

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.50

340. Amon Tobin  -  Out From Out Where

Year:  2002

Electronic Genre:  Breakbeat (Abstract/Downtempo/IDM)

Country of Origin: Brazil

My Rating:  3.45

341. Mount Kimbie  -  Crooks & Lovers

Year:  2010

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Dubstep/Experimental)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.45

342. Koop  -  Koop Islands

Year:  2007

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Acid Jazz/Easy Listening)

Country of Origin: Sweden

My Rating:  3.45

343. Dizzee Rascal  -  Boy In The Corner

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Grime

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.40

344. Caribou  -  The Milk Of Human Kindness

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre:  Krautrock (Psychedelic Rock/Experimental)

Country of Origin: Canada

My Rating:  3.45

345. Massive Attack  -  Mezzanine

Year:  1998

Electronic Genre:  Trip Hop (Leftfield)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.45

346. Shed  -  Shedding The Past           

Year:  2008

Electronic Genre:  Techno

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.45

347. Waterbone  -  Tibet

Year:  1998

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (New Age)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.45

348. Oval  -  94 Diskont

Year:  1995

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Glitch/Abstract/Experimental)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.43

Expert Review (darktremor): Like most albums on this list, it’s very difficult indeed: it takes a very good number of listens to sink in, to associate with a mental world that makes the album worthwhile. At first, I didn’t see anything here but generic, if very high quality space music (the invention of space music, yes, but still nothing special). Then I realized what it was, and how unbelievably wrong I was. This wasn’t space music, but a veritable musical black nothingness. Irrlicht wasn’t the sound of floating in space, it was of floating in less than space.

And this is not a bad thing: it’s incredible! It is said (by physicists), that if you could go beyond the edges of the universe, into the nothingness into which the universe expands, the universe would extend out with you, by virtue of the simple fact that you’re there. However, all around would be no universe: nothingness. But nothingness is impossible: when all matter is removed, random “positive” and “negative” energy and “positive” and “negative” matter will come into existence, resulting only in an average of nothing. So, in effect, you would be in nothingness, but you would see all sorts of unbelievable things around you, all popping in and out of existence in rapidly disintegrated and reintegrating mirror images. This surreal nothing is the endless, droning strands of Satz Ebene, infinitely far from the edges of our universe.

Satz Gewintter is the same world, but now we’re moving, heading back towards our universe at infinite speed, so fast it appears as almost stillness. The surreal world passes us by, distorting with more chaos, flowing by the edges of our ethereal ship.

Satz Exil Sils Maria brings us the edge of our universe, trillions of miles away, the first light of “home” reaching our eyes, the mirrored chaos all around us.

Brilliant, one of the only pure ambient albums I’ll actually listen to, rather than just putting it at the threshold or sleeping to it. It’s the sound of both infinity and nothingness.

Not recommended for agoraphobics.

349. Mohn  -  Mohn

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Krautrock (Experimental/Ambient)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.44

350. Amon Tobin  -  Foley Room

Year:  2007

Electronic Genre:  Drum n Bass (Breaks/Experimental)

Country of Origin: Brazil

My Rating:  3.42

351. DJ Food  -  Kaleidoscope

Year:  2000

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Future Jazz/Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.42

352. DJ Shadow & UNKLE  -  Psyence Fiction

Year:  1998

Electronic Genre:  Abstract Hip-Hop (Trip Hop)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.42

353. Justus Köhncke  -  Was 1st Musik

Year:  2002

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal/Synth-pop/Tech House)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.40

354. Squarepusher  -  Ultravisitor

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Future Jazz)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.40

355. Various Artists (Astralwerks)  -  Excursions in Ambience (The Fourth Frontier)

Year:  1995

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Abstract)

Country of Origin: Various

My Rating:  3.40

356. Various Artists (Moonshine)  -  United States of Ambience, Vol. 1

Year:  1994

Electronic Genre:  Trance (Dub/Downtempo)

Country of Origin: Various

My Rating:  3.40

357. Various Artists (Platipus)  -  Platipus Records Vol. 5

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Progressive Trance

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.40

358. Boards of Canada  -  Geogaddi

Year:  2002

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Ambient)

Country of Origin: Scotland

My Rating:  3.39

359. Banco De Gaia  -  You Are Here

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Breaks/Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.38

360. Basic Channel  -  BCD

Year:  1995

Electronic Genre:  Dub Techno

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.36

361. Richie Hawtin  -  Minimize To Maximize (Compilation)

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Abstract/Minimal)

Country of Origin: Canada

My Rating:  3.36

362. Kevin Saunderson  -  Faces & Phases (Disc 2)

Year:  1996

Electronic Genre:  Acid House (Techno/Electro)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.36

363. Orb, The  -  Okie Dokie It’s The Orb On Kompakt

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre:  Dub (Tech House/Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.36

364. DJ Koze  -  Kosi Comes Around

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal/Ambient)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.33

365. GusGus  -  24/7

Year:  2009

Electronic Genre:  House (Abstract)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.33

366. Infected Mushroom  -  Legend of the Black Schwarma

Year:  2009

Electronic Genre:  Psy-Trance (Industrial)

Country of Origin: Israel

My Rating:  3.33

367. Kode9  -  Black Sun

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  Dubstep (Experimental)

Country of Origin: Scotland

My Rating:  3.33

368. Ricardo Villalobos  -  Alcachofa

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal/Tech House)

Country of Origin: Chile

My Rating:  3.33

369. Maurizio  -  Maurizio

Year:  1997

Electronic Genre:  Dub Techno (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.33

370. Infected Mushroom  -  Army Of Mushrooms

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Psy-Trance (Drum and Bass/Dubstep)

Country of Origin: Israel

My Rating:  3.31

371. Modeselektor  -  Boogybytes, Vol. 3

Year:  2007

Electronic Genre:  Minimal (Dub/Disco)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.30

372. Cinematic Orchestra, The  -  Every Day

Year:  2002

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Future Jazz)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.30

373. Cinematic Orchestra, The  -  Ma Fleur

Year:  2007

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Future Jazz)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.30

374. 2562  -  Aerial

Year:  2008

Electronic Genre:  Broken Beat (Techno/Dubstep)

Country of Origin: Netherlands

My Rating:  3.30

375. Bear In Heaven  -  Beast Rest Forth Mouth

Year:  2009

Electronic Genre:  Shoegaze (Drone/Power Pop)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.30

376. Daedelus  -  Exquisite Corpse

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre:  Glitch (Abstract/Downtempo/Hip-Hop)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.31

377. Akufen  -  Fabric 17

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Leftfield/IDM/Minimal)

Country of Origin: Canada

My Rating:  3.29

378. Streets, The  -  A Grand Don’t Come For Free

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  Breaks (UK Garage)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.27

379. Future Sound of London  -  Environments, Vol. 4

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Modern Classical  (Abstract/Experimental/Downtempo)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.29

380. Moodswings  -  Moodfood

Year:  1992

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Dub/Trip Hop)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.29

381. Pleiadians  -  Identified Flying Object

Year:  1997

Electronic Genre:  Trance (Goa Trance)

Country of Origin: Italy

My Rating:  3.29

382. Squarepusher  -  Budakhan Mindphone

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Drum n Bass (Downtempo/Experimental)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.29

383. Tiësto  -  In Search of Sunrise 1

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Progressive Trance

Country of Origin: Netherlands

My Rating:  3.29

384. Aphex Twin  -  Richard D. James Album (US Version w/ bonus tracks)

Year:  1996

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Drum n Bass/Experimental)

Country of Origin: Ireland

My Rating:  3.27

385. Deadmau5  -  Random Album Title

Year:  2008

Electronic Genre:  Trance (Techno)

Country of Origin: Canada

My Rating:  3.25

386. Fennesz  -  Endless Summer

Year:  2001

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Glitch/Experimental)

Country of Origin: Austria

My Rating:  3.25

387. Abakus  -  Prisms

Year:  2010

Electronic Genre:  Progressive House (Tech House/Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.25

388. Deep Forest  -  Deep Forest

Year:  1993

Electronic Genre:  Tribal (Ambient)

Country of Origin: France

My Rating:  3.27

389. Lawrence  -  The Night Will Last Forever

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre:  House (Minimal/Ambient)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.25

390. Tangerine Dream  -  Phaedra

Year:  1974

Electronic Genre:  Krautrock (Ambient)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.25

391. Paul van Dyk  -  Politics of Dancing (Disc 1)

Year:  2001

Electronic Genre:  Progressive Trance

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.24

392. Global Communication  -  Fabric 26

Year:  2006

Electronic Genre:  House (Broken Beat/Downtempo)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.23

393. Boards of Canada  -  Music Has a Right to Children

Year:  1998

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Ambient)

Country of Origin: Scotland

My Rating:  3.22

394. Fila Brazila  -  Brazilification (Remixes 95-99), Disc 2

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Leftfield/Breaks)

Country of Origin: Brazil

My Rating:  3.22

395. Dave Ralph  -  Transport, Vol. II (Disc 1: Departures)

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Progressive House (Trance/Tech House)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.22

396. Paul Oakenfold  -  Resident: Two Years of Oakenfold at Cream (Disc 2)

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Trance (House)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.21

397. Astral Projection  - Another World

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Goa Trance

Country of Origin: Israel

My Rating:  3.22

398. Ellen Allien  -  Thrills

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre:  Electro

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.20

399. Various Artists (Mille Plateaux)  -  Clicks & Cuts 3 (Disc 2)

Year:  2002

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal/Experimental/Tech House)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.18

400. M83  -  Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Shoegaze (Leftfield/Noise)

Country of Origin: France

My Rating:  3.17

401. Various Artists (Kompakt)  -  Pop Ambient 2005

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  Ambient

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.17

402. Woob  -  Woob 1194

Year:  1994

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Dub/Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.17

403. Amon Tobin  -  Solid Steel Presents Amon Tobin Recorded Live

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  Drum n Bass (Breaks)

Country of Origin: Brazil

My Rating:  3.14

404. Astral Projection  - Dancing Galaxy

Year:  1997

Electronic Genre:  Goa Trance

Country of Origin: Israel

My Rating:  3.13

405. Actress  -  Splazsh

Year:  2010

Electronic Genre:  Bass Music (Techno/Dubstep/Experimental)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.14

406. DJ Shadow  -  The 4-Track ERA Collection, Vol. 2

Year:  2008

Electronic Genre:  Abstract Hip-Hop (Instrumental/Cut up-DJ)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.09

407. Modeselektor  -  Monkeytown (Deluxe Tour Edition) (Disc 1)

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Leftfield (Dub/Glitch/IDM)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.09

408. Hug (John Dahlbäck)  -  Heroes

Year:  2007

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Sweden

My Rating:  3.08

409. Various Artists (Mille Plateaux)  -  Clicks & Cuts 3 (Disc 1)

Year:  2002

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal/Experimental/Tech House)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.08

410. Daft Punk  -  TRON: Legacy Reconfigured

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  House (Electro/Trance)

Country of Origin: France

My Rating:  3.07

411. Amorphous Androgynous  -  The Isness  

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  Electronic Rock (Psychedelic Rock/Experimental)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.00

412. Aphex Twin  -  Selected Ambient Works, Vol. 2

Year:  1994

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Experimental/Ambient)

Country of Origin: Ireland

My Rating:  3.00

413. Caretaker, The  -  An Empty Bliss Beyond This World

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  Dark Ambient (Experimental)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.00

414. Future Sound of London  -  Environments, Vol. 1

Year:  2008

Electronic Genre:  Breakbeat (IDM/Experimental)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.00

415. Fila Brazila  -  Brazilification (Remixes 95-99), Disc 1

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Leftfield/Breaks)

Country of Origin: Brazil

My Rating:  3.00

416. Gas (Wolfgang Voigt)  -  Zauberberg      

Year:  1997

Electronic Genre:  Modern Classical  (Techno/Ambient)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.00

417. Gas (Wolfgang Voigt)  -  Königsforst

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Modern Classical  (Techno/Ambient)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.00

418. Gas (Wolfgang Voigt)  -  Pop

Year:  2000

Electronic Genre:  Modern Classical  (Techno/Ambient)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  3.00

419. Secede  -  Tryshasla

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Ambient)

Country of Origin: Netherlands

My Rating:  3.00

420. Robert Rich  -  Somnium

Year:  2001

Electronic Genre:  Ambient

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.00

421. Laurent Garnier  -  Laboratoire Mix

Year:  1996

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Deep House)

Country of Origin: France

My Rating:  3.00

422. Giorgio Moroder  -  From Here To Eternity

Year:  1977

Electronic Genre:  Disco (Synth-Pop)

Country of Origin: Italy

My Rating:  3.00

423. Kevin Saunderson  -  Faces & Phases (Disc 1)

Year:  1996

Electronic Genre:  Acid House (Techno/Electro)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.00

424. Kode9  -  Memories Of The Future

Year:  2006

Electronic Genre:  Dubstep

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.00

425. Tiësto  -  In Search of Sunrise 5 (Disc 1)

Year:  2006

Electronic Genre: Progressive House (Progressive Trance)

Country of Origin: Netherlands

My Rating:  3.00

426. Squarepusher  -  Ufabulum

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Breaks (Leftfield/IDM/Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  3.00

427. DJ Shadow & Cut Chemist  -  Brainfreeze

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Breakbeat (Cut-up/DJ / Funk)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  3.00

428. Daft Punk  -  Homework

Year:  1997

Electronic Genre:  House (Electro/Techno)

Country of Origin: France

My Rating:  2.94

429. Tiësto  -  In Search of Sunrise 2

Year:  2000

Electronic Genre:  Trance

Country of Origin: Netherlands

My Rating:  2.92

430. Herbert  -  Around The House

Year:  1998

Electronic Genre:  Deep House (Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  2.91

431. Amon Tobin  -  Chaos Theory - The Soundtrack To Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell      

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre:  Drum n Bass (Abstract/Downtempo)

Country of Origin: Brazil

My Rating:  2.90

432. Deadmau5  -  At Play, Vol. 3

Year:  2010

Electronic Genre:  Electro (Euro House)

Country of Origin: Canada

My Rating:  2.90

433. Prefuse 73  -  One Word Extinguisher

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Broken Beat/Downtempo/Glitch Hop)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  2.87

434. Squarepusher  -  Just A Souvenir

Year:  2008

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Future Jazz/Leftfield/Fusion/Art Rock)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  2.86

435. Supermayer  -  Save The World

Year:  2007

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal/Ambient)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  2.85

436. Orb, The  -  U.F. Orb

Year:  1992

Electronic Genre:  Ambient House (Dub)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  2.83

437. Matias Aguayo  -  Ay Ay Ay

Year:  2009

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Abstract/Mouth Music/Experimental)

Country of Origin: Chile

My Rating:  2.82

438. KLF, The  -  Kylie Said to Jason (The Remixes)

Year:  1989

Electronic Genre:  Acid House (Abstract)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  2.80

439. Alva Noto  -  Univrs

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  Glitch (Techno/Experimental)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  2.79

440. Mr. Oizo  -  Lambs Anger

Year:  2007

Electronic Genre:  Electro (Leftfield)

Country of Origin: France

My Rating:  2.76

441. Tricky  -  Maxinquaye

Year:  1995

Electronic Genre:  Trip Hop (Leftfield/Downtempo)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  2.75

442. Various Artists (Mille Plateaux)  -  Clicks & Cuts 2 (Disc 3)

Year:  2001

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Glitch/Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  2.75

443. Prefuse 73  -  Everything She Touched Turned Ampexian

Year:  2009

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Leftfield/Glitch Hop)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  2.76

444. Daedelus  -  Rethinking The Weather

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Abstract)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  2.75

445. Mr. Oizo  -  Analog Worms Attack

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Electro/Noise/Experimental)

Country of Origin: France

My Rating:  2.73

446. Portishead  -  Dummy

Year:  1994

Electronic Genre:  Trip Hop (Downtempo)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  2.73

447. Flying Lotus  -  Los Angelos

Year:  2008

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Hip-Hop/Experimental)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  2.65

448. Dan Deacon  -  Bromst

Year:  2009

Electronic Genre:  Noise (Experimental/Psychedelic Rock)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  2.64

449. Crystal Castles  -  Crystal Castles

Year:  2010

Electronic Genre:  Electro (Leftfield)

Country of Origin: Canada

My Rating:  2.64

450. Prodigy, The  -  The Fat of the Land

Year:  1997

Electronic Genre:  Big Beat (Breakbeat/Leftfield)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  2.60

451. Prefuse 73  -  The Only She Chapters

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Abstract/Experimental)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  2.61

452. Autechre  -  Confield

Year:  2001

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Abstract/Experimental)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  2.56

453. Amon Tobin  -  ISAM (Control Over Nature)

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  Rhythmic Noise (Abstract/Electro/Dubstep)

Country of Origin: Brazil

My Rating:  2.54

454. Wolfgang Voigt  -  Freiland Klaviermusik

Year:  2010

Electronic Genre:  Modern Classical (Techno/Avantgarde)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  2.54

455. Digital Mystikz  -  Return II Space

Year:  2010

Electronic Genre:  Dubstep

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  2.50

456. Fennesz  -  Venice

Year:  2004

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Glitch/Experimental)

Country of Origin: Austria

My Rating:  2.50

457. MJ Cole  -  Sincere

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  UK Garage

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  2.50

458. 2562  -  Fever

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  Bass Music (Techno/Dubstep/Broken Beat)

Country of Origin: Netherlands

My Rating:  2.45

459. Klaus Schulze  -  Irrlicht  

Year:  1972

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Experimental/Semi-ambient/Early synth)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  2.33

460. GonjaSufi  -  A Sufi And A Killer

Year:  2010

Electronic Genre:  Lo-Fi (Psychedelic Rock/Experimental)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  2.28

461. Data  -  Opera Electronica

Year:  1981

Electronic Genre:  New Wave (Synth-pop)

Country of Origin: Netherlands

My Rating:  2.30

462. Amorphous Androgynous  -  Alice in Ultraland

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre:  Electronic Rock (Psychedelic Rock/Abstract)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  2.21

463. Busdriver & Radioinactive w/ Daedelus  -  The Weather

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Abstract Hip-Hop (Experimental)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  2.13

464. Mr. Oizo  -  Moustache (Half A Scissor)

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre:  Breakbeat (Leftfield/Techno)

Country of Origin: France

My Rating:  2.11

465. GonjaSufi  -  MU.ZZ.LE

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Lo-Fi (Psychedelic Rock)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  2.10

466. Mr. Oizo  -  Stade 2

Year:  2010

Electronic Genre:  Electro (Experimental)

Country of Origin: France

My Rating:  2.08

467. My Bloody Valentine  -  Loveless

Year:  1991

Electronic Genre:  Alternative Rock (Noise/Shoegaze)

Country of Origin: Ireland

My Rating:  2.00

468. Kraftwerk  -  Kraftwerk

Year:  1970

Electronic Genre:  Krautrock  (Experimental)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  1.50

469. Faust  -  Faust

Year:  1971

Electronic Genre:  Krautrock  (Avant-garde)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  1.00

Expert Review (darktremor): This sounds like Hell. I don’t mean it sounds terrible and boring, I mean, it actually sounds like Hell…or maybe “the Netherworld.” At first, it sounds like you’re driving through Hell, trying to get a radio station, but since you’re in the center of the earth, reception is understandably poor. Hell has a radio station, and, (I think this may even be the joke Faust is getting at) of course, it plays mainstream popular music. Then, driving through Hell town our car stops working: the engine overheated and it won’t run anymore. But you stay hiding in the car, as just that moment, Hell’s marching band of skeletons, devils, and demons goes by. There are floats, showcasing different tortures (all campily redone) and reenacting all kinds of Satan-driven events in history (from Hitler’s slaughter of the Jews, to the Rwandan massacre, to the releasing of Celine Dion’s first album; again, all deliberately silly). Then the horn section comes by. This being Hell, they’re all overloud, and don’t really know how to play their instruments. You’re trying to get away from the noise, but no matter how fast you run, Hell moves with you at the precise same speed: you can’t escape. Then the singing begins, announcing the coming of the Satan float. He makes the band stop, shrieking in electronic pulses, laughing as everyone around screams in pain at the noise, then flees. But the band stays together, and marches by at a hyper speed. You run, escaping Hell town this time, across a barren waste both frozen and burning, accompanied by the band, marching by now and then, passing Hell’s bar, where the pianist isn’t playing, he’s just warming up forever. Hell winds accompany us, almost blowing us over at times, along with the howls of wolves (although the two seem to merge together). Odd voices come out of the ether, shipwrecked tankers float by the land, a fog falls, and we are almost driven to madness, falling over into a nightmare. And so ends “Why Don’t you Eat Carrots?”, the first third of the album.

This same bent continues throughout the next two songs, but they’re very different (the second song being the nightmare…[could you actually have a nightmare in Hell, if it existed?] The third is awakening from the nightmare, and being unable to tell what is the nightmare, and what is Hell…forever].

While I could describe my own “Faust” world for pages, I must also note the importance of this album. It was one of many albums that shattered conventions in the 70s, even convention-shattering for Krautrock. This album is specifically rooted in “deconstructive” ideas (it was this concept’s most pop-accessible version yet, which doesn’t really say anything - and isn’t as accessible as say…“The Orb”), taking apart a huge number of influences with a chainsaw, and throwing them all into a heap, their emotional centers laid bare. When this album came out, it was suddenly pretty much possible to do anything with music, and everyone knew it. Artists like Nurse With Wound, Throbbing Gristle, and maybe even sample-heavy ambient house producers owe quite a lot to this music, whether they know it or not.

This is proof that Hell can be FUN!

This album is already showing serious diminishing returns after 5 listens. It’s good, but problematic. Analyze it all you will, it really just boils down to being a collage. A good one though, so it’s still worthy of a very high position. It’s just really not the number one of all time, especially considering how difficult it is, and that sound collage was nothing new at this point.

470. Merzbow  -  1930

Year:  1998

Electronic Genre:  Krautrock (Avant-garde/Noise)

Country of Origin: Japan

My Rating:  1.00

 

Here are some EPs/Mixes I felt deserved recognition. 

1. Orbital  -  Diversions EP

Year:  1992

Electronic Genre:  Techno

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  5.00

2. Sasha  -  Expander EP

Year:  1999

Electronic Genre:  Trance (Progressive Trance/Psy-Trance)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  5.00

3. DJ Shadow  -  Camel Bobsled Race

Year:  1997

Electronic Genre:  Instrumental (Cut-up/DJ)

Country of Origin: USA

My Rating:  5.00

4. Shpongle  - The God Particle

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  Psy-Trance (Downtempo)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  5.00

5. Shpongle  -  Remixed 

Year:  2003

Electronic Genre:  Psy-Trance (Breaks)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.63

6. Bonobo  -  Sweetness   (Bootleg album)

Year:  2002

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo

Country of Origin:  UK

My Rating:  4.57

7. Burial  -  Truant/Rough Sleeper

Year:  2012

Electronic Genre:  Bass Music (Experimental/Dubstep)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.50

8. Boards of Canada  -  In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country

Year:  2000

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Ambient)

Country of Origin: Scotland

My Rating:  4.50

Pitchfork Review: http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/835-in-a-beautiful-place-out-in-the-country-ep/

9. Oliver Lieb – Epsilon Eridani EP

Year:  2011

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.67

10. Global Communication  -  Remotion: The Remix Album

Year:  1995

Electronic Genre:  Ambient Dance (IDM/Downtempo)

Country of Origin:  UK

My Rating:  4.57

Review (allmusic.com):  Perhaps the most wildly successful ambient group to come out of the U.K., Global Communication often limited their remix work, instead focusing on their own productions. However, when the duo did set their sights on the work of others, it was usually to bring music from other genres into their vast and dreamy world. Remotion collects several of Mark Pritchard and Tom Middleton’s more intra-genre remix attempts, turning songs by proggressive rock icon Jon Anderson, shoegazer group Chapterhouse, and rave stalwarts the Grid into misty clouds of ambient gas. The opening mix of Anderson’s “Amor Real” zooms in on a singular cascading loop that becomes both trance-like and foreboding, not dissimilar to the repetitive minimalism of Steve Reich and melodically reminiscent of Tangerine Dream’s main score for Risky Business. The pair diminishes the bombast of the Grid’s “Rollercoaster” to near nothingness, while “Delta Phase” and “Epsilon Phase” show Chapterhouse’s Blood Music album stripped of its guitar chords and pop hooks, leaving only the wash of flange and distortion to be molded into GC’s own formative style. The disc also hosts remixes of fellow ambient performers Nav Katze and Warp 69 as well as Pritchard and Middleton’s own early work as Reload, all of which becomes one long and luxurious ambient trip for the taking.

11. Ellen Allien  -  Fabric 34

Year:  2007

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Germany

My Rating:  4.40

12. Benga  -  Invasion EP

Year:  2006

Electronic Genre:  Dubstep

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.29

13. Abakus  -  Under The Stars EP

Year:  2008

Electronic Genre:  Downtempo (Ambient)

Country of Origin: UK

My Rating:  4.25

14. Ricardo Villalobos  -  Achso EP

Year:  2005

Electronic Genre:  Techno (Minimal)

Country of Origin: Chile

My Rating:  4.00

15. Boards of Canada  -  Trans Canada Highway

Year:  2006

Electronic Genre:  IDM (Downtempo)

Country of Origin: Scotland

My Rating:  4.00