In anticipation of 2016 coming to a quick and freezing end, Pitchfork has just come out with its official Top 20 list of the year’s best electronic music albums. Despite the wide swath of incredible EDM albums that emerged this year, the list appears to center mainly on the indie and experimental realms of electronic music.
As Pitchfork mentions in their feature, the overall trends in the outer realms of electronic relatively remained the same. Very few acts strayed far enough away from previously accepted approaches to production to warrant a significant label attached to the year as a whole. As they put it, “Perhaps that’s why our year-end ranking is so full of veteran players.” Names like Aphex Twin, The Avalanches, Nicolas Jaar, Omar S and more make an appearance alongside several newcomers to the scene.
The result is a list that peers into the often less-viewed realms of modern electronic music by those of us on the dance music, or “EDM,” side of things.
From The Avalanches to Omar S to Nicolas Jaar, here are Pitchfork’s Top 20 Electronic Albums of 2016.
Autechre – elseq 1
The Avalanches – Wildfloor
Marie Davidson – Adieux Au Dancefloor
Beatrice Dillon/Rupert Clervaux – Two Changes
DJ Earl – Open Your Eyes
Nicolas Jaar – Sirens
Jubilee – After Hours
Kornél Kovács – The Bells
Mndsgn – Body Wash
Motion Graphics – Motion Graphics
Mr. Fingers – Outer Acid EP
Nite-Funk – Nite-Funk
The Range – Potential
Omar S – The Best
Shy Layers – Shy Layers
Studio OST – Scenes 2012-2015
Various Artists – DJ Koze Presents Pampa Vol. 1
Leon Vynehall – Rojus
Image via Alex G Perez