So, this isn't gonna be an accurate list, I'm not considering this very hard. This is simply what I feel to be my favourite ever albums at this point in time. Literally, this minute. Like, now. And I'm not saying these necessarily contain the best music ever - I just happen to love these albums in their entirety, as a complete body of work. What's more, this is not some rundown. Fuck am I choosing 1 favourite. Choices are absolutely not my speciality.
DAFT PUNK - DISCOVERY (2001)
An obvious choice that very very few people could dispute. An album adored beyond the EDM world, it broke ground for dance music like nothing before it, and defined Daft Punk. It was no surprise that Random Access Memories couldn't top this - it went on to influence pop music, dance music, even Kanye West. That's pretty impressive. Oh yeah, and the actual music is superb - pop perfection that still sounds fresh after 12 years. And the accompanying film 'Interstellar 5555' is great too.
HIGHLIGHTS - Digital Love // Harder Better Faster Stronger // Face to Face
M83 - HURRY UP, WE'RE DREAMING (2011)
It's difficult to sum up this album in words. It's... It's like a soundtrack to the most moving, epic film ever, and then some. It jumps between synth-pop, stadium rock, and orchestral crescendos with ridiculous ease. The vocals are other-worldly, especially on the likes of 'Wait' and 'Outro'. Songs from this album have made me cry, and that just simply doesn't happen. This on headphones on a Sunday morning, or late at night - there is nothing more powerful, or emotive, or... I've run out of words to describe it.
HIGHLIGHTS - Midnight City // Wait // Outro
THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS - FURTHER (2010)
The most 'recent' release by the UK duo is their most resolved in my opinion. All of their albums have had certain lulls in my opinion, but this is near flawless. 'K+B+D' may be a bit of a nothingness, but apart from that every track has it's redeeming qualities. It balances different moods well, moving from sparse to intense to upbeat with ease. To be honest, this certainly isn't my favourite ever album. That said, it's the best these guys have ever made. Really, the Chemical Brothers seem to be more about the individual songs than the albums as a whole - this is the best attempt at making a cohesive 1-hour-long experience I've heard from them.
HIGHLIGHTS - Another World // Horse Power // Swoon
NERO - WELCOME REALITY (2011)
The debut album from the dubstep icons was an extremely strong release. From reviews that I've read, people's main issue seems to be that the album is simply a bit 'heavy' with no real let-up. But I think that's part of why I love it. There's definite contrast - they flirt with electro house in 'Fugue State,' go all-out with 'Crush On You,' and show off some of their more classic dubstep sounds with 'In The Way.' It's a strong album, with tracks flowing into each other smoothly and being comfortable both at a party or in the bedroom. An excellent contemporary mainstream dance album.
HIGHLIGHTS - Doomsday // Scorpions // Reaching Out
JUSTICE - CROSS (2007)
While I may listen to it rarely, as it's perhaps not my favourite album in this sense, the general sound and vibe of the album has a colossal effect on my tastes and style. Mental electronic music with a rock edge has definitely become something of a thing for me - this album lead me in turn to the likes of the Bloody Beetroots and SebastiAn. The album has its weak points, most notably Newjack (a song that really does irritate me a bit), but that doesn't stop it from being a greatly inspirational and unique (at least at the time) collection of work. And it has one of the best album openings. Ever.
HIGHLIGHTS - Genesis // D.A.N.C.E. // Stress
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