Top Electronic/Dance Albums of 2018 by The Nocturnal Times

What a year for new music 2018 has been. With hundreds of electronic/dance music albums — and thousands of others across a plethora of musical genres — it’s especially difficult to choose the very best albums of the year. A continuous work-in-progress, The Nocturnal Times Top Electronic/Dance Albums of 2018 is not something we take lightly. Upon much contemplation, heavy consideration, extensive thought, and lots of dancing — we’ve narrowed down our favorite albums of the year, along with those LPs worthy of honorable mention, below.

As one of the year’s best works, San Holo released his beautiful debut album1 through his own bitbird imprint. There’s no surprise the album garnered mass critical acclaim and is a favorite among dance music enthusiasts alike. RL Grime’s Nova, which was released through WeDidIt Records, includes a slew of noteworthy features and possesses quality productions, track-after-track. Trance titans, Above & Beyond, released their breathtaking Common Ground album, which can also be heard in a 50 Cent Maybach near you. With singles like “Northern Soul,” “My Own Hymn,” “Happiness Amplified,” and “Always,” along with features from Richard Bedford, Zoe Johnston, and Justine Suissa, it’s no wonder that with their dedicated Group Therapy fanbase, A&B and Anjunabeats are trance family favorites.

We received a mystifyingly haunting sophomore album from REZZ, in which she explores the witchy depths of her maniacal sounds. Certain Kind of Magic was released via mau5trap and featured sorcerous collaborations beside 1788-L, Deathpact, Kotek, 13, and Fytch to satisfy all your dark and hypnotic needs. Awake landed as another female-powered collective from Australian sweetheart Alison Wonderland. Easily one of the most emotive and compelling releases of the year, Awake is bursting at the seams with raw honesty, innermost feelings, and rushing bass. Sofi Tukker had quite a year with their Treehouse album — and touring the world in the process. From “Best Friend” and “Batshit”, to “Energia” and “Baby I’m A Queen,” Sofi Tukker’s Ultra Records LP is undoubtedly one of the year’s best — and even earned the duo a GRAMMY Award nomination for Best Electronic Album.

Strong atop the ladder of electronic dance music, Jauz further cemented his place with the release of The Wise and The Wicked. Featuring 23 jaw-dropping tracks, The Wise and The Wicked is not only Jauz’s biggest career project thus far, but has gone above and beyond to succeed as his most legendary body of work to date. Tackling 2018 like it’s nobody’s business, dance music gem Jonas Blue exceeded fan’s expectations by a longshot with his debut BLUE album. With artists across the board from Joe Jonas, to Kaskade, to Jessie Reyez, to Nina Nesbitt, to Moelogo, and so many more, BLUE is thriving as Jonas’ most multifarious masterpiece to date. Claptone unveiled his Fantast album, which is as much of a testament to his finely tuned production talent as it is to his ability to forever impress the scene with infinitely adventurous journeys through sound, time, and space. Created with pure sonic flow, its percussive driven aura fuses with piano melodies and piercing vocals by featured artists like Katie Stelmanis, Ben Duffy, Matt Simons, and more, ultimately leaving listeners with an everlasting symphony of Claptone.

Top Electronic/Dance Albums of 2018 by The Nocturnal Times

San Holo – album1 [bitbird]

RL Grime – NOVA [WeDidIt Records]

Above & Beyond – Common Ground [Anjunabeats]

Keys N Krates – Cura [Dim Mak Records] 

RUFUS DU SOL – SOLACE [Rose Avenue Records/Reprise]

ZHU – RINGOS DESERT [Mind of a Genius]

Steve Angello – HUMAN [Size Records]

What So Not – Not All The Beautiful Things [Counter Records]

Sofi Tukker – Treehouse [Sofi Tukker/Ultra Records]

Chromeo – Head Over Heels [Atlantic Records]

Lane 8 – Little By Little [This Never Happened]

Justice – Woman Worldwide [Genesis/Ed Banger Records/Because Music]

Jonas Blue – Blue [Positiva/Virgin EMI]

The Chainsmokers – Sick Boy [Disruptor Records/Columbia Records]

Alison Wonderland – Awake [EMI Australia]

Alan Walker – Different World [MER/Sony Music Sweden]

The Glitch Mob – See Without Eyes [Glass Air]

REZZ – Certain Kind of Magic [mau5trap]

MitiS – ’Til the End [Seeking Blue/Born Records]

Said The Sky – Wide-Eyed [Seeking Blue]

Jon Hopkins – Singularity [Domino Recording Co]

Jauz – The Wise and The Wicked [Bite This!]

Golden Features – SECT [Warner Music Australia]

Sigala – Brighter Days [Ministry Of Sound/Sony Music Entertainment]

Claptone – Fantast [Different Recordings]

Markus Schulz – We Are The Light [Black Hole Recordings]

Eelke Kleijn – Moments of Clarity [DAYS like NIGHTS/Armada Music]

Bob Moses – Battle Lines [Domino Recording Co]

Yotto – Hyperfall [Anjunadeep]

Getter – Visceral [mau5trap]

A massive year for music, aside from electronic and dance, albums such as Scorpion by Drake, Sweetener by Ariana Grande, Man Of The Woods by Justin Timberlake, Sound Glory Prep by Jon Bellion, Beerbongs & Bentleys by Post Malone, Invasion of Privacy by Cardi B, and many more. Below are the electronic/dance albums from 2018 that are deserving of honorable mention.

Clean Bandit – What is Love

The Knocks – New York Narcotics

Don Diablo – FUTURE

Dillon Francis – WUT WUT

Yellow Claw – New Blood

Orbital – Monsters Exist

Dirty South – XV

Elohim – Elohim

The Gorillaz – The Now Now

Kasbo – Places We Don’t Know

Moby – Everything Was Beautiful, and Nothing Hurt

Pluko – Sixteen

Dada Life – Our Nation

3LAU – Ultraviolet

Felix Jaehn – I

Slushii – DREAM

Felix Cartal – Next Season

Andrew Bayer – In My Past Life

Dirty South – Darko

R3hab – The Wave

Estiva – Spectacle

Marshmello – Joytime II

Steve Aoki – Neon Future III

Orjan Nilsen – Prism

Matoma – One In A Million

Ilan Bluestone – Scars

Super8 & Tab – Reformation

Medasin – Irene

The Prodigy – No Tourists

Kanye & Kid Cudi – Kids See Ghosts

Ghastly – The Mystifying Oracle

tyDi – Collide

Roger Shah – No Boundaries

Yoe Mase – Soldier

Years & Years – Palo Santo

Excision – APEX

Owl City – Cinematic

Richard Durand – The Air We Breathe

MØ – Forever Neverland

Robyn – Honey

LANY – Malibu Nights

David Guetta – 7

Troye Sivan – Bloom

Spencer Brown – Illusion of Perfection

Loco Dice – Love Letters

Kayzo – OVERLOAD

MGMT – Little Dark Age

Gorgon City – Escape