5 amazing albums still coming out this year
5 amazing albums still coming out this year
2016 has been an exceptional year for album releases. Since January, the dance music realm has been blessed with an eclectic array of thoughtful longform offerings. The chaos of Boys Noize’s Mayday, serenity of Flume’s Skin, and majesty of Eric Prydz’s Opus only begin to broach the vibrant emotional spectrum of LPs that have provided the foundation for one of electronic music’s most illustrious years yet.
As we officially bid farewell to summer and plunge into autumn’s austerity, it’s important to note that there are still many extraordinary albums yet to be released this year. We’ve compiled five albums in particular that are worth getting excited for before January 1, 2017.
Words by Will McCarthy, Michael Sundius, Alexandra Blair, and Michael Cooper.
Mr. Oizo - All Wet
Mr. Oizo has yet to become a household name stateside, but the French artist is a pioneer across two disciplines. For the better part of the last 20 years, Mr. Oizo has established himself as a visionary in bizarre techno, while also succeeding as a surrealist filmmaker under his given name, Quentin Dupieux.
All Wet will mark Dupieux’s sixth LP as Mr. Oizo. Spanning 15 tracks in length, the album contains a plethora of high profile collaborations across a myriad of genres. Boys Noize, Siriusmo, and Crookers’ Phra all lend production talents to the record, while Peaches and Charli XCX are among its notable vocalists. Of course, the song most poised to convert American audiences to Oizo’s cult of peculiarity is his Skrillex collaboration; “End Of The World” has already begun to establish a massive presence in DJ sets and online. Luckily, the techno deluge of Mr. Oizo’s All Wet is imminent.
Release Date: September 30
Label: Ed Banger Records
Lido - Everything
With production credits for the likes of Halsey and Chance The Rapper, to say nothing of his extensive lineup of remixes — including an ambitious mix combing half of Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo — and flip work, Lido has proven himself to be one of the hottest names in electronic music. With a style that can effortlessly flip from heavily synthesized to R&B and gospel-inspired piano ballads, the hype has been building for his debut album Everything, due out in October.
Lucky fans who caught Lido’s set at Coachella have already heard the LP in full, though for now, the Norwegian has opted to tide fans over his first single “Crazy.” If the October 7 release date is still too far away, be sure to check out his amphibious, Jersey club side project Trippy Turtle.
Release Date: October 7
Label: TBD
Empire of the Sun - Two Vines
Empire of the Sun have been making the most of the three year journey to their forthcoming LP, Two Vines. Known for their opulent aesthetics, the duo spent time recording in both Hawaii and Los Angeles, chasing a mirage that defined the album’s sound from the outset. Says band member Nick Littlemore: “there was an image we talked about very early on… a modern city overtaken by jungle, almost like mother nature taking back the planet.”
Drawing inspiration from the dreamy harmonies of ’70s prog pop, the duo recruited high profile collaborators like Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsey Buckingham and members of both Prince and David Bowie’s bands. The result, witnessed in lead singles “High and Low” and the titular “Two Vines,” is as luscious as anything we’ve seen yet from the psychedelic duo.
Release Date: October 28
Label: Astralwerks
Justice - Woman
There is likely no album this year we’re anticipating as heavily as that of Justice’s Woman. The legendary French pair’s impending third album has the entire dance world on the edge of their seat, and for good reason — the previous two LPs served to help alter the course of electronic music as we know it.
What’s more, if the first two singles, “Safe and Sound” and “Randy,” are any indication, then Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay appear to be in top form. Blending disco, electro, and techno with live orchestra accompaniment, a choir, and plenty of swoon-worthy vocalists, Woman will undoubtedly reignite the Justice fever when it drops in November.
Release Date: November 18
Label: Ed Banger Records
Tycho
It’s been a quiet two years for Tycho since the release of Awake in 2014. That album cemented composer Scott Hansen’s status as a chill wave icon and the project has spent months touring the nation, bringing dreamy sunrise sets to the likes of EDC and Burning Man. In between shows, Hansen and his rotating cast of musicians have kept busy creating arrangements for a new album that will largely be a departure from previous work.
Hansen posted the project’s latest single “Epoch” on his graphic design blog, calling the track the “keystone” of the group’s evolving sound. The new release will “[hone] the sonic aesthetic of Dive while drawing on the kinetic energy of Awake,” and promises to explore “darker themes and new musical territory.” The singles pairs cold, buzzy synths and punishing drum lines with Hansen’s signature bright guitar licks for a spacious, melancholy effect. While Hansen has yet to announce an official release date, it is suspected that the release will come via Ghostly International sometime this year.
Release Date: TBA (2016)
Label: Ghostly International
Honorable Mention: deadmau5
Back in July, deadmau5 casually remarked that his new album was “pretty much” finished, immediately sending fans into a frenzy. While we’ve yet to receive an official release date from Zimmerman, we’ve heard countless snippets of the Canadian producer’s new work in the form of studio streams and live sets — including a new 9-minute progressive house piece and two tantalizing electro concoctions.
With no confirmation that the album will arrive this year, however, Zimmerman’s forthcoming eighth studio album remains an “Honorable Mention” on our list. It’s worth noting, however, that in a periscope stream last week, Zimmerman’s tour manager remarked that the album may be coming as soon as November.