Top Five Electronic Albums of 2024 to Shred Your Amygdala

Between one of the biggest pop albums of the year to glitchy and destructive drum and bass lines, the electronic sub genre bit the music world by the jugular this year and refused to let go. Here are five electronic projects to rewrite your DNA and ascend to a higher plane of existence.

Charli xcx
BRAT
Atlantic Recording Company
Street: 06.07
Charli xcx = Finn Keane + Gwen Stefani + A.G. Cook

What is there even left to say about this album? It’s an absolute juggernaut of a project—not only the best electronic album of the year, but the album of the year. No other way to cut it. A glimpse into the cool kids table. Executive produced by A.G. Cook alongside the likes of Finn Keane (formerly EASYFUN), Cirkut, George Daniel and more, the project is a blend of all the best the artists had to offer between electronic, dance and hyperpop. That’s not even to mention the remix release, which showcased the best producers and pop stars of the last decade collaborating on a genre-smashing, historically impactful, artistically interesting project. “360” and “Apple” single-handedly sparked full cultural ripples, SNL performances, monumental tours and more. BRAT will be an album people talk about for years to come.

A.G. Cook
Britpop
New Alias
Street: 05.10
A.G. Cook = SOPHIE + Finn Keane + Charli xcx

An extremely emotional journey through three discs of Cook’s best work, Britpop is one of my favorite albums of the year. Every track is an isolated snippet but, in context, opens up a beautiful puzzle piece of electronic instrumentals and vocal effects. The album also has the surface area to bring in some guest vocalists including (but not limited to) the aforementioned Charli xcx—in the form of an interpolation of “Lipgloss”—Caroline Polacheck, Alaska Reid and more. It’s a blend of floaty, out of this world production with guitar parts that sound like they were found on a cassette tape in someone’s barnside shed. On the topic of Cook, I find it quite criminal that a Producer of the Year nomination didn’t find its way to him (even though Daniel Nigro very well should have it on lock.) Britpop is jaw-droppingly beautiful. For a more in depth review, see my full review of the album here.

Sega Bodega
Dennis
ambient tweets & Supernature
Street: 04.26
Sega Bodega = Oklou + Eartheater + Dominic Fike

Dennis is a funky electronic project that makes you feel like you’re inside an A24 film. The whole project is soaked in reverb, which almost transports you to a prehistoric cave tunnel system. There are many memorable moments on the album, like “Dirt”—which reminds me of the Daft Punk/Tron collab—and the distinct biological percussion on “Tears & Sighs” (which also turned out to be the best track on the project). We get some beautiful composition on “Humiliation doesn’t leave a mark,” while the last track takes us out with a bang and is also the softest song on the album, reminding me of The XX and early Phantogram. It feels like being at a museum exhibit but strictly from an audio perspective. 

Snow Strippers
Night Killaz Vol.2
Surf Gang Records
Street: 05.08
Snow Strippers = Crystal Castles + 100 gecs

Night Killaz Vol. 2 is a glitch core EP that feels distinctly nostalgic yet also could’ve been released yesterday. These super thumpy dance tracks almost feel like what could’ve been found on a M.I.A. mixtape. The 8 track release is a tight, no nonsense, electropop journey filled down to its DNA with BIG drums. Listening feels like I’m playing Cyberpunk 2077. The moanish vocals remind me a little bit of recent Dorian Electras releases. “Draw a Heart” almost sounds like it could have been a missing Calvin Harris song that evolved into a more artistic and experimental mask. Super cool—simple as that.

Machine Girl
MG Ultra
Future Classic
Street: 10.18
Machine Girl = Death Grips + Skrillex 

On MG Ultra, Machine Girl presents aggressive, grindy glitchcore that sounds like a jungle/drum and bass score from a lost Playstation game. Pretend you’re riding Disneyland’s Space Mountain for 44 minutes straight while the most destructive, harsh drums you could imagine are blowing up every subwoofer in a 25 square mile radius. One song into the project, we get some of the most melodic moments we have heard from Machine Girl in a long time with “Until I Die flowing,” like a river with changing motifs and time signatures. “Just Because I Can” holds a super floaty industrial beat that, in another life, sounds like it could’ve been a beat for Rich Brian. “Hot Lizard” channels nu-metal influences such as Korn, Nine Inch Nails and Linkin Park. It’s the same harsh noise sound you’ve come to expect, but evolved in a new refreshing way. High energy til the wheels fall off. Go out with an explosion with “Psychic Attack.” No Survivors.

Read more Top Five Albums of 2024:
Top Five Albums of 2024 That Give Cowgirls the Blues
Top Five Unsettling Albums of 2024 to Trip-Sit Someone You Hate