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Contributor
Reviews 31
Soundoffs 2
Album Ratings 1723
Objectivity 72%
Last Active 01-06-23 10:12 pm
Joined 07-09-21
Review Comments 1,313
| March & April: IDM Immersion
Following last month's introduction to black metal, I now plan to turn my attention to a genre of which I have become a huge fan in recent years: IDM. I have spent a lot of time exploring the most atrociously named genre in existence and I will spend March diving deeper, hoping to unearth some gems. Like before, I have chosen ten albums from my own research and I'm reaching out to Sputnik for an additional ten. Please check ratings first as I have completed discographies for most of the bigger names of the genre. Any input is, as always, greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. | | 1 |  | Telefon Tel Aviv
Fahrenheit Fair Enough
This is very much within the mellow, space-out realm of IDM and should go down well with fans of downtempo and ambient techno. Lush beats and bass form the foundations while glitchy elements pop and zing all over the place, sounding strangely organic – think clouds of insects filling a brightening morning sky. The use of acoustic guitar and drumkit further this theme as they combine well with the overlying electronica, providing a very lifelike quality, akin what you would expect from a Four Tet album. A very pleasant listening experience but runs out of steam halfway through – not ideal considering its only 41 minutes long.
Rating: 3.5 | | 2 |  | Ilkae
Stained Glass Piñata
This employs similar warped, out-of-tune, synth sounds as the first two Boards of Canada albums but through a more sinister, psychedelic lens. Nostalgically like BoC, I am reminded of childhood activities like going to a fairground or playing the SNES but its as if those memories have been twisted and distorted through the hallucinogenic effects of LSD and the joy replaced with unease. The structure of the albums enhances this effect with the short song lengths making it very fluid with rapidly changing themes. The abundant thirty second vignettes make you feel you are traversing liminal spaces, like creepy save points between Super Mario levels. Very interesting stuff and very self-questioning stuff.
Rating: 3.7 | | 3 |  | Hexalyne
Exivvaves
Now we’re into some seriously good shit in the form of creepy, otherworldly Autechre-esque digital hellscapes. Checked this as I loved his album “Scillocsenports” and it didn’t disappoint. Has a huge amount in common with the abstract approach of Autechre’s polarising Confield/Draft 7:30 era but has a touch more background ambience and the slightly more digestible rhythms make it almost danceable in parts. The production is insanely good. Perfect for withdrawing from the world for forty minutes of introspect, pondering the purpose of your own existence.
Rating: 4.3 | | 4 |  | Flying Lotus
Cosmogramma | | 5 |  | The Tuss
Rushup Edge
The famous Roland squelch is out in full force here as Richard D James under yet another moniker delivers a short and succinct masterclass in combining acid techno and breakbeats. The synth leads range from being treacle-thick to papery thin, providing myriad interesting hooks while the breaks are energetic enough to encourage dancing, not so intense that they reach territory of drill ‘n’ bass. Very good fun.
Rating: 3.9 | | 6 |  | pilotredsun
Achievement
Mixed feelings here. I find the vintage synths warm and comforting, reminiscent of the endlessly spacious worlds of 90s N64 games. There's are so many nice, playful melodies that will end up etched to your brain for weeks but the tracks often rely on sticking to them so much that they develop into nothing. It's not amazing but its a fun piece of work which I'll return to when the mood strikes.
Rating: 3.5 | | 7 |  | The Flashbulb
Flexing Habitual | | 8 |  | u-Ziq
Lunatic Harness | | 9 |  | Mouse on Mars
Autoditacker
This is the most danceable and "human" sounding IDM recording I've had the pleasure of hearing. The overall sound is warm, fun, and reminds me of balmy summer days - a far cry from cold, grimy, graffiti-strewn pedestrian underpasses most IDM reflects. Cleverly nuanced by kraut and dub influences, it exudes space-out psych as much as it encourages you to get up and move. I'm still picking up on new things to enjoy after 8 or so listens. I'd even recommend to IDM skeptics due to how accessible and alive it feels. Essential electronic.
Rating: 4.2 | | 10 |  | False Noise
Floral Strobe | | 11 |  | Syndrone
Salmataxia
Recommended by Hyperion1001 | | 12 |  | Second Woman
S/W
Recommended by CottonSalad
This beautifully combines the deep, cavernous atmosphere of dub techno in its background with a foreground of butchered rhythms, jarring beats and anxiety-inducing synthesised noise. Very dark, cold and lonely sounding which, for IDM are certainly not negative descriptors. Music made by introverts, intended for introverts. Not much else to say here but really enjoyed it.
Rating: 3.8 | | 13 |  | Four Tet
Live at Alexandra Palace London, 24th May 2023
Recommended by jrlikestodance | | 14 |  | GENDEMA
Soberanía
Recommended by efp123
A nice piece of downtempo here. Stuck somewhere between a sparkling, morning dew soaked forest walk and the backing track to the home screen on your TV at a luxury beach resort, it exudes cleansing, detox and wellness promoting vibes. Short, succinct, and ideal for starting your day in a stress free fashion but those seeking something more immersive may only just be settling in to this by the time it's over.
Rating: 3.4 | | 15 |  | Kid606
PS I Love You
Recommended by myri14 | | 16 |  | Terminal 11
Self Exorcism
Recommended by Avagantamos | | 17 |  | Ametsub
Linear Cryptics
Recommended by jotW | | 18 |  | Gridlock
Formless
Recommended by mystagogus
The combination of soothing ambient synth pads and intense, sometimes brutal beats is pulled off magnificently here. At times, the volume levels can almost overwhelm but these moments are short lived enough that they exist as effective nuances of post-industrial noise, stabbing through the IDM background. Simultaneously futuristic and archaic. Very atmospheric, incredibly powerful and a must try for fans of abstract electronic.
Rating: 4 | | 19 |  | Hecq
0000
Recommended by mindleviticus | | 20 |  | Lapalux
Amnioverse
reecommended by Demon of the Fall | |
BitterJalapenoJr
03.01.25 | Welcome to March. I await 10 reccommendations for the finest IDM. Please check ratings as I've heard a pile of the more famous names. As always, thanks in advance. | Hawks
03.01.25 | Boards of Canada - Music Has the Right to Children | BitterJalapenoJr
03.01.25 | Cheers Hawks but I already know it very well. I have discog dived most of the bigger names already. This month is a deep dive. | Hawks
03.01.25 | AHHHHHH gotcha. I'm probably not your man then. I'm a novice lmao. Should've checked your ratings. | Hyperion1001
03.01.25 | check cim - reference and syndrone - salmataxia
two of my personal favorites and i dont see them in your ratings. | JohnnyoftheWell
03.01.25 | > Please check ratings as I've heard a pile of the more famous names
> Boards of Canada - Music Has the Right to Children
lmfao
Ametsub - Linear Cryptics
Bop - Punk's Not Dead
Shohei Amimori - Sonasile
Bisk - Strange or Funny Haha?
Bisk - Vacation Package
Aoki Takamasa - RV8
The Black Dog - Spanners
Alka - Principles of Suffocation | Hawks
03.01.25 | Here comes Johnny in khakis up to his knees and so tight that his balls are screaming for air!!! | efp123
03.01.25 | idk if gendema is considered idm, but I really liked both albums I have heard. I added "soberania" to that database recently | CottonSalad
03.01.25 | Second Woman - S / W (love this one, pretty under-appreciated group tbh)
Mark Fell - Multistability (borderline case, but worth the nod) | Hyperion1001
03.01.25 | mark fell might be tagged as glitch but his music is about as in the spirit of IDM as any music could be. great rec that album is amazing. | jrlikestodance
03.01.25 | 4 is prob top 10 electronic album all time for me, and 5 is a top Aphex Twin release.
Four Tet's live at the Alexandria Palace is my pick. He reimagines a lot of his hits for the dance floor and its a great listen | Avagantamos
03.01.25 | syndrone - salmataxia [2] possibly the most underrated album in the entire genre
terminal 11 - discography (near-autechre levels of consistency and excellence)
I broke my robot - tomorrow does not exist
exm - modulus, overscore
patricia taxxon - techdog
rei harakami - wasuremono
fiesta soundsystem - sinking
wisp - the shimmering hour
kalx - 10162003
reizoko cj - dark side (breakcore)
atomhead - spiral field velocity 1.0 (flashcore)
krystal jesus - for liza, beyond the event horizon (flashcore)
I also have a list with more you might be interested in https://www.sputnikmusic.com/list.php?memberid=447207&listid=198638 | myri14
03.02.25 | Stained Glass Piñata is a fricking amazing album, I probably would have recommended that tbh. Check out PS I Love You by Kid606. | BitterJalapenoJr
03.02.25 | Thanking you all kindly. I've taken one from each of you so far. If no other recs come, I'll refer back to those who suggested multiple.
Looking forward to this. | mystagogus
03.02.25 | Gridlock - Formless
Stendeck - Scintilla
Access To Arasaka - Orbitus
Blast Radius - Define, Redefine
Comaduster - Hollow Worlds
Tineidae - Shadows | CottonSalad
03.02.25 | Nice! Curious to hear your thoughts on S/W | Hyperion1001
03.02.25 | oh yeah also check out Phoenecia - brownout its another classic i dont see in your ratings | someone
03.02.25 | i think i will just hang back and check out whatever rec turns out to be a more than above average rate
need some good idm in my life about now | efp123
03.02.25 | you should try the latest gendema mr. someone. I like it a tad bit more than the one I recommended | someone
03.02.25 | Gendema been on my lookout for some time. suppose it's as good a time as any to actually check it out. cheers | BitterJalapenoJr
03.13.25 | Slow progress on this one so far but will get my teeth into it this weekend.
Still two places left if anyone wants to chuck me a rec. If not, there's plenty of folk who gave multiple so will refer back. | mindleviticus
03.13.25 | Hecq - 0000
Supyre - Lustre
Ikuko Morozumi - Ignition Switch | BitterJalapenoJr
04.05.25 | I haven't forgotten your recs folks, just had a lapse in focus on this over the past few weeks due to a comination of work commitments, holidays and other shite. IDM immersion extended to end of April. | Demon of the Fall
04.05.25 | Oh, missed this. Some good stuff on here.
are you still taking recs?
Lapalux - Amnioverse
(it covers a lot of ground but definitely has some IDM flavours and I find the nature of it easier to connect with than a lot of “colder” IDM) | BitterJalapenoJr
04.05.25 | I am indeed Demon, there was one place left which you now occupy.
thanks! |
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