Best Electronic Albums of 2022
Kylie Parham — 3 months ago
Exron Music pays tribute to the best electronic albums of 2022 with a year-end roundup of the most impressive compilations.
In 2022, the electronic dance music community saw a resurgence of the arts after the pandemic caused mayhem for the world of performance. After two years in lockdown, music born in the trenches was finally able to see the light of day. Artists compiled their best home-grown tracks into albums that restored serotonin across the industry, in a valiant return to normalcy. From emotional ballads to return-to-dance-floor bangers, 2022 was a monumental and irreplaceable year for electronic music. Check out Exron Music’s picks for the best electronic albums of 2022 below, in no particular order.
Bob Moses – ‘The Silence in Between’
On March 4th, Bob Moses released their highly anticipated album ‘The Silence In Between.’ This collection was their first full-length project since 2020’s ‘Desire‘ album. The Canadian duo received rave reviews for the new project, as it featured extreme feels of dance-driven enthusiasm. The new Bob Moses album explored many different emotions and waves, from excitement to feelings of longing and heartbreak. Sounds of booming bass, sonic synthesizers, and perfectly-timed hi-hats encompass the album, along with punchy, pop-style lyrics. The album absolutely did not disappoint.
Hardwell – ‘Rebels Never Die’
Hardwell made his epic return to dance music in March of 2022 with an outstanding closeout performance at Ultra Music Festival. After four years in the studio, the legendary artist was able to create a new compilation by getting back into his musical roots, rediscovering his old vinyl collection, and listening to his favorite childhood tunes. ‘REBELS NEVER DIE’ combines early hard trance riffs with the energy of his big room sound and techno-Esque musical structure. Hardwell’s 2022 return LP marked a monumental moment in his career, to the delight of fans worldwide.
Alison Wonderland – ‘Loner’
Alison Wonderland’s latest 12-track album, ‘Loner‘ finally landed on Astralwerks in May of 2022. Following her 2018’s album ‘Awake’, the latest album revealed emotion-rich energy that took listeners from the high of optimism to the low of darkness. It is an ethereal project that delivers a kick that’s bold enough to penetrate the very core of any listener. At the time, Alison shared that the inspiration behind the album stemmed from her going through the motion of ups and downs in life. Evidently from tracks like “Fear of Dying” to “Something Real” and “Forever”, there was an overflowing of heartfelt emotion, deep devotion, and highly moving melodies.
i_o – ‘Warehouse Summer’
On November 23rd, the family of beloved DJ and producer i_o released a posthumous album, Warehouse Summer, for fans worldwide. The LP, originally by the late artist Garrett Lockhart, was released two years after his tragic passing. Together with Canadian musician, Lights, the Lockharts were able to compile a nostalgic fourteen-track album featuring both artists’ vocals. At the time of the release, Warehouse Summer presented a bittersweet feeling for all fans of i_o but was a great way to commemorate the great work he has made throughout the years.
Seven Lions – ‘Beyond the Veil’
Seven Lions released his debut album ‘Beyond The Veil’ in October of 2022 on his own imprint, Ophelia Records. Revealed well over a decade into his career, the LP features 12 tracks that form a cohesive story to help evoke a full range of emotions. The album contains support from artists like GG Magree, Mija, Vancouver Sleep Clinic, So Below, Lights, and others who helped build the vision Seven Lions was hoping to create. The beloved producer said the compilation is something he’s “incredibly proud of” with a narrative that forms an overarching story of fantasy and intrigue.
Odesza – ‘The Last Goodbye’
Arguably the most impressive electronic album of 2022, ODESZA wowed the world when they released ‘The Last Goodbye’ in July. Fusing their illustrious sonic flair into a highly cinematic album, the 12-tracker offers listeners a perfect blend of nostalgic beats from the very beginning until the end. ‘The Last Goodbye’ is an intricately crafted record spanning a remarkable scope of tonality and features a vast number of talented guest artists such as Charlie Houston, The Knocks, MARO, Bettye LaVette, and more. ODESZA builds on each of the tracks to marry organic sounds with hypnotic and dancefloor sensibilities. ‘The Last Goodbye’ is the latest album to arrive from ODESZA since their last full-length creation, ‘A Moment Apart,’ was released five years prior.
Fred Again.. – ‘Actual Life 3’
Just before Halloween 2022, Fred Again.. returned with his latest sizzling studio album, ‘Actual Life 3’. Following his last highly acclaimed debut LP, this release served as a tantalizing companion to detail his “life experiences” from January to September 2022. Across 13 stellar tracks that respectively feature personal voice notes, recordings, and random samples from his friends, Fred Again.. touches on the highs and lows of life within the album. With a focus on conveying the emotions related to friendship, love, and life, ‘Actual Life 3’ is an immaculately produced studio output that continues to put the visionary artist at the forefront of the dance music scene.
NGHTMRE – ‘DRMVRSE’
In September, NGHTMRE unveiled his debut album: ‘DRMVRSE.’ The LP features thirteen tracks including huge collaborations with artists like Slander, Zeds Dead, Virtual Riot, and many more. NGHTMRE spent the last four years working tirelessly to blend many different types of bass music into one seamless album that fans could enjoy. DRMVRSE takes fans on a journey through soundscapes featuring styles like dubstep, trap, melodic bass, and more. NGHTMRE structured the songs to ensure that fans would be taken on a journey through the DRMVRSE he created.
Carl Cox – ‘Electronic Generations’
British house and techno veteran Carl Cox solidified his spot as king of the scene with a brand-new album in early December 2022. ‘Electronic Generations’ is the pioneering DJ’s fifth full-length release of all time and his first in over a decade, following 2011’s ‘All Roads Lead to the Dancefloor.’ ‘Electronic Generations’ is robotic, innovative, and, above all, familiar. This LP, among other things, is a declaration of his legacy. The new album is largely made up of improvisations from his live shows, and upon observing how much fans enjoyed them, he extracted his greatest hits and polished them into a studio bundle. His emphasis on primitive immediacy has now become his signature approach, and his latest release is yet another demonstration of this.
SVDDEN DEATH – ‘VOYD II’
Wreaking havoc in the space of electronic music, SVDDEN DEATH returned with his highly anticipated debut album, ‘VOYD II’ in March of 2022. The theatric project is an intense 56 minutes of masterful sound design and unorthodox dubstep that keeps listeners excited to hear what could be next to come. With five skits and thirteen songs, the album does a great job of having space to develop— with extensive build-ups on tracks that lead to massive drops quite unlike anything else out. SVDDEN DEATH is able to eloquently blend dubstep, metal, and experimental music in a cohesive manner that makes the album much more than some one-dimensional project.
