Growing up watching this, it’s no wonder we all ended up in dark rooms marching to repetitive beats.

It all adds up to their most rounded, consistently engaging record yet.

Ruinism isn’t a departure from the type of chopped foundations we’ve come to expect from Lapalux, it’s just less thick with haze: both onimous and gorgeous, it’s an album of two halves that tiptoes into a purgatory state.

This is music born from information overload and the quick slide toward environmental and political chaos, but while Gamble threatens to leave you scarred, he also offers refuge, too, in the form of his signature styles.

There’s head-melting brilliance here, but he makes you work for it.

Snoop Dogg, André 3000, Mos Def and Skepta are all fans, with this assured debut proving why she's rated so highly. Better prepare that throne, then.

The influence of earthy sub-Saharan blues is readily apparent on the choppy fretwork of ‘Walrus’, and the raw loops he creates by on-the-fly sampling have universal appeal. Similarly his voice, with its soaring inflections and echoes of Sting and Jeff Buckley, is a hugely effective tool.

Even if you’re not spiritually inclined, the music is still proper techno: chuggy in some places and mystical in others, but always total class.

The spirits of Vangelis, Wendy Carlos and John Carpenter permeate throughout, and it feels like no exaggeration to suggest that Lopatin could soon join them in the pantheon of great electronic soundtrack composers.

Not always easy, but definitely worth it.

There’s the risk of pastiche here--and sometimes the slow builds, churning synths and sinister whispers seem generic, like you’ve heard them before--but at their best they sound elemental, and perfect for the darkest of dancefloors.

Each track is forged and precision-engineered to bolt onto the next: there are times when Snaith takes you to dark places but then he clasps your hand tenderly, guiding you back to sunnier climes. Fabriclive 93 is an astonishing accomplishment.

Versions sees the Idjuts bring new life to a collection of sprawling, dubby disco from the vaults.

Sometimes brilliant, often infuriating, it's a must-check nonetheless.

This album is something that any open-minded Mixmag reader could appreciate.

Slow Focus is a grisly journey into the unknown, but an exhilarating one--if you’re willing to take it.

Patten’s third release is a whistle-stop tour of the UK’s hardcore continuum, never pausing long enough to get bored.

While some may find it a little self-indulgent, judged in its entirety the depth of sound and overall arrangement are nothing short of masterful.

Despite its length, it's not pushing any boundaries: it's smooth and sweet, with nothing to give you nightmares, but as a piece of high-class chillout music, it works very well.

Whatever you read into it, this is powerful, living dance music, above all else.

OK, it can be a bit tiring at times, but if you’re feeling open minded enough, this is a fluid, super-charged masterpiece.

It’s a place where house music melts into a joyous, shimmering gloop.

[A] Collection of gorgeous, gossamer-light vignettes. [Jun 2018, p.114]

While album three may require a reboot from The XX, that's for another day. Right now, when it comes to fusing indie rock and dance, no one pulls it off quite as elegantly.

A thrilling creative renaissance on so many levels.

It hangs on the pair’s innate ability to find light and space amid the sturm und drang.

Nostalchic’= is the record you want to be listening to during the afterglow of good sex or a perfect ecstasy trip.

You'd have to be fairly joyless not to find the lighthearted lyrical content and unifying party vibes infectious.

Fans of Flume and Caribou will find much to savour.

Here, psychedelically hypnotic robot incantations weave through ambient soundscapes and piercing synths to brain-frying effect. [Jun 2018, p.113]

Nite Jewel’s fourth album is her most personal and lyric-driven yet.

Here, he’s created an ultra-coherent, often beautiful and (despite it originally being ‘just’ background music) oddly personal statement.

Everything Everything hit their targets with aplomb.

It’s surprisingly dreamy and thoughtful at times (see lead single ‘Aura’, which radiates pure white light) and full of the yearning and bittersweetness of the best post-rave sunrise moments. Most of all, it’s laser-focused in the pursuit of pleasure, and makes absolute sense as a complete album.

A bloody good album, showcasing a decidedly more soulful side to his output than we might have seen before.

Zola Jesus’ distinctive, dramatic voice has always been the prime weapon in her arsenal, and on new album ‘Okovi’ it sounds more brooding than ever.

Xen is decidedly playful, its alien sound palette used to conjure surreal songs that are melodramatic and nursery rhyme-like.

Put simply, a genius at work.

There’s footwork based on deep, soulful sensuousness and hip hop wooze as well as face-melters, making this the finest, most engaging example of footwork we’ve heard yet.

As you might guess, it’s not all fun and games, but there’s bone-dry lyrical wit and absolute clarity of voice (no guest spots!)--and its understanding of bleep and bass tonality gives it instant appeal. [May 2018, p.116]

Make no mistake, it’s Jaar in microcosm: a groundbreaking artist using all the weapons at his disposal in an attempt to move you. And trust us, you will be

On occasion the constantly shifting patterns can get a bit itchy and unsettling, but for the most part it’s a joyful creation.

There’s a new-age wash to some tracks that’s a bit too Enya-like for comfort, but this is an emotionally resonant LP that speaks of artistic, as well as personal, development.

Prepare to get emotional and elevated in equal measures.

They sound as assured as ever on Home Counties.

While Under The Sun isn’t quite as strong as its monumental predecessor ‘76:14’, Pritchard still has an eye for coaxing out the astoundingly beautiful from ‘cold’ electronics.

Recorded in Sydney, New York and California, ‘Faraway Reach’ bursts with sun-soaked vibes.

In particular, the beautiful and ambient narco-breakbeat of ‘4am Exhale’ and swooning downtempo of ‘9 Elms Over River Eno (Channel 9)’ are two gentle, aural hugs from these two esteemed purveyors of sonic sunshine.

Every track here reveals new depths on repeat plays. The year’s first essential comp? You guessed correctly.

It’s a labour of love, with edits laid over each other in places like sheets of fine filo pastry. There are officially 19 tracks, but it takes 42 records for Scuba to build them from.

Distractions is modern club music that acknowledges its history while still moving it forward, courtesy of one of the best in the game.

Beams represents a cerebral and well-balanced opus that could well represent a peerless innovator at the absolute pinnacle of his legacy.

It’s easy to pick out highlights, but every single one delivers something different and equally fantastic.

Prins Thomas 5, however, feels like a soft launch for Prins Thomas 2.0. You can hear it from the off on the glam-tastic ‘Here Comes The Band’, said to be influenced by the veteran Glasgow melodic indie band, Teenage Fanclub.

Boy King is intrusive, abrasive and in-your-face--but that’s no criticism: one can imagine lads properly belting out ‘Big Cat’ and ‘Alpha Female’ at live shows.

Lonely Planet is an exquisitely lush and naturalistic affair with humid jungle atmospheres, bird calls, yawning chords and fluttering melodies all encouraging you to lay back in the sun and let go.

A texturally rugged selection with plenty of technical dexterity along the way maintains a bumping tempo--in turn, completing a solid trio of mixes themed around one of the Capital’s leading residencies.

This is what pop should be in 2017: diverse, interesting and surprising.

Concrete Desert is a potent blend of cinematic music-for-outsiders and deep, drone-leaning sounds.

Another patchy long-player from a proven producer.

The way it evolves is engrossing; from the get-go you’re submerged in thunderous kicks, alarming bleeps and juddering basslines, and what makes it even more impressive is that much of it was created on the fly.

The whole thing smells of fresh-cut grass and warm... well, Air. The likes of Erol Alkan, Rory Philips and other first-generation 'Moon' explorers will adore it.

The release date really doesn't matter: this is an absolute stunner of an album from start to finish.

Journeying and introspective, U pieces together a narrative that reflects on a past relationship; sculpting electronica, garage and piano together effortlessly.

An album full of gorgeous electronic folk and psych-pop, with Trogdon’s observations of the minutiae of life, love and nature (“the kindness of rain”; “everything on its way to being something else”) sitting perfectly in the mix. And it’s great.

Passages of pummeling grooves, emotional strings and delicate piano are impressively tied together by Craig’s dancefloor expertise.

An energetic, main-room mix that touches on many styles.

They haven’t lost the ability to party, as proven by the grinding disco-funk of ‘Rejoice’, but Omnion is a serious, grown-up dance record for serious times.

On the whole, Sleep Of Reason is a stirring and cerebral venture into avant-soul.

This is a complex and endlessly enjoyable record.

Charming, incredibly soulful and emotionally charged, this record introduces us to a whole new, golden side of Donald Glover--and should elevate him to a new level of stardom.

Order Of Noise creates an atmosphere akin to a vast thunder-cloud thick with heavy, window-rattling vibrations and sharp, sudden jolts of electricity.

There might be doses of dancefloor energy through the Balearic string twangs of 'All I Want' and the pulsating, springy pads of Insides, but it’s definitely the dreamy, mind-expanding cuts that take precedent.

It's the smart weaves in and out of expectation--the jolts, the swerves--that make it an instant classic.

Fusing sonic intricacies, captivating melodies and compelling storytelling, Dirty Projectors’ eighth LP is their most honest and affecting yet.

The LP examines the traps of routine and the possibilities that dreaming and music offer to escape from them--and however distanced Iqbal might seem in her performance, as a listener you’ll quickly find both real connections to the album’s themes, and the variety of gorgeous sounds that she uses to express them.

Groundbreaking it may not be, but Huxley brings a touch more class than some of his contemporaries.

Flashes of 80s electro sleaze, throwback house and glossy diva vocals all add to the fun.

The squelchy synths and intergalactic funk of the record's first half stand tall, but at 20 tracks long, it becomes a tad tiresome at the halfway mark.

If you’re a fan, you won’t be disappointed. ... If you’re new to the zoo, prepare for a 20-track musical trip you won’t forget in a hurry.

Names like Underground Resistance, Moodymann, Ectomorph and Claude Young should be all you need to hear to assure you you’re in safe hands, and the results are stunning, as they twist the disco, funk and psychedelia into fresh and crisp patterns.

The operatic IDM of the previously released 'Mountain Divide' is hard not to view as the pick, but even so, Tundra still has all the sonic intensity of an R&S classic.

Infectious and groove-laden, Lose My Cool manages to be both forward-thinking and vintage at the same time.

It’s a record of subtle strength, with all-encompassing warmth and chilled introspection.

Whether its impish character makes for a consistently engrossing listening experience is questionable, but it has moments of brilliance.

Its 13 tracks are more versatile in lyrical depth and vocal flow than before and, when added to his trademark intensity, are proof that Mykki's moved to the next level.

This is music from a mind with a digitized imagination.

Love School Of Seven Bells and The XX? You'll like this.

The whole album is perfectly paced, with hypnotic grooves and simple songwriting: density and space are constantly played off each other, helping to create something that should be taken in as a whole. It’s been well worth the wait.

This isn’t going to win over any newcomers but, when you tune in to its ebbing and flowing intensities, it can be totally transporting.

As the mix migrates to the dancefloor, Lone drops some smooth 90s techno with John Beltran’s ‘Placid Angles’ and the cyber-electro of Drexciya’s ‘Bubble Metropolis’, before signing off with Radiohead’s obscure and atmospheric mood sketch ‘Worrywort’.

Nothing finds beauty in exploring dreams of a human-free world. Kode9's strength has always been to show that serious scholarship and avant-garde instinct don't need to separate from dancefloor culture and here, he's made one of his clearest statements of that yet.

Mayer has always had an ability to weave the richest dancefloor cheese into forms both experimental and emotional, and here he’s chosen exactly the right people to amplify different sides of his music.

Effectively present(ish), past and downtempo, it’s a fascinating glimpse into one of dance’s most fertile minds.

There’s something about CEO’s second album that’s so wide-eyed, so full of wonder that even when it approaches absolute sugar overload it’s impossible to dislike.

The Glasgow quartet have put their talent for irresistible hooks to good use and come up with a solid new LP that splices towering post rock with potent dancefloor sensibilities

Not as immediately blissful as ‘Elaenia’, but a magical new direction nonetheless.

Ultimately, the sincerity and craft of the composition and production make it much more emotionally satisfying than the untold PCO knock-offs out there.