AMathMonkey's favourite tracks

Entry 264. Another track from 2001, one of the best years ever for IDM. This Funckarma track might be an obscure compilation-exclusive release, but it’s one of their best ever, and I’m so happy I discovered it. Catchy melodies, crunchy percussion.

Entry 263. This 2001 track by Dryft has aggressive percussion, but it’s quite emotional in its pads, and it resonates with me. Dryft is half of Gridlock, but his solo work totally fills the void of Gridlock’s disbandment. The beat later on is chill.

Entry 262. This is a 2009 track from Loess that does stay in a major key, and it achieves nostalgic BoC vibes without sounding like it’s trying to do that. Charismatic music that really doesn’t remind me of any other artists.

Entry 261. This is a 2004 remix by Loess, of an unknown (?) Helios track. Loess is super cool. Always on-key and pleasant, but with alien synths and effects that cleverly hide their often-memorable melodies. Balances accessibility and experimentation.

Entry 260. This is the most accurate impression of Arovane I’ve ever heard; it’s completely mistakable for something off Icol Diston. Atmospheric, melodic, and melancholy, with crisp percussion; the type of IDM I always need more of. rRine, 2005.

Entry 259. Here’s something a little different. This 2014 track by Kingbastard is on an album full of dark IDM, and it starts out sounding like it will be no different… but then it turns into danceable deep house with a melody that’s almost playful.

Entry 258. Don’t mind me, just moving this BLN track I tweeted about recently into my official thread because it’s still awesome. Can’t emphasize enough how much it makes me think of Burnout 2. Turns the original 2010 version into something so accessible.

Entry 257. Sk’p is an artist who sometimes makes chiptune but often makes IDM with chiptune sensibilities in the melodies, and a lot of it is quite catchy and accessible. This track from 2010 is a good example. Crunchy beat, pleasant synths.

Entry 256. Here’s another track from the same 2006 Recue EP. This sounds like it could have been the inspiration for Floating Spirits’ sound. Pleasantly melodic, and somehow both chill downtempo and energetic at the same time. Love the fast retro synth.

Entry 255. If you liked the vibes of the 2005 Bad Loop track Eri Valeire, this one reminds me of it, and it’s from 2006. If this was the state of mid–2000’s Finnish IDM, I need to listen to all of it. Melodic and relaxing with a hard-hitting beat.

Entry 254. (No rule against making two entries in one day, especially after such a long break.) This 2001 Bauri track is surprisingly engaging despite being just some silly noises, a crunchy beat, and a pad. But the pad is so strongly emotive; I love it.

Entry 253. This 2005 track by Bad Loop is the ultimate in chillout IDM. I feel that Bad Loop might take some influence from Brothomstates, but he’s less wild and experimental which keeps his music very accessible, and oftentimes pleasant and uplifting.

Entry 252. This 2017 anonymous track is reportedly by exm. His tracks are known for ending very differently than they start, but this one is an exception; I love the subtlety of the progression here. Melody gets less aggressive, percussion does opposite.

Entry 251. James Shinra makes acid electro with melodic sensibilities that I admire, and which have probably influenced my own. Accessible, catchy, and pretty emotional too. That refrain at 1:40, wow. (Original 2017 version; a 2019 remaster exists too.)

Entry 250. This anonymous track from the new Schematic Music Company compilation is pleasant, upbeat, melodic, and danceable, and it outshines the rest of the album considerably in that regard. I really want to know who made this gem! Please tell me!

Entry 249. Ning50’s contribution to the Autechre subreddit community tribute to Amber is 15 minutes of melodic dance bliss that’s exactly up my alley. Starts out briefly sounding like aggressive acid, but mellows like you wouldn’t believe.

Entry 248. Floating Spirits is consistently good with danceable melodic moods; all of his albums have tracks worth hearing. This is a highlight from his latest album, released in May, costs $0 minimum on Bandcamp. Its title is wrong; it’s pretty great.

Entry 247. This is one of Funckarma’s epics, and the first track that got me into them! It’s kinda hard to find the start of each musical phrase, but just enjoy the atmosphere and the fact that everything fits together beautifully like an abstract puzzle.

Entry 246. Here’s another Lackluster track - this one’s from 2011 and on an album where every track sounds very different. This one harkens back to his older tracker sound, but builds steadily and keeps paying off with more and more emotive melodies.

Entry 245. Here’s a track by Lackluster from 2002. Extremely pleasant and accessible. Most of the progression just comes from bringing loops in and out, but these are some catchy, danceable and uplifting loops. Hits its full stride around 2:47.

Entry 244! Finally! Here’s a crazy melodic IDM track by exm which was released exactly three years ago. exm is similar to Autechre in a lot of ways, but he obfuscates the emotion in his tracks a bit less. This one progresses into a bittersweet dreamscape.

Day 243. Here’s a 1994 Gescom track with a 5/4 time signature (& likely named after that fact). It’s amazing what they were doing with analog equipment back then. Cinematic atmosphere. Most likely a collab between Bola (synths) and Autechre (percussion).

Day 242. Another Bonobo track, the lead single from the same album. It’s house music featuring a kalimba, where the bassline and beat gradually become really intense and fun. Has an official music video by Cyriak, but it’s not for the full-length track.

Day 241. Here’s a 2013 Bonobo track with some chopped high-pitched vocals, some organic folk elements, and a heavy hip-hop beat. Really deep and chilled; made for some good driving music, but it’s even better with headphones.

Day 240. This is the one other pop track from that 2013 Bent album. Even more poppy, actually. Reminds me of early Cut Copy with its obvious 80s sound. Extremely catchy and synthy, hooked me on the first listen and never faded.

Day 239. Here’s a Bent track, released 2013, that sounds somewhat like a Boards of Canada remix of a pop song. Relaxing with a dense atmosphere and some memorable vocals. Drums reminiscent of BoC’s Happy Cycling. Cool cricket sound in the percussion.

Day 238. More Metamatics, kinda. Released under the name Norken in 1999. A warm and minimal IDM-house track. That sparse beep that hits one or two notes at a time is very cool, and so is the synth that starts off the track.

Day 237. Here’s a 2006 Ochre track with an epic progression. It’s one of his most popular tracks for a reason. When the beat comes back in after the pretty orchestral break, the time signature is now 6/4 and the melodies are even more amazing.

Day 236. It’s another COMA track that I thought I shared already, 2013. Although it starts with what sounds like a gun being loaded, it’s otherwise an innocent, happy, and bouncy track. Quite repetitive, yet I can listen to it many times in a row.

Day 235. Here’s a simple, longform, atmospheric techno track by COMA, 2011. I used to be really into this track before I got into IDM. It still makes me happy, especially when the bass and beat start building at 6:00. Feels good, man.

Day 234. Let’s do another track from the same album as yesterday. This one’s got a memorable beat (that almost has a melody of its own, with the tuned… uh, “toms”? IDK, IDM sounds) and some atmospheric chords that I find quite warm and emotional.

Day 233. Funckarma’s 2005 album Elaztiq Bourbon 5 is possibly my favourite full album of theirs. It’s actually a compilation of 3 older EPs. This 2002 track from Elaztiq is one of the most upbeat and happy tracks I’ve heard from them. Fast, crisp IDM.

Day 232. One more Metamatics track for now, from 2002. I love how sampled and trackery a lot of his tracks sound, and this is a great example, with the imperfect clickiness of the sustain loop for the high-pitched beeping instrument. Nice texture.

Day 231. More Metamatics, this time from 2000. This one’s weird and subtle, but it’s still gotten stuck in my head for extended periods. The soft yet crunchy texture of the shuffly beat (which is in 6/8, I think) is unique and satisfying. Melancholy mood.

Day 230. I knew I was a big fan of this 2005 Metamatics album, but this track never stood out to me until yesterday. And now it really does. Weirdly danceable IDM percussion and a simple and pleasant two-chord progression. Mildly catchy.

Day 229. Something else relaxing, this time from Kettel’s 2001 debut album. Long and repetitive with not much evolution, but again, if what you’re looping is good, I can listen for almost eight minutes, no sweat. Nice kick drum in the beat, chill chords.

Day 228. Here’s a relaxing 2016 track by Plaid, featuring guitar and other organic sounds with a light IDM beat. Lots of cool atmospheric effects. I like the frequent reversed guitar sounds in the background, which add depth. Catchy bass.

Day 227. Caribou just released his first new album under that name in 6 years, and I’d recommend giving it a listen for some house, synth-pop, and hip-hop experiments. This is the biggest highlight track for me. Catchy vocal and string melodies.

Day 226. Don’t let the abrasive beat fool you, this 1997 track by Autechre is one of their most conventionally melodic, with a basic 4-chord progression that persists for the whole track. Bittersweet and pleasant. Hidden gem from an obscure compilation.

Day 225. Here’s some 2001 tracker hip-hop IDM from Machine Drum. I really like the vibe of making hip-hop with vocal chops in a tracker. That lo-fi trackery trumpet synth alongside hard-hitting percussion… wish there was tons more like this.

Day 224. Here’s a straightforward IDM techno track from Datassette, 2008. I’d call it good driving music; it’s really hard-hitting. I like the atmosphere made from what sounds like noise passed through a vocoder. Repetitive, but very cool and bangin’.

Day 223. I’m really stressed out right now, and I keep coming back to this 2011 Pub track to keep myself calm. A long-form dreamy melodic journey that evolves over time but retains the beat and adds even catchier melodies later on.

Day 222. I apparently haven’t yet shared a track whose title begins with Z. That changes today. (Still need a Q track too, though.) This is a 2003 Plaid track with a hard-hitting 7/4 beat and a couple of catchy melodic sections. Angry vibes.

Day 221. This is a beautiful 1994 ambient downtempo track by Link, also known as Global Communication. The beat drops at 2:28, but I think 7:28 is the climax that you need to hear. Also, Ratchet & Clank vibes in the beat right before that part.

Day 220. And finally, we have the album closer, which leaves a strong final impression. It has so many phases, and maybe the transitions are a bit abrupt, but every phase is awesome in its own way.

(Also check out the ambient guitar opener Slowdown.)

Day 219. I hate Apple too, Phil. This track starts out with a fast poppy techno feel, and, starting with a hint of what’s to come at 2:26, begins to decay into something atmospheric and warm. It’s catchy and unique, definitely a highlight.

Day 218. None of this album is on YouTube, so it’s time for Bandcamp links. For the next few days, I’ll share tracks from my favourite Phil Western album, “Loved and Loathed” (2016). Hard-hitting, bassy, retro-inspired, melodic techno.

Day 217. (Shoulda been Day 208.) Here’s a downtempo IDM track from 1994 by The Future Sound of London which is groovy, bassy, and catchy, but I recommend skipping to 1:20 past the unrelated ambient intro. The ambient outro is actually quite catchy though.

Day 216. Here’s some more 2001 Brothomstates. This track takes a couple of minutes to really get going, but it’s worth it. The polyrhythmic nature of the metallic percussion loop and the accessible melodies and other crisp percussion are all great.

Day 215. I dunno, how about more Mrs Jynx? Another 2012 track from her Atlanta EP featuring iAM9 on vocals. Starts out making you think it’s a jazz track, but turns into the usual fare soon after, and then becomes even more sombre, with pretty vocals.

Day 214. Here’s a really fun track from Plaid’s 2019 album. An upbeat mix of synths, DnB style percussion and guitar, with an uplifting vibe. Nothing too crazy, but this accessible track might encourage you to check out the more challenging stuff on here.

Day 213. Here’s something from ISAN’s latest album which came out late last year. Just a relaxing set of chords with a light beat and a polyrhythmic arpeggio creating a pleasant atmosphere. Not much more to it, but it’s hard not to enjoy.

Day 212. This is a 2001 Proem track that I was on the fence about sharing for a while, but it’s fascinated me for long enough that it needs to be done. Haunting atmosphere, memorable vocal samples and bassline, swaggy beat, definitely some iconic IDM.

Day 211. Here’s a 1997 Squarepusher track that’s decidedly a lot more toned-down than yesterday’s. Still lots of fast jazzy percussion, but an ambient bittersweet mood. Also, this is arguably his most popular track. Most organic sampled percussion ever!

Day 210. Some major contrast with yesterday’s track, here. This is a 2012 Squarepusher track that admittedly gets really abrasive and insane later on, but the melodies are memorable and enjoyable, and the less abrasive percussion parts are really cool.

Day 209. Ah, I remember the days when I thought Ulrich Schnauss only made beatless ambient. And then I heard the plinky drum machine at 1:45 and my life was changed for the better. Such a pleasant track, halfway between downtempo and techno.

Day 208. Here’s some more Cepia, as expected. Seems to always alternate between two bars of 4/4 and one bar of 6/4. Very chill and atmospheric. Tycho vibes at 1:45, but the beat is not like Tycho. I wish more artists sounded exactly like this.

Day 207. I’m sure there are a few more Cepia tracks I can share. His style is similar to what I try to make - weird artificial sounds, but pleasant, catchy melodies. Here’s a particularly relaxing one, from 2007. 1:10 is when the lead melody starts.

Day 206. This is something nostalgic, heavy, and ambient from Casino Versus Japan, 2000. Really fuzzy and distorted, with some percussion that sounds like a digital metronome. Cool bassline, and the beatless crackly vinyl loop outro is quite relaxing.

Day 205. More Mrs Jynx, I’m sorry, she’s just too good. This is a 2010 remix of a Xurba track, although that’s not credited properly on this YouTube upload, and I can’t seem to find the original. This is so dreamy and catchy. Really cool chords at 2:10.

Day 204. Here’s a Jega track from 2000 that I believe was made entirely using software on a Mac. That main melody is very memorable. Pretty melancholy, downtempo mood. Fun use of software effects like a looper/repeater on the beat.

Day 203. I’m feeling another PlatEAU track. This one’s from 2009, but it sounds really retro. Old drum machine action, lots of repetition and simple synths. But the melody it’s repeating is really catchy, and everything sounds so crisp and well-mixed.

Day 202. I feel like I always say that other artists’ tracks remind me of Boards of Canada. Well, here’s another one, this time by Nathan Fake, 2006. Warm, happy, relaxing, and pretty memorable. Charlie’s house must be somewhere you’d want to visit.

Day 201 (as of 16 minutes ago). Here’s a very interesting 2007 track by PlatEAU (one of Phil Western’s bands) that I just discovered. Not immediately catchy, but the garage-style beat and subtle chord switches made me stop and say “whoa”.

Day 200. Another major milestone for this thread! Let’s keep the feel-good chilled groove going with a 1993 Fluke track that’s been a favourite in my family for many years. Unforgettable bassline, and amazing cinematic sound design for its time.

Day 199. This is an insanely groovy jam by Bent from 2000. That beat and bassline! It’s got a feel-good chilled mood, aside from the “I hate people” break in the middle, which has a pretty funny contrast. Getting some BoC vibes; nostalgic and IDM-ish.

Day 198. Here’s a 1998 tracker module by Tim Koch (originally released under the artist name Serkul). Nice jungly vibes with lo-fi melodies. This is the type of catchy tracker IDM I love to hear.

Day 197. Jon Hopkins is an artist I haven’t featured before, nor looked deeply into. But this track is amazing. Ambient techno with an immensely groovy, shuffly beat, and a living, breathing bassline that shows how much you can do with automation. 2013.

Day 196. Another one I thought I tweeted long ago! This 1998 track by Lucky & Easy (AKA Pub) from his debut release is a progressive electro journey the likes of which I’ve never heard elsewhere. So relaxing, but also engaging and intriguing throughout.

Day 195. Here’s an old housey track by mu-Ziq from between 1992 and 1995. All I can say is that it’s pleasant and uplifting, and none of the elements of the track undermine that feeling in any way. Pure good. (Yesterday’s track was from 2000, by the way.)

Day 194. I swear, “eu” is the Russian Autechre. This track is so alien; despite having a pleasant melody and catchy IDM beat as its basis, it evolves in the weirdest ways and evokes one-of-a-kind vibes that aren’t happy or sad. Fascinating stuff.

Day 193. This is one of the first “challenging” Autechre tracks I grew to enjoy, and it’s from my now-favourite album Untilted (2005). Fast-paced rhythmic craziness leads into a melodic section at 3:20, and then another one at 5:23. So many cool ideas.

Day 192. Did I actually forget to tweet this at like, the very beginning of the thread? One of the best Autechre tracks of all time! Such a contagious dance groove, and that sliding dynamic bassline, and extra melody introduced around 3:50 are wonderful.

Day 191. Nearing the end of Autechre week. This is a 1997 track with very hard-hitting percussion and a pretty angry melody as well, until a catchier gentler melody is added later on. And the minute-long percussion loop outro is the bomb.

Day 190. A 1991 Autechre electro track that’s warm, emotional, danceable, and melodic, but only a little bit experimental, and not very Autechre-esque. And yet I love it! It’s hard to forget (or get tired of) that repeating melody.

Day 189. It’s Autechre week, because I need a break from having to think hard about what to share. Here’s a track from Quaristice (2008) which sounds pretty Untilted-esque. Melodics that I appreciate, and a beat with cool polyrhythms in the second half.

Day 188. Another Autechre epic, from 2003. This track starts out sounding like a dark futuristic video game’s main menu theme, and then turns into a percussion jam. Pretty accessible for a long track on one of their most out-there albums.

Day 187. Here’s one of Autechre’s epics. It’s got one of their most accessible beats, a conventional progression, a synthesized choir, lots of memorability, and yet its length and complexity is enough to fuel infinite repeat listens. 2013.

Day 186. This is something a bit different. It’s a hard-hitting trappy synthwave sort of thing, with a really strong emotional atmosphere and a chord progression I’d call “epic”. Like, you could rewrite this for an orchestra. Vogel, 2016.

Day 185. Yet another Mrs Jynx track because I keep finding catchy stuff from her. This one is quite retro and electro; the catchiness hits first at 1:00 and comes and goes throughout the rest of the track, keeping you on your toes.

Day 184. If you were ’cipating Cipater yesterday, you get it today instead. Autechre, 1997. Messes with your brain as the time signature changes, but after it’s done, the track is reinvigorated with a totally different vibe and new melodies.

Day 183. Here’s a melodic IDM ImpulseTracker module by Vexion (AKA @ilkae) from 1999, I believe. Those samples on channels 9 and 10 are nostalgic bliss, and so are the melodies on top. Plus deep bass and glitchy dance beats. Timeless and memorable.

Day 182. Another Quench track. In this one from 2003, they pull a Cipater and change the time signature halfway through, and it gets more energetic and enjoyable when they do. Pleasant bright chords, too.

…Wait, I haven’t shared Cipater yet?

Day 181. Here’s a 1993 piece from The Black Dog that I enjoy for its pleasant chords that calm my mind. Not to mention the accessible dance beat featuring deep bass. Another 1993 track that sounds a few years newer than it really is.

Day 180. I thought I shared this track long ago, so now is definitely the time. Dynamic ambient bliss, lots of unpredictable atmospheric sounds and a catchy underlying melody and rhythm. Oh, and then the second half is BoC + breakbeat; so awesome!

Day 179. Another long and gratuitously repetitive track that I enjoy wholeheartedly. It’s (Luomo-esque?) dancefloor tech house but with chimes reminiscent of Four Tet and Caribou, and a rockin’ bass guitar starting at around 3 minutes in. The Field, 2009.

Day 178. From the label that brought you Skee Mask, here’s a similar artist named Stenny. Breakbeat with IDM vibes. Particularly, I hear influence from Boards of Canada (lead synth), Lusine (atmosphere and tiny beep sounds) and Skee Mask himself (beats).

Day 177. So as per yesterday, here’s the B-side track from Rktic. Took me a while to warm up to the first two thirds of the track, but I did, and I promise it’s worth it for the last part. Those chords are so warm and complete the track perfectly.

Day 176. Here’s a 2009 Datassette track that combines aspects of house and IDM to create a progressive, calm and atmospheric track with a layer of danceable percussion. I’m getting vibes that remind me of Brothomstates’ 2004 release called Rktic.

Day 175. A particularly chill and melodic Autechre track from 1998. When you notice the quiet-but-massive reverb on the high-pitched synth, and you hear that the beat gets stereo-widened at 3:30, you’ll realize how subtly grand this track really is.

Day 174. More Seefeel, this time from 1996. I actually shared a Monolake track yesterday because this track made me think of Monolake. Emotionally-affecting ambient music with a subtle beat. That echoing click sound and those chords are unforgettable.

Day 173. Here’s a Monolake track from 1999 which I can only describe as the most energetic and jammy ambient techno I’ve heard. The percussion rhythms that start at 1:05 have a shuffly feel to them, and the bass at 3:15 resonates in such a satisfying way.

Day 172. Just discovered this awesome 2012 breakbeat/electro track from Mrs Jynx. That chord progression and those lyrics are the ultimate in bittersweet euphoria. Beautiful music to dance and cry to. (“Something Which Was Everything” is the actual title)

Day 171. I bet you didn’t guess this. It’s Seven Forty Seven, BUT played at 45 RPM, which isn’t the intended speed. The drums, bass and ambience sound a lot like Seefeel, very crisp, and so dense that it envelops you completely in its ghostly warmth. 2003

Day 170. Another track from Seefeel’s 1993 debut album. A really catchy loop, thanks to the drums, bassline and that one “arrr” guitar note. It sounds like it could have influenced Seven Forty Seven by BoC. Guess what tomorrow’s track is going to be…

Day 169. Here’s a nice relaxing IDM track by Comit that I mentioned liking on day 43. The bassline and reverb-heavy main melody are both catchy, and the percussion is unpredictable but pretty chilled out and downtempo. 2019. (Not “this year” anymore…)

Day 168. In this 2008 remix by Mrs Jynx, she distills a drill ‘n’ bass track by Resynthesize into its most essential parts. The climax at 3:23 is the moment that should instantly hook you if you’re any bit interested in pleasant melodic downtempo music.

Day 167. Something pleasant by Brainwaltzera, whose sound is a lot like that of Boards of Canada, at least on this 2017 album. I enjoy the percussion textures, and the chord change-up at 2:12.

Day 166. Here’s another Syndrone track from 2000, because I’m in perpetual love with this album. A straightforward warm ambient melody, but with headbanging glitchy crunchy percussion on top of it. Quintessential IDM, made in a tracker by an 18-year-old.

Day 165. This track by Clocolan, released this year, seems to combine Boards of Canada’s warm synths with Plaid’s slightly-quirky percussion and creates something thoroughly enjoyable. Cool video, too. And 1:58 is definitely the catchiest part.

Day 164. A track by Norken (AKA Metamatics) from 2000. Norken is his more house-focused alias, but the percussion in this track definitely still has an IDM vibe. The chords, bassline, and the percussion that starts at 2:00 are my favourite parts.

Day 163. Here’s a 1994 (rel. 1996) breakbeat track by Orbital. But the breakbeat is the least remarkable part. Just listen to how many melodic synth layers there are, all panning around your head and being all catchy and happy and awesome. So intricate.

Day 162. Seefeel makes a unique genre of chill, percussive loop-based ambient music. I just looked into their work for the first time, and this is a standout from their strong debut album. It’s from 1993, but the official video was released this year!

Day 161. Something feel-good, straightforward and chill from Tim Koch, 1999. Bit of a tracker vibe, but more understated. It goes pretty well with the nice warm holiday mood that I hope everyone is feeling today!

Day 160. Here’s another Lusine track, from 2002. This is the point where he transitioned from a more minimalist style (still noticeable in the track’s repetitive, almost-unfinished melody) into the warmer, more danceable style on Serial Hodgepodge.

Day 159. This has always been one of my favourite Autechre tracks, for whatever reason. The rhythms on Untilted (from 2005) are all so fast, crisp, memorable, and danceable. This one seems a bit fuzzier and less abrasive. Calming / ambient in a way.

Day 158. Here’s a 2001 tracker piece by MD which has some real demoscene vibes, mainly from the lead and bass synths. But the percussion and atmosphere are experimental enough that you can definitely call this IDM. Gets subtly memorable later on.

Day 157. Here’s a 2004 remix of a Murcof track, by Fax. Very relaxing minimal techno. Don’t expect much of a progression, but this is an atmosphere that’s worth surrounding yourself with for a while. That woodwind(?) melody is beautiful in its simplicity.

Day 156. Here’s a 2010 downtempo track by ASC, also known as Comit (whom I featured on day 43). Normally his sound is pretty dark and atmospheric, but this track has some lighthearted chill elements that I found surprising and refreshing. Also, vocals.

Day 155. Here’s a warm breakbeat track by Skee Mask from early this year. Starts with a retro drum machine beat, but then drops something heavier and crunchier, with some deep bass. And yet it remains chill, atmospheric and danceable throughout.

Day 154. Some chill Funckarma from 2001. The percussion in this track is the highlight, with lots of different sounds and delay/reverb effects. Love that latching sample in the second half. This is another visualizer video I made myself, so enjoy.

Day 153. Another warm and chill track from ISAN, 2004. A strange time signature, crunchy beats, a bittersweet but optimistic melody, and a constant linear progression that gets fuzzier and more intense as it builds. It really struck a chord with me today.

Day 152. Took me a while, but I’m finally sharing a track by Antipode, who is probably the most underrated artist I enjoy. He’s got three full albums and an EP of genre-defying melodic electronic music. This track, from 2008, is a big highlight for me.

Day 151. Here’s a 1997 track by Fluke which I discovered thanks to Wipeout 64. It’s based around the sound of a bell tower, but this gimmick is executed subtly. Fast danceable breakbeat action and epic-movie-soundtrack-esque memorable melodies.

Day 150. Here’s a Machinedrum remix of himself, from 2002. This track has one of his most straightforward and catchy melodies complemented by an equally-good bassline, but all semi-obscured by some crazy vocal scratching. Worth an attentive listen.

Day 149. Here’s some Brothomstates from 2000. This is probably the most gratuitously repetitive track I still enjoy wholeheartedly. It’s just infectiously danceable. You know, it’s perfectly fine to repeat the same loops this much when they’re so good.

Day 148. More Plaid. Double Figure was one of the albums that got me into IDM. This track is some freakin’ catchy stuff, with a well-structured progression. Perfect for a soundtrack, which explains why it was selected to be used in LittleBigPlanet 2.

Day 147. Here’s a Lusine track from 2014 with a lot of swagger, thanks to its hip-hoppy beat. It’s melody-focused and accessible from start to finish, but wow, the subtly-emotional chord change at 2:19 is what hooked me. Worthwhile payoff.

Day 146. Time for the first @meauxdal track I ever heard, from 2009. I’ll never forget it. It’s got a neat time signature, catchy & fun melodies, crisp intricate percussion, and an engaging progression. That quiet perc-y part in the middle is satisfying.

Day 145. Arovane’s albums Tides and Lilies are a departure from his otherwise-glitchy sound, and closer to downtempo. But with the sampled drum sounds in this track, his glitch influence shines through, in a more subtle and very relaxing way. 2000.

Day 144. Here’s a 1993 jazzy breakbeat thing by mu-Ziq. This track sounds much more modern than you’d expect from its time. If you look past the crazy breakbeat and the effects he puts on it, it’s quite chill and melodic too. But those effects are cool.

Day 143. Here’s an evolving atmospheric downtempo track by Pub, from 2001. It goes through different phases, with the one after the intro being the catchiest and most relaxing, and the last one being the most hypnotic with its single-chord repetition.

Day 142. Another heartfelt tear-jerker of a vocal house track from Bob Moses. I was absolutely addicted to this track and album in 2015. Highlights include lots of syncopation in the chords and perc, a sick bassline at 4:33, and catchiness everywhere.

Day 141. More Kettel from 2002. Man, his first three albums are just so awesome. Anyway, here’s one with a groovy bassline, bangin’ beat, and a gentle melody and chords to provide some contrast. I’m sure the bassline has spent many days in my head.

Day 140. Another track from Lusine’s awesome 2004 album Serial Hodgepodge. This one is a simple pleasure - it’s all about that danceable glitch percussion and the subtle warm chords that start at 1:10. Quite pleasant and energetic.

Day 139. A 2002 happy melodic piece from “Christ.”, the former member of Boards of Canada. Super Monkey Ball vibes from the lead synth melody. Also, starting at 2:33, the way you count 1–2–3–4 seems to permanently shift by half a beat. Is that just me?

Day 138. I just had a particularly not-great Canadian weekend, but here’s a 2001-ish Caribou track that made it a bit better. Although, the first half of the name is dumb. But that rambunctious organic percussion and catchy synth hook are very cool.

Day 137. Back on day 31, I shared Bonobo’s track Kerala. Well, this is basically proto-Kerala from 3 years earlier in 2013. Very similar vibes, and I’d say this one is nearly as good. Plus, I think its album is stronger as a whole.

Day 136. One of the most percussive and rough Boards of Canada tracks out there. Such an alluring sound, unmatched by any other track, BoC or otherwise. The last third of the track is extra-crunchy and unpredictable, and definitely the highlight. 1998.

Day 135. Here’s a 2006 Ochre track with chill hip-hop vibes. Sorta reminds me of BoC, but a bit more upfront with its emotions. Pretty catchy and funky. It’s the track that first drew me into the wonderful Lemodie album.

Day 134. This is an excerpt from a 2005 live set by Proem. Although it was apparently improvised on the fly (as its name suggests), I think it’s one of Proem’s best tracks ever. Warm synths, clicky percussion, simple structure, very accessible.

Day 133. Here’s a longform ambient house track from Luomo, AKA Vladislav Delay. It’s got vocals, but they’re used more like samples and they’re messed with a lot. I have no idea how he achieved such a beautiful deep atmosphere, but it’s magical. 2000.

Day 132. Here’s one of the highlights from COMA’s new album that came out last Friday. Light-hearted but earnestly emotional retro house vibes with very warm analog synths

Day 131. Something fun from Plaid’s consistently-engaging 2014 album Reachy Prints. Those bouncy chords at 1:40 and the way they progress and vary for a while is the main attraction in this song, but there’s lots of melodic fun stuff all over.

Day 130. Here’s some chill vocal 2013 deep house from Bob Moses. Very memorable chorus. Quite understated and emotional; I’d almost call it a heartfelt tear-jerker until the bass at the end makes me forget my troubles, if only for two minutes.

Day 129. Here’s a 2016 track by Weval, from an album whose genre is hard to pinpoint. IDM-downtempo-pop? We’ve got BoC-esque warm synths, IDM effects and percussion, catchy melodies, strange and alluring vocals… just a lot of experimentation done right.

Day 128. Here’s some more alt-rock, although it’s quite electronic too, with its breakbeat percussion, synths & pads, and vocal chopping later on. Very chill, dreamy and atmospheric, and also quite catchy. By “Shine 2009” from 2012.

Day 127. I think it’s time for a Nautical Operator track from 2017. The sound design in this track is wonderful. The way it opens up into a warm, uplifting, organic wall of sound after the intro is uniquely astounding. Keep it up @silverdy357!

Day 126. So, Kettel’s 2002 album Smiling Little Cow is one of my favourite albums of all time, and it’s so much deeper than its title and cover art make it out to be. This is the darkest, most beat-driven track on there, to get Autechre fans interested.

Day 125. Jake Chudnow is known for making a lot of the music that Vsauce features in their videos. He has a unique, warm retro analog synth style that you don’t come across very often. This is one of his most popular tracks, and for good reason. 2013.

Day 124. This was one of my favourite songs of all time before I got into IDM. Roosevelt, 2013. Synth mastery with house & pop influences and tasteful vocals creates a euphoric and danceable track that’s sure to make your day, as Roosevelt always does.

Day 123. What is this, the third track in this thread from Tim Hecker’s awesome debut album as Jetone? Anyway, here’s a long evolving piece in 12/8 with crispy-as-heck lo-fi percussion. Becomes progressively more accessible, cool, and ambient after 3:00.

Day 122. Here’s another mood-lightening IDM track, this time by ISAN, from 2004. It sounds like something Apparat could have made. Driven by organic bell sounds and other lush elements, alongside clicky artificial percussion samples. Pretty and relaxing.

Day 121. Here’s a 1998 Bola track on the most melodic, accessible and pleasant side of IDM, with straightforward atmospheric pads and twinkliness, but a sufficiently weird syncopated beat. 2:48 is the main melodic hook. Should leave you feeling happy.

Day 120. This 2011 Bonobo track is arguably the closest track on Black Sands to the sound he would continue to pursue on The North Borders. Still soulful and moody, but also very danceable and house-inspired. Those short vocal samples are cool.

Day 119. There’s just so much Machinedrum that I want to share. This one is from 2009; hidden instrumental gem on a mostly-vocal album. Super fun vocal chopping, and the distorted bassline is a simple pleasure. Epic atmosphere-building from 3:13 onwards.

Day 118. More Mikron. Severance is in my top albums of the year. The heavy kick in the beat makes this one a surefire banger, but that kick doesn’t overshadow all the cool shaker sounds and slight texture changes that keep the repetition interesting.

Day 117. Alt-rock by Silversun Pickups from 2006. I’ve been waiting for this moment (to share alt-rock). I love dreamy shoegaze atmospheres, and the sound design and dynamic progression in this track is astounding, plus catchy melodic ideas abound.

Day 116. This is the opening track of Kettel’s 2001 debut LP. This is weird melodic IDM perfection; once the intricate, quirky melody and rhythm start to make sense, it becomes downright catchy and emotionally affecting. Repeat listens recommended!

Day 115. Something else that’s a bit quirky and fun, here’s a 2007 meandering IDM techno track by Download (a duo incl. the late Phil Western, the BAR OST guy). The beat is memorable, and so is the melodic motif introduced at 1:30. Maybe skip the ending.

Day 114. Here’s something a bit quirky and fun from Machinedrum, 2013. Soulful chopped vocal harmonies and a footwork beat that keeps growing and pulling you into the groove. Don’t sleep on Vapor City like I did; it’s a very diverse, engaging album.

Day 113. Here’s something from Caribou’s Swim album, released 2010. (It’s the first modern vinyl I ever bought.) I’ve never found a panflute so catchy before, or since. Lots of folk and pop elements, but an IDM level of experimentation and synth goodness.

Day 112. Can’t help it, need to share another COMA track. Here’s one from their 2015 sophomore album. (Third album releases this month!) I really don’t know the genre of this one. Reminds me of Caribou’s album Swim. Weird audiophile vocal electronica.

Day 111. Here’s a pleasant techno track from 2013 by COMA. It’s melody-focused and grows to become pretty complex and layered with warm melodies as it progresses. COMA really know how to make listenable synth-techno

Day 110. Here’s a pretty groovy 2009 downtempo track by Sounds From The Ground. The metallic tapping sounds and short synth stabs are the parts that hooked me, but the melodies are also really catchy, especially the loop that slowly fades in around 1:10.

Day 109. In 2018, Daniel Avery released a very retro-inspired acid techno album. This short track is my biggest highlight from it. Here, he proves that adding crisp IDM percussion to an expansive Brian Eno-esque ambience can create something compelling.

Day 108. There are a lot of cool tracks on Electricwest’s free 2009 album “MOTH3R”. He tends to create ambient atmospheres (both cold & haunting, and warm & emotional) combined with crunchy glitch perc. This one is very warm, but with fast, chaotic perc.

Day 107. (Yesterday’s track was from 2009.) Lusine’s 2004 album Serial Hodgepodge is consistently engaging. This is the darkest and most ambient track on there, but still very much IDM. A mysterious journey, floating through an intricate world of static.

Day 106. Also, Halloween. Here’s something spooky from Monolake to commemorate the occasion. The bassline is dissonant in a good way. One of the synths sounds like a bicycle wheel spinning and has a really cool texture. And there’s some ice crunch ASMR.

Day 105. This 2003 Apparat track is the catchiest track I found in his early IDM works. A hopeful four-chord progression played on what sounds like a harp, with a headbanging glitchy beat, and a swelling atmosphere. Rough, yet pretty.

Day 104. Gridlock is a unique act, combining IDM with heavy, emotional, industrial soundtrack sensibilities. Reminds me of Proem, but darker. You need to be in the right mood for this one. Very cinematic and maybe subtly catchy. 2:44 is the climax. 2003.

Day 103. Here’s a 1998 Arovane track that sounds like it’s inspired by Autechre’s Flutter. It doesn’t progress much and it’s basically just a loop session, but it’s very emotive and danceable. Sort of a bittersweet but hopeful mood. Nice clicky beats.

Day 102. Here’s a 2011 funky bass guitar & synth jam by Marius, AKA Marius HFS. I can’t pinpoint the genre (chill electro funk?), but I consistently enjoy his melodies, and I wish he’d come back. But for now, his only EP, Things We Did, is worth a listen.

Day 101. Here’s a Lackluster track from around 1999. It’s got a classic tracker sound, but it’s slower and moodier than classic tracker music. It’s still very memorable and beat-driven with a cool rhythm. Tracker music for a chill and introspective mood.

Day 100. Wow, I made it 100 days without missing a day! Here’s a French vocal tech-house track by Paradis, from 2011. Pleasantly dark and atmospheric, until they add in an organ that brightens things up just a bit. Lovely synth work. Very replayable.

Day 99. Here’s a warm and emotional vocal house track from RUFUS DU SOL’s 2013 debut album. Lots of beautiful synth work, a head-nodding groove, and understated, tasteful vocals. I love the contrast of huge build-ups leading into soft, gentle “drops”.

Day 98. Here’s a longform tech-house jam by C418 and Baiyon from 2015. This is an unconventional hybrid of emotional, organic sounds and rough, wild synths and beats, which results in an energetic and inspiring track. Love that one jarring drum sample.

Day 97. I’ve waited too long to share one of my many favourite @meauxdal tracks! Here’s one from 2008, full of memorable C64-esque melodic loops, crazy swishy tuned drum machine percussion, a happy mood, and an engaging progression justifying its length.

Day 96. This 2016 hip-hop beat by Deeb has vibes similar to BoC’s The Campfire Headphase. There’s such an ebb and flow to the atmosphere; you can tell it was indeed inspired by the ocean. Lush organic sounds, but still electronic. Very relaxing and cool.

Day 95. Here’s something electro-ish from Ochre, 2008. Very pretty melodies alongside swelling pads that play some profound chords. Bouncy drum machine perc. Lots of delay and reverb to create a big atmosphere. A warm, accessible and enjoyable listen.

Day 94. It’s finally time for another @ilkae track. The last time I shared one was on day 11, and this is the track that comes immediately after that one on the same album. Chill, staccato perc and synth, and very cool changes in tempo and time signature.

Day 93. This year, Janus Rasmussen of Kiasmos released a thoroughly enjoyable solo album and proved that he’s the one who brings the techno energy to the duo’s tracks. This one sounds like Kiasmos w/ Tycho synths. Love all the subtle build-ups and drops.

Day 92. Uh, if you like the track Kriegspiel by Adam Johnson, this 1995 Autechre track has a similar progression and mood. One of the most accessible examples of how Ae is capable of incorporating robotic noises into a perfectly catchy and danceable beat.

Day 91. If you like the track C/Pach by Autechre, this 2003 Adam Johnson track has a similar progression and mood. There’s a wide reverbed sound in the beat that makes the track sound like it’s breathing. Very spacious. Sick deep bass with bright synths.

Day 90. I guess I also have some exposure to juke through the 2017 album by Ghostwerk, LOVE TRAXX VOL. 1, free on Bandcamp and worth a listen. This track is like 16-bit tracker footwork or something, and it gets super melodic and catchy later on.

Day 89. This 2011 Machinedrum album is pretty much my only exposure to juke music. Machinedrum’s transition from IDM to juke was smooth, and fans of his IDM will still find his trademark sound here, in spades. Fun, fast, cool vocal samples and BoC chords.

Day 88. Here’s a Bonobo house track from earlier this year. Hard not to enjoy at least a little. Simplistic for sure, but the vocal samples, and later on, the acid synth and mild bass drop (an unexpected, energetic addition) tie things together nicely.

Day 87. Kiasmos makes some very emotional and lush house-ish electronic music, making great use of piano and symphonic sounds alongside danceable beats. Similar to Bonobo when he does house, like on The North Borders. Their 2015 Swept EP is my favourite.

Day 86. I really feel like this 1998 Gescom track was made in Impulse Tracker. I’d love to know for sure. It’s got a strange but surprisingly compelling beat, and the simple melodic sample that comes in at 2:18 is memorable and very pleasant.

Day 85. Here’s a remix that Brothomstates made for MD’s debut album in 2000. (MD being Mellow-D / Kschzt, not Machine Drum.) Delicate, catchy bell melodies and clicky percussion which starts to deteriorate and get all swooshy until the BPM just gives up.

Day 84. Here’s an obscure Syndrone track from 2001. Progression is similar to Autechre’s Garbagemx. The first half is peculiar, and the second half is euphoric, with a symphonic sample which ties it all together and retroactively improves the first half.

Day 83. Last Toytronic track for now. Here’s a 2000 Arovane track which gets so little love, I’m the only one who’s ever uploaded it to YouTube. It uses a vague repeated melody to hint at a mournful emotion. Took me multiple listens to really feel it.

Day 82. I already shared my favourite Point 7 track - X Insert - on day 26, but this comes second. It’s electro with a simple progression, but the few melodic ideas that are present will start to grow on you throughout the track. The crisp beat helps too.

Day 81. I think this might be my favourite Gimmik track. 2003. It’s a very delicate art to balance warm ambient synth work with a loud, noisy, and complex beat, while still fully preserving the emotional value of the ambience. This succeeds.

Day 80. Here’s something from Abfahrt Hinwil, 2002. The title is Triology, not Trilogy. (It’s a fake word, not a real word, silly uploader.) Such a warm, friendly and catchy track even with its dense IDM percussion. I admire this style a lot.

Day 79. How about I post some more tracks from the Toytronic label for a few days? This 2004 Ochre track has a weird/cool glitchy rhythm but some incredibly accessible melodies. The happy change-up from 2:39 onward hooked me instantly. Chill and pleasant.

Day 78. This 2000 track by “Dude” (a one-off pseudonym, likely for Gimmik and/or Point 7 of the duo Abfahrt Hinwil) has an uplifting ambient melody and an awesome percussion line filled with super-quick rolled hi-hats. Sounds 10 years newer than it is.

Day 77. Here’s a 2013 ISAN track (which might have been made as early as 1998). I wish more of their music was as percussive and catchy as this track; it’s often less energetic. But check this one out, if not just for this cool underrated fan video.

Day 76. Yesterday’s track was from 2013, and this one is too. A long, plodding, ambient techno track by Xerxes, fit for the soundtrack of a sci-fi epic. Great for background listening, and it will make whatever you’re doing in the foreground seem cooler.

Day 75. Here’s something catchy from The Black Dog, with some pleasant, bittersweet bell melodies, and a crunchy danceable beat that is often unpredictably switching between a few different patterns. Reminds me of what I want my own output to sound like.

Day 74. An electro track from Modeselektor’s 2005 debut, with a simple catchy melody and a very punchy beat. It reaches maximum energy and atmosphere at 1:42, and there’s something fun about the way the synth melody gets cut short and looped at 3:38.

Day 73. This is something a bit different for me; it’s a 2009 garage remix of Four Tet, by Joy Orbison. I can’t deny how catchy it is, with its simple two-chord progression, crisp beat, and tasteful use of vocal samples. It builds nicely later on, too.

Day 72. Have I really not shared my favourite @boctransmission track in this thread yet? Well, here it is. Beautiful chords. So many interesting little noises hidden in the background. The most satisfying drum breakdown ever, starting at 3:29. Immaculate.

Day 71. It’s about time I shared another Mikron track, this time from their second album, released this year. It’s got a danceable techno beat, but also a moody, dense and evolving atmosphere evocative of Boards of Canada. Lots of nuance to be found here.

Day 70. I forgot to put the year of yesterday’s track, it’s from 2012. But today, here’s something simple and very melodic from Bent, produced between 1998 and 2006 but released in 2013. That triangle wave bassline is awesome.

Day 69. It’s a nice day for some pleasant IDM techno from Datassette. No real lead melody, but his specialty, vocoded percussion, remedies that, along with a catchy bassline later on. He uses Renoise and makes my style of music, so I’m definitely a fan.

Day 68. Here’s a highlight from Steve Hauschildt’s latest and greatest 2018 ambient techno album. A crisp beat, catchy chords, and a beautiful ambience created by ethereal guest vocals from Julianna Barwick, repeating “It is the snow, falling”.

Day 67. A simple, bittersweet melodic track from Metamatics with some kind of glitchy, bouncy house percussion that doesn’t overwhelm the atmosphere of the track. A bit of a tracker vibe, reminds me most of Lackluster and “eu”.

Day 66. Here’s a breakbeat track by Bjarki from 2016, with some chill vibes, astronaut samples, and an early 90’s mood. It’s always refreshing when artists revive sounds such as these. Simplicity done right.

Day 65. This 1998 track by “Lucky and Easy” (AKA Pub) is warm and uplifting, but with erratic percussion that might get you lost because the kick drum just won’t sit still. Even if you’re confused, you’ll still be left in a pleasant mood by the ambience.

Day 64. This is a breakbeat track made by Hybrid for the 2001 6th-gen racing game Lotus Challenge and finally included on an album 11 years later. Hybrid’s breakbeats and symphonic melodies are rivalled by no one, and this moody energetic track proves it.

Day 63. I don’t know who Talve is, but their 2006 track on Machinedrum’s Bidnezz remix album is impressive. Heavy, rubbery percussion with satisfying textures, and a pleasant four-chord progression make for an accessible and underrated IDM track.

Day 62. This 2001 Brothomstates track is cyclical and hypnotizing, and creates a pleasant melodic atmosphere that’s more than the sum of its parts. The beat in the second half reminds me of Machinedrum’s later footwork tracks in a subtle way.

Day 61. This 2001 Kettel track is pretty reminiscent of Plaid’s early era. Again, we have fun, strange, and somewhat breakbeat-style percussion with sombre chords, except this time with a quirky fast-paced melody on top. Cool harpsichord outro.

Day 60. This 1993-ish track by Balil (Ed Handley of Plaid) combines fun, strange, and almost breakbeat-style percussion with some sombre synths that sometimes build into something triumphant. It’s quite experimental but catchy in an unconventional way.

Day 59. This 1999 Richard Devine track is an accurate impression of Autechre’s Tri Repetae sound. Danceable repetitive beats made from abstract machine-like noises, paired with a surprisingly pleasant understated melody to create a good mood.

Day 58. This is a pretty minimalist melodic IDM track by Jega. Released officially in 2009 but leaked under the name Bicubi in 2003. Peaceful tones and ticky, rolled percussion. The last minute sounds triumphant.

Day 57. This 2008 track by Mrs Jynx resembles a cross between Ulrich Schnauss (melodies) and mu-Ziq (synth tones and percussion). Such a warm, emotional and catchy melody. This is some of the most accessible electronic music out there.

Day 56. This 1999 track by “Christ.” has an icy and spacious atmosphere while also being very relaxing and soothing. I get a Kirby 64 vibe from it for some reason. Definitely would fit perfectly on a soundtrack of some sort. Great percussion too.

Day 55. This 1999 Orbital track is a major ride. It starts out with a jumpscare and sounds pretty angry, crunchy, and suitable for headbanging, but then the Amiga-style melody at 5:28 makes it infinitely more fun. Unforgettable and incomparable techno.

Day 54. In 2001, Funckarma released their most popular album Solid State. But they also released Exclude, under the name Quench. Exclude is just as good. Here’s a slow-burner that keeps adding melodic layers on top of a very memorable chord progression.

Day 53. More from Tim Hecker’s debut album as Jetone in 2000. This is my kind of ambient. Such peculiar textures and melodies, but there’s a light beat and the patterns are repetitive and easy enough to follow, making something strange but accessible.

Day 52. Autechre opens their otherwise-ambient 1995 EP Garbage with this long, melodic, danceable jam that seems to be comprised entirely of alien noises aside from a symphonic pad that ties everything together beautifully. Such innovation and emotion.

Day 51. Steve Hauschildt might be more experienced with creating bright and (oddly enough) energetic beatless ambient tracks, but I really enjoy when he adds beats as well; his synth design shines even brighter to me with a complementary beat. From 2013.

Day 50. Something atmospheric and extremely relaxing from Aphex Twin, 1992. Not as intricate as his later work, but also a lot more accessible, and probably the only song with a 4-on-the-floor kick drum that I might be able to fall asleep to.

Day 49. This 2012 collaborative track by Kettel & Funckarma (under the name Scone) has Kettel’s well-known acid synth getting chopped up over a pounding broken beat and some triumphant chords. Genre-bending stuff. Strong title track for a good, brief EP.

Day 48. Plaid made this masterpiece in 2003 and it sounds unlike anything else out there. Airy ambience turns into happy drum & bass, which then turns sinister and crunchy in the second half. Perfect progression. This whole album is extremely underrated.

Day 47. (Yeah, I messed up the format yesterday, but maybe that’s a good thing.) This is a very similar song to yesterday’s, so if you liked that, you’ll like this.

Dedicated to my friend who told me it’s his favourite song that I’ve ever shared with him.

Here’s some “old Bonobo” (from 2000) as I mentioned two days ago. Here he exclusively samples old jazzy music to make it sound like breakbeat was invented not long after WWII. It’s actually a profound transformative musical statement.

Sharing music, day 45. Proem has a distinct style, always melodic, but often formless and focused on sound design and mood rather than repetition and catchiness. However, this track from his 2019 album, straddles that line and impresses me on all fronts.

Sharing music, day 44. Here’s some relaxing downtempo music (at least, after the scream at 0:41) that was featured in Gran Turismo Sport, but that’s not where I found it. It reminds me of old Bonobo, but it’s from even earlier. By I-Cube, 1999.

Sharing music, day 43. This album by Comit just came out this month. 8 filler-free tracks of ambient IDM techno. Best for relaxing background listening, in my experience. This track and “Montage” seem to have the most memorability to me.

Sharing music, day 42. From an artist named The Field who makes pretty straightforward (and enjoyable) ambient techno most of the time, the experimental polyrhythmic beat and slow, satisfying build-up of this 2018 track is a breath of fresh air.

Sharing music, day 41. Do you like textured, evolving and atmospheric ambient music? What if you added pounding crunchy polyrhythmic dance percussion to it? Now that makes things interesting. What a cinematic experience from Bola, 1998.

Sharing music, day 40. A surprising standout track from Tim Koch’s 2001 album on deFocus. Retro synths and a pleasant & memorable melody create something I’d consider to be straightforward enjoyable tracker-style IDM.

Sharing music, day 39. Feel-good groovy fun from Röyksopp with a distinct synth tone and melody that you could identify in a split-second. From 2001. It’s hard to identify the genre. Perky trip-hop?

Sharing music, day 38. A cyclical, hypnotizing 2002 Boards of Canada track that sounds unlike anything else they’ve ever made. Crunchy percussive techno with dense, evolving atmospheres and many strange samples.

Sharing music, day 37. This isn’t just any Boards of Canada impersonation. This has the most personality, memorability, warmth, and energy of any BoC-style track I’ve heard. And it was made by a 16-year-old Canadian prodigy in 2013. Big ups to him.

Sharing music, day 36. This 1994 piece by Autechre has some of the most densely-layered techno percussion you can find, with cool rhythms and artificial sounds galore. Espionage vibes from every element in the track except maybe the ping pong ball sound.

Sharing music, day 35. This is the most alien-sounding techno music I’ve ever heard. 22 minutes of an experimental polyrhythmic groove that develops an airy industrial atmosphere later on. Paints a picture of the future. By Vladislav Delay, 2000.

Sharing music, day 34. Here’s a 1996 track by Squarepusher that sounds a lot like something mu-Ziq would make. It’s happy and has very pleasant chords, but a beat that sounds like breakcore made with pots and pans, and a crazy acid outro.

Sharing music, day 33. Here’s the track that inspired the Roosevelt remix from day 30. Very similar arpeggios. This is a Todd Terje track from 2011. Atmospheric, catchy synth disco goodness that gets pretty euphoric and emotional later on.

Sharing music, day 32. This uplifting 2017 track from Fizzarum’s comeback album has some really cool 90s IDM experimentalism. The bassline is super catchy and it singlehandedly makes the rest of the track enjoyable.

Sharing music, day 31. Here’s some 2016 house music from Bonobo. So many layered samples and synths strike a perfect harmonic balance and create something timeless and organic. There’s actually a lot of soul in the many layers of “ya ya ya ya ya” vocals.

Sharing music, day 30. This is a 2013 remix of one of my favourite techno artists, by one of my favourite disco artists. Feel-good melodies, very warm and analog. I love how long it is, too. If you like synths, you’ll like this.

Sharing music, day 29. This track from Cepia’s debut EP in 2004 is warm, sombre and nostalgic, but with a bangin’ glitchy beat as well. Quite a memorable track, really fits my ideal definition of IDM and the sound I often try to achieve, myself.

Sharing music, day 28. This 2004 track by Bent sounds like Boards of Canada let loose and made a catchy 80’s synthpop instrumental. Warm and energetic, feel-good dance music. (I promise it’s worth listening past the 35-second intro.)

Sharing music, day 27. This 2005 Slem track from Kahvi Collective isn’t on YouTube, so here’s an MP3 link for it. Quirky and accessible IDM beats, super catchy melodies, and chopped samples of John F. Kennedy. Overall, very unique in style.

Sharing music, day 26. Here’s something from the last album that ever came out on Toytronic in 2009 (but track is orig. from 2007), by half of the duo Abfahrt Hinwil. Structurally simplistic electro, but hard-hitting and melodic. Awesome ambient ending.

Sharing music, day 25. Here’s a pleasant Bola-esque track by “eu” from 2001. Head-nodding IDM percussion in 7/4 time, with some loungy melodies. This group, whose full name means “Christmas ornaments” in Russian, is a hidden gem of free IDM on Bandcamp.

Sharing music, day 24. Merck again. This 2003 Adam Johnson track is a slow-building ambient techno piece that finally adds a full beat after the halfway point. It’s quite a cool, relaxing and atmospheric track that I’m sure anyone could appreciate.

Sharing music, day 23. This is a quirky, catchy and oddly inspiring track by mu-Ziq, from 1999. The only lyrics are “I can try to be big in the eyes of the world (dominate)”. Breakbeat, hip-hop, symphonic stuff, acid, and a memorable chord progression.

Sharing music, day 22. This 2004 Datassette track is hard to describe, but it’s melodic, fun, experimental, and particularly chill in the second half. I could listen to those low-passed chords with the stabby bassline and metallic drums all day.

Sharing music, day 21. Here’s a warm and happy techno track by The Black Dog from 1993 (so, Plaid + Ken Downie). The lead melody is very memorable and awakens an emotional 90’s nostalgia in me. The groovy bassline and percussion are also highlights.

Sharing music, day 20. Here’s a 1999 Monolake track with an awesome beat and a huge, reverb-heavy atmosphere. Every element of this song sounds otherworldly - it’s like he just invented a whole new set of sounds and still made something catchy with them.

Sharing music, day 19. In this Skee Mask track from 2018, he takes you on a hypnotizing, euphoric ride on a jet plane. Smooth and fast breakbeat percussion, lush pads, and warm sound effects. If his next album is as good as this one, I’ll be all over it.

Sharing music, day 18. Some pretty catchy danceable IDM from Tim Hecker’s debut album (as Jetone) in 2000. Sounds tracker-esque and gives me Machinedrum, Funckarma and old Autechre vibes. I like the variation on the melody introduced in the second half.

Sharing music, day 17. Here’s a total hidden gem from Plaid’s 2001 album Double Figure. Jazzy, breakbeat-driven dance music containing a mix of realistic instruments and unique atmospheric electronic sounds. Ridge Racer vibes.

Sharing music, day 16. Since I just bought Ochre’s 2006 album Lemodie on CD, here’s a track from that one. It’s all staticky and dark until some whimsical melodies shine through, and then it slows down and evolves in classic IDM fashion. What a cool mood.

Sharing music, day 15. More Merck; this is a Blamstrain track from 2003, from the diverse album Ensi. Intense emotional pads try to drown out a hard-hitting beat, to create a unique impactful take on ambient techno.

Sharing music, day 14. This 2006 Lusine track takes a weird 7/4 beat and some distorted chopped vocal samples, and somehow builds them up into something touching and euphoric. It’s the transition around 3:45 that really makes this track perfect.

Sharing music, day 13. Here’s a 2001 Funckarma track that really grew on me after repeated listens. Crunchy percussion and lots of delay create a dense atmosphere complemented by simple and catchy synth and bass melodies.

Sharing music, day 12. In honour of @ilkae 🙏 (and thanks to @meauxdal for introducing me to his stuff), here’s some more Merck, from 2007. I think this is one of Proswell’s catchiest tracks and a good introduction to his work; correct me if I’m wrong.

Sharing music, day 11. This time it’s an Ilkae track made between 1998–2002. To quote my YouTube comment, "I love the contrast between the calm ambience and the high-BPM glitchy beat! Really achieves a mood that’s neither too sweet nor too dark.”

Sharing music, day 10. This 2013 track is by Phil Western, the composer for Beetle Adventure Racing. Happy retro analog synth melodies create a feel-good energetic techno track. It’s funny how the track and its title contradict the dark album artwork.

Sharing music, day 9. I consider this 2001 Brothomstates track to be quite similar to 444 with its uplifting, bittersweet and danceable elements. Also, very punchy, bouncy percussion with cool textures, and great melodic composition.

Sharing music, day 8. This 1993 Autechre track is a classic melodic techno track. It evokes a very bittersweet, introspective emotion, playing a sad melody alongside bright pads with an uplifting chord progression and a danceable beat. Unforgettable.

Sharing music, day 7. Here’s something much less chill and more experimental. Another Syndrone track with very abrasive percussion combined with lush synths and catchy bass. The time signature changes a lot, but the 6/4 part in the second half is clear.

Sharing music, day 6. This 2001 Pub track is warm and atmospheric, with some subtle pretty melodies at times. Even the beat and single-note bassline are catchy. Long-form and great for background listening, but quite hypnotic in the foreground as well.

Sharing music, day 5.

A track that I think is quite similar to De-Orbit, this 2002 Kettel track is some of the most accessible, melodic and chilled IDM that exists. It progresses through lots of equally-memorable phases, making for an engaging listen.

Sharing music, day 4.

Something happy, retro and chilled by Speedy J from 1991. This track is anything but speedy. A crackly breakbeat sample and some simple synth modulation applied to a catchy melody. So pleasant and infinitely replayable.

Sharing music, day 3.

This 2000 track by Machinedrum (under the name Syndrone) has some intricate and satisfying glitchy percussion in 6/4 time signature, which contrasts very well with its simple, serious, driving melody. Nice deep kick drum too.

Sharing music, day 2.

The atmosphere of this 1999 Arovane track is so emotionally affecting, and the percussion is so crisp. Plus, I get Super Monkey Ball vibes from the happy synth melodies. Very hypnotizing, and with this video even moreso.

I rarely have anything to tweet, so I should probably start sharing music I like, since there’s so much of it.

This Mikron track from 2016 has been addictive to me recently. It’s like AFX acid but more repetitive and catchy, and with a dreamy atmosphere.