Dreams of Ibiza

Here are my Top 5 Albums, along with a few runner ups. These are in no particular order.

1) Shpongle - Tales of the Inexpressible.

This album I would almost consider to be an absolute must to anyone in or outside EDM. From start to finish, this album is a trip and a half, and has enough style to murder something with an overabundance of style. Dorset Perception is latin spice in amazing form to kick off the album and dips into pure psychedelic bliss. My Head Feels Like a Frisbee kicks in some more spice and mixes it in well with some superb tempo changes and psychadelic flare. Overall, the album will have you either immersed in a trip, or wanting to get up and dance, and sometimes both (with Shpongleyes embodying this mix perfectly.). Kicking off the end is Around the World in a Tea Daze, which is what I would put as Shpongle’s most iconic and memorable song along with Dorset Perception. While is leaves the spicey groove some of the other songs have, Around the World in a Tea Daze is powerful in every sense of the word and progresses in what I would put as a psychadelic-trance version of an orchestral arrangement. Immersive and deep from the beginning, and ending in a powerful bang. Flute Fruit ends the entire album with Raja Ram’s incredibly powerful flute, as send off that fits their sound perfectly.

2) BT - These Hopeful Machines

As the album that really, truly set me to branch into music more seriously than a casual listener, I’d be silly not to name this. BT is one of the most (I’d sat the most, but I’m bias.) influential people in EDM. What he has done with sound is genious, and how he composes his music is simply on a whole other level. He takes EDM to a level that few can even touch. As for the album, I feel like I’ve ranted enough in the past that anyone who might be viewing this has heard me go on about it. This, as well, I consider essential to listen to. If anyone were to come up to me and try to refute EDM as a whole (you know, those people who tend to think the only music that is REAL music involves picking up a physical guitar.), I would shove this album in their face and tell them to eat their words.

In fact, I would challenge anyone to pick up this album and listen. REALLY listen to every sound, every glitch and tick, and the flow of every song, every vocal, and every melody, and walk away from it without a new or further appreciation for EDM.

I should note that Le Nocturne De Lumiere is my favorite song of all time (at least at the moment.). The depth and flow of that song is enough to absolutely floor me every time I listen to it.

3) Quantic - Apricot Morning

A band not everyone might know, Quantic is not everyone’s cup of tea. Trip-hoppy at times, Quantic is very downtempo, Jazz/Funk inspired groove music. If you’re even remotely into that, then Apricot Morning is an album you should DEFINITELY check out. Soul infused in every song, from beginning to end. Apricot Morning Starts off the album with a trip-hoppy, soothing groove. Transatlantic shifts the focus to a lot of jazzy groove, less synthesized and much more instrumental while bridging the gap almost seamlessly in it’s flow and impact on the listener. Alice Russell’s vocals in both Search the Heavens and Sweet Calling seamlessly add to the soulful impact of the music. Primate Boogaloo Is the kind of hip-hop I can get into. Downtempo groove.

4) Chicane - Behind the Sun

A friend of mine introduced me to this album in a moment that summed up to “Why the hell am I only hearing this now?!”. Behind the Sun embodies everything that first got me into EDM. Trance. Overture kicks off things in a dramatic, epic manor and Low Sun takes it off in what I can only describe as the absolute perfect beach tune, and probably a huge icon as to why the subgenre of ‘Ibiza Trance’ is such a thing. No Ordinary Morning If very sad, and reflective, but amazing song. Ackerman’s vocals add to it flawlessly, as I’ve always thought Chicane somehow brings vocals to a whole other level with EDM. As the beat of the song dies and the last few verses are left with only Ackerman’s vocals and a soothing background tune, it sends shivers down your spine. Of course I think if you havn’t heard of Saltwater, you might either be dead to the world of EDM, or under a rock, but jests aside, it’s popular for a reason.

Autumn Tactics is another example of Chicane’s amazing vocal choices and work. Whatever he does, be it taste or what, it is the strongest I’ve yet to hear in EDM as a whole. This song embodies the topic of the song so much that it makes me want to scream out “THIS IS WHAT TRANCE SHOULD DO.”. Each instrumental layer seems to clash and meld in a way that is truly something to pay attention to. sounds typically attributed to summery trance grooves meeting downtempo fall sounds in a way that makes you FEEL as though summer is ending, the leaves are falling, and the air cooler until you listen to the vocals and realize “Wait. That’s EXACTLY what this song is about.”

5) Daft Punk - Alive 2007

Alive 2007 is Live Album.It won a grammy. I don’t even know what all to say about this other than it’s a mashup set of their works, and it is amazing in how it molds and rebirths their songs in such a strong, badass way. If you like House. Hell, if you hate house, check this out. If theres a reason Daft Punk is one of the biggest EDM artists ever, this is it.