Matt Reed is 1/2 of Squelcher, an electronic 2 piece that makes synthesizer music. He’s a long-time musician in Boston who previously played with Battle House, Motionless and others. Squelcher has a s/t LP coming out on Moon Villain Records (Boston) next year.

2016 sucked. Hopefully we tried to do our part to make it better for people who need it to be better, and we will definitely need to continue doing so in the coming years. I don’t think anyone thinks it’s going to get easier in the near future, so fight on we must. Sometimes after all the reading, discussing, arguing and working the world can feel hopeless, but that’s one of the many reasons art exists. Sometimes it is to highlight the frustrations, sometimes it is to challenge you and sometimes it’s just there to take you away from it. These 10 records were mostly the later for me. As a caveat to the denunciation of 2016 – I will say this – it’s been a good year for music, and thanks to the Boston Hassle I saw 4/10 of these performers live in Boston at cool DIY spaces and that’s something we’re all really lucky to have in this town. If you feel like drifting away for a while check out some of these picks.

Convextion – Untitled (Acido 22)

This is the first record Gerard Hanson released under the moniker Convextion since 2007. It may be overshadowed by his full-length 2845 released this August which is not a shame – it’s one of the best techno records I’ve heard this year. However, if you want to get into a much different headspace, throw on this untitled two song LP from Acido Records. Both songs, around 12 minutes each, have a lo-fi melancholy feel, emphasised by the tape hiss that runs throughout. Don’t expect 909 drums or busy intricate synth lines. This is more of a meditation that contrasts very nicely with 2845 to show off the versatility of this Detroit master.

Outer Space – Gemini Suite

Outer Space, a duo consisting of John Elliott (a former member of Emeralds) and Drew Veres, haven’t disappointed me in the past and this record is no exception. The pair have taken a more minimalist approach on Gemini Suite. This list may be heavy on the melancholic, but this record keeps it on the positive end of things by comparison. Beautiful slow building synth progressions over well placed sequenced melodies get you in the zone if you want to feel a little blissed out. If you’re looking to be on another planet for a while where you can take off the space helmet, take a deep breath and explore, this is the one to cue up.

Prone – Bed Music Gold

Tim Davison is a local master of improvisational synthesizer music. It may be seen as nepotism to include him in this list, but I’ve got insight here! Spending a week and a half touring in a van with him and watching him perform night after night gave me a real idea of his range and talent. It’s consistently inspiring to see him play. Bed Music Gold, a recent release, is a collection of songs that showcases some of his best recent recorded work. Tim works in a deliberate way and never phones it in as he explores the spontaneous nature of his intricate synth patches. Some favorites on this release are “Blueheaded Matches” and “Bed Music for Wolfgang”.

Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith / Suzanne Ciani – Sunergy

It’s been a big year for Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, her record EARS came out and blew minds, and not soon after she paired up with synth legend and composer Suzanne Ciani to make this record. Both are exceptional works and worth many listens, and EARS could definitely fit into this list, however the pure chemistry between the two women and the improvisational nature of Sunergy really had an immediate impact on me. It sounds as if the two were really enjoying themselves while working these songs out and the effect is contagious. This year marked the deaths of all manner of artistic visionaries including Don Buchla, the inventor of the Buchla Modular Electronic Music System. The heavy use of his synthesizers on this record – given voice by two of the most talented composers in electronic music – couldn’t be a better tribute. Embedded below is the documentary about making the record, which is a really enjoyable watch.

Tim Hecker – Love Streams

Love Streams is a work I have barely wrapped my head around. Tim Hecker calls it, “a riff on the ubiquity and nihilism of streaming of all forms of life,” which is a quote I’ve barely wrapped my head around. The record combines synthesizers and heavily manipulated acoustic sounds. Hecker’s always-changing style paired with vocal work by the Icelandic Choir Ensemble and arranged by Johann Johannsson (soundtrack-er of movies like Sicario and Arrival as well as *gasp* the upcoming Blade Runner movie) is a very fruitful combination. Through the use of electronics and the human voice, as well as a sorting of other instrumentation, the music interweaves a pleasant tenseness with the occasional freeing release.

Jake Meginsky – Seven Psychotropic Sinewave Palindromes

I’ve already written about this tape here, so I’ll keep it short. Jake Meginsky is a trailblazer in complex rhythmic composition, and one we’re lucky to have as a Massachusetts cohabitant. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing him perform several times in different projects in 2016 (all Hassle events, btw!) and each time has been a transcendent experience. Check out this tape if you want your mind to be twisted in all sorts of wonderful ways.

Meyers – Negative Space (1981–2014)

I’ve also already written about this one here, but briefly, this is a record that feels new every time I listen to it. I spent a lot of time with it before writing my original review, but recently came back to it and found a whole new realm of sound. The sonic textures of this record alone make it an exciting listen, but the emotional depth weaved throughout gives it its brilliance.

M. Geddes Gengras – Interior Architecture

I’ll admit that I’m actually pretty new to the work of M. Geddes Gengras. I had the opportunity to play with him a few weeks back at a stacked Hassle show out in Cambridge and it kind of blew my mind. I’ve been actively trying to catch up since, and it’s been nothing but a wholly enjoyable jaunt through his discography. As another experimenter of modular synths, he is able to bring something fresh and creative to an ever-growing scene of artists patching cables into synthesizer inputs and making machines make you feel. This record is a collection of six years of writing and experimenting, showing his full-range of talent. Piano and other acoustic instruments are interweaved throughout, creating a nice balance of complex sounds through manipulation. A heady mix!

James Holden / Luke Abbott – Outdoor Museum of Fractals / 555Hz

Terry Riley will likely never cease to be a well of inspiration for all types of artists. This record, a dedication to his works, is one of the finer ones you’ll hear. James Holden, who collaborated with Camilo Tirado on this release, has consistently been one of the most interesting artists making electronic music (his Inheritors is an all-time fav) along with his Border Community compatriot Luke Abbott. Both use their own varied and complex techniques to pay homage to the man who transformed the way many thought about the use of time in musical composition. Holden through his use of Max/MSP patches that simulate the complex and repetitive nature of fractals, and Abbott who heavily uses the frequency 555Hz; touted as a healing “angelic frequency“. Part music/part science this record should not be overlooked.

Steve Hauschildt – Strands

As the second member of the now defunct synth trio Emeralds on this list, I may be showing my true colors as a big fan of the band. That’s okay though because these two haven’t stopped making good music, so I’ll keep listening! Where Outer Space’s Gemini Suite takes you to another planet, Strands puts you inside of a dream. The songs on this record feel very much of a piece and connect through streams of melody and harmony that at times feel foggy, but not a bewildering fog, more like a peacefully serene one.