Intricately crafted electronic albums?

DessertStorms, 10 months ago (edited 10 months ago)

I've been lurking kbin for a few weeks now, and finally a question I can't help myself but register to answer!

And my answer is -

Infected Mushroom

They've been, and still are, making electronic music, specifically PsyTrance, for 25+ years. Their music is phenomenal.

I've actually just sorted through their discography file on my pc (life is going down the drain and I need the distraction, plus their music provides such an escape, my mental health would seriously be even worse without them) and am now listening through my final playlist, and it's over 360 tracks, and I couldn't pick a single favourite! But I also don't want to infodump on you, so I'll limit myself to 5 tracks and try to give you a good sample of their work:

Release Me is from their first full album and is still one of my top most played.

It's Behind Me Now to contrast, is one of my favourites from their most recent album.

Bust a Move - a masterpiece really. Their own remix of it and Bliss's remix are as good as the original, which isn't something I say lightly.

Cities of the Future is always good to lift the mood.

And I'll leave you with a taste of their more mellow side with Animatronica, though I can't help myself and will also sneak Shakawkaw and I Wish in under that category, sorry, I couldn't help myself lol

Seriously though, the number of tracks that didn't make the playlist is probably in single figures, and many of those are because the music personally brings up bad memories, not that it isn't good to listen to, so it's a deep and fantastic rabbit hole to dive in to - enjoy!

Oh, and just to edit in a bonus fact: they've said things like "We think music should be available for everybody. We don’t care about album sales. We’re big supporters of illegal downloads and shit" on several occasions!

DessertStorms, 10 months ago (edited 10 months ago)

Oh, almost forgot - for the full experience you must listen on headphones, so much detail is lost via most speakers.

DessertStorms, 10 months ago

I've been working my way through the playlist some more today, and I just can't not share a few more of my favourites that I don't think get mentioned enough (you know, for posterity lmao):

The Shen

Cream

Symphonatic

Gravity Waves

Manipulator

And this unreleased track I found buried in the discography file, first time I heard it the other week I just had the biggest grin on my face, it's silly and cheeky and groovy all in one -
Sleeping

Suppoze, 10 months ago

Iglooghost!

If I had to recommend one artist, it would definitely be this. I've never heard anything like it. Chaotic, lighthearted, masterfully crafted beats and percussions, and a lot of heart. There's also a little world built around the music with alien creatures and their own languages.

bgsulz, 10 months ago

Yes! Great recommendation. Neō Wax Bloom is an overwhelming 40 minutes, but Iglooghost's colorful sound palette and sense of melody keeps it intensely listenable. I'm amazed by how he fuses recorded instruments and synthesized soundscapes like it's nothing.

elia169, 10 months ago

just listened through Neō Wax Bloom which was very enjoyable. I think the more you listen through this album, the more small things you notice...

segfault, 10 months ago

Great recommendation, never heard anything quite like this! Neō Wax Bloom was a frenetic but joyous adventure!

cnk, 10 months ago

A couple that comes to mind that I'd recommend anyone to give a listen.

• The Knife - Silent Shout
• RJD2 - Since We Last Spoke
• General Elektrisk - Good City for Dreamers
• Yesterdays New Quintet - Angels Without Edges

stochastictrebuchet, 10 months ago

Nicolas Jaar’s Space Is Only Noise and Olafur Arnalds’ For Now I Am Winter (slightly more neo-classical/acoustic) are two I regularly revisit precisely for how cohesively the tracks fit together. Oh, and anything by Floating Points.

Mind, none of these use 100% electronic/synthesized sounds, so I don’t know if they count.

segfault, 10 months ago

Thanks very much for all of the recommendations, everyone! I have lots of musical exploration ahead of me!

trash, 10 months ago

μ-Ziq and dntel come to mind.

ondoyant, 10 months ago

Igorrr is great. Boards of Canada. very good. Aphex Twin was my favorite thing for like a year. and very recently i've been enamoured by Patricia Taxxon. its queer as fuck furry art, and it makes me cry every time i listen. the texture of her sound is really intricate, it feels tactile to me. lots of super well crafted sound synthesis. i like it alot.

variouslegumes, 10 months ago

Glad I didn’t have to scroll to see Aphex Twin mentioned. 🙂

TheBaldness, 10 months ago

Solar Fields- Earlier stuff is ambient, later stuff is more dancy.

Stellardrone- All of it is good. I don't know how he does it.

Hello Meteor- Very prolific. Incorporates some analog instruments.

Mitch Murder- He has some of the best production I've ever heard, but this particular song stands out. The fade at the end is so incredibly well done, I usually follow it all the way down to absolute silence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXFQNaODvMA

storksforlegs, 10 months ago

This thread is solid gold, I have been looking for new electronic artists lately too

A personal favourite, definitely an example of well crafted electronic music (lots of original tracks) would be anything by Takkyu Ishino.

that includes the Denki Groove discography, as well as his solo albums (and live sessions, also great). I recommend all of his stuff.

And as others have suggested, you cant go wrong with Boards of Canada, any album. Even their old tracks, which are very lo-fi, almost like vapourwave

Leon, 10 months ago

If you'll allow me to nerd out about drum and bass real quick:

OCD by Royalston

An aptly named, obsessively produced drum and bass album. Not a huge fan of the second track, Arps of Fury, but the next track and on I feel it really picks up. Black Cloud is incredible, it's got such an atmosphere to it.

Zawadi by Kimyan Law

Kimyan Law was only 22 when he produced this amazing work. No fat sausages here, just an incredibly well mixed and mastered album. Magic is a very beautiful, minimal track with purposeful breaks.

Split the Atom by Noisia

Very popular release but I have to mention it. The masters of neurofunk in their prime.

Zeitgeist by Camo and Krooked (the official youtube playlist has teaser tracks for some reason, spotify should have the full album)

Another popular release. Nostalgic and futuristic at the same time, reaching back for classic rave and funk influences while evolving the sound of DnB. This album is the first time I ever heard an "anti-drop", where the buildup transitions into a smooth and measured drop, every instrument purposeful and sharp. Ruhepuls is a favorite track of mine.

TheBaldness, 10 months ago

Are into this mix series? It's really good. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD48PwyUD2s

Leon, 10 months ago

I've never heard of it until now but this is very nicely mixed together. thanks for the link!

Big_Lanids, 10 months ago

• Starcadian, any of his albums but especially Radio Galaxy.

He says he "makes ear movies," and I'd say that's about the best description. His music is very cinematic but also expansive and diverse. Radio Galaxy in particular reminds me very favorably of Random access Memories in the way that it experiments with different genres a bit more than previous works.

I found Starcadian 8 years ago and I've listened to some of his music almost every day since. I keep finding new things.

kool_newt, 10 months ago

Future Sound of London - ISDN

Check out some mixed tapes, this is one of my faves - https://www.mixcloud.com/Hallucin8/thee-o-sunset-on-venus/

Opteryx, 10 months ago

I was going to recommend ISDN as well. Also Orblivion by The Orb. Both are desert island albums for me.

kool_newt, 10 months ago

Excellent! Though I might go Orbvs Terrarvm.

Warped, 10 months ago

Some great artists here I will check out myself. Other artist I recommend checking out are;

Electric Universe
Astral Projection
Hallucinogen
Androcell
Easily Embarrassed

xb, 10 months ago

Burial - Untrue

Kill_joy, 10 months ago

Boards of Canada - The Campfire Headphase

Nathan Fake - Drowning in a Sea of Love

PositiveNoise, 10 months ago

The Campfire Headphase, indeed. I find it packed with great stuff that I consider intricately crafted, and full of feeling