The 20 Best Electronic Albums of the 90s (5-1)

5. Daft Punk - Homework (1997)
It's hard to believe Daft Punk used to be as low key a duo as they were back in the 90s. Sure they'd hide their faces with masks, but their personas weren't ingrained into them until they were transformed into robots in the new millennium (it was a freak accident in the studio, if you didn't know). Homework is extremely simple and repetitive yet somehow very intense and funky. In fact, everything about this album is low-key down to the Spike Jonze-directed music videos that feature dialogue over the music. Then there's also Michel Gondry's video for "Around the World" which has quite the high rank in it's respective canon. This album has Daft Punk sounding their most like French house producers, building off of extremely catchy, groovy basslines and beats, and simply repeating them with subtle variation and the occasional noisy build-up. It's a landmark piece of work from a band that has become one of the great pop groups of our generation.

Standout Tracks: "Da Funk," "Revolution 909," "Around the World"


4. Chemical Brothers - Dig Your Own Hole (1997)
Electronica's big-beat titans, the Chemical Brothers, make arena rock albums as much as they make techno. They draw influences from so many places it's hard to keep track of, but honestly, why bother. Dig Your Own Hole was never meant to be analyzed, it's meant for movement; be that dancing, speeding down a highway, or just rocking out. If there's one good word to describe it, it's "kinetic." The bass in "Block Rockin' Beats" and "Elektrobank" sound like an air raid, and the swirling sirens of "Setting Sun" and "The Private Psychedelic Reel" spiral out in every direction. These songs were constructed with raves and festivals in mind, as they seem to be the only venues capable of hosting a sound of this scope and magnitude. The Chems have a lot of crossover appeal, and the hope was that they'd catch on over here in the States and finally bring electronic music into our mainstream. Of course this was a failure as electronic music has remained a niche underground fascination over here, but there are definitely rock-oriented Americans who cite this album very highly on their best-of lists, and I think that counts for something.

Standout Tracks: "Block Rockin' Beats," "Elektrobank," "Setting Sun," "The Private Psychedelic Reel"


3. Prodigy - Music for the Jilted Generation (1995)
The Prodigy was my perfect transition from rock music into electronic music. The power chords are more evident on The Fat of the Land, but they still had begun to show their faces back on MftJG. I actually find it a little strange that with all the hype about Justice, with their dance-rock sound and how it sound is inspired by Daft Punk, that The Prodigy never gets mentioned. Go figure. Somehow I doubt that Liam Howlett and company would really care at all. MftJG is a visceral album from start to finish. It seems that the band really wants to make you feel like you're on all sorts of crazy substances as you're listening, going so far as to dub the final three tracks "The Narcotic Suite" which sound as tripped out as the name implies; going from pleasant, tropical buzz to full-on hallucinatory, baby-wailing, spastic freak-out. The whole album is deliciously dark, and the kind of thing that provides a devious pleasure when you listen to it. Oh and "Voodoo People" and "No Good (Start the Dance)" are two of the best dance tracks I have ever heard. Period. There's a lot to like here in general, and it's a shame that (at least here in the States) this album always seems to sit in the shadow of its follow-up when this thing is so amazing in its own right.

Standout Tracks: "Break & Enter," "Their Law," "Voodoo People," "No Good (Start the Dance)"


2. DJ Shadow - ...Endtroducing (1996)
Shadow's debut album still sounds fantastic today, 10+ years later. It's still the ultimate statement of sampling prowess. Its only contender is Since I Left You by the Avalanches, but that album came out in 2001, so as far as this list goes, Shadow wins uncontested. ...Endtroducing is basically one giant string of samples sprawling from one track into the next, and they're all sorts of samples from all sorts of genres of music, spoken word pieces, and news snippets. The result is an album that conveys the experience of listening to vinyl records, even if it's recorded on CD. And even with this vintage aesthetic, there are some pretty hardcore hip-hop beats that really drive the songs forward and make them uncannily replayable. The musical historians out there will try and pick apart everything about this album, but for the general music-lover there's nothing really to dislike here, and so there's enjoyment to be had no matter how deep you choose to dig. Many cite this album as the arbiter of trip-hop; an arguable genre classification. The truth is, in whatever genre you choose to place ...Endtrodcing, it's probably the best album in there.

Standout Tracks: Uh, tracks? That's missing the point.


1. Orbital - Orbital 2 (1992)
I don't really even know where to start here. Orbital's second album is everything I've ever wanted an album of music to be, electronic or otherwise. The tracks are elaborate, beat-driven compositions that convey pictures and feelings in a more effective way than any lyrics-based music has ever done for me. Listening to "Lush 3-1" is like running through a field of tall damp grass at superhuman speed. "Monday" presents the extraordinary in the everyday of beginning another workweek. Every song does something amazing like this. Orbital 2 is a journey through a foreign, often out-worldly landscape. It's part sci-fi, part urban realism, and part imagination-inspiring illusion. I used to play "Halcyon" as I went to sleep, knowing full well that there was no way I was really going to fall asleep during the track (I'd miss all the best parts!). Orbital 2 succeeds on every classic music criticism standby that I can think of: beats, originality, variation, consistency, well-roundedness, you name it. Of course I turn into a bit of a sap nowadays when Orbital comes up in conversation on a part of the band of brothers disbanding a few years ago, but I couldn't be more satisfied with what they managed to accomplish.

Standout Tracks: "Planet of the Shapes," "Lush 3-1," "Impact (The Earth is Burning)," "Remind," "Halcyon + On + On"

The 20 Best Electronic Albums of the 90s (10-6)

10. The Future Sound of London - Lifeforms (1994)
Back when I was just getting into electronic music and had bought FSOL's Accelerator I wasn't so much into Lifeforms. It's just an entirely different sound. I imagine most people who have ever liked FSOL began liking them because of "We Are Explosive" or "Papua New Guinea," their big club hits, but coming back to Lifeforms so many years later, the critics were right. Earlier FSOL works sound positively trite by comparison, and the duo themselves has reportedly denounced their pre-Lifeforms work as merely an avenue to make ends meet financially. The album itself is a sprawling tide pool of sounds and noises. It's truly a transporting experience to listen to this album, like it's your soundtrack as you explore a vast, submerged cavern full of precious crystals and deep-sea creatures. I don't know how to explain it without sounding like a new wave/hippie cliche, but maybe that's where the electronic sound sources come in and help out. Like Aphex Twin's album (see #11), Lifeforms uses electronic instruments to create sounds that are either entirely new, or that one would never think a machine could produce. It's continuously enchanting.

Standout Tracks: "Cascade," "Lifeforms"


9. Portishead - Dummy (1994)
I don't claim to know the history of trip-hop, but Portishead is as good as it gets (at least until I post my top 5). There's not much to criticize here. The beats, sampling, and scratching are all amazing and Beth Gibbons' vocals are the perfect compliment. The whole vibe of the album is downtrodden and angsty, but instead of a rebel yell, Gibbons offers a jazzy serenade. The tone of her voice is both strong and compassionate as she sings lyrics that are at times heart-wrenching. And good lord, I know I mentioned the beats already, but seriously, listen to those things. They're incredible all on their own. It's seems that new Portishead material may be on the way for the first time in 10+, which is very exciting. Beatmeaster Geoff Barrow commented recently on the difficulties of following up on two fantastic, critically heralded LPs saying (in paraphrase) "I don't know how we'll make another 'Glory Box.' Thank fuck we already made it." Yes, we're all thanking fuck for that.

Standout Tracks: "Mysterons," "Sour Times," "Numb," "Glory Box"


8. Air - Moon Safari (1998)
Is it possible to dislike this album? I'm not convinced that it is. The melodies are too soothing, the vocals too lovely, the instrumentation too diverse, and the bass too sensuous. Is Moon Safari unintentionally part of a plan for world peace? Debatable, but if you're a member of the camp that thinks people would stop fighting if everyone started getting it on, Moon Safari should be a key component in your nuclear arsenal. Aside from its infamy as one of the ultimate make-out albums, Moon Safari is a pop music triumph, doing for spacey dream-pop what Basement Jaxx did for house. It's not overtly electronic either, but rather usually modifies traditional instruments slightly, warping their sound just enough to create an aura of out-worldliness. I have a bit of a fascination with artists who themselves have a fascination with outer space. It's the whole idea of realizing that there's this great expanse that you'll likely never visit. Moon Safari is a record about longing, with respect to a number of issues, but longing that seems infinitely relatable.

Standout Tracks: "La Femme d'Argent," "Ce Matin La," "Kelly Watch the Stars"


7. Underworld - Second Toughest in the Infants (1996)
Underworld is one of those bands that really made me wish I lived in the UK during the 90s. I was so envious of the rave scene and their giant outdoor festivals. Especially when the only thing we had going here was Woodstock '99 (Woodstock 2 did have a rather nice electronic music billing though). I'm sure most "best of" lists will select Underworld's debut LP over this, their sophomore effort, but that's merely a vote in favor of cultural impact and significance. STotI takes what they started when DJ Darren Emerson joined the group and made it arguably flawless. The deep moody beats are still there, but they push their sound more into progressive house and breakbeat territory here, shedding a bit of their dancey-guitar sound. Karl Hyde still provides vocals, but he has few, if any, legitimate singer-songs here. The vocal focus instead is on surreal wordplay and heavy filtering, melding the lyrics into the whole sound and eliminating the notion that Underworld has a frontman. The opening two tracks were a frequent soundtrack for my drive to high school as together they totaled just over a half hour, and on a decent traffic day I could get there before the stereo struck 3. That's just it though, STotI offers a whole range of sounds in one excellently produced package. Perfect for listening in the morning, afternoon, and night.

Standout Tracks: "Juanita/Kiteless," "Banstyle/Sappys Curry," "Pearls Girl"


6. Boards of Canada - Music has the Right to Children (1998)
No album yet on this list (and even for a couple still to come) has dominated my music listening time for as long as MhtRtC has. I listened to pretty much nothing else for at least 2 months and heard at least part of this album almost everyday within that span. Like Air, Boards of Canada seem infinitely likable. Though BoC aren't as cheeky or French-sounding there's an overriding sense of accessibility to their music. Play this album for anyone during a group study-session or whatever, and you'll hear no objections unless they're weirded out by a couple of the vocal samples. The album's beats are a fusion of hip-hop, downtempo, and any other of a number of subgenres. The album's atmosphere is spacey and soothing, which sounds like it contrasts with it being beat-heavy at times, but it all works out somehow. This is definitely one of the more timeless albums that I own as it's not tied down to a specific movement. The cover art seems to be an altered photo from the 70s, but who's to say for sure. I just have a feeling that I'll be listening to this album years in the future and it won't be because I'm feeling nostalgic.

Standout Tracks: "An Eagle in your Mind," "Sixtyten," "ROYGBIV"

The 20 Best Electronic Albums of the 90s (15-11)

*UPDATE* There has been a position switch from the previous posting. Air has been moved up to the next (currently forthcoming) post, while Aphex Twin has been bumped to number 11 as seen below. This was not done on a whim, and I think this new arrangement better fits in line with how I genuinely feel about the albums.

15. Bjork - Homogenic (1997)
Bjork is another musician that I tried listening to after they'd already released a great deal of material. This is mainly due to my refusal to listen to music with lyrics for a few years. I don't actually own a Bjork album aside from a greatest hits compilation. Truth be told, I like Bjork because of the music videos she did with Michel Gondry. The videos really bring out the beauty of the songs, becoming an engrossing audiovisual experience. Going back and listening to some of Bjork's full LPs, Homogenic stands out to me. The beats are catchy and inventive; same could be said for Bjork's vocals as well, I suppose. I've selected this Bjork album over her others because I like the flow of Homogenic the best, and also, it has my all-time favorite Bjork songs (see below recommendations). There's quite a range of material here as well, from sweeping ballads to vulnerable pleas to towering battle-cries. Each is executed as smoothly as the last. The result is an album that packs an emotional wallop.

Standout Tracks: "Joga," "Bachelorette," "Is Full of Love"


14. Massive Attack - Mezzanine (1998)
Yeah, yeah, I know what you'll say. "What about Blue Lines? Blue Lines is so much better. They never topped Blue Lines." No. Massive Attack did top Blue Lines, and they did it with Mezzanine, which I consider a much more interesting and satisfying listen. Sure their debut LP was the groundbreaker, but I'm trying to list what I consider the best here. So what makes the difference? It's mainly a result of the bands maturation of their instrumentation skills and their method of integrating them. On their debut LP, MA created some wonderful beats that served mainly as a backdrop for vocal performances that could definitely be considered an acquired taste. On Mezzanine the instrumentation not only takes center stage, but is cooler, catchier, moodier, more adventurous, and just all-around better. The album art alone is enough to make me want to listen to the thing. This is a defining trip-hop album, not to be missed by fans of the genre.

Standout Tracks: "Angel," "Risingson," "Teardrop"


13. Photek - Modus Operandi (1997)
!SPOILER ALERT! This is the only drum and bass album on the list. !END SPOILER! DnB (not to be confused with DMB) is a great subgenre, and one that I really enjoy, but sometimes I have a hard time finding a variety in the work. Maybe I just haven't listened to enough, but Photek is different. I remember reading a user review of this album years ago that despised it and said it sounded like someone emptied their toolbox into a metal trashcan and kicked it down a parking garage stairwell. Well, it kind of is, but it's far more calculated and rhythmic than I imagine said trashcan would actually sound. There's also quite a bit of subtlety here as opposed to the frantic, hardcore side of DnB. If nothing else, you can tell that Rupert Parkes is freaking paranoid. The album builds stark tension, like you're all alone in a giant, dark metal box, hearing the beats of people striking it from the outside. There's also the eerie calm of the title track, providing a momentary, if insecure, oasis from the noise. It's not all slamming metal though, Photek works wonders with silence and "distant" noises, also sampling strings and piano chords quite often to add more of a human touch. If you're driving alone at night out in the country and have even a remote fear of alien abduction, don't listen to Photek.

Standout Tracks: "The Hidden Camera," "Modus Operandi"


12. Basement Jaxx - Remedy (1999)
The debut album from the Jaxx is the most infectious, unabashedly pop, house record of the 90s. The whole LP is nothing but hooks, wonderful hooks. It's one of the first albums I owned where I really began to understand that this kind of music was meant to be danced to. Most of the electronic music I had been listening to seemed too abstract and complex for the dancefloor, but with Remedy, if you don't understand that you're supposed to dance then you're probably not capable of smiling either. I must say that I think Rooty (2001) is the best Jaxx album taken as a whole, but Remedy matches it's best songs with it's own (again, note the standouts down there). If there's one thing I've noticed as lacking from the most recent work from the Jaxx, it's the influence of salsa and other Spanish music. On Remedy and the singles that proceeded it, salsa was the foundation of the band's sound and something I'd like to see return in their work. This mainly has to do with how well the house/salsa sounds mesh on the record. I think it's no small coincidence that Remedy is so infectious because of this combination of the new and the traditional. These songs will enjoy a kind of timeless appeal in the house world that few records (some to be mentioned later on this very list) have earned.

Standout Tracks: "Rendez-Vu," "Red Alert," "Bingo Bango"


11. Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works 85-92 (1993)
Here's another example of me posting an album that doesn't contain any of the songs that the artist is known for, but with this release from Aphex Twin, it also doesn't really include any of his signature twitch and drill style. Instead we have a far more subdued affair, one that experiments with sounds perhaps never heard before with one-of-a-kind song compositions. SAW doesn't really sound all that ambient either, or at least not what music listeners have come to understand as "ambient." There are occasional beats and melodies, though the terrain can feel sparse at times. It's a landmark musical accomplishment made all the more impressive by the fact that, unless Richard D. James is lying to us (quite possible), AT was a mere 14 when he created some of these tracks. The late, fondly remembered CDNOW website listed this album as the greatest electronic album of all time. Clearly I disagree, but I can totally understand where they were coming from.

Standout Tracks: "Pulsewidth," "Green Calx"

The 20 Best Electronic Albums of the 90s (20-16)

This list was brought about by a challenge of sorts (issued here), and I found it difficult to pass up a good chance to make a list and listen to some of my favorite albums once again. I'm writing about electronic albums because that's most of what I know, and I don't know much outside of it (at least not for 90s music). While some of the albums I'm going to list are some of my all-time favorites, I'm selecting them because I think they are the best. There are no guilty pleasures on the list. If it's here, I feel genuinely about it. Alright then, let's get to it.


20. Paul Oakenfold - Tranceport (1998)
There's a reason everyone knew/knows who Paul Oakenfold is, and it's not because he's a great producer (he isn't). It's because he's a great DJ. The man has no doubt received more votes than anyone else in his career for "DJ of the Year" in such-and-such magazine, and is perhaps the first individual to truly embody the term "superstar DJ." The thing is, he lives up to it. His inclusion in this list is not for mere mention of his importance to electronic music, but because his entry into the Tranceport series is truly superb. The mix itself is seamless, recontextualizing the tracks to fit the whole, and the song selection itself remains top-notch, which is certainly helped by frequently queuing up Paul Van Dyk (3 times to be exact)and Gus Gus among other up-and-comers of the time. What more do you want from a dancefloor-ready trance mix? Track selection avoids the super-cheesiness of ATB and his ilk, but we're still talking about trance music here, so it's still going to sound like trance music. Let me put it this way: I like cheese on my pizza, but consider stuffing the crust with it to be taking matters too far. That said, Tranceport is simply delicious.

Standout Tracks: Paul Van Dyk - "Words (For Love)," Gus Gus - "Purple (Sasha v. The Light)"


19. Moby - s/t (1992)
Even more than Oakey, Moby has dealt with his fair share of criticism over his later work. Play may have been his star-vehicle into the lime-light and all it entails, but his self-titled debut is both what got him rolling and where his talent shines through most brightly. You see, back in the day, Moby used to make dance music. With the rave movement taking over in the UK, Moby was just about the strongest liaison we had here in the US to that cultural phenomenon. Here it was the underground though, and that's what Moby sounds like. The album is rather dark at times, channeling the urgency of squeezing in one more song before the cops bust up the entire scene. Sirens may abound, but Moby also takes considerable time to innovate here, creating his trademark gospel-infused dance-balladry on "Go" and experimenting with after-party chillout vibes to close the album. You can't blame the guy for wanting to move in new directions as his career expanded, but that doesn't mean the old Moby won't be missed.

Standout Tracks: "Go," "Drop A Beat"


18. Fatboy Slim - You've Come A Long Way Baby (1998)
Norman Cook's second proper LP as Fatboy Slim is just about the only album on this list to receive surmountable airplay on American radio. It's a credit to the accessibility and eclecticness of the record which approaches the big beat sound from so many different angles and somehow holds the whole thing together in a solid package. There really is something for everyone here, just name a genre and I guarantee there's at least a sample derived from it. The album never takes itself too seriously, and at times is just plain silly, but the fun, anything-goes feel is the glue that's holding everything together. I often dismiss Fatboy Slim for these very reasons, but when I put this record on again it's impossible to resist. Besides, it's nice when someone actually recognizes a song that I like rather than me having to explain why song x isn't actually techno, but rather blahblahblah....

Standout Tracks: "The Rockafeller Shank," "Praise You"


17. Sasha + John Digweed - Northern Exposure: Expeditions (1999)In this, the 4th and final entry in S+D's Northern Exposure series, the DJ heavyweights finally seem to set out what they wanted to accomplish with it: create epic, organic soundscapes grounded in progressive house and trance beats. While it's not the be-all end-all of organic electronica, it may be the best of its genre. Song selection and mixing is impeccably tight, containing a cheesiness factor near zero. The songs on display here aren't club anthems either, making the mix as suited for the dancefloor as for bedroom listening. Spanning over two hours, this double-disc set is inherently expansive, perfectly fitting in with the tone of the mix. It's rarely in a rush to get somewhere and, on the contrary, is an album that supports the importance of the ride rather than the destination. Sasha may still be a huge name DJ (winning Essential Mix of the year two years ago, and pioneering an all digital DJ setup), and Digweed as well (recently teaming up with MSTRKRFT for a giant tour), but I'd love to see what a reunited force could produce nowadays, seeing as how they pretty much reached trance/prog house perfection with Expeditions.

Standout Tracks: Tyrantic - "Breeder," Sasha - "Belfunk"


16. The Orb - Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld (1991)
I'll be honest, I'm actually quite new to the Orb and haven't given this album as many full listens as I'd have liked to, but I have already been able to tell that there's something special here. This is ambient music that's actually interesting. Plus, some of the sampling techniques are incredibly fresh, like throwing in Minnie Riperton's "Loving You" throughout a 19 minute, largely instrumental meditation on space. Maybe I'm just so amazed by it because I've never really heard anything else like it, but that sort of thing happens when a band is touted as worthy of their own new genre; in this case it's ambient house. Now, the album isn't entirely floaty space-scapes, there are occasional beats thrown in but don't strain too hard to find the 4/4 measures as they're few and far between. The Orb have an incredible knack for songcraft, and as such, you'll never feel like the band is just sitting back and blindly stroking synth chords. It's an incredibly refreshing listen considering the current trends in electronic music.

Standout Tracks: "Little Fluffy Clouds," "A Huge Ever-Growing Pulsating Brain that Rules from the Center of the Ultraworld"