The 10 Best EDM Albums Of 2016

2015 represented a turning point in dance music that saw the album format enjoying a renaissance, with a number of notable producers like Nero, Disclosure, Jack Ü and countless others releasing impactful records that helped shape the year in music. 2016 continued this trend with a particularly good selection of dance records, with big names like Eric Prydz, deadmau5, Justice, Steve Angello, DJ Snake and Kygo all releasing full length efforts over the last twelve months. This year also saw dance music maturing in a number of ways, while the cross pollination between pop and EDM reached new heights (see: The Chainsmokers). Many of the biggest dance albums of the year went on to spawn hit singles that took the radio by storm, like DJ Snake’s “Let Me Love You” and Flume’s “Never Be Like You,” further cementing the fact that our once underground scene has reached the top. Part of what defined the dance music offerings of the last year was the fact that a lot of promising acts were releasing their debut albums to great critical success. The best records in 2016 dropped the glitz and glam of mainstage EDM in favor of a more refined approach, offering up forward thinking productions with unique sonic elements and a flare for the unexpected. We’ve definitely come a long way since the EDM boom of five years ago, and the eclectic works heard throughout the year reflect that. It’s been an epic twelve months for dance music to say the least, so it was no small task to decide on the year’s ten best outings. However, we’ve persevered in order to zero in on only the best LPs released throughout the year, and the following list will serve as your guide through the ten best EDM albums of 2016. 10) Bloom - Rüfüs Du Sol Rüfüs Du Sol’s started the year off on a high note with the release of their second album Bloom, an impressive collection of drifting deep house excursions complete with reverb drenched vocals and captivating melodic underpinnings. The Australian alternative dance trio craft a cohesive record on their second full length outing, capped off by the standout track “Innerbloom” that serves as the LP’s closer. “Innerbloom” is a sprawling four on the floor tune with warbly synth pads and spacey atmosphere. There’s a general somberness that underscores the album, bringing a much needed sense of humanity to the often soulless realm of dance music. Rüfüs du Sol create worlds with sound, and the seductive tones of their hazy dance rhythms present on Bloom are sure to draw you in. 9) Red // Blue - Adventure Club Serving as one of the last notable releases of the year, Adventure Club’s debut album Red // Blue is the epitome of everything a dance music album should be. As soon as the effort’s lead single “Dreams” was released, it was clear the Canadian duo were on to something big, and they don’t disappoint. To make the LP more palatable as a complete product, Adventure Club crafted a dynamic mix of songs that exemplifies the dualistic nature of Red // Blue’s title. The music ranges from nostalgic 140 BPM throwbacks to pastoral pop, sometimes in the course of a single song, as Adventure Club perfect the melodic dubstep formula in long form. Like many of the dance records in 2016, Red // Blue weighs heavy with vocal collaborations, and this pop friendly accessibility helps each song weave seamlessly into the next, resulting in a highly cohesive work that lends itself well to the album format. 8) Northern Lights - Zeds Dead Serving as one of the more anticipated records of the year, Zeds Dead’s debut full length studio offering Northern Lights arrived as an eclectic blend of modern dance and pop that saw the Canadian duo reaching new heights. Across its fifteen tracks, Zeds Dead bounce from genre to genre while traversing new sonic ground on a number of Northern Light’s most memorable entries. Opener “Stardust” makes it clear that we’re in for an LP that satisfies on multiple levels as the duo craft tight rhythms and seductive melodies with an inventive sonic palette. The album still brings enough heat to satisfy fans on choice cuts like “Me No Care” and the grimey “Already Done,” but the majority of the album shines with an identity all its own and that’s what makes Northern Lights one of the year’s most noteworthy offerings. 7) Good Will Prevail - GRiZ Brimming with thirteen funk infused electro-bangers, GRiZ’s fifth album Good Will Prevail is the kind of LP that grabs your attention. The instrumentally inclined producer has carved out a sound all his own ranging from future funk to electro-soul, all with an intrinsic dance edge, and here we see him at the top of his game. Tracks like “My Friends And I” and “Wicked” offer up a perfect marriage of distortion laden dubstep and funky instrumentation, while songs like “PS GFY” and “Feelin’ Fine” take the album’s swagger to new heights. In a time where too many producers are willing to play it safe, GRiZ throws caution to the wind and wins big with his undeniable charm. 6) Self Assemble - Mat Zo Mat Zo followed up his impressive debut album this year with an equally enticing sophomore outing in Self Assemble. It’s tough to get a dance record right, but Zo remedies this by interspersing the tracklist of Self Assemble with cinematic interludes that contrast the longer efforts. While tracks like “The Enemy” and “Soul Food” impress with their funky upbeat vibes, it's the interludes that serve as some of the album’s most interesting moments, as they put Zo’s masterful sound design on full display. Of course there’s no shortage of upbeat tunes to keep Self Assemble balanced, with harder edged offerings like “Stereo No Aware” and “Ruffneck Bad Boy” bringing plenty of grit to the table. There’s a little bit of everything present on the LP, which helps it to feel like a proper record and a memorable one at that. 5) W:/2016Album - deadmau5 Among the many notable releases that came out this year, deadmau5’s eighth studio album W:/2016Album was among the biggest. Coming two years after the producer's last full length outing, anticipation for the LP soared when it was announced earlier in the year. Zimmerman kept us busy in the months leading up to its release with a number of previews and leaked tracks on his frequent live streams. So many in fact, that he actually previewed the LP in its entirety in the months leading up to the debut of W:/2016Album. While the new record features some of the best material in deadmau5’s career, it isn’t without its flaws. Zimmerman was openly critical about the work leading up to its release, and while our rating was much more sympathetic, the record does suffer from a lack of direction, ultimately reducing its effectiveness as a complete work. All complaints aside though, W:/2016Album ranks a solid effort from deadmau5, with tracks like “Let Go,” “Snowcone,” and “Whelk Then” serving as stand out moments. 4) Woman - Justice After a five years hiatus, Justice returned in full force this year with their third LP Woman, a sprawling post-disco opus led by singles like “Safe And Sound” and “Randy.” On Woman, the French electro duo offer up a logical progression from the funk tinged blog house sound that brought them to prominence a decade ago. Across ten tracks, Justice eschew electronic textures in favor of intricately produced instrumental dance tracks that touch on the disco hallmarks that have so informed their sound. Woman was easily one of the more anticipated records of the last year, and luckily Justice are able to cash in on that hype with a satisfying romp that justifies the lengthy break between albums. 3) 3 - Netsky Led by the liquid funk single “Rio,” Netsky’s third album, the appropriately titled 3, ranked as one of the more notable efforts to come out of dance music in 2016. The Belgian producer refines his drum and bass leanings with undeniable pop appeal, as he crafts emotive productions that allow his vocal collaborators to soar. Songs like “Who Knows” and “Birds Of Paradise” offer up moving melodies and somber vocals layered over cascading breakbeats, bringing a sense of gravitas that we don’t get enough of in electronic music. The dnb oriented material is broken up by efforts like “Go 2” and “Leave It Alone,” which bring a funky edge to the record and add some rhythmic variation. Overall, 3 is a solid outing that helped bring the often under-appreciated drum and bass genre to prominence in 2016. 2) Skin - Flume Flume’s sophomore record was easily one of the most impactful albums released in 2016. Coming four years after the release of the Aussie producer’s self-titled debut, Skin was led by the chart topping single “Never Be Like You” featuring Kai, which set the tone for what would later surface on the full LP. Flume’s second outing sees him dabbling in forward thinking pop on the majority of its sixteen tracks, while front running the sort of mainstream leaning future bass production that would come to dominate dance music in the second half of the year. As an album, Skin helped open up the possibilities of what dance music can do and for that it’s an important recording. Critical praise aside though, it really is a solid collection of tunes that warrant multiple plays. 1) Opus - Eric Prydz Eric Prydz’s output reigned supreme in 2016, with the Swedish DJ delivering significant offerings from each of his three monikers, including under his own name, Cirez D and Pryda. Most notably, the legendary producer at long last dropped his debut album, the rightly named Opus. A truly massive undertaking, Opus came loaded with nineteen meticulously crafted techno compositions, including the breathtaking title track that has been hailed as the modern equivalent of deadmau5’s classic “Strobe.” Throughout the album, Prydz works his melodic magic on a number of his finest outings, delivering deeply layered soundscapes that take on a life of their own. Eric Prydz is truly one of the best producers of our time, and his inaugural album goes to great lengths to make this abundantly clear. The synth work and drum programming are impeccably executed, while a number of vocal additions like “Moody Monday” and “Generate” strengthen the collection of songs present. Eric Prydz delivers music that is emotive, impactful, driving, kinetic and thoughtful all at the same time, executed with a masterful level of precision paralleled by few. For that reason, Opus ranks as our pick for best album of 2016.

The 10 Best EDM Albums Of 2016

5) W:/2016Album – deadmau5