2022 proved to be an incredible year for indie electronic music; here are twenty of the best indie gems of this year.
While familiar favorites of the indie genre such as Bonobo and Skream continued to impress, 2022 saw the rise of Fred again…, undoubtedly one of the most prolific electronic music producers of all time. 2022 also saw the explosion of artists who offered a fresh vibe, three of the most prominent being LP Giobbi, DRAMA, and BAYNK.
2022 definitely marked to be a tremendous year for feel good electronic music. Perhaps it’s because people wanted to feel a sense of togetherness after two full years of isolation. Many of the best indie electronic tracks of the year were as soulful and emotive as they were groovy. Without further ado, here’s the list of the twenty best indie electronic tracks of 2022 sure to have listeners flying high well into 2023.
1) ALL IN A DREAM – LP GIOBBI, DJ TENNIS, JOSEPH ASHWORTH
2022 proved to be a massive breakout year for the Austin, Texas based, LP Giobbi. The professional pianist, producer, and founder of the non-profit, Femme House was selected as an Artist to Watch by Spotify and Amazon Music earlier this year. Performing at EDC Las Vegas, LP signed to Ninja Tune’s Counter Record back in June. Strategically teaming up with prolific producers DJ Tennis and Joseph Ashworth, the chill house “All In a Dream” is as emotive as it is groovy. The ingenious piano and vocal heavy track is sure to withstand the test of time.
2) CLARA THE NIGHT IS DARK – FRED AGAIN…
Mentored by Brian Eno, 2022 proved to be the breakout year for the UK based producer Fred Again… After working with some of the biggest names in pop such as Ed Sheeran and Charli XCX, Fred decided to release the three-part Actual Life album. Fred Again… toured far and wide in 2022 in support of the three part album as he gained hundreds of millions of plays. While it is difficult to select which Fred Again… this track is the best of those featured on Actual Life 3, “Clara (the night is dark)” truly impresses. Based on a 1994 rendition of the Gospel hymn “The Storm is Passing Over,” Fred’s genius production is absolutely delectable and worthy of keeping on repeat.
3) ROSEWOOD – BONOBO
Debatably of the best indie producers of all-time, Bonobo has gained considerable recognition in recent years. “Rosewood” is one of many tunes featured on the producer’s newest album, Fragments. A tremendously strong album release, Bonobo earned his seventh Grammy nomination for his work on Fragments. “Rosewood” stays true to the producer’s classic style while offering up a contemporary feel served up with a side of soul.
4) BLEU BETTER WITH TIME – FRED AGAIN…
Also featured on Actual Life 3 released back in October on Atlantic Records, this creative and forward-thinking track is steeped in deep groove and dawns a sensational vibe. The track features Fred’s sample induced, soulful yet groovy vibe that has come to be characteristic of his music.
5) WORLD IS EMPTY – SKREAM & JANSONS
“World is Empty” merges the tremendous talents of revered UK electronic act Skream and rising UK producer Jansons. Pairing 80s synth sounds with melodic piano, soulful vocals, and plenty of deep groove, this track was undoubtedly one of the best indie gems of 2022.
6) TOUCH ME (HOLD MY HAND) BAYNK
Baynk proved to be one of the biggest breakout stars of indie electronica in 2022. Releasing his debut full length album Adolescence earlier in the year, the album featured collaborations with the likes of Tinashe and Cosmo’s Midnight. The highly experimental yet melodic “Touch Me (Hold My Hand)” is the first track featured on the album, powerfully introducing listeners to Baynk’s world. Considering its highly emotive spirit and dexterous production, the album is sure to withstand the test of time. It’ll be exciting to see what Baynk serves up in 2023 and beyond.
7) LOVED BY U – TOKIMONSTA & MORGXN
Yet another feel good track, TOKiMONSTA and morgxn’s single is a masterpiece. First introduced at Charli XCX’s Halloween party before the pandemic, the single was two years in the making. “Loved By U” is a track that was supposed to deliver the feeling of togetherness after two years of separation amidst the pandemic; the duo is able to provide that and more. TOKiMONSTA’s production and morgxn’s emotive vocal delivery are the perfect combo. This track is sure to help everyone’s spirits continue to soar high as we soar into 2023.
8) DELILAH (PULL ME OUT OF THIS) – FRED AGAIN…
Serving up yet another one of the best dance tracks of 2022, “Delilah (pull me out of this)” features some real life recordings from Fred’s life. The samples powerfully recreate Fred’s personal struggles with anxiety. It’s a universal dance song with global appeal.
9) FOREVER AND A DAY (DIPLO REMIX) – LP GIOBBI & CAROLINE BYRNE
“Forever and a Day” pairs the ingenious producer and pianist LP Giobbi with soulful vocalist Caroline Byrne. The gorgeous gem is as melodic as it is groovy. Released on Ninja Tune’s Counter Records back in August, this highly emotive chill house track could be easily described as transcendent and luminous. Diplo’s slightly more upbeat remix shakes things up a bit while still maintaining the integrity of the original.
10) BOUNDARIES (DRAMA REMIX) – JAMILA WOODS
Electro Soul group DRAMA has continued to impress with each and every music release. The Chicago based duo’s remix of neo soul, R&B singer Jamila Woods’ track strikes all the right chords. DRAMA has become known for their vibey heartbreak style of electro soul. Their remix of “Boundaries” definitely fits within the confines of their musical style, while offering up a fresh vibe by incorporating the sounds and vocals of Jamila Woods.
11) ON YOUR OWN – HAYDEN JAMES, CASSIAN & ELDERBROOK
Featured on Hayden James’ Future Classic LP Lifted, “On Your Own” pairs the talents of the prolific Hayden James with the Grammy-nominated Elderbrook and the Grammy winning Cassian. Cassian was awarded a Grammy earlier this year for his work as the mix engineer on the RUFUS DU SOL’s “Alive.” The epic bassline seamlessly weaves with the ethereal synths and emotive vocals, resulting in a truly magnificent track that “transports listeners to clubland.”
12) CHILD – WHIPPED CREAM
Revealing the softer side of the talented Whipped Cream, her 2022 single release “Child” was an ode to her childhood. The track revealed her incredible vocal talents by pairing it with both chiller production and a touch of drum and bass. A former figure skater, the accompanying music video features her sensational ice skating.
13) 1CHANCE – BAYNK & DRAMA
The new single “1Chance” features the talents of New Zealand producer Baynk and the electro soul duo DRAMA. The fresh chillout beats are tremendously complemented by vocals from Via Rosa, frontwoman for DRAMA. The genre bending single is one of the best underground electronic gems 2022 had to offer.
14) NEVER STOP – THIRD CULTURE, SACHA ROBOTTI & SIAN
“Never Stop” pairs the diverse musical talents Sacha Robotti with fellow producers Third Culture and Sian for a club ready musical treat. Centered around a catchy vocal sample, the track seamlessly blends house music with dark electronica, and disco vibes. The resulting vibe is as moody as it is groovy.
15) AWAT – PAJI
The first single in three years from German based producer Paji, “Awat” is a true musical treat. The highly cinematic track merges world music vibes with hypnotic soundscapes and house music vibes, resulting in a truly epic track. Still very much below the radar, Paji remains to be one of the best undiscovered electronic music producers of our modern era.
16) TOUCH – GOLDEN FEATURES, RROMARIN
Riding high off their success on the collaborative 2020 album release with ODESZA titled BRONSON, 2022 was a true breakout year for multidimensional Australian producer Golden Features. Opening for ODESZA on a handful of their tour dates, Golden Features was able to share his music with massive audiences throughout North America. The inspiring, emotive, and mesmerizing “Touch” perfectly pairs the electronic music talents of Golden Features with the vocal talents of rising star Rromarin. The moody and emotive gem could be described as having “golden features,” and certainly marks one of the best indie electronic track releases of 2022.
17) SPIRIT ON MINE – VENESSA MICHAELS & LUCK
Best known for her unique genre of retro-futuristic sound, Venessa Michaels soared to electronic music fame in recent years. Her latest single “Spirit On Mine” is a soulful-club collaboration with genre-bending singer/songwriter, Luck. The single marks the first track release off her forthcoming debut LP, Sent From Saturn, set for release in 2023.
18) MY HEART – SWAYLÓ
2022 proved to be a massive year for Ancient Future leaning producer SWAYLÓ. Last summer the producer made his way across North America to festivals such as Electric Forest, Lightning in a Bottle, and EDC Mexico. Back in August, the dynamic producer dropped his gem “My Heart” on Techne Records. The song combines four on the floor, melodic house, tribal sounds, and ethereal vocals for a pitch perfect single guaranteed to get any crowd moving.
19) TRA TRA – HUGEL, BLOND:ISH & NFASIS
In 2022 HUGEL and BLOND:ISH teamed up with reggaeton star Nfasis for their magnificent house music single “Tra Tra.” The infectiously dance worthy single received international acclaim as crowds across the globe danced all summer long to the pop leaning, Latin house and Afrobeat track.
20) NADIE ME VE (BOSA REMIX) – PALOMA.
2022 proved to truly be a breakout year for LA based producer BOSA (formerly Stephan Jacobs) as he continued to impress with each and every musical release. His remix of Paloma’s “Nadie Me Ve” merges BOSA’s prolific world leaning music production with the original’s Latin based vibe. This result is a truly great eclectic dance track that is sure to appeal to a widespread audience of electronic music aficionados.
