The Top 10 Electronic Albums of 2025

 

The Electronic albums list covers music that is less organic than what is on other lists, without being pop music. There is a little more button-pushing this year, but balanced out by songwriting rather than just cool sounds thrown together. Also, we have a little mix of synth wave, TRIP-HOP, and new wave projects leaning albums. These are not the coolest electronic albums, but the best, fuck what other blogs say. 

  After I sort through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I use those lists to compile the top 20 albums of 2025 The very fact that these bands 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. Perhaps you can find your next favorite on this list, and I have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out the audio on these guys. Anyway, here are the top 10 Electronic albums of 2025.

10-SINthetik Messiah- "Beneath the Surface." 

This project is based in Louisiana and is the work of Bug Gigabyte. The first track is a dystopian soundscape that transcends his swampy roots. With electronic music, the challenge for artists can be to not get carried away by cool beats and sound but to tell a story. This is typically forsaken by dance music altogether. This project is geared to the dance floor, though it would take a great deal of Absinthe to get moving to the narcotic throb invoked here. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/08/sinthetik-messiah-beneath-surface.html

9-Tayne- "Love" 

Lighter androgynous vocals offset a noise-friendly battery of electronic sounds that still manage to stay song-focused, at times giving them a HEALTH-like sound without the industrial muscle. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/01/tayne-love.html

 8-No Joy- "Bugland' 

ust catching up with this album that came out in August from No Joy, the Canadian indie rock project helmed by Jasamine Gluz. She continues down a more experimental path that focuses tightly on songwriting, as things head in an electronic direction that reminds me of 90s dream pop. Her voice sounds great and is used almost more like an instrument in how she layers it.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/no-joy-bugland.html

7-Fix8 Sed8- "Octagram" 

Their new album, "Octagra,m" finds the German electro groovers dabbling in a dark landscape that is more atmospheric than Skippy Puppy's harsher, stark apocalypse of sound, but fans of Skinny Puppy should find this band easy to embrace. Goth Nite DJs should also pay heed, as these songs are sure to put motion on the dance floor with their seductive lure.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/08/fix8sed8-octagram.html

5-Palindrones- "'Chapter 2: The Slender Blade" 

British duo is crafting some emotive electro pop with call and response vocal lines that recall some of the more moody moments in 80s pop. They dabble in both new wave and atmospheric techno. The female vocals become more of the dominant narrative of the songs.  She shifts through a range of emotions in her presentation, to make this work . 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/palindrones-chapter-2-slender-blade.html

4-the Cure- "Mixes of a Lost World." 

I normally don't rank remix albums into these lists, but this double album gave a very comprehensive look at the British electronic scene, and they were remixing Cure songs so here it lands. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/the-cure-mixes-of-lost-world.html

 

 

3-Aesop Rock- "Black Hole Superette." 

The 10th album from New York's best rapper finds the rhymes flowing like malt liquor. Ten albums into your career, you are going to know how to write a song. He is quick to spit a collage of clever metaphors. The bar for hip-hop is held very high due to rappers like this. So, why accept inferior products being rolled off the assembly line of record labels looking to sedate people whose musical tastes reflect their low vibrational state? 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/aesop-rock-black-hole-superette.html

2-Perturbator-"Age of Aquarius." 

The new album from these French masters of dark synth wave features some interesting guest vocalists, with Kristoffer Rygg from Ulver being the first to step up to the mic .It sounds like an 80s-themed space roller coaster you expect from these guys. The grooves on their instrumentals always help carry the songs. The dynamic shift it takes into heavier intentions also helps keep my attention; the arrangements this time around have really been fine-tuned.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/gothtober-perturbator-age-of-aquarius.html

 

1-Patriarchy -"Manual for Dying." 

The steamiest batch of bumping grinders since the golden years of Lords of Acid, certainly, is enough to give this duo the number one spot. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/08/patriarchy-forcefully-rearranged.html

pst638

October's Top 10 Albums

It's time for October's top 10 albums. Staying abreast of the month's highlights may help casual readers catch up on what they missed and explore these artists. I am not writing brief summaries of them; I am simply linking to the reviews. Inclusion here does not mean that these albums have been released this month, but it is a list of new or upcoming albums I have enjoyed the most. I have albums in my inbox that are not coming out til 2026, so I am normally way ahead of the curve in this regard. They are ranked in order of what I have listened to the most. This month it ranges from big pop bangers to various shades of electronic goth darkness. Obviously, with Halloween upon us this only makes more sense after al,l I dedicate the entire month to covering goth, but perhaps you will find your new favorite among them. Here are the Top 10 albums of  October. 

10-Testament - " Para Bellum" 

Thrash 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/testament-para-bellum.html

9-male// gaze - "Too Late Now" 

Shoe-gaze 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/malegaze-too-late-now.html

8-Biohazard- "Divided We Fall" 

Hard-core 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/biohazard-divided-we-fall.html

7-the Tear Garden - "Astral Elevator" 

Industrial 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/gothtober-tear-garden-astral-elevator.html

 6-Perturbator-"Age Of Aquarius" 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/gothtober-perturbator-age-of-aquarius.html

5-Black Cross Hotel - "Songs For Switches" 

Industrial Rock

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/gothtober-black-cross-hotel-songs-for.html

4-Spiritual Cramp-"Rude"

post-punk 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/spiritual-cramp-rude.html

3-Cold In Berlin -"Wounds" 

Doom

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/gothtober-cold-in-berlin-wounds.html

2-Patriarchy - "Manual For Dying" 

Electronic

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/gothtober-patriarchy-manual-for-dying.html

1-Taylor Swift - "The Life of a Showgirl" 

Pop

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/taylor-swift-life-of-showgirl.html

pst528

Gothtober - Perturbator : "Age of Aquarius"

 

The new album from these French masters of dark synth wave features some interesting guest vocalists, with Kristoffer Rygg from Ulver being the first to step up to the mic on the opening track "Apocalyspe Now," which finds him crooning about a war to end all wars, which is the kind of theme I look for in music. "Lunacy" takes you on the kind of 80s-themed space roller coaster you expect from these guys. The grooves on their instrumentals always help carry the songs. The dynamic shift it takes into heavier intentions also helps keep my attention; the arrangements this time around have really been fine-tuned. 

It flows really well into "Venus," which features Tristan from Author & Punisher. His voice works really well with what they are doing here. "Gass Staircase" almost feels more like an Author & Punisher song than the previous one, as it packs more of an industrial punch. "Hangover Square" is more atmospheric, whereas the beat from "The Art of War" is more in your face. Although the vibes begin to run together a little by the time we reach "12th House," it does pack more of a HEALTH-like punch.

Greta Link offers her voice to " Lady Moon," giving it the melody needed to add more depth to the synth and beats. "Swimming Poll" is pretty much just an interlude. "Mors Ultima Ratio"  takes off, racing down a neon cyber highway. Niege from Alccest appears on the title track to close out the album. It sounds cool, but it's more about cool sounds than having the groove of a song as it basks in epic atmosphere.I will give this album a 9.5. and see how it grows on me, the choice of vocialists certainly elevates over most projects like this. 

pst509

Top 10 Electronic Albums of 2021

The past few years have 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 2021

10- Leaether Strip: " Back to Industry" 

They have kept their sound current while delivering what they have been doing for the past 30 years. I have always liked how's these guys have used samples and this album proves to be no exception in that regard. The album is possessed by very driving synths. That seems to be a trend with some of the older industrial artists to abandon guitars and go for more in your face synths. 

Abysmal Hymns: Leaether Strip : " Back to Industry"

9-Hante- "Morning Tsunami" 

This is the best soundtrack to a sci-fi movie that never happened. The sound breathes in cyborg. The vocals are whispered and not a focal point, this is more about sound than songs, which might be what she set out to do. 

 

Abysmal Hymns: Gothtober- Hante : " Morning Tsunami"

8-Wumpscut- "Fledermavs 303"

This project is sometimes more experimental than other times, but it is always dark which is what I really appreciate about it. This album sounds even more German than what I have heard previously. More often than not these sounds prove to be very pleasing to the ears even when they  kinda drone off into the darkness. This album would make for a s wonderful soundtrack to any dungeon 

Abysmal Hymns: Wumpscut : "Fledermavs 303"

 7-Zeromancer- "Orchestra of Knives" 

More organic than "Eurotrash" from 20 years ago which is the only other album from this Norwegian goth band I have invested much time with. But not organic enough to make this a rock album.   Less s of an overt industrial or dark wave feel, with the bulk of the songs riding on Orgy like dance grooves, 

Abysmal Hymns: Gothtober- Zeromancer -"Orchestra of Knives"

 

6-White Ring- "Show Me Heaven" 

First a new Salem album last year now this, one might think 'witch house" was making a comeback if it ever had anything to have come back to. The almost Tumblr reality genre, that went on to become known as vapor wave. Here we have a sonic tapestry painted with the murky haze of shoe gaze rather than owing anything to trap. This more ethereal tone is contrasted by an industrial abrasion as the vocals are often buried, yet it somehow all works. 

Abysmal Hymns: Gothtober- White Ring- "Show Me Heaven"

5-Shpongle - " Carnival of peculiarities" 

 This ep did not get a review as I could only find it on Youtube and Bandcamp and never got it into my iPod to give it more time, I was impressed with what I heard when I did listen to it to land it here and make me wish it had been a full album. 

  4-Frontline Assembly - Mechanical Soul"  

Much like many of my other favorite industrial bands these guys are going in a more edm direction. Synths are up front and center. The vocals are what you might expect, and things stay dark enough for me., almost bordering on dark wave. 17 albums in these guys obviously know what they are doing. 

Abysmal Hymns: Frontline Assembly" : "Mechanical Soul"

  3-Gost - "Rites of Love and Reverence" 

In the past the project has not impressed me when it comes to execution but that has been given time to come to fruition in the studio. The songs grew on me, the album is at its best when things come out of left field instead of playing it safe as dark wave. Overall, the mood and songs win out over any stylistic mires they could have sunk into making this an infectious listen,

Abysmal Hymns: Gost : "Rites of Love and Reverence"

2-Perturbator - "Lustful Sacraments" 

Things have changed for this French synth wave project. A logical progression from album to album. Much like a great deal of the current crop of synth wave the largely instrumental sub-genre tended to focus on capturing synth sounds of yester year and melding them into something not unlike the " Blade Runner" soundtrack. This time around we are getting something much more song focused. More focused in the further commitment to darkness. 

Abysmal Hymns: Perturbator : "Lustful Sacraments"

1-Ministry - "Moral Hygiene" 

We are living the dystopian future Ministry's music always promised. So, Uncle Al had to deliver.  the album starts strong and then goes into more experimental things that are less about songs and more about sounds. Not the first time Ministry has done this on "Psalm 69" it worked really well, so I will split the difference as I think as a whole album this is balanced out by the fact that when they are writing actual songs they are really ripping and true to who they are. A more impressive body of work than the other albums on this list.  

Abysmal Hymns: Gothtober - Ministry : "Moral Hygiene"

Perturbator : "Lustful Sacraments"

Things have changed for this French synth wave project. It has been a logical progression from album to album. But this marks the first time I have thought now this is a cool song. Much like a great deal of the current crop of synth wave the largely instrumental sub genre tended to focus on capturing synth sounds of yester year and melding them into something not unlike the " Blade Runner" soundtrack . This time around we are getting something much more song focused. The vocals on the title track , were low and largely another sonic layer as the murmur was under other layers of sound. The beats hit more like industrial and have pretty much solidified this project becoming goth. No surprise as they were headed there this is just more of a commitment to the darkness. 

Guest vocalists litter the album. The third track "Excess' is more upbeat and features the voice of Maniac 2121. True Body makes "Secret Devotion" something much more likely to pack the dance floor on goth night. Production wise there is a great balance of murky bat cave ambiance and the synth wave pulse. When synth wave is done right it hits you with an unrelenting groove. This is what is delivered on "Death of the Soul". There is also a similar vibe to "the Other Place" though the guitar on this song makes it feel a little more about the song and less about the sound. The ambiance levels up on "Dethroned Under a Funeral Haze". Maniac 2121 returns to contribute vocals. This leading it to sounding like a more dismal take of Depeche Mode.  I support a more dismal Depeche Mode 100 percent. 

"Messalina, Messalina" tries to decide if it wants you to dance at goth night , or wallow in the guitar tones summoned. It settles on dancing at goth night. The lingering moments of darkness here are pretty cool. The last song was what I was looking forward to as Hangman's Chair puts in an appearance. It makes sense as they are both from France. The vocals com in very soft and sitting back into layers of synth. It is not to far removed from what Hangman's Chair normally does. The vocals do not cut through the mix as much as I would like them to. I8f it was not for the last two minutes where he voice cuts through and it comes across more like the kind of emotional outpouring that I know to expect from them to I feel vindicated. I will go ahead and round this album up to a 10 as I feel it pretty much delivers in a big way and marries synth wave with goth for good .