Zammuto - F U C-3PO 9.0/10

Zammuto is the current experimental electronic project of Nick Zammuto, formerly part of the duo behind the band The Books. This track is taken from Zammuto's debut self-titled album which was released by Temporary Residence Records in 2012. After the breakup of The Books at the beginning of 2012, Zammuto toned down the most out-there experimental impulses of The Books and added more of a human touch with increased reliance on real instruments. F U C-3PO begins with a creepy, unsettling beat and distorted vocals which recall Massive Attack's Mezzanine album. This feeling is broken with the arrival of a chorus section of rising chopped vocals (if such a song can be said to have a 'chorus') which releases the tension and lifts the song briefly heavenward before returning to the depths for the second verse. The overall feeling is of meeting a creature deep inside a cave, at least until strummed guitar chords near the end bring the mood back to something more human. This is a track for nocturnal journeys and it rewards repeated listening to focus on the sound of each of its assembled parts and the way they snugly fit together.

Tobacco - Hairy Candy 8.6/10

Tobacco is the psychedelic electronic solo project of Tom Fec from the Pittsburgh-based group Black Moth Super Rainbow. This track is taken from his album Fucked Up Friends which was released by Anticon Records in 2008. Heavily treated vocals echo across a bed of revving synths and robotic beats, and somehow the result feels warm and organic rather than cold and mechanical. The lyrics are almost impenetrable in the mix and consist of just two repeated phrases, "Eat(?) the sun" and "too young", but it's the wistful emotion in the chopped vocal melody which adds depth to the song's headlong rush into what sounds like a trans-dimensional vortex. This is a late-night chillout track to listen to through headphones after watching sci-fi movies.

Doldrums - Egypt 8.6/10

Doldrums is the stage name of Airick Woodhead, an experimental electronic artist from Toronto, Canada, who moved to Montreal to become part of the city's art pop scene. This track is taken from his album called Lesser Evil which was released by Arbutus Records in February 2013. Egypt sounds like an extra track left over from the recording sessions for Bjork's album Post, and that is most certainly intended as a glowing compliment. Most of the album Lesser Evil was recorded on a laptop that he borrowed from his friend Claire Boucher, better known these days as Grimes, and the influence of Grimes, tour mates Purity Ring and the broader Montreal scene are apparent. Lush electronic washes, kick drums and myriad types of percussion compete for attention with sliced and diced samples, while the track's rhythm frequently moves off in unexpected directions deviating from its main beat pattern. This is arguably the strongest piece of work yet produced by Doldrums, and is a good introduction to the album Lesser Evil which is one of 2013's best experimental albums thus far.

Brothertiger - Back To Us 8.5/10

Brothertiger is an indie electronic project by John Jagos from Athens, Ohio. This track is taken from his EP called Point of View which was released by Collective Crowd Records in 2011. For those who enjoy sunny, poppy chillwave, look no further than the work of Brothertiger. This is a warm, relaxing track with classic synths and echoing custard cream vocals. Jagos sings of his longing to be near someone he misses; he name-drops The Police's Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, a song which seems to serve as his muse for this track. This is as syrupy as chillwave gets, feel good music ready to brighten up a rainy day.

Wise Blood - Darlin You're Sweet 8.5/10

Wise Blood is an indie electronic pop project by Chris Laufman from Pittsburgh, USA. This track is taken from his EP called These Wings which was released by Dovecote Records in 2011. This is an electro dance track done in slow motion, a chillout song for a quiet night in at home. For a bedroom lo-fi recording the production quality is high, and Laufman's layered vocals sung in a half-whisper and half-falsetto come across as fully sincere. He describes his love for his partner, and worries that he may not be everything that they need him to be, while also wondering if they are everything that he needs. The sampled backing vocals used during the bridge sound like a full church choir and add considerable volume and atmosphere. This is the standout track from the EP These Wings, and the best track so far from Wise Blood; hopefully he's working on more material that pushes the boundaries of bedroom electro pop the way Darlin You're Sweet does.

Neo-Safari - Coastal Cruise 8.7/10

Neo-Safari is an indie electronic project by Dan Rogers from Dallas, Texas. This track is taken from an EP which is simply titled 'EP' which was self-released in 2012. The mood is light and buoyant on this excellent glitch-heavy track. The chopped beats and synths create a sensation of moving forwards at high speed, making this a great song to put on in the car. The patterns of glitches and bass keep evolving in unexpected ways as it unfolds, leading to the payoff at 3:25 when the track kicks into top gear. The few vocals are impossible to make out, but the bubbly, playful atmosphere Rogers creates will put you in a great mood in just four and a half minutes. I recommend playing this while commuting on the way to work or school, you'll definitely arrive feeling refreshed.

Geographer - Verona 8.7/10

Geographer is an indie electronic pop band based in San Francisco, USA. This track is taken from their EP called Animal Shapes which was released by Tricycle Records in 2010. Although the song Kites from the Animal Shapes EP is better known, I've always felt this was the superior track from the EP and the best song so far produced by Geographer. The genius of this track is all in the subtle touches and the timing; take for example how lead singer Michael Deni slows down his delivery of the line "You told such simple lies" at the end of the chorus (at 2:04 and again at 4:36) while the synth beats stop just long enough to let his words sink in before starting up again. The counterpoint percussion used during the verses also adds some depth to offset the trance-inducing rhythm of the synth beats. This is chillout music to put on and fall asleep to after getting home at 3am, a late-night lullaby to play on repeat.

Born Gold - Wrinklecarver 8.3/10

Born Gold is the stage name of Cecil Frena, an indie electro pop artist originally from Edmonton, Canada. This track is taken from his debut album Bodysongs released by Crash Cymbals Records in 2011(freely available on Bandcamp). Sometimes I'm astonished when a song that seems destined to be heard around the world remains almost completely unknown, and that is certainly the case with Wrinklecarver. If this had been played a few times on major radio stations Frena would be a household name by now. His former project Gobble Gobble included Claire Boucher (Grimes) and Corin Roddick and Megan James (Purity Ring), who have moved on to increasing stardom in the past year. This is a thumping, high-energy electro pop song that is just off-kilter enough to feel a bit weird, though it's the kind of strangeness that you don't need to think too hard about while dancing to it. Frena's vocals are kept front and centre throughout the hurricane of techno beats and synth washes, and he sings with intensity about... I'm not really sure what, lines like 'I don't want to feel my skin unlace its skates' sound like Canadian nonsense rhymes. Why is the track called 'Wrinklecarver'? I haven't the foggiest, but such things really don't matter once you press play and start bobbing your head to it.

Electric President - Good Morning, Hypocrite 8.4/10

Electric President is an indie electronic pop band from Florida, USA. The group's main members are Ben Cooper and Alex Kane. This track is taken from their self-titled album released by Morr Music in 2006. The track's keyboards, pianos and whooshing electronic beats sound much larger and fuller than the bedroom recording studio they were made in. The lush electronic gurgles and crisply thumping rhythm are set against Ben Cooper's hushed vocals, creating a sound which is reminiscent of The Postal Service. The call-and-response voices used in the middle section also recall the pop sensibilities of Junior Senior. Lyrically the track describes the personal alienation brought about by modern technology and lines like 'nature's haircut is concrete now, we played our part' remind me of the environmental themes of Grandaddy's album The Sophtware Slump. This track is best experienced through headphones while curled up on a sofa, gazing out the window at a busy city street.

Beta Frontiers - Hondo 8.4/10

Beta Frontiers are a lo-fi electro outfit from Toronto, Canada. This track is from the self-titled EP released in 2012 on local Toronto label Daps. Eighties-style disco synths and old-school keyboard effects chug along, gradually adding more steam until reaching critical danceability in the final minute (it takes effort not to move parts of your body after 2:28). The vocals by Becky Ninkovic are understated and sincere, and pair well with the retro-futurist groove Beta Frontiers are aiming for. This is a perfect soundtrack to an evening of Atari and 8-bit Nintendo games.