[Closed] Best electronic album of all time?

M83 - Before The Dawn Heals Us

And some other projects related to Global Communication

Reload - A Collection of Short Stories
Harmonic 33 - Music for Film, Television and Radio Volume 1

I've used Ganz Graf as a test track on a few very nice hifi systems, because it can separate the wheat from the chaff fairly quickly. Have also spent some quality time recently in our demo room caning loads of the stuff listed because we've got nice speakers in from our new partners, Focal. Retail cost, £63000 😯

Incredible video too!

there's not enough bickering on this thread..

there's not enough bickering on this thread..

That's because there's no riff raff. Big hitters don't have time to listen to music don't you know.

This is a great thread... in no particular order
Air, Moon Safari
Underworld, Second toughest in the infants
Portishead, Live at the Roseland NYC

couldn't possibly pick just one album but Bomb the bass "Clear" must be one of my most played electronic albums of all time.
Loved that and The Prodigy's "jilted Generation" played loud through headphones for night road riding on fast city/suburban roads.

For me Underworld Dubnobass is an album I have listened to for 20 odd years and it still sounds amazing.
Leftism and anything by Orbital are also top class.
But for me its a toss up between the first two fully mixed albums I listened to; Ministry of Sound Vol 1. and Renaissance.
Playing All funked up by Mother on the listening post in the local Virgin megastore was a defining moment of my youth. It was probably then that I realised I really liked dance music (having been a heavy metal and rap kid up to then).
I listened to the three mixes of Leftfields Song for life at the start of the Renaisance album round at a mates house and couldn't get over how good the build up sounded before the moment the third mix of the song dropped.....

Excellent thread...looks like I'm going to set my decks up and get all my old vinyl out! 8)

How about Jaga Jazzist - A Living Room Hush and
DJ Hidden - The Later After (Good album but crap moniker!)

Underworld - Second Toughest in the Infants! Got it on now, would say my neighbours think their walls are about to come in!!!

so, on the back of this thread today I have listened to, for the first time:

Nitin Sawhney - beyond skin
two lone swordsmen
boards of canada

listened to a few others, but the three above really stand out. listening to underworld, second toughest in the infants before i go out, ****ing hell, can't believe I've never heard it before, quality...

EDIT: thank the lord for spotify!

Some quality suggestions on here.

Venetian Snares - Rossz Csillag Alatt Született

Yes. Without question the finest Elgar-sampling intelligent D'n'B album about a Hungarian pigeon ever written. 😀 I love Detrimentalist too, completely bonkers and brilliant.

Fila Brazilia – Brazilification

Haha no way, I'll mention this to my es GF... She's been going out with Dave McSherry for about 3 years now iirc!

FB are ace, soundtrack to my student years they were along with a stack of other stuff on Pork. Oddly enough I think I'd also probably choose Brazillification as my favourite of theirs.

Got to add to the numerous votes for Leftism, Timeless, Dummy, Maxinquaye, Lifeforms, Second Toughest, Exit Planet Dust, Homework, Entroducing, Screamadelica. Not sure I could choose my favourite. So many good records, so little time to listen to them loud enough to do them justice...

(Having said that, a few months back my boy was in the car and something by Fila Brazillia came on. He said: "Make it louder daddy!" Good lad.)

I've just been fettling my bike for tomorrow, with a beer, and dubbobass on nice and loud. Not listened to it for ages. Cowgirl is still the best on it!! 🙂

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Fab album.

It's to pick just one, but Global Commnication's [i]76:14[/i] is probably my favourite electronica album, ever (& eternally evocative of riding long chalk droves on the Wiltshire/Dorset border, many summers ago...).

YMO must be in there some place.

"Try syncing all those synths up without MIDI, just working off triggers and CV? gates, then recording to recording to analogue in perfect time....these guys did! and it was 1979. Go figure......."

Anyone mentioned some quality big beat yet?

Lo Fidelity Allstars - How To Operate With a Blown Mind?

Beaucoup Fish probably my favourite out of everything mentioned above.

Used to be heavily in to that French house or whatever it was called epitomised by daft punk (homework would be a close second as would super discount, oh I loved that album).

Also think bjork is seriously under rated. Esp homogenius.

+1 to the orbital, Moon safari, goldfrapp (well seventh tree & felt mountain)

Cabaret Voltaire should figure more strongly IMHO. 2x45 and red Mecca for me.

Also Pole.

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Always goes nicely with the similarly sample-heavy (& sublime) [i]Chillout[/i] by the KLF.

Earlier Kraftwerk is more interesting than later IMO.
Some of the stuff from Kraftwerk 2, for example. Once it gets moving at 2:00

Hard to choose any album as the best.
On the list though:
FSOL - Lifeforms
Evan Marc - Emotional Ecology
Der Dritte Raum have made some great bouncy electronic stuff too

I'm also for Leftfield - leftism. Listened to it the other day and have to say it is still brilliant.

Going to have to read the whole thread and make a list as there's lots of interesting recs listed.

Also worth checking out...
some Cabaret Voltaire
some of Tangerine Dream
if you like ambient, Steve Roach

soulwax - any minute now.. or was it nite versions..? awwwwwwwesome

I've got the original Renassiance triple mix on CD. It dropped in price as soon as they released the remastered version a few years ago (with different tracks due to licensing in a few places).
I don't think the whole mix is as good as people say it is. Some great moments for sure, but very much of the time.

I love prog house from mid 90s though.

Reload - A Collection of Short Stories
Yes - got that.
Just listening to this on Youtube the other day...

Loads of great stuff already mentioned. Adding anything I've not heard of before to a list.

One I like a lot:
Seefeel - Quique and the other album that they did

Seefeel:

Seefeel:

This thread just keeps on giving!

Monkey Mafia - Shoot the Boss (amazing at T in The Park)
Slam - Alien Radio(a modern classic)

Someone said LFO. Brilliant!

Shut down - awesome

Also Kombat Drinking, Physchadelik and Butterslut tracks.

Some great moments for sure

The bit where Bladerunner meets Inner City...

A couple of other good albums from the early-mid 90s:

Spooky [i]Gargantuan[/i]

Sven Väth [i]Accident in Paradise[/i]

The Infinite Wheel [i]The Infinite Wheel[/i]

Still listen to 'em regularly.

tomstickland - Member
I've got the original Renassiance triple mix on CD. It dropped in price as soon as they released the remastered version a few years ago (with different tracks due to licensing in a few places).
I don't think the whole mix is as good as people say it is. Some great moments for sure, but very much of the time.

I love prog house from mid 90s though.

I didn't know they'd released it again.

I listened to Sasha's Involver today and it got me revved up, I'll have to dig out my renaissance CDs and them an airing.

Also already mentioned...
System 7 - major fan of trippy dippy Steve Spillage plus electronics.
Dare I say it, Shamen did a few ok things amongst the novelty records.
The Orb, of course

Derr Dritte Raum. Not classic really. But some great bouncy grooves with 303s and stuff.

Famous for Hale Bopp:

My list of new stuff is about 25 lines long now. Off to listen.

Rennaisance triple mix - yes they remastered it in about 2009. That made the original drop in price, so I picked an original up on CD for around £20 rather than the £70+ that it had got to.

I've got most of the Northern Exposure and Global Underground mixes from Sasha and Digweed and then onto Transitions. Gradually got a bit bored with the minimal stuff that Digweed got into, though still some great moments in it. Too much of an acquired taste and even then I'm not sure.

No mention of Faithless yet - Outrospective.

Probably for another discussion thread this one...

I've been doing a lot of Youtube research recently. I've trawled through a lot of trance from the last few years. Conclusion: most of it is a bit tedious I've found a few things worthy of consideration though.

I rate this:
Alex Pich - Tinctures

And this: Alex M.O.R.P.H. redlight dub of Shivers
Properly messy and acidic

PVD - Nothing but you (Super8 and Tab remix)
2:25 onwards, helps that the vocals are properly beautiful I suppose
very long build.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDOm6GRUJ4k

Update on mid 90s prog house really.

Also from my youtube favourites list:
Kissy Sell out - Redrinkulous.
Can't knock this for beered up optimism. First DJ/producer that actually excited/interested me after months of looking at the same old stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLZjx3f38L4

System 7 - Berimbou http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouLZ1_u-Gqw
The Orb vs Wendy and Lisa - Staring at the sun http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQO1jT50dx4&list=FLz-k5nwe1_Oml0euF2WpwWg&index=169&feature=plpp_video
Shamen - Monoriff http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5HEfmrJH8s
Chris Coco - 8088 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0Ak_WE7Ts8
Chris Coco - Heavy Mellow (Jon Hopkins mix) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SjxfOAEGeY
Jon Hopkins and Ulrich Schnauss both worthy of investigation
Robert Babicz - Pink Trees http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StdFy0Et3lg&list=FLz-k5nwe1_Oml0euF2WpwWg&index=147&feature=plpp_video
Pawas - Rainy Days http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fosrGPn_bYo&list=FLz-k5nwe1_Oml0euF2WpwWg&index=11&feature=plpp_video

One classic bit of Italio house. Listented to this several times a night for a while.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4QBpDcGPWc

I'll get me coat

Too many to think of, however one that has always stayed in the Car has been Layo and Bushwacka - Low Life - 2000.

This takes me back.....

Not an album, although Unkle and Evil Nine have produced some great albums, however i thought i would share this as i believe its worthy, judge for yourself...................................................

Many of my favourites already mentioned +

Trans global underground - dream of a 1000 nations

Dreadzone - 360degrees

New Order, [i]Power, Corruption & Lies[/i]

[i]Substance[/i] is a compilation so I don't count that

-10 for [i]Leftism[/i]. I just don't think it's aged well and have removed pretty much all of it from my iPod.

Totally forgot about one of my all time favourites

moodymann - black mahogani

+1 for Power, Corruption & Lies!

Good call that man.

Leftism...Space Shanty is one of my fave biking tracks. But I agree that some of it has dated.

OK not an album, but love this

Have not had any Wagon Christ yet, so Phat Lab Nightmare, great trippy ambient album.

Anyone mention Coldcut JDJ yet?

And what about It's Not Intelligent...

Of it's time as they say, but what a time 😈

I am not an electronic music fan but love Blue Lines.

Dj Red Alert (kiss Fm NYC) and was on the major force LP's on Mo wax - this is the shizzle and fresh 20 yrs later 8)

There's been a few compilations now so I think I can mention one of my early fav's, XL recordings third chapter.

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XL Recordings - The Third Chapter - Breakbeat House - 1992
1. Liquid - Sweet Harmony
2. Shut Up And Dance - The Green Man (Rum and Black Mix)
3. Tronik House - Uptempo (Reese Mix)
4. SL2 - On A Ragga Tip
5. Project One - Smokin
6. The House Crew - Keep The Fires Burning
7. The Prodigy - Everybody In The Place (Fairground Mix)
8. Nu-Matic - Hard Times
9. First Project - Right Before
10.Kicks Like A Mule - The Bouncer (Housequake Mix)
11.SL2 - DJs Take Control (DJ Seduction Remix)
12.Mark One - Hoovers and Spraycans

And from a similar time,

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6 pages of good stuff. Good to see T-Power mentioned RichPenny, I love that album, Waveform too.

A few to add to the list,

FUSE - Dimension Intrusion
Laurent Garnier (it's difficult to choose a particular)
Alex Reece - So Far

"6 pages of good stuff" - +1
underworld,Leftfield , Daft Punk ,Chemical Bros & soulwax are up there but..for me , it has to be
Sabres Of Paradise - Haunted Dancehall .
It reminds me of some fairly extreme 😯 😀 times and still sounds fresh/scary now.
try listening to it in woody singletrack on your lonesome!

Fad Gadget Under the Flag

Apart from the classics already mentioned, how about:

UNKLE - War Stories
Sub Sub - Full Fathom Five
Maps - We Can Create
Portishead - Third
Jam & Spoon - Tripomatic Fairytales (both volumes)
The Beloved - Blissed Out
The Beta Band - 3 EPs
D*Note - D*Note
New Order - Factus 8

Have these had a mention yet?

Catching up with this thread. Very glad to have been reminded of T Power by RichPenny. I pretty much agree that Leftism hasn't aged well - just doesn't seem multi-layered enough. However nothing beats listening to dubnobasswithmyheadman late at night on a train or bus.
I'll add Omni Trio's The Haunted Science, on the grounds that it's awesome.

For me I'd be hard pushed to choose between:

Music for the Jilted Generation

and

Endtroducing

Both completely blew me away when I first heard them.

Seba - Return to Forever
Fanu - Daylightless
Fracture & Neptune - Retrospect
Aisan Dub Foundation - Rafi's Revenge
Intense - Logical Progression
Apollo 440 - Millenium Fever
Thievery Corporation - The Mirror Conspiracy
Smith & Mighty - Big World Small World
Aim - Cold Water Music
Shapeshifter - Soulstice
Radiohead - Kid A (Don't know if this counts)

Some of these choices lean a bit towards Drum and Bass, but I like it!

Oh Dear. I think there is a massive glaring omission from this list.
Layo and Bushwaker - Low life and Night works.
For the Guy that hadn`t ever heard Second toughest in the infants. I wish i had the ability to rediscover that and enjoy hearing again for the first few times. Such and amazing album - Life changing actually.

Athgray. A few years ago i would have said that Radiohead definitely dont count but have had a complete turnaround on their music and think the definitely come some where under this forum.

Also has there been any mention of the truly great Sven Vath?

Thanks for a great thread one and all. So many greats in there. Spent a pleasant few hours listening to various Boards of Canada long players on the Linn.

If there's a family tree, the one song I can trace it all back to is Numbers by Kraftwerk. Electronica, Hip-Hop, the lot. Such an amazing song that still gives me goosebumps today.

Wait4me, what an good call!!
Listening to Computer World now after reading your post, goosebumps indeed. The song Computer World 2 must be one of the prettiest things ever.
Been listening to Kraftwerk since I was about 11, way back in the early '80s.
Own every single album and a huge fan, my fave band by a country mile.

corroded - thanks for that, it's made a sunday morning stuck in swatting a whole lot more pleasurable. love omni trio

Ooh, and while I'm at it, i can't mention Kraftwerk without bringing up Planet Rock by Afrika Bambaataa. Boo-Hiss for suing for the sample though boys!

Most of the classics already mentioned numerous times but in addition
Trentmoeller - The Last Resort + Into the Great Wide Yonder
PVT - O Soundtrack my Heart
Nathan Fake - Drowning in a Sea of Love
Death In Vegas - Trans Love Energies
Plastikman - Sheet one
Cluster - Zuckerzeit
Clark - Totems Flare
M83 - All of them
The Knife - Deep Cuts
Also a bit off topic but FSOL as Amorphous Androgynous in a psych rock/folk direction with The Isness is epic. Their mixes under the same moniker are pretty decent too.

*Ahem* 6 pages and no..

Shall we increase the tempo?
Oh? a little more? *caution: naughty words*

Some brilliant suggestions, with some great memories, here's a few more....

House of 909-The children that we were
St Etienne-fox base alpha
The Prodigy-experience
David Holmes-Lets get killed
Air- Moon Safari
Portishead-Dummy

Speedy J - Ginger

Leftfield - Leftism

Orbital - Any

Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works 85-92

Sasha and Digweed - Renaissance

Paul Oakenfold - Goa Mix (Radio 1)

Glad to see Aphex Twin/AFX/Richard D. James get mentioned multiple times. I'm gonna say, in the minimalist corner Donnacha Costello - 6X. And because it's just a beautiful album, Jeff Mills - Blue Potential. And yes, I'm fully aware it contains a full concert orchestra, but for me, that's what makes it so good as an album.

Not a album but a moment at a UR gig in London in the late 90's a night club in Vauxhall the dj played numbers Mixed it into final frontier by UR I was so happy I think I made a little sex wee. But if we are doing singles final frontier has to be up there I still have a unopened copy.

Don't know if it's been mentioned but 'Mecanno Mind' by Syntax has to be up there.

This is the best thread for ages.

A couple of glaring ommisions from my previous post:
Trentemoller - The Last Resort
Sven Vath - An Accident in Paradise

And a correction:
The Drum Club - Everything is Now (came out about the same time as Orbital's Green & Brown albums. IMHO, better than both)

Not sure where to draw the line on what constitutes an electronic album. But seeing as we're heading in this direction and that it does contain a substantial amount of electronic music:
Coldcut - Journeys By DJ (possibly the best album of any genre, ever)

And if you liked that, then list to this (almost as good):
DJ Food - Now Listen (and Now Listen, Again)

And best electronic single:
LSG - Hearts

Another omission - Dug out some of Moby's stuff over the weekend as a result of this thread! Originally heard his music through "Everything is Wrong" but also really like "Play".

Really enjoying this thread! Working through some of the tracks on Spotify, sitting in the sun in the garden.

I'd add Cornelius - "point" - mad mix of electronica and prog. rock.

Yes, a great thread. I remember being in a darkened corner of Cream in 1995, ahem...Laurent Garnier playing this..

Primal Scream - Echo Dek is an old fave I don't think has been mentioned

Ahhhh, Access. I (sort of) remember Steve Mason (I think) playing it at Club UK on NYE 1994. Amazing times. That and Dave Clarke playing Red 2 at Atomic Jam, Hardfloor doing Acperience live at Tribal Gathering...

Thank you all for making feel 19 again. Time to load up the tunes for my next ride...

As many others have said, some quality suggestions up there.

I'll throw another one in.

The Field - Looping State of Mind.

On another note, I'm off to re-live my yoof with an Orbital gig in a couple of weeks. Can't wait, should be a top night.

I see a lot of tracks and albums here that I have either owned, played, or both.

For me though (and it is not an exhaustive list...)

Leftfield: Rhythm & Stealth (Leftism is a close run thing though)
Depthcharge: Nice Deadly Venoms
Quantic: The 5th Exotic just pips Apricot Morning

Other mentions for Stanton Warriors, Mr. Scruff (Fish, Ahoy There) and Fatboy Slim