Help me find emotionally resonant music with electronic elements!

October 20, 2009 3:21 PM

Help me find electronic-themed, yet emotionally resonant songs like "Heartbeats" by The Knife & "Teardrop" by Massive Attack.

After a lifetime of not really getting it, I'm finally beginning to appreciate songs with a lot of electronic elements to them. I can get into some ambient stuff if it's the right kind (I really like "Happy Cycling" by Boards of Canada), but I mostly prefer songs that have a more traditional structure, but incorporate electronic elements. The two that I mentioned above are the best examples I can name of what I mean. Songs that have electronic elements, yet can still move you. I'm open to anything really, as I'm basically a neophyte in the genres I'm describing.

posted by noboru_wataya to media & arts (49 comments total)

Fever Ray is the lady half of The Knife, and she put out a solo album earlier this year. My favorite track from it.
posted by oinopaponton at 3:26 PM on October 20, 2009

The Notwist's Neon Golden is kind of a classic in this area and was pretty much life-changing for me. To this day, the song Consequence off that album makes me tear up.

I really like Schneider TM's Light 3000, which is a cover of an old Smith's song.
posted by joyceanmachine at 3:27 PM on October 20, 2009 [5 favorites]

Sounds like you would enjoy the band Everything But The Girl.
posted by exogenous at 3:27 PM on October 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

I always thought New Order cornered that market.
posted by Max Power at 3:32 PM on October 20, 2009

And don't forget Dubstar (for example, Stars). A lot of their stuff can sound very poppy, but when you actually listen to the words, you realize that there is a lot of depth in many of their songs.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 3:38 PM on October 20, 2009

Dntel (and Tamborello's other project, The Postal Service)
Junior Boys
posted by eyeballkid at 3:39 PM on October 20, 2009

You might like The Postal Service; they're a synthpop band featuring the lead singer of Death Cab for Cutie on vocals.

You might also like some of the Chemical Brothers' stuff with Beth Orton, like "Where Do I Begin?" and "Alive Alone."

At the risk of being obvious, what do you think of Depeche Mode?
posted by infinitywaltz at 3:40 PM on October 20, 2009

Good answers so far. I love certain New Order songs (I feel that "Temptation" in particular fits the bill) and I recently downloaded Neon Golden, and did very much enjoy my first listen. The other suggestions are new to me, and I will check them out. Keep 'em coming!
posted by noboru_wataya at 3:41 PM on October 20, 2009

came in to suggest "consequence" by The Notwist as well, even though i too am not well-versed in the genre.
posted by gursky at 3:41 PM on October 20, 2009

I don't know if these suggestions necessarily qualify as lots of electronic elements, but some stuff I think is pretty good, and you may too:

Jimmy Tamborello's stuff, particularly The Dream of Evan and Chan (Jimmy Timborello as Dntel), which ultimately spawned a very well-received side project with Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard: The Postal Service.

The Antlers' recent release Hospice; sample track: Kettering.

Cassettes Won't Listen, the album I have in mind is Small-Time Machine, particularly the track Freeze and Explode.

Nthing The Notwist, too.

posted by axiom at 3:41 PM on October 20, 2009

I am sure there will be some great answers here, but the surely the greatest will have to be State of Independence by the Moodswings and Chrissie Hynde.
posted by travis08 at 3:43 PM on October 20, 2009

Also, M83.
posted by eyeballkid at 3:44 PM on October 20, 2009 [2 favorites]

I should note that the Original version of "State of Independence" by Vangelis with Jon Anderson singing is pretty amazing too.
posted by travis08 at 3:50 PM on October 20, 2009

Volcano Choir is more electronic-y than Bon Iver, Justin Vernon's other project, but just as emotionally resonant. Check out Still and Island, IS. You might also enjoy Grizzly Bear.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 3:54 PM on October 20, 2009

I really enjoyed the stuff on Morcheeba's most recent album "Dive Deep" featuring Thomas Dybdahl, specifically the song Riverbed, but a few others as well. Also I found some of Four Tet's music to be pretty emotionally charged, the appropriately named "Slow Song" on the album "Rounds" is a good place to start...this builds well off of your Boards of Canada example too.
posted by KilgoreTrout at 4:02 PM on October 20, 2009

I was kind of surprised by this when I picked up the album last month, but the new Crystal Method actually headed in this direction. Pretty good too.
posted by mannequito at 4:02 PM on October 20, 2009

Crystal Castles' remix of Crimewave
Chemical Brothers - Asleep from Day

I'll be back with more
posted by azarbayejani at 4:08 PM on October 20, 2009

I really like Schneider TM's Light 3000, which is a cover of an old Smith's song.

Yeah!!! Also Good Song by Blur, Lonesome Side ft. Lily by DJ/rupture (couldn't find a quick place to listen), The Night of the Dancing Flame by Roisin Murphy (the album is a Matthew Herbert production and is AWESOME).

You might also try Elbow, Menomena, Jon Brion, and the Books, who are a little less electronic, but share some of the same elements.

YO SOY PANDORA.
posted by nosila at 4:15 PM on October 20, 2009

Lots of things by múm.
posted by floam at 4:20 PM on October 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

Lali Puna would probably fit the bill, provided you don't mind that some of the songs are sung in Portuguese. Here's a fairly representative song from some time ago.
posted by wreckingball at 4:34 PM on October 20, 2009

Explore the rest of Massive Attack. If you liked Teardrop you really should like Protection even more.

Some of my favorites from other bands:
Crustation - Flame
Esthero - Superheroes
Halou - Milkdrunk
Puracane - Dogs

Halou especially is very emotionally tender and intense, with a really wonderful organic/electronic/ambient sound.
posted by cowbellemoo at 4:35 PM on October 20, 2009

Moby - the album Play
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 4:46 PM on October 20, 2009

i love matryoshka
sink into the sin
evening gleam between the clouds
anesthetic

also lykke li
melodies and desires

posted by raw sugar at 4:52 PM on October 20, 2009

Air. I'd say The Virgin Suicides soundtrack more than some of the rest, but you can watch a lot of their videos here and decide for yourself.

Also, Sia and Zero 7, ideally together.
posted by gnomeloaf at 5:03 PM on October 20, 2009 [2 favorites]

"Gorecki" by Lamb (SLYT, starts with a brief ad). You might also enjoy Emiliana Torrini and Sigur Ros.
posted by vickyverky at 5:03 PM on October 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

Four Tet - My Angel Rocks Back and Forth
posted by pised at 5:41 PM on October 20, 2009

Seconding Lali Puna, and obviously Portishead.
posted by ddaavviidd at 6:17 PM on October 20, 2009

Boom Bip - in particular "The Matter (Of Our Discussion)" from Blue Eyed in the Red Room
Mozez' "So Still" album is amazing.
posted by mkb at 6:33 PM on October 20, 2009

Also, Lawrence's "Until Then, Goodbye" and 36's "Hypersona" which is available free. Anything from Yagya or Manual may suit you also.
posted by mkb at 6:41 PM on October 20, 2009

check out A Guy Called Gerald
posted by supermedusa at 7:16 PM on October 20, 2009

Portishead, without a doubt. Dummy and the self-titled Portishead are devastatingly moving albums. Can't recommend them enough.

DJ Krush has some dark and moody songs with a kind of haunting sadness to them. For example, Day's End, With Grace, and Final Home.

Also, Heaven by Lamb
posted by dephlogisticated at 8:22 PM on October 20, 2009 [2 favorites]

Someone Great - LCD Soundsystem

Mark Pytlik put it pretty well:

"A sleek, delicate, and effortlessly melodic sliver of electro, "Someone Great" is my favorite song of the year so far, and constitutes new ground for Murphy both in terms of prettiness and poignancy. It's about loss, but the lyric remains tantalizingly ambiguous. As with most great songs, its best lines buzz around the edges of the story: "The worst is all the lovely weather/ I'm stunned it's not raining/ The coffee isn't even bitter/ Because, what's the difference."
posted by clearly at 8:34 PM on October 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

Two favorites along these lines:

William Orbit: Strange Cargo III (also with Beth Orton, as it happens)
BT: ESCM
posted by Lazlo at 8:45 PM on October 20, 2009

Royksopp should be up your alley (and the girl from The Knife guests on a song on the new album).
posted by radioamy at 9:08 PM on October 20, 2009

Aboslutely seconding Portishead.

In many ways the same era and same area of the world as Massive Attack, but also in many ways as good, if not better.

Their first two albums were mentioned by dephlogisticated above, but their third one (entitled Third) was released only a year back and is just unbelievable.

Another with a link to Massive Attack is Tricky - who rapped on the band's earlier songs and albums. His debut solo album Maxinquaye is 15 years old now, but still sounds good.
posted by chris88 at 9:40 PM on October 20, 2009

I agree that The Notwist, particularly 'Consequence', is cooly electronic yet resonant.

Try also Lali Puna's album 'Faking The Books', which is in the same mould. The single 'Faking The Books' is lovely.

A few other songs I would highly, highly recommend (and these can serve as gateways into the artist's work)
Bjork - Hyperballad
Royksopp - Only This Moment
The Postal Service - Nothing Better
Frou Frou - Let Go
posted by kid A at 11:20 PM on October 20, 2009

speaking of New Order: Perfect Kiss .... arguably the greatest song ever. seriously. don't even bother clicking unless you have at least seven minutes to spare.
posted by philip-random at 11:25 PM on October 20, 2009

Try Son Lux
posted by querty at 11:50 PM on October 20, 2009

Couple of my favourites in the vein of Teardrop:

Lamb - Cotton Wool (Fila Brazilia remix)
Mandalay - Beautiful
Mandalay - This Life
posted by Ness at 3:23 AM on October 21, 2009

Check out the bands Bibio and Tycho, if'n you like the Boards of Canada sound.

Definitely seconding Zero 7. There's also a band called Solid Gold you might like, they have a song called Armoured Cars that's basically an icepick of awesome in my head.

Not electronica, but definitely fitting the category so far: the first four songs from Liz Durrette's Mezzanine album.
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 5:50 AM on October 21, 2009

Seconding Tycho
posted by zennoshinjou at 6:58 AM on October 21, 2009

Seconding M83...Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts is killer.
posted by achompas at 7:21 AM on October 21, 2009

Nthing Neon Golden by the Notwist and some Four Tet tracks, too.
posted by joe lisboa at 8:53 AM on October 21, 2009

Man, so many great ideas here. I can't comment on them all, but I have downloaded a bunch of stuff already, and intend to keep going. Everyone suggesting the Notwist -- this was perfect. I hadn't listened to it much before yesterday, but gave it a good 2 listens and I very much enjoyed it. Also, suprisingly, I was totally unfamiliar with Portishead, other than "The Rip" (which I love), and really like what I have downloaded. I look forward to checking out M83 tonight. LCD Soundsystem is another good example of what I was looking for -- I looove Someone Great and All My Friends.

As a side-note: I discovered in the course of my searching that both of the songs I listed as my examples -- "Teardrop" and "Heartbeats" -- coincidentally have breathtakingly beautiful acoustic covers performed by Jose Gonzalez. Particularly his version of Heartbeats is very lovely. Makes me appreciate the brilliance of the original even more.

Thanks again, guys.
posted by noboru_wataya at 9:39 AM on October 21, 2009

Totally nthing Notwist (they have another one that came out fairly recently after that Neon Golden btw; it's pretty good too), Four Tet, and the new Portishead--"The Rip" off Third is the song that made me sit up and take notice. The second half, when the bass synth gets louder, is SO good. Which reminds, this is hella obvious, but if you are one of the 3 people living under a rock who haven't heard newer Radiohead or Thom Yorke or Jonny Greenwood's solo stuff, that's a goldmine of what you describe. "Idioteque," "Kid A" (I still maintain it's one of the saddest songs of all time), "Motion Picture Soundtrack," "Videotape," "All I Need"...man.

Yo La Tengo's "Everyday" off And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out is good too.

OMD's "Of All the Things We've Made" can make me really nostalgic and almost weepy if I'm in the right mood.

Brian Eno's made some emotional electronic music. His work with Harold Budd on The Plateaux of Mirror is perfect chilly winter sadness music. Other favorites from him that make me swell with emotion sometime including "St. Elmo's Fire," "Becalmed," "By This River," "Julie with...," and (with Cluster) "The Belldog".

Disco Inferno. Yes, including their early, highly derivative postpunk stuff. But even their out-there super-proto-samply stuff from the height of their powers moves me; we played "Footprints in Snow" at our wedding reception. And they're good even when they're being kind of life-affirming and positive. Hood reminds me of them, the way they were unafraid of pioneering unusual sonic/electronic methods but retained all emotion--find "Winter 72" and "Houses Tilting Towards the Sea" if you can. You may like Piano Magic too.

And I'm probably weird, but I think "Jynweythek Ylow" by Aphex Twin is emotionally resonant.
posted by ifjuly at 3:39 PM on October 21, 2009

One last suggestion: Fous de la Mer. I only have their "Stars and Fishes" album, but they have several others.
posted by mkb at 7:19 AM on October 23, 2009

D'oh, I cannot believe I didn't remember Arab Strap. Man. "Cherubs" along with a lot of Elephant Shoe is amazingly emotional.
posted by ifjuly at 9:56 PM on November 5, 2009

Also, a buried '90s favorite: Ruby's Salt Peter
posted by ifjuly at 10:47 PM on November 5, 2009

I'm coning to the thread late late late, and someone's already mentioned Disco Inferno. But I'm here to recommend them again, and possibly a third time. Their whole catalog is excellent, but their series of 5 EPs is often cited as the highlight of their career, and I'd agree. Second Language, A Little Something, and It's a Kid's World are three songs that fit your criteria perfectly.

The 5 EPs are tragically out of print, but you can find them in the back alleys of the internet. Totally, totally worth it.
posted by Rinku at 2:29 PM on November 28, 2009