NPR’s Electronic Music Picks for 2018

NPR’s annual list of their top 10 favorite electronic albums of the year is out, and we’ve got the full rundown.

Introduction

NPR Music’s picks for the best electronic and dance albums of 2018.

Four Tet – New Energy

Kieran Hebden, a.k.a. Four Tet, has been one of the most consistently interesting and innovative producers working in electronic music for more than 15 years. His latest album, New Energy, is a master class in rhythm and texture, with each of its 10 tracks demonstrating a different side of Hebden’s musical personality. The lead single, “Two Thousand and Seventeen,” is a propulsive slice of funk built on a bed of clattering drums, while ” Scientists ” marries spacious atmospherics to a gorgeous melody. Elsewhere, Hebden indulges his experimental side on the ethereal “SW9 9SL” and the playful “Planet,” which sounds like Aphex Twin jamming with Boards of Canada. New Energy is an exhilarating ride from start to finish, and further proof that Four Tet is one of the most creative forces in electronic music today.

SOPHIE – Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides

SOPHIE’s debut album is one of the most anticipated releases of the year. The Scottish-born, Los Angeles-based artist has been behind some of the most innovative and exciting pop music in recent memory. “Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides” is an experimental pop masterpiece, full of avant-garde sound design, catchy hooks, and SOPHIE’s inimitable voice. It’s a record that feels both completely new and completely timeless, and it’s certain to be one of the year’s best.

Oneohtrix Point Never – Age Of

NPR Music’s 25 favorite albums of 2018, as chosen by our staff.

Oneohtrix Point Never – Age Of

Daniel Lopatin’s music often feels like a reaching out toward something unknown, or unknowable — a murky deep dive into the collective unconscious, maybe, or an expedition beyond the boundaries of our solar system. With Age Of, the Brooklyn producer and composer has made his most ambitious album yet: a strange and beautiful evocation of life in the 21st century, shot through with dread and fascination in equal measure.

Arca – Arca

Arca, the stage name of Venezuelan artist Alejandra Ghersi, is one of the most innovative producers working today. Arca came to prominence thanks to her boundary-pushing work on Björk’s Vulnicura album, and she’s continued to innovate on her own records. Her self-titled album, released in 2017, is a fascinating mix of industrial clatter, R&B melody and avant-garde noise. It’s a challenging listen, but also one of the most rewarding records of the past year.

Mount Kimbie – Love What Survives

Cairo-born, London-based electronic music duo Mount Kimbie first gained notice for their 2010 debut album, Crooks & Lovers. Since then, they’ve collaborated with the likes of King Krule, James Blake and ASAP Rocky, and released two more albums of warped, atmospheric instrumentals and deconstructed R&B. Ólafur Arnalds & Nils Frahm – Live at Funkhaus

Jlin – Black Origami

From her base in Gary, Ind., Jlin makes some of the most inventive and compelling electronic music being made today. This year’s Black Origami is a master class in rhythm, its tracks feeling both delicate and dangerous as they shift and slide in thrilling ways.

Kelly Lee Owens – Kelly Lee Owens

Kelly Lee Owens’ self-titled debut album is one of the most gorgeous and hypnotic electronic records in recent memory. It’s also one of the most personal, with Owens drawing on her experiences growing up in Wales to create an intimate, introspective sound.

Owens’ deep, rich voice is at the forefront of Kelly Lee Owens, and it’s bolstered by her beautiful, ethereal production. The result is an album that feels both deeply personal and universal, an impressive feat for any artist, let alone a debutant.

Conclusion

In general, roasts fall into one of four color categories — light, medium, medium-dark and dark.

Light roasts will have no oil on the surface of the beans because they are not roasted long enough for the oils to break through to the surface. Medium roasts will have a slightly stronger flavor and a non-oily surface. Medium dark roasts will have some oil on the surface and with a slight bittersweet aftertaste. Dark roasts will produce shiny black beans with an oily surface and a pronounced bitterness.