Could you give me a list of what you think are the top 10 best IDM albums of the past 5 years?

I don't think I've heard a single IDM album in the last 3 years that I really cared about. The last ones I really liked were Autechre - Confield and Mouse on Mars - Idiology (the last Squarepusher was OK). I've kinda taken it for granted since then that the genre is pretty much dead, but I'm sure there's a lot that I've missed.

Does Pole count as IDM? Has he released anything in the past 5 years?

Maybe, and I think so.

dude, it's one of the most creative and inspiring genres out there.

i'm busy at work today, but i'm gonna bring in my top 5 albums tomorrow, and send them to you if you'd like. get at me on IM [elementdalen], or PM me your screen name. i'll hook you up with some stuff you might dig.

a few off the top of my head...

populous - queue for love
secede - tryshasla
praveen - backed by spirits
infinite scale - sound sensor
kettel - through friendly waters
monolake - polygon cities
quinoline yellow - dol goy assist
rod - all my love
ryan teague - preludes

way too many too list here.

i'll be doing my new idm mix later this week, and have it posted up by weekend.

-Dalen

Cool, thanks.

I'll try to check out some of those in the meantime.

Let me get back to you on that, but offhand, I'd have to throw Venetian Snares in my pile somewhere (or is Glitch different from IDM?).

I guess I'll defer to Dalen here, because I only recognize, like, one of those names, but the only record that comes to mind is Max Tundra's "Mastered By Guy at the Exchange", which is great. Really great.

This is somewhat strange because I work at Ninja Tune, and yet no one I work with has brought much of anything in to listen to of this genre that has left a mark (let alone what we're releasing, besides Amon Tobin, most of which isn't even close to IDM anymore).

Would the new wonderful Caribou record qualify here?

I would like to think so. What about Four Tet?

Dalen, very much looking forward to this!

I'd say Four Tet does qualify, but I find the new album tedious to an extreme. I don't think I've managed to sit through the entire album in one sitting yet, where the others I always find enjoyable, if not downright really intriguing.

I think the new Autechre is excellent, very much more musical than anything they've done in a few years, yet still very challenging. I think it's the fourth song that just drives me insane because these off-kilter beats and chunks of sound keep shifting and the song seems to turn entirely inside out by the end - and becomes a very steady, simple beat. It just fascinates me.

here's a rough top 10 from me. (most of them are not 'idm' as with how that term is thrown around nowawadys. but these are my favs under the broad genre of electronica. whatever. def worth checkin out)

farben - textstar
luomo - vocalcity
markus nikolai - back
mum - yesterday was dramatic
isolee - rest
fennesz - endless summer
michael moore - immer
anders ilar - everdom
gramm - personal rock
arovane - lilies

just thought i'd upload this real quick for those interested. it's the new album from Populous entitled "Queue For Love". It's on the mellow tip...i'm really enjoying it.

I'll post up some more later....all different styles of idm.

Populous "Queue For Love" 2005 [Morr Music]


http://s38.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2YI9 ... 2OCF8ZI3F1

this is another track i'm really enjoying....more on the atmospheric tip.

secede - foliage pathway
http://s39.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2BAY ... 02WY0ORZRX

Just some comments on some of the stuff mentioned above:

I've never really liked Venetian Snares. I mean, he's OK, but when he started getting more popular is when I started getting bored with IDM.

I have the Max Tundra, Caribou, and Four Tet (Rounds) albums. All are good, and I suppose they could somewhat fall under IDM. I also think of Four Tet more as DJ Shadow/Prefuse-style instrumental hip-hop, Caribou as sort of post-rock ("they" seem more like a band now), and Max Tundra as electronic pop. They could all go either way though.

I like Fennesz, but I think Endless Summer's pretty overrated.

I've thought about picking up that Farben album, but I'm kinda afraid to since most of the house-type stuff really bores me.

And I haven't listened to it much, but I think the new Autechre is actually pretty decent. It's definitely better than the last one.

farben is great tho. not at all house. amazing in a sound/texture point of view, at least. but yes, requires patience.

I just realized -- I haven't even called anything "IDM" in about 5 years, so just discount anything I have to say about the subject.