After past few years created a more isolated culture and with that drug use is on the rise. Here is the music you should have been doing them to. Electronic here means music not organic, so your less guitar driven industrial, house, synth wave, new wave, all the waves and witch house too have been included in this discussion. Much like in years past sort through the genre lists before making the overall top ten of the year list. The fact these artists made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are, so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album, there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more. After all we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, you look forward to listening to it again. I do hope you can find your next favorite on this list and have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out audio on these guys. Anyways here are the top 10 electronic albums of 2022
10-Scalping- "Void"
This Bristol based project is gaining momentum with their new album that was released back in April. The fact that they are so electronic focused, while not out of place at a goth /industrial night, the bang on a dance floor but when it comes to being actual songs., begin to run together. The fact they have guitar puts them ahead of most electronic acts who rely on button pushing. It sounds like someone might be beating on an actual drum kit at time and when the more rapped vocals come in comparisons to Massive Attack can be drawn.
Abysmal Hymns: Gothtober- Scalping :" Void"
9-Boy Harsher - "the Runner"
This was a soundtrack to a "horror" movie they made. By horror a dark art film. Just because this is a soundtrack does not mean it is just an atmospheric back drop for the movies as these are fully formed songs that stand on their own. This does not mean it is just business as usual for them and they are picking up where they left off. The production is less murky, making the overall sound not as dark. There is more of an 80's analog synth sound. Her vocals are also more refined, with more noticeable polish on the songs.
Abysmal Hymns: Boy Harsher : "the Runner"
This is different as it is a synth wave project that leans heavily onto analog synth sounds to create a version of metal in some form Their 6th album finds them with an abundance of 80s sounds. It is more dancey than head banging. They did use some organic instruments on these songs, but I would say this a more electronic effort than not. There is a more party 80s metal tone and by 80s metal I am thinking the more progressive bands from that time
Abysmal Hymns: Dance With the Dead ; " Driven to Madness"
Abysmal Hymns: Carpenter Brut : "Leather Terror"
6-Ritualz -"RADICAL MACABRO
After Salem I would say this project is one of the most important names in Witch House. Though this album finds them going in a more industrial direction, with a black metal vocal commanding the darkness they sonically summon here. Things are given a heavier pulse and the overall throb of the proceedings has more sonic heft than their earlier work.
Abysmal Hymns: RITUALZ : "RADICAL MACABRO "
5-Sacred Skin- "the Decline of Pleasure"
This album by the LA duo came out in May and flew under the radar. Their synths summon sounds that are pleasing to my ears as the carry a familiar New Romantic ring to them not unlike the earlier work of Depeche Mode. They nail the 80s new wave sound, which is a sweet spot, and while they are darker than the pop music of the day, the craft memorable grooves and are clever songwriters.
Abysmal Hymns: Gothtober - Sacred Skin:' the Decline of Pleasure"
4-Bjork-"Fossora"
There was a time when I was a huge Bjork fan. However, her 2004 album was the last I really dug. To her credit she is already miles ahead of most of today's music, just due to the fact she only has one co-writer on three of the 13 songs. Her writing is very subtle as it takes a couple listens for the opening track to grow on me. She still retains a surreal quality to her sound as the minimal approach to her arrangements owes more to jazz, run through a glitchy filter of electronics.
Abysmal Hymns: Bjork : "Fossora"
3-Crosses - "Permanent. Radiant"
Chino's side project with Far guitarist Shaun Lopez. It used to have more of a witch house feel, and as production values raised over the year has a more of a Massive Attack feel and at many points on the album you could say it sounds like an electronic version of the Deftones, without the screaming, but Chino rarely does any of the more aggressive vocals these days. He does his trademark softer croon on the opening track. This EP grew on me as a mood unto itself.
Abysmal Hymns: Crosses : "Permanent . Radiant"
2-Editors - " EBM"
The album title is understood as soon as the thick bassline locks into the groove of the opening track. This time around they might be more preoccupied with moving the dance floor than jangling out the starker vision of post-punk. The vocals still hold a great deal of quirk to them. Mood-wise they are not happy as the music they are dancing to would lead you to believe. The hooks are well written enough to almost fool of the fact. This sounds like a long-lost album from the 80s. They merge electronics in the most organic manner possible.
Abysmal Hymns: Gothtober- Editors:"EBM"
1-Zola Jesus - "Arkhon"
No comments:
Post a Comment