Disclaimer Part 2: Singles and short EPs didn’t make the cut for this list, there would simply be too much to consider.

Disclaimer Part 3: You’re getting tired of disclaimers, I know.  It’s a little late for a best of 2013 post, and I realize that.  But I needed the time to gather my thoughts, okay?

It was a massive year for EDM.  We saw the rise and fall of trends, the emergence of new artists and the dissolving of old.  Through it all, some artists really pulled themselves together to create masterpieces which broke trends, made us take a step back, and really think about where our music is headed.  I had a huge amount of fun discovering and sharing the diverse sounds of 2013, but there were just a few albums that really stuck with me.  Albums that I had on repeat for weeks on end.  These are my top five.

5. Aleph By Gesaffelstien

French House producer Gesaffelstien saw a big rise in popularity in 2013, from his collaboration on  Kanye West’s Yeezus, alongside big names like Daft Punk and Brodinski.  He also found a huge following with his remixes, taking on huge songs like Lana Del Rey’s Blue Jeans, and Justice’s Helix.  His hard-hitting, dark industrial style was a refreshing change of pace from the upbeat, happy-go-lucky vibe that was prominent in EDM in 2013.  Gesaffelstien’s newest album, Aleph, which was fully released in October, began to catch attention earlier on in the year with the release of “Pursuit”; an angry, progressive house song complete with unintelligible chanting, vicious beats, and intimidating melodies.  Although the album as a whole was not met with the same success as the single, Aleph’s disregard of trends in the industry and dedication to originality secures it as the number five spot on the list.

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4. Teddy Massacre by Teddy Killerz

Okay, so technically, this release is an EP.  But the exclusive tracks released alongside Teddy Massacre bumps it up to a nine-song production, making it an acceptable album-length.  These Russian producers have been around for a few years, producing small EPs and singles with a classic dub/drum and bass style.  Their newest release, Teddy Massacre, sponsored by the one and only OWSLA, made a splash with its diverse take on the horror-oriented sound made popular by juggernauts like Knife Party and Dog Blood.  Featuring songs with swing and jazz influence, supported by interesting bass lines and thick drum sounds, the Teddy Killerz proved themselves to be powerful innovators in EDM, and we hope that they continue their streak into 2014.

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3. A Color Map of the Sun by Pretty Lights

Derek Smith (better known as Pretty Lights) has long been credited for creating music that easily introduces people the concept of EDM.  His remixes of popular classics like Pink Floyd’s Time and Steve Miller Band’s Fly Like an Eagle began to turn heads and sway opinions as early as 2008.  Since then, he has become the proprietor of his own record company, Pretty Lights Music, which has gone on to sign funk-soul legends Grammatik and GRiZ, as well as push the Digital Liberation movement, encouraging artists to release their music free of charge for distribution.  In July, Pretty Lights released his newest album, A Color Map of the Sun.  Relying heavily on Smith’s gift from combining samples (all of which he created himself) with groovy beats, the album creates a pleasant, yet distinctly funky vibe front start to finish.  Although it leans slightly towards the mainstream with a premier on Conan, as well as a nomination at the Grammys, A Color Map of the Sun has cemented itself in the EDM scene as step forward for funk and soul.

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2. Random Access Memories by Daft Punk

What “Best of 2013” list would be complete without the earth-shaking release of everyone’s favorite robo-duo?  I’ll spare you the Daft Punk backstory that you’ve surely read 20 times this year, and get straight to the praise.  RAM was a massive wake-up call for EDM is 2013, proving that the bar can be raised in more ways than one.  This album collected tons of hype in the month preceding its release, and many weren’t sure what to expect.  Would Daft Punk follow the trends and progression of the genre they helped create and release a dub-centered, aggressive and heavy production? Nope. Instead, Daft Punk shocked old and new fans alike by releasing a smooth and thoughtful yet goofy album that shook the scene by its roots.  The first track off of RAM, Bring Life Back to Music perfectly summarizes their not-so obscure message, and we hope more artists will take heed of these legends in 2014.  Here’s to hoping for more ground-breaking material from the boys this year.  (Also, Coachella?)

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1. Rebel Era by GRiZ 

Grant Kwiecinski has been called a pioneer of musical expression, and that powerful, emotional expression shines bright and clear in GRiZ’s newest album, Rebel Era.  The album flaunts an air of defiance, Kwiecinski claiming it to be an act of rebellion against the oppression of capitalism, as well as a democratic government.  Besides the potent (and important) political statement carried with the production, Rebel Era contains the best combination of electronic music and live instrumentation I’ve heard thus far.  The beats in the album are, at times, slow and sensual, though the samples and horn instrumentation laid over the top build the songs in a visceral way, creating an outstanding and unavoidably danceable experience.  From the James Brown-influenced funk guitar licks to the perfectly placed and balanced electronic riffs, this album quickly became my go-to for every situation.  At parties, nobody hesitated to move to the main room and start dancing, all the while leaning over and asking “Who is this?”.  Rebel Era perfectly blended the fantastical, off-the-wall style of EDM, and the sultry, emotional style of funk and soul music.  We can only hope that GRiZ continues on his quest to liberate music, all the while keeping us on the dance floor.

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Honerable Mention: Rollercoaster by Skream (feat. Sam Frank)

I’m a massive disco-house fan, and to see Skream take a full 180 from his dubstep career to focus on disco was both hilarious and awesome.  Luckily for him, he completely nailed it, and I wouldn’t at all mind seeing Rollercoaster become the quintessential party anthem of 2014.

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So that’s it, I hope I didn’t step on too many toes.  Feel free to give your input in the comments, I’d love to hear it.  Happy 2014!

The post Zak’s Top 5 Albums of 2013 appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

When I first found out the album was streaming for free on iTunes, my heart sank. I stopped everything I was working on, downloaded iTunes (in a Spotify world, who uses this app anymore?) and got to listening. I immediately got chills and continue to get the chills throughout the entire album. When I was finished with my first run through, my initial thought was something like, “That was a little tame. Not sure if this is going to be my favorite.” But, as Swedish House Mafia has famously stated, “goosebumps never lie.”

I took my lunch break and returned to my desk to listen to RAM once again. This time, with the intent to listen to every detail. I wanted to pick up on exactly what these robots were up to on this album. Here’s what I came up with:

Random Access Memories is an album created by musicians, rather than just producers, to remind the masses what music once was and what it should be. Anyone who followed the Collaborator Series could realize that everyone involved in this album is a true musician, someone who paved the way in one genre or another for other musicians to begin creating music. Legends like Giorgio Moroder, Chilly Gonzales, Todd Edwards, DJ Falcon, Nile Rodgers, and ten others were handpicked because of their specific talents and specialties for this conglomeration of musical experimentation. Daft Punk is attempting to “Give Life Back To Music” as the opening track suggests.

I think the best part about this album is that it reaches the same highs as Daft Punk’s earlier records like Discovery or Homework in terms of musical energy, but without samples and loud synthesizers. Instead, the robots turn to an entirely human sound by using live instruments rather than computer generated sounds, making the album a multisensory experience.  You can feel the ominous reverberated guitar tones and the sound of water on “Motherboard.” Songs like “Touch,” “Contact,” and “Beyond” have a cinematic element that makes the listener see the music. Or maybe I’m just on drugs.

The unfortunate thing about this album is the fact that it’s coming from Daft Punk. The duo has been known for their instant classics like “Around the World,” “Da Funk,” and “One More Time,” which everyone was expecting, which is why so many people are deciding to hate on this album; they wanted THAT again. Instead they got songs like “Lose Yourself to Dance,” and “Get Lucky.” Like those two songs would EVER catch on and turn into anthems of the year…

The hype around the album was a lot, I know. Unprecedented, actually: thirty second snippets of “Get Lucky” appearing on SNL and in front of the entire Coachella audience, Vine videos with streaming track titles, billboards around music festivals around the entire country, other miscellaneous internet memes. The fact remains that this album is an incredible piece of music and music history. If you disagree, give it another listen. You still get some classic Daft Punk sounds! You still get some awesome hit tracks that will be played and stay relevant for a long time! C’mon. Give it another listen. For me.

At the end of the day, it’s incredible thing when two of the world’s most talented producers, composers, robots, aliens, whatever you want to call them, can take a look at the music they’ve created, the twenty-four years of working together, the time they’re in, and the state of music right now and say, “You know what, we’re going to do something different. Try to catch up.”

The post Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories appeared first on Just Noise To Me.