A great deal of thought goes into our playlists generally and this playlist, our New Experimental & Electronic Independent Music Playlist on Spotify, due to its essence and artistic nature definitely provoked and demanded the most attention of all seven this year The playlist featured 861 tracks throughout 2019, a treasure trove of immense musical quality taking in a number of genres considered to be in the experimental realm — modern classical, drone, ambient, electroacoustic, cinematic, soundscape, industrial, noise, avant-garde pop and folk, world (experimental) and vocal music. They share the stage with non-techno* and non-house* electronic music.( Electronic genres include breakbeat, drum’n’bass, synthwave, bass music, garage, electro, electronica, grime, industrial (electric), Jungle, Noise and Nu-Jazz.
It is in these genres that boundaries are explored and extended and musical convention is most likely to be upended. This gives us massive scope to play with here and we’ve had a great deal of pleasure not only listening but learning while pining over selections along the way. Special thanks in particular goes to two blogs; A Closer Listen, who provided their fair share of music to this list and Tiny Mix Tapes. We should most grateful to the following artists for both the immediate and gradual satisfaction they’ve given us during 2019, but also the musical legacy they will undoubtedly and humbly leave. We hope you enjoy our selections and look forward to 2020 will bring.
Featuring (not full list, selection only;
Experimental: Park Jiha, Caterina Barbieri, Sarah Davachi, Carmen Villain, Cucina Povera, Suzanne Ciani, Tenesha The Wordsmith, Sofie Birch, Lara Sarkissian, Linn da Quebrada, Yu Su, Felicia Atkinson, Sarah Page, Charlotte Agidéry, Loraine James, Ami Dang, Maya Beiser, Jane Antonia Cornish, Jenna Sutela, Laura Cannell, Nina Keith, Lotte Pen, Sarah Louise, Ekin Fil, Leonie Pernet, Anna Meredith, Mary Lattimore, V.V. Lightbody, Tanya Tagaq,
Sandra Kolstad, Polly Wright, Sandy Hsu, Common Holly, Katie Gately, Edith Alonso, Anne Müller, Kelly Moran, Kara-Lis Coverdale, Natasha Giordano, Sofia Bertomeu, Jorja Chalmers, OKADA, Alina Bea, Lorelle Meets The Obsolete, Elsa Hewitt, PJ Harvey, Jenny Hval, Cate Le Bon, Hanne Hukkelburg, Lea Bertucci, Xavia, Audrey Vixen, Alice Hubble, Melanie Velarde, Natasha Agrama, Jane Antonia Cornish, Kali Malone.
Erik Levander, Forest Management, Hammock, Ryuchi Sakamoto, Chihei Hatakeyama, SHARDS, The Corrupting Sea, David Allred, Seamus O’Muineachain, KOKOKO! Amirtha Kidambi, Pull Rank, Black To Comm, Imelda Marcos, Portico Quartet, Fires Were Shot, Frode Haltli & Emilia Amper, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Saariselka, Oiseaux-Tempēte, Niklas Paschburg, Rikaar, Daniel Thorne, Joey Walker, Cruel Diagnosis, Mdou Moctar, Huntly, Jesse Gannon, Kamaal Williams, Xiu Xiu, Sair Sinan Kestelli.
Eka Trio, Bendik Giske, Vula Viel, Romperayo, Kel Assouf, Housewives, Cosmin TRG, Ossia, Nico Casal, Amon Tobin, Ambar Lucid, William Basinski, Memotone, Future Museums, KOKOROKO, Fanny Gunnarsson Quartet, Good Weather For An Airstrike, Flying Lotus, Tshegue, Perfume Genius,, Moses Boyd. Tobias Preisig, Andrew Rinehart, William Basinski, Hiroshi Yoshimura, Edmony Krater, Stefan Klaverdal, Mats Eden, Julian Loida, Manu Delago, Tunes of Negation, J. Colleran, Daniel Maunick.
Electronic: Afriqua, SØS Gunver Ryberg, Tim Hecker, Marie Davidson, Johanna Knutsson, Nightwave, Floating Points, Deena Abdelwahed, Red Axes, Shanti Celeste, Leif, Skee Mask, Overmono, Peaking Lights, Rrose, Lauer, DjRUM, Steffi, Virginia, Carla dal Forno, Violet, Jogging House, Vanessa Worm, Steve Hauschildt, Kayla Painter, Hatcp, Mndsgn, Redshape, Daniel Avery, Burial, Rhyw, Agrippa, Joy Orbison, Donato Dozzy, Wata Igarashi, DJ Python.
Lafawndah, Föllakzoid, Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein, HTRK, Indian Wells, VVV, East of Oceans, Kassiel, Fjerstad, Grey Code, Carlota, Calibre, The Golden Filter, Terr, Mira Calix, Catch Pritchard, Move D, Norwell, Xosar, Weval, Slikback, Cosmin TRG, Throwing Snow, AFRODEUTSCHE, boerd, ELLLL, Melanie Velarde, Franck Vigroux, Sage Caswell, Neu Balance, Machine Woman, Sig Nu Gris, Oli XL, Gross Net, Seretan, Mischa Blanos, Nils Frahm, AV AV AV, Shigeto, Biblo, Zooey Glass, Kelly Lee Owens, India Jordan, Lyla Chrom, Glenneth.
rRoxymore, Floating Spectrum, upsammy, Loscil, Ale Hop, O’Flynn, Om Unit, Prok Fiscal, Ghost Culture, Chevel, patten, GRÜN WASSER, Complete Walkthru, Tribe of Colin, Lucie Antunes, Bella Boo, Anunaku, Drvg Cvlture, Stenny, Pulse Emitter, Datassette, Nolah, Code Walk, Galtier, Kedr Livanskiy, Loraine James, 90 Process, Lena Raine, Fjaler, Neel, Varg & Coucou Chloe, Curved Light, Swan/Koistenen, Jensen Interceptor, Rare DM, Matthew Dear, Butttechno, nthng, Rejoicer, Koo.
Holly Herndon, Jayda G, HVOB, araabMUSIK, Freqax, Com Truise, Hannah Holland, Roza Terenzi, Homemade Weapons, Alessandro Adriani, Eluize, Dâm Funk, Mindsgn, Object Blue, Doomsquad, CNJR, Lost Souls of Saturn, Olivia Neutron John, Tracey, Waajeed, LOFT, yak, Ayankoko, Prins Thomas, Siete Catorce, Turning Jewels To Water, Tsuruda, Channelers, Katerina, Second Storey, Cadik, Elias Mazian, Audrey Vixen, clipping. Lanark Artefax, Healing Noises, Carl Finlow.
and many more…
The Tracks of 2019 Series: Experimental & Electronic Playlist is below. Enjoy and don’t forget to follow us and our quality playlists on Spotify here.
Note: *Depending on context and their experimental bent, these two genres could also appear here in their experimental forms or in their experimental forms in the standalone House and Techno playlists.