The 10 Best Electronic Producer/artists Of 2022, As Voted For By You
© Frank Hoensch/GettyZeroBest of 2022: Every year the task of compiling an impartial selection of the best producers of the year is getting more difficult: there are more talented electronic artists than we can make out with synths - and the number is growing.
But we will definitely give our best. This year's list not only represents the diversity of talent shaping the contemporary electronic music scene, but also serves as a reminder of the steady integration of electronic sounds into mainstream pop, a trend that has lasted for more than a decade. And it shows no signs of slowing down in 2022.
Electronic artists have continued to influence the broader musical landscape this year, while beyond the realm of pop, revolutionary producers, synth mavens and avant-garde twiddlers continue to fly the flag relentlessly. Without further ado, let's reveal who you voted for as the best electronic music artist of 2022.
1. Fred again
If you haven't seen this year's winner Fred Again on your timeline at least a hundred times since January, we dare you to ask what kind of rock you live in. The perpetually happy, machine-carrying manufacturer is truly dominating the conversation in 2022.
And for good reason: Fred's fresh, sample-centric approach has earned him a cult following this year following his viral Boiler Room set, sold-out international tours, and collaborations with Swedish House Mafia, Four Tet, and Skrillex. The unprecedented hype surrounding the artist on social media led to the release of the third installment of his Actual Life album trilogy.
Many might think he came out of nowhere, but the truth is that Fred has worked behind the scenes on some of pop music's biggest hits over the last five years. His list of notable collaborators includes Brian Eno - Fred's mentor and close friend - as well as Stormzy, BTS, Ed Sheeran, Halsey, Eminem, Hedy One, The XX, Rita Ora and George Ezra.
At this rate, the sky's the limit for Fred and we're sure he'll appear on this list... again.
2. Caitlin Aurelia Smith
In second place is one of our most exciting synth names this year, Caitlin Aurelia Smith. The Californian synthesizer maven released his ninth (!) album this year and continues to explore the creative possibilities of his Buchla-based setup and expressive capabilities.
Speaking to MusicRadar earlier this year, Caitlin gave us insight into the interesting relationship she's developed with her beloved instrument: "I've been playing the Buchla instrument for a long time, their language is so easy to use. ... It's become an extension of my brain."
It sounds the same when Caitlin Buechler funnels her voice through the circuits to create a psychedelic sonic hybrid between woman and machine that showcases her unbridled talent behind the dial.
3. Bonbo
As a purveyor of organic electronics, Bonobo has quietly become one of the world's most popular manufacturers since its founding two decades ago. Combining live instrumentation with samples, synthesizers, and vibes, his music is hard not to like and has an ear-friendly universality that's made him a favorite of festival goers, radio DJs, and Grammy judges.
Bonobo is clearly feeling collaborative this year when he enlisted Jamila Woods, Jozi, Kadja Bonet and Jordan Rakei for his highly-acclaimed seventh album inspired by generative experiments in modular synthesis, as he explained to MusicRadar earlier this year: "I take it deep. YouTube - Diving in and seeing people who aren't necessarily releasing music but doing something inspiring with Modular helped me discover sonic capabilities I didn't know existed.
4. Oneohtrix Point Ever
Perhaps the only artist in our top ten who hasn't released a solo this year, Daniel Lopatin – the producer better known as OneOtrix Point Never – got a boost with his work on The Weeknd's formative synth-pop work. , Dusk FM.
As the album's executive producer, Lopatin brings his warped retro vision to nearly every track on this influential release, proving that in 2022, the age-old distinction between popular and experimental is blurring, faster than ever.
5. Tourist
After being forced out of his studio due to the 2020/2021 lockdown, British producer Tourist is changing his approach. "Before the pandemic I thought I'd have 10 artists to work with, I'd have a good studio, I'd record everything, everything would be analog, I'd put some good synthesizers on, I'd just do it and use it. It was - and it wasn't something is going on. ,” a producer told us. Earlier this year. “It was really liberating. I was like, 'OK, OK, if I can't do it this way, I'm going to have to make do with what I have.'"
Exploring big themes and big emotions through a simple setup consisting of a laptop, OP-1, phone, and audio interface, Inside Out is one of the best releases of 2022. We're excited to see it.
6. Competing consoles
London-based musician and producer Ryan Lee West aka Rival Consoles, creates driving electronics wrapped in ambiance, atmosphere and mystery. On his latest release, the obscure track Now Is, the producer refined this formula, recording the best album of his career with a wide variety of analog synthesizers, instruments and effects.
We caught up with West late last year and he explained his creative process and passion for analog instruments. “No analog synthesizer can do what software like Massive can do, and it's an old digital synthesizer now,” he notes. “The problem is, there's so much new software and so many variables that you don't have to know what to do or how to get involved.
“Even though the limitations of analog have always appealed to composers because you can think more about a composition instead of being constantly immersed in ideas. Digital is powerful and you have to be very smart and use common sense to manage it."
7. Nia Archive
Jungle and DnB have stepped up a notch this year and there are a few manufacturers that are really pushing for this revival. Nia Archive is one of them, and 2022 is without a doubt her breakthrough year.
Earlier this year, Nia called for the MOBO Awards to create a special award category for electronic musicians. They took notice and earlier this month he won the first ever MOBO Best Electronic/Dance Act award. An achievement all the more impressive as it comes just a month after being named BBC Introducing Artist of the Year – the first electronic act to win the award.
The Bradford-born producer shot to fame in March with the release of Forbidden Feelings, a jaw-dropping six-song set that channeled the influence of his Jungist forebears on Amen Break-driven magnetic chamber pop. Their latest single "So Tell Me..." continues this formula, using genre as a vehicle to explore songwriting that flows mixed with pure, self-confessed emotion.
8. Two shells
Nothing is more exciting than an anonymous producer, but an anonymous duo? It's a recipe for intrigue. The mysterious couple behind Two Shells haven't revealed their true identities, but there are a few things we do know for certain.
Their genre-bending sound blends bass-heavy techno beats with rhythmic mastery of post-dubstep, adding sizzling synths and accelerated vocals straight out of the hyperpop playbook. With much talk of 'Home' released earlier this year, acting as a sound guide, their 'Icon' EP takes us deep into the duo's wacky world.
We're also pretty sure they sent two hustlers, wearing goat horns and clown wigs, to play a pre-recorded mix and pretend their boiler room was spinning first. First rate trolling.
9. Kelly Lee Owens
Since releasing his debut EP in 2016, Welsh producer Kelly Lee Owens has quickly emerged as one of the most unique voices in contemporary electronic music.
Although he collaborated with Bjork, John Cale and St. Vincent, it is his solo work that shines, blends brutal electronic textures and masterful drum programming with high-pitched vocals and haunting lyrics to create a dreamlike world vibrating with emotion.
We caught up with Owens earlier this year when he told us more about the creative process behind his 2022 LP. 8 album: “It feels like a lot of studio time was spent reintroducing variety and randomness,” we said. "I guess you could call it humanity. Pushing things forward, pushing things back, turning the volume down, trying to keep the listener engaged.
"If the music doesn't go anywhere, people will stop. Well, I know what this song does, I don't have to listen to it anymore. Analog makes things interesting. It rebels against the status quo.
10. Otik
Bristol-born London producer Otic follows his hometown tradition of creating imaginative and cerebral club music that delivers jungle echoes, dub and bass through the prism of techno. A prolific artist from the start, he doubled down on his momentum in 2022, releasing four of the year's best-rated EPs.
After previous releases landing on Bass Music imprint 3024, 3024 by Martin, Shall Not Fade and Graded Records to name a few – this year Otic has made his mark. Solar Body, the label that houses Otic's work, is "an attempt to connect the dots between ethereal atmosphere and high-octane jungle, footwork, darkness, garage bass, ambient techno moments and more."
