Outstanding Dance/Electronic Albums since 1999

[Gompo]

So initally this is a thread to find albums I like, but I imagine it will turn into others suggesting their favourites rather than things I like.. That's fine Don't really want a slanging match when everything is subjective though.

I have quite a broad taste when it comes to music, but in some ways quite picky. I still manage to follow a lot of the music genres I've been interested in for the last 15-20 years or so, but I really struggle to find properly good 'Dance' albums. When I say 'good', I mean I like every track - which to me seems fairly obvious but then I read others eulogising about an album and then saying they only need to skip through a couple of tracks?! Seems very odd, I'd say my top 2-300 albums of all genres I like every song on them..

I am not too stuck up on styles, although don't like anything majorly 'Garage' and DnB (I actually like some modern/commercial DnB/Drumstep, less so more traditional DnB/Liquid stuff). House-Breaks-Dubstep-Trip Hop-Dark Ambient-Whatever I am often ok with, but again I generally prefer the more commercial side of a genre (For example with Dubstep; while I don't mind the odd Burial track, I will find a whole album bores me) I tend to prefer either instrumental or minimal vocals, songs with vocals and proper verse/chorus often lead to a lack of musical variety..

I have what many of would call the popular and possibly 'classic' albums of the 90s but very few from after that.

Overall favourites are things like Leftism, Music for the Jilted Generation, Homework, most Orbital, Dig Your Own Hole, Endtroducing+Private Press, Utah Saints, Mezzanine, Sountracks to Wipeout 1 and 2097 etc. Yes, mostly popular/commercial things. There are other (less popular) artists (Dalek, Autechre, Aphex Twin/Polygon Window, Fluke, Clint Mansell) in there, but they don't make it to the top in my head

Off the top of my head, my favourites since 1999 would be Welcome Reality, Invaders Must Die, No More Idols, Magnetic Man, Irreverence (Dirtyphonics). All fairly similar I suppose. There's a few artists that I like most of the releases from, but not sure they've actually done an album: Savant, Chrispy, Sigma, Knife Party, Mord Fustang (and even some Avicii, SHM etc but not sure on complete albums) etc.

..So, are there any truly great Dance(?) albums, future 'Classics', in the last 15 years? Whether I'd like them or not.

Hopefully the first person who says Random Access Memories hopefully gets banned..

[ReaderScars]

Hallucinogen in Dub by Simon Posford/Hallucinogen - mind bending psychedelic downtempo album, regarded as a classic/essential album of electro-dub if you like downtempo stuff.

[Gompo]

Thanks. I have some Hallucinogen from the 90s, which I do like, but I have not heard that album.

Cheers.

[Car Diff]

Geogaddi by Boards Of Canada or Ecstasy and Friends or Lumurian by Lone. Depends what you're into, as you suggest. Lots of classic tracks since '99 but it rarely translates into classic albums.

[chrisxr2]

As a fan of them, I have to say invaders must die by the prodigy, quite eclectic too. See you already have that though erm no I am stumped then

Edited by chrisxr2 on Sunday 5th January 19:09

[Tim330]

Not sure if compilation albums are ok here but one of my favourites is disc two on Paul Van Dyk's politics Of Dancing vol 1. Disc one is ok.

[Cagey]

One of the very few 'dance/electronica/whatever' albums I own that I will happily listen to straight through every time is Layo and Bushwacka! - Low Life. Can thoroughly recommend.

[Crackie]

Groove Armada - Lovebox
Quivver - Controlled Substance http://www.amazon.co.uk/Controlled-Substance-Quivv...

Hope that compilations are allowed.........

16 Bit Lolitas - Warung Brasil. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Warung-Brazil-Presents-Bit...
Anjunabeats - Volume 3 http://www.amazon.co.uk/ANJUNABEATS-VOLUME-3-Vario...
Paul Oakenfold - Great Wall http://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfecto-Presents-Paul-Oak...
Darren Tate - Mondo Sessions. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mondo-Sessions-001-Darren-...
Thrillseekers - Nightmusic Volume 2 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nightmusic-2-Thrillseekers...

[aka_kerrly]

Gompo said:

Overall favourites are things like Leftism, Music for the Jilted Generation, Homework, most Orbital, Dig Your Own Hole, Endtroducing+Private Press, Utah Saints, Mezzanine, Sountracks to Wipeout 1 and 2097 etc. Yes, mostly popular/commercial things. There are other (less popular) artists (Dalek, Autechre, Aphex Twin/Polygon Window, Fluke, Clint Mansell) in there, but they don't make it to the top in my head

Off the top of my head, my favourites since 1999 would be Welcome Reality, Invaders Must Die, No More Idols, Magnetic Man, Irreverence (Dirtyphonics). All fairly similar I suppose. There's a few artists that I like most of the releases from, but not sure they've actually done an album: Savant, Chrispy, Sigma, Knife Party, Mord Fustang (and even some Avicii, SHM etc but not sure on complete albums) etc.

..So, are there any truly great Dance(?) albums, future 'Classics', in the last 15 years? Whether I'd like them or not.

Hopefully the first person who says Random Access Memories hopefully gets banned..

Goes off to check CD collection is still in place.....................






It's still there...excellent.

You Sir have outstanding taste, RAM was indeed more than just a bit piss poor in comparison with Homework and Discovery and Avicci's album is a bit of a disappointment to, the EP is far better.

I am currently sampling a few of the Hospital records artists albums / compilations after thoroughly enjoying their sets at GG over the last few years, currently in rotation are High Contrast, Netsky, Camo & Krooked. Other artists I quite like are Paul Van Dyke, Ferry Corstan, 2Many DJs, Mylo , basement jaxx, Groove Amanda , of the newer stuff Rudimental, TC.

[Gompo]

aka_kerrly said:

Goes off to check CD collection is still in place.....................

It's still there...excellent.

Hah, nevermind your CD collection, are all your bikes still there?? (I too have an early 90s Pantera and another GT).

It seems we have very similar taste when it comes to this sort of thing, some of the more recent artists I've got into a few songs of which I didn't mention originally also include.. High Contrast, Camo and Krooked, Netsky, Ferry Corsten, Mylo; along with bits of Sub Focus, Kentaro, Flux Pavillion, Anstam, Digitalism, deadmau5, Saltillo, Om Unit, Joker etc etc. I also left out things like Amon Tobin, Ginormous, Craig Armstong, Skream, David Guetta..

Crackie said:

Groove Armada - Lovebox
Quivver - Controlled Substance http://www.amazon.co.uk/Controlled-Substance-Quivv...

Hope that compilations are allowed.........

16 Bit Lolitas - Warung Brasil. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Warung-Brazil-Presents-Bit...
Anjunabeats - Volume 3 http://www.amazon.co.uk/ANJUNABEATS-VOLUME-3-Vario...
Paul Oakenfold - Great Wall http://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfecto-Presents-Paul-Oak...
Darren Tate - Mondo Sessions. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mondo-Sessions-001-Darren-...
Thrillseekers - Nightmusic Volume 2 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nightmusic-2-Thrillseekers...

Thanks for those, I only like one Groove Armada song out of the 10 or so I've heard but will give it a try. I was ideally looking for single artist albums, unless a mix album is amazing. I will maybe have a look at the tracklists and see if they're something I'd like. Obviously the 'no skipping' applies even more if a an album is mixed/beat matched.

Cagey said:

One of the very few 'dance/electronica/whatever' albums I own that I will happily listen to straight through every time is Layo and Bushwacka! - Low Life. Can thoroughly recommend.

Cheers. I like the 'Love Story' track (sorry), I've heard Rising & Falling which I seem to think just didn't thrill me, will give Low Life a go though.

chrisxr2 said:

As a fan of them, I have to say invaders must die by the prodigy, quite eclectic too. See you already have that though erm no I am stumped then

I've got pretty much everything The Prodigy have ever done, good to see I am not their only fan though

Car Diff said:

Geogaddi by Boards Of Canada or Ecstasy and Friends or Lumurian by Lone. Depends what you're into, as you suggest. Lots of classic tracks since '99 but it rarely translates into classic albums.

I think I listened to Geogaddi a long time ago, twice, trying to get into it as it's one of those albums on Warp which is considered a classic; however it wasn't for me. I may revisit it, but there's probably other BoC stuff I should try. The only release I've heard and liked from them was 'A Beautiful Place Out in the Country'.

Thanks for all the contributions, I'm glad I am not too far out of touch these days. I am probably younger than a few of you on my approach to 31, but almost all my musical interest is taken up with another genre..

Anyone else feel free to add, as said I would prefer single artist albums but open to the odd mix/compilation. James Lavelle at Global Underground #23 seems to stand out.

[_dodge_]

Some random suggestions not yet mentioned...

fk Buttons - Tarot Sport
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jn5qrq-TLXU

Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie XX - I'm New Here
NY is Killing Me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7c3wRzUUjs

Vitalic - OK Cowboy
Poney Pt. 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F52dx9Z0L5k

Jon Hopkins - Immunity
Open Eye Signal:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q04ILDXe3QE

Kid606 - Shout at the Doner
Mr Wobble's Nightmare: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epI6D8NG4VE

Matthew Dear - Beams
Her Fantasy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7GB8IJs6ic

SBTRKT - S/T
Hold On: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x6DmYxnBaI

Zomby - Where were U in '92?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPxPyEr1q6k

Dan Deacon - Bromst
Snookered: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ysUbo4bED4

Four Tet - Rounds:
Spirit Fingers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dbpEt4O0VY

Flying Lotus - Until the Quiet Comes
Getting There: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3JI1ydtq4E

Not sure I'd describe them as classics, but worth giving a try.

[Crackie]

Gompo said:

Crackie said:

Groove Armada - Lovebox
Quivver - Controlled Substance http://www.amazon.co.uk/Controlled-Substance-Quivv...

Hope that compilations are allowed.........

16 Bit Lolitas - Warung Brasil. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Warung-Brazil-Presents-Bit...
Anjunabeats - Volume 3 http://www.amazon.co.uk/ANJUNABEATS-VOLUME-3-Vario...
Paul Oakenfold - Great Wall http://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfecto-Presents-Paul-Oak...
Darren Tate & Mike Koglin - Mondo Sessions. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mondo-Sessions-001-Darren-...
Thrillseekers - Nightmusic Volume 2 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nightmusic-2-Thrillseekers...

Thanks for those, I only like one Groove Armada song out of the 10 or so I've heard but will give it a try. I was ideally looking for single artist albums, unless a mix album is amazing. I will maybe have a look at the tracklists and see if they're something I'd like. Obviously the 'no skipping' applies even more if a an album is mixed/beat matched.

If possible, have a look at some online reviews for the mix albums as well as the track listings. I'm not the only one who thinks they are "all killer, no filler".

[krunchkin]

Waveform Transmission - Jeff Mills

[krunchkin]

Does any of the best dance music really come on "albums" apart from mixes or comps though? Most dance albums are two good tracks and s load of filler. I've been into house music and dance music since the late eighties and I'd be hard pressed to name albums rather than tunes that are memorable

[krunchkin]

Does any of the best dance music really come on "albums" apart from mixes or comps though? Most dance albums are two good tracks and s load of filler. I've been into house music and dance music since the late eighties and I'd be hard pressed to name albums rather than tunes that are memorable

[Crackie]

_dodge_ said:

Jon Hopkins - Immunity
Open Eye Signal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q04ILDXe3QE

Great album and top performance of Open Eye Signal at the Mercury Music Prize award ceremony last year. Every time I played OES loud at home late last year, the Christmas cards fell off the mantelpiece . Seismic.

[zb]

Drexciya - Grava 4
Transllusion ‎– The Opening Of The Cerebral Gate
The Other People Place ‎– Lifestyles Of The Laptop Café
Shifted Phases ‎– The Cosmic Memoirs Of The Late Great Rupert J. Rosinthrope
Dopplereffekt ‎– Linear Accelerator
Dopplereffekt ‎– Calabi Yau Space
Arpanet ‎– Wireless Internet
Urban Tribe ‎– Authorized Clinical Trials
Urban Tribe - Acceptable Side Effects
Jeff Mills - Blue Potential
Convextion ‎– Convextion

[zb]

krunchkin said:

Does any of the best dance music really come on "albums" apart from mixes or comps though? Most dance albums are two good tracks and s load of filler. I've been into house music and dance music since the late eighties and I'd be hard pressed to name albums rather than tunes that are memorable

Albums by some Chicago House artists tend to have no filler, you may not like all the tracks but that's not the same, example of this would be albums by Green Velvet, DJ Sneak and Felix Da Housecat/Aphrohead (I'm referring to his 90s output he has been st for years IMO).

Techno, and some forms of trance, seems to lend themselves to more contemplative moments, you may consider this filler in a "dance" album. I would be referring to the likes of; CJ Bolland - the 4th sign, Sven Väth ‎– The Harlequin - The Robot And The Ballet-Dancer, Jam & Spoon ‎– Tripomatic Fairytales 2001 & 2002, Claro Intelecto - Nuerofibro (actually this should be in my "best" post"), In Sync vs Mysteron - Android Architect and The Source Experience ‎– Different Journeys.

[Squirrelofwoe]

_dodge_ said:

Some random suggestions not yet mentioned...

Zomby - Where were U in '92?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPxPyEr1q6k

This is well worth a listen, I wore my CD out in a few months!

"Tears in the Rain" (with the blade runner sample) and "U Are My Fantasy" (Street Fighter 2 theme remix) are the standout tracks for me, but the whole album is extremely good.

For something a bit more ambient I'd recommend the first two Chicane albums;

-Far from the Maddening Crowds (1997 so a bit earlier than you said)
-Behind the Sun (2000)

Behind the sun contains (in my opinion) one of the greatest chillout tracks ever in "No Ordinary Morning" (vocals by Tracy Ackerman)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKUIDQUTlMM

And for something a bit more eclectic, I'd recommend the debut album by The Avalanches, "Since I Left You".

Apparently made from around 3,500 vinyl samples, it really does cover a lot of ground in terms of different sounds- with a real summer vibe to it, another of my all-time favourite albums.

It contains the singles "Since I Left You" and "Frontier Psychiatrist" but as an album as a whole it is superb.

Not sure if it's been mentioned yet but I would also highly recommend the first Above & Beyond album, "Tri-State". Very similar to the Chicane albums mentioned above, with a fantastic mix of ambient, chillout, and more up-tempo dance tracks.

Finally, listen to any dance track that has vocals by Justine Suissa, she colaborated with A&B on the album Sirens of the Sea (as Oceanlab), but some of the other tracks she has provided vocals for include:

Armin Van Buuren - Burned With Desire (particularly the Brian Cross remix)
Oceanlab - Sky Falls Down
Robbie Rivera - Girlfriend
Robbie Rivera - Float Away
Oceanlab - Satellite

and of course the incredible Autumn Tactics by Chicane, also on the album Behind the Sun).

I'll be back if I think of more!

Edited by Squirrelofwoe on Tuesday 7th January 11:40

[MitchT]

Squirrelofwoe said:

Finally, listen to any dance track that has vocals by Justine Suissa, she colaborated with A&B on the album Sirens of the Sea (as Oceanlab)...

Indeed. "Breaking Ties" with A&B