Since I Left You

No matter how many electronic albums this project throws at me, I can barely distinguish one from the other. Let alone figure out why I need to hear more than two of them.

The most interesting thing this album does is bleed sounds from one song to the next, creating one continuous thread. Unfortunately, that’s about the only interesting thing it does. 2.5

A couple of decent tracks, but not enough to keep my interest for an hour.

I’ve had my ups and downs with electronic music on this list so far. This one I think lands much more on the positive side. Interesting compositions. Great vibe. 4/5

once again i expected to like it more but it was just mediocre. already knew Frontier Psychiatrist which is a great song but for me it's also the only song that i'd define as great.

Phenomenal album. I actually spun it twice during my workday. I wonder how all the samples rights work out? Maybe I'll look into that?

I had stumbled across "Frontier Psychiatrist" before, and while I enjoyed it, I didn't like it enough to think I'd enjoy a whole album of this sort of thing. Happy to be proven wrong! The Avalanches do art by pastiche, enlisting a collection of samples so enviably esoteric that the process to compile them must verge on the archaeological. The album might be not much more than nice grooves with repetitive sound bytes thrown in to achieve a particular rhythm, but the listening experience is enjoyable in it's eclectic nature. The group really has an ear for melody and rhythm, and they weave these songs together into a cohesive listening experience. Good stuff.

After taking a week off for a vacation, this is the album I returned to. I'd never heard of The Avalanches, and was intrigued with what little I'd read about them. The album started off great, as Ioved the title track. After that it was hit and (not quite) miss, with some songs that I thought were very fun and entertaining and others that fell into the background and were barely noticeable. The standouts aside from the titular track were Flight Tonight, A Different Feeling, and Frontier Psychiatrist. If half stars were possible this would be a 3.5. It's better than a 3 and not quite a 4. We'll see what I give it tomorrow morning.

Prince Paul levels of sampler madness; though the Avalanches' team somehow actually managed to get these samples cleared. Gold star for the A&R, I suppose. It's very cleverly layered, if somewhat patchy in spots. Because it's quite an intensive listen (in terms of demands on concentration rather than actual complexity or tone, if that makes sense), if you're not in the mood, it can feel a bit too long. That said, when you are in the mood, it's quite a trip. Meticulously messy mashups.

Some nice samples some also poor production clunky especially at the end of songs. Heard the Dexter crazy as a nut before but the rest new. Started badly and got better as it went on.

Really coherent album and does make you feel of long ago hot summers

This is surprisingly decent electronica. I'd never heard of The Avalanches, but was pleasantly surprised. Is it great? No, it suffers from the typical repetition and predictability of the genre. Is it unique or does it offer something that I should hear before I die? Nope. It's just above-average pop/rock electronica. Which, for this project, means a 3.

This sound really captures a certain something of the early aughts. I like it!

excelente, exotico, unico y revolucionario

This band needs therapy.

It's an absolute yes from me

Wonderful, really a shame that it took 16 years to get the next album

2.5

Lovely listening experience all through, thoughtful track listing. Like a musical collage

Can an avalanche fall on Robert Dimery’s head already? But seriously, this album was so repetitive. The only good example ever of repetition in music is the limp bizkit song where fred goes “keep rollin rollin rollin rollin” That’s good. Avalanche bad. Edit: its better now

I hate this.

I really like this era of electronic music where artists could grab a mountain of samples, smoosh them all together, and somehow turn the whole thing into something beautiful. So knowing Since I Left You was basically built around that idea, I was pretty excited going in. Plus, the one song I already knew, “Frontier Psychiatrist,” is great. And yeah, there’s definitely a lot to appreciate here. I love hearing all these little pieces of 20th-century music chopped up, rearranged, and blended into something completely different. There were moments that reminded me of Daft Punk, Moby, and some of the other sample-heavy electronic music from around this era. When everything clicked, it sounded fantastic. But compared to those artists, and even something like The Prodigy, this didn’t grab me quite as much. Some tracks started getting repetitive, and that can be a tricky thing with electronic music. If I really love the sound being repeated, keep it going forever. I’m happy. But if I’m only lukewarm on it, eventually I’m just sitting there waiting for the next track to show up. So it’s a bit uneven for me. Some songs are great, some are just okay, but overall I still thought *Since I Left You* was a pretty good album. Even when I wasn’t completely into a track, I could still appreciate the ridiculous amount of creativity that went into piecing this whole thing together.

Absolutely blown away by this. Not only did the disco-infused music absolutely slap, but the process behind it is mind boggling. 900 samples. It takes a seriously creative brain to visualise music like this and then have the ability to execute it. I don’t think peiple realise how much skill there is in electronic music production, especially sampling. This is the best album I’ve heard so far 9.5 / 10 Best track/s: the whole goddamn thing

Did not expect to see this one on here, but happy I did. I first learned about this record by watching DJ Dexta in the 2000 DMC World Finals. He played a segment of "Frontier Psychiatrist" during his set and, in addition to his awesome scratch/technical ability as a DJ, I was a fan. This record is so relaxing and inspiring; it makes me happy to be alive and that music like this exists. It has some very creative and beautiful compositions, all while keeping a light mood. The production and sequencing is very well done and I enjoy the record front to back. Giving this a rare 5 from me, given its significance to my life and how much I still appreciate it after all these years.

Biggest load of keech since the last big load of keech!

🙄

Acceptable but not 1 of even 10001.

A fantastic album in the sample-based "sampledelia" style. This one's a bit different from other sample-based albums we've had in the past on this list, which have been firmly grounded in the sound of some existing genre. Funky breaks for Fatboy Slim, hip hop for DJ Shadow... but this album is entirely something its own, and for that I absolutely love it. "Frontier Psychiatrist" alone is its own sonic world! Great great stuff.

This was a pretty interesting album. Tried a few different genres, which helped it not get tiring. Still, I didn’t end up liking it as much as I thought I would.

I love this album so much!! It's one long daydream with a uniquely strange atmosphere. I've always found it sort of cold and uncanny in a way - maybe because it's fully composed from hundreds (thousands?) of tiny, disjointed and unrelated snippets mashed together. Its weirdness is its charm! You could draw comparisons to other sample-heavy artists like DJ Shadow and the like - there's even a moment here that reminds me a lot of The Caretaker's work (track 11) - but few defy genre definition quite like The Avalanches. What's crazy is that it would've been easy for them to go overboard with all the different samples, but they actually show a lot of restraint all while still crafting some wonderfully lush, textured instrumentals. When they *really* let loose, it's on Frontier Psychiatrist, the climax of the album... and GOD it's so perfectly insane! I adore it!! Then on eventual re-listens you even start to spot recurring sounds throughout the project that really give it an extra sense of continuity, so it only gets better over time. One last note! Remember how I described this album as being a strange, cold and uncanny daydream? I just can't help but bring up by contrast their sophomore album Wildflower, released 16 years later. They lay off the plunderphonics a bit and give way to something delightfully warm, full of life, and still somehow just as daydreamy. I can't recommend the experience enough to those who enjoyed what The Avalanches did on SILY. Standouts: Since I Left You • Two Hearts In 3/4 Time • Electricity • Tonight May Have To Last Me All My Life • Frontier Psychiatrist • ETOH • Summer Crane • Little Journey • Extra Kings

I don't like this album very much, which is a shame because I love the idea behind it, and i think everything from Frontier Psychiatrist to the end is great. However, I just feel that it really drags in the beginning and the songs feel like they have a very formulaic structure that makes them predictable.

this album is pretty much a party front to back. i imagined it as basically one long club set. the songs transition from one to another and it makes for a really fun listening experience. my god, the sampling is incredible! truly a textbook use of sampling. i genuinely had so much fun listening to this one.

I was enjoying the sampling on the first part of the album, but the second part of the album leans way more into mediocre electronica than the first part of the album, which seems heavily inspired by hip hop.

This was an interesting piece. First time I've heard what people are calling "Plunderphonics". I get it, but it's not lacking artistry. The samples are repetitive, sure, but they move forward. Each track flows into the next, and the tracks can't really be separated from each other. The radio-play put together by "Frontier Psychiatrist" is funny and cohesive as the apex of the album. Give it a shot. It's not essential, but it's fun. My Rating: 4/5

The first time I tried listening to it I thought 'what the hell is this?', I wasn't going to continue. The next day I decided to give it a chance and ended up liking the album.

It's so artsy and fun, I feel like I should like it more...

3.5

Absolutely loved this album, I thought it might be good, as I love the title track, but loved the different styles, and samples throughout, bordering here on 4.5/5, probably need to give it a few more listens tbh

This isnt bad its just boring. I dont live in a world where I could ever imagine thinking to myself 'I cant wait to go home and put this on the stereo." Nice background music.

Great album

Classic

One of the most impossible albums in existence. The Avalanches manage to squeeze 3,500 samples into this record's hour-long runtime, without the resulting mix coming off as too messy or disjointed. I mean, it's still a plunderphonics record at the end of the day, so that feeling of rapidly flipping through your local radio stations is still very much here, but it's oddly cohesive for this style. The songs FEEL like songs, and not just the band exercising their sample-chopping skills for the sake of it. There are driving beats, hooks, stories, and so many emotions put on display here. The opening title track is the band at their most perfect. It's not a song where you notice the sheer amount of samples used unless you were listening deeply. Because on top of all of it, you have this beautiful chipmunk vocal sample and these elegant, awe-inspiring strings gliding over the whole thing, and that's what really grabs your attention. All the other layers can easily fly by you if you weren't paying attention, but remove even one of those samples, and a veteran listener would immediately be able to tell. 'Stay Another Season' I almost consider the same song as the opener; the transition is seamless until that bass line comes in and you realize you're in an entirely different song. I love the ascending piano melody and horse (?) sample closing this thing out; it's one of the many oddball moments on this album. 'Radio', just like most of the album, brings this very summery vibe, but it's really elevated on this particular song, with those psychadelic West Coast synths being the real driver here. 'Flight Tonight' is the closest to obviously messy that this album gets; there's just so much flying at you at all times, it's overstimulating, and I love it - it perfectly captures the feeling of a chaotic night out in the heart of a ginormous city; with cars zooming by, thousands of people walking around, lights flashing different colours everywhere...it's great. Just a pumping techno groove here and such an infectious drumbeat, and I absolutely love the midway breakdown with this radio-host sample that's synced to sound like it's rapping over this stuttering breakbeat. 'A Different Feeling' is maybe the most Dilla-sounding thing here; it's again a cut that stands on its own two feet as just a good song, regardless of the broader context of the album. 'Electricity', while it takes a bit to get started, is just a solid hip-hop beat, something Madlib or, again, Dilla would put together, at least with that core loop. I can easily picture someone rapping over this. But unlike your standard hip-hop beat, this one is ever-changing and sporadic and absolutely restless. And god that bassline is great. Then we have 'Frontier Psychiatrist' later on in the tracklisting, which honestly feels really disconnected from the rest of the album; it's such an odd twist so late in the record. The sample splicing is noticeable; they're not perfectly blended to form these Frankenstein songs, and you can hear where each sample starts and stops for the most part. It's not unlike a DJ Shadow song in that way. But goddamn if it isn't one of the best things put to tape. It's ominous, with low, eerie horn samples soundtracking these strangely spliced conversations and uncanny snippets, and ginormous, monstrous choirs and horns on the chorus. It's a ginormous track that makes the whole thing feel catastrophic, and there's absolutely no song like it out there. The album sends itself off pretty nicely; the highlight at this point is the song 'Live At Dominoes', which goes full Daft Punk with vocoder vocals and one of the best snare sounds here. And I always shed a single tear when everything is temporarily low-passed out to make way for these bittersweet strings before everything is slowly brought back in all their stuttering Avalanches beauty. Again, a song with a gazillion things going on at once; never get bored of listening to this one specifically. There is no album like this one, period. I know Plunderphonics is a large and varied genre, but this is the technical peak from what I've heard. Even with all the technology we have now that would've probably made the creation of this album a million times easier, I still haven't heard a plunderphonics record that so perfectly interleaves its samples to make something this massive. This being released in 2000 seems impossible to me, but I'll take people's word on it.

I don’t know what that was.

I'm vibing

oh this is EASILY my favorite album i've found so far from this project. i was already very much aware of this one and had it on my list of stuff to check out, but i hadn't gotten an excuse to listen to it before this. this was a good bit better than i expected, but honestly i'll enjoy anything with a dance beat behind it so i expected to at least kinda like this. i know the samples are the biggest part of this, but honestly i don't care too much about the technical side of this i just think it sounds good and makes me feel like dancing tbh. 5/5, easily deserves to be here and highly reccomend!

Et av vår tids aller største mesterverk. Gjør for club musikken det Endtroducing…. gjorde for hip hop.

Føltes som tidenes DJ-sett, og jeg har egentlig ikke noe sans for DJ-sett. Digga det såpass at jeg ikke oppdaget at jeg hadde hørt nesten halvparten av bonussporene også. Nå må jeg høre det på nytt for å se om jeg klarer å kjenne igjen enda flere samples.

Not bad, but not great either.

When does first started the current the kind of barrage of sampling and making it all work together seemed rather cool but literally after the first 13 to 20 minutes it's started getting a bit old to me and it going on for 60 minutes definitely made me feel like the only way I can appreciate this is if I was sucking on a pacifier. There are a couple of tracks I noted liking mainly the title track and *Frontier Psychiatrist*... The latter one because it was silly. I honestly don't think this was bad bad but I definitely didn't it all that much. (5.8) ★★½

It is creative, but not something I enjoy 3 stars

4.5/5

Along with *Paul's Boutique* and *Endtroducing..*, this album really showcases the power of the sample in music. It transforms nearly 1000 unique samples into a cohesive album that feels special. Unlike a lot of 90s electronica that uses vocal samples, the songs don't really feel repetitive or wear out their welcome. There are a few tracks that get into club territory, but a lot of the stuff here is just breezy psychedelia. Highlights for me are the title track, "Two Hearts in 3/4 Time", "Electricity", "Extra Kings", and the super cool "Frontier Psychiatrist". 4 stars.

3.5

There is a certain Odyssey movie by Christopher Nolan doing the rounds at the moment but never mind that, here is the real Odyssey. It’s an Aussie-manufactured Dance Odyssey! Such a vibrant fun-packed adventure from 1st track till last. The creativity with the weaving of 1000s of sample and making it work so seamlessly and poppily is astounding. A landmark plunderphonics release alongside DJ Shadow Endtroducing and KLF Chill Out and up there with Daft Punk Discovery as best dance album of the 2000s

I thought this was good. Cool and dance-y but inventive and fun.

Dance, sampledelia, disco, plunderphonics, art pop.

It's beeps and boops accompanied by some killer beats. Its a decent album, and the use of samples is extremely creative. I don't have too much to say about this one, other than I like it.

Kul vibe, spesielt frontier psycologist er en banger

Elektronisk. Flere lyde og samles brugt af Pretty Lights. Klart derfor jeg syntes det var interessant.

Det er mere ligegyldigt end dårligt. Små fine højdepunkter, særligt når de sampler 50er og 60er lyd ind i det.

A real melange of styles on this one. I appreciate the creativity it took to make this. Some tracks I enjoyed more than others, which is to be expected when there is a variety of styles. Went on a bit long for me but I’m happy I got to hear it.

Rave album.

I am finally picking up The Avalanches' acclaimed debut album Since I Left You for the first time in quite a while and I want to see if my opinions on this album had changed at all whatsoever. The project's bright ray of hope and happiness is surely a mood lifter but some of the loops can start to shred into your ears a little bit, like Radio for example. I will say I was thoroughly impressed with how smooth all the transitions are on this project, it is like hearing one giant jumble of music and it's really trippy in the best way. The music is like a rave that never stops or gets tired and instead marches on for days without breaking a single sweat. You can't take a song from this album and expect it to work on its' own because all the songs together only work in their designated order to create the feeling, sound, and experience everyone wants. I may not pick up this project a lot but whenever I do I am put into a state of mind unique to this project and this project only, it's an experience that should be cherished by any listener.

2026.07.25.

07/25 Classic. One of the best summer albums ever!

I enjoyed it some of the time - some very beautiful moments. I was annoyed by it some of the time as well. Don't know if I'd go back to it much though.

just noise fr

I was surprised by this album. I didn't expect to like a bunch of songs that are themselves a collection of bits and pieces of other songs from across different eras and genres.

Väga hea taustamuusika, mis oli linnaliku ja suvise energiaga. See on seda tüüpi muusika, mida ma mängiksin baaritöötajana taustaks, kui mul mõtted otsa saavad. Lood sisaldasid palju sampleid ja oli seetõttu natukene nagu helide kollaaž, muusika mis ei tõmba endale liiga palju tähelepanu.

I think this is legitimately very clever and well done, it just never really elevates above “nice background noise” level for me

This album is a masterpiece, such a class on how to sample and make a great, distinctive, very original record. It is not like anything else, it's a trip through music, through very different genres, blending them into one very conceptual record. I love how all the songs flow into each other, how there are many different moments in culture combined in one album. It really feels like a class on art history. It's hypnotic, it's very authentic, and it is not tiring at all. The main issue with many albums based on sampling is always the same, failing at delivering a unique atmosphere or soundscape that, at the end, becomes repetitive and uninteresting. There is no place for that in this album. The repetitiveness is there, but everything is so well constructed that there are always changes, new layers (and you can actually get lost in the immensity of layers each second of the album has), something new and beautiful to discover. Sure, there are songs I like more than others, as this album dives among a lot and very different genres and elements, but the construction of it feels more as a whole rather than a collection of songs. And that whole is wonderful, it is mesmerising. So huge and so fascinating. You cannot skip a second. It is so well constructed, as a very polished collage of sounds, that it becomes very original. The samples lose their nature to become as a new, completely different thing. And I do not usually enjoy albums based on samples, sometimes I understand their value or even consider them good, but, at some point, they tire me or become redundant. But the eclectic nature of this one, the always changing aspect, the inclusion of many different atmospheres and even its cinematic sound, so surrounded by pieces of film dialogues is truly a surreal and precise work, with such a wonderful result that I just cannot believe my ears. It has been amazing to listen to this album, it is such a fabulous one.

Good vibes

Bumped it up a full star because that first track is one of my favs & it also has a killer music video. Other than that, this is a band that I can appreciate more than like. The sample stuff is so cool, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it works for me as a song.

Incredibly close to a 5 star. Loved it for the most part but would have been an instant classic if every song was 30 seconds shorter. It’s a big problem with dance/electronic music. The song builds up and then just repeats the same idea over and over.

Easy listening instrumental hiphop - ganz nett aber muss auch nicht ständig sein

I didnt know this band and I really enjoyed the vibes.

Never heard of that band and album. Quite enjoyed it!

That boy needs therapy! *Record scratch* * Horse whinny*. Man, this album is awesome. It has the perfect opener and then takes you on this wild ride, it's super quirky and has some really interesting samples throughout. An absolute joy and I can't wait to keep revisiting it. Favourites: Since I Left You Radio Tonight Frontier Psychiatrist

Not my thing

GRAHHH I LOVE PLUNDERPHONICS

Cool! This album. Two Australian releases in a row, no less. My Aussie album thirst will be quenched for a while. I've heard this one already. I listened to it about a year and a half ago when I decided to peruse some of the "best of all time" Australian albums lists. I can't speak with certainty, though I'm pretty sure this is the most respected Australian album, at least as far as the Internet's perspective on music is concerned. I've seen it being discussed and passed around more than any of the other critically-acclaimed Australian albums on this list, which would certainly make sense as this album is among our more distinctive and original musical offerings. I respected this album on my first listen for all that it set out to do, though I wasn't feeling the music as much as I would have hoped. Regardless, the general aesthetic of this album is still very much up my alley. I'm hoping a relisten will do it justice. I doubt it'll make much of a difference on my opinion, though for full transparency I'm listening to the Zomba Records promo release of this album, which includes all of the removed samples along with the "With My Baby" B-side. Here goes. Yeah, I don't know why I was unmoved by this album on my first listen. This shit is fucking COOL. So many inspired rhythms, melodies, samples and song transitions... That is, until the last five or six songs rock up. Yeah, I kinda understand why I was completely and utterly whelmed by this album. It has some real highlights, though the album devolves into a samey, bland mush by the time it crosses the finish line. The samples weren't as dense or intricate, the songs not as distinctive or memorable and I felt an unshakable sense of atrophy and stagnation by the time I reached the end. I'd much rather focus on the good half of this album, which is fucking amazing. The title track is remarkable in how effectively it alternates between a relaxed and peppy sound - a feat owed to the remarkable number of genres which are sampled over its four-minute runtime. "Stay Another Season" is an interesting inverse of the previous song which effectively bears the weight of coming off such an astounding opener.. While not being a part of the official track listing, "With My Baby" is both an effective interlude between Stay Another Season and Radio while also being a highlight on its own. I'm a big fan of those explosive brass numbers along with the heavy hip-hop sampling which guides the less energetic stretches of the song. That bass guitar which appears in the middle of the song is pretty kickass, too. "Radio" is another great tune, largely owed to the unusual, jittery vocal melody and the heavy, thumping dance percussion which underscores the music. "Two Hearts in 3/4 Time" is gorgeous thanks to how wonderfully cohesive the samples are. I could go on, though I feel less strongly about the songs which follow. Still, what a phenomenal run of five songs. The good elements of this album seriously land, and for that reason I'm conent with bumping this puppy to a well-earned 4/5 stars. I already know that this album is in here on good authority, so I don't need to weigh up the reasons for why I should keep it. I cosign this inclusion.

Surprisingly fun. Every song is good but some of the track transitions are questionable at best.

This has been on my peripheral for a while now, and I do have to say that I'm impressed. Since I Left You is plunderphonics executed to the peak of it's capabilities. This thing is made out of art turned cultural detritus through lost vinyl records and films. And The Avalanches make it a new and vital form of art. Basically, they are building a bridge to the future out of the past. And this really *does* sound futuristic. This would have sounded just as right coming out last decade, or even this decade. Perhaps timeless is more correct than futuristic then. But The Avalanches touch on Hip-Hop, electronica, House, ambient and more. There are cool songs, danceable songs, and beautiful songs. And the magic is that the samples that this is made out of can still kind of be recognized and enjoyed as the things that they used to be too. Frontier Psychiatrist is one of the easiest highlights here. It features some of the most creative sampling I've ever heard. But Since I Left You honestly flows like a single piece of art, most similarly to a DJ set. Sampled elements are carried between songs, as are rhythmic and melodic ideas. It ends up remarkably cohesive. I think this is an easy 9, however that isn't really an option here, so I'm gonna hold off on the 10 for now, but know that Since I Left You is *extremely* good.

What a fun album. Light, dancy and such many fantastic samples. Frontier Psychiatrist is such a banger. Good to hear it again. Other faves were the title track and A Different Feeling.

Een volledig sample based album van iets van een uur? Klinkt als DJ Shadow? Klinkt disco, klinkt vibey, maar 'dit heeft de muziekindustrie verandert?' Heeeel benieuwd hier naar, kan niet anders zeggen! Het klinkt inderdaad alsof iemand ALLE samples bij elkaar heeft gedonderd en er een album van probeert te maken. Ik hou van house, ik hou van elektronische muziek, maar ik vin dit wel heel erg chaotisch klinken. Misschien is dat de bedoeling, maar het klinkt voor mij nog niet heel erg alsof er een duidelijk idee achter zit zeg maar. Maar dat is vooral op het eerste deel van het album. Ergens halverwege lijkt het te switchen en komt er meer een flow in het album, beetje alsof je naar housesetje aan het luisteren bent. De muziek gaat gewoon lekker door en het word ook niuet echt meer duidelijk bij welk nummer je bent na een tijdje. Eigenlijk gewoon precies wat je wilt bij deze muziek! Hahah wtf is de Ma bakert sample Dit is echt een vreemd album. Wel leuk vreemd, uiteindelijk dan. Maar wel echt een vreemd album. FAVO: A different feeling, Live at dominoes

Is this the prequel to Everywhere at the End of Time by The Caretaker? Now there’s an album to put in this list. If you want a moving artistic sonic experience that’s one to find. If the author of this list was brave there’d be more like that on here. Not just Brit pop.

2000s electronica. Loads of beautiful samples used to create tracks. Uplifting, vibey, summer party mood.

Frontier Psychiatrist was the peak of the album, I liked that most songs transition into each other. Generally like the sound but felt too incohesive at times.

I’ve kinda been waiting for something to happen so far it kinda just sounds like sample tracks/backtracks

First Listen: NA OVERALL: Spring fans are doe-eyed idealists, preaching ad-nauseum about the melting snow, flowers blooming, and the transitory state between the life and death of summer and winter. Unfortunately reality exists, and the reality is that spring is a scratch ticket of a season that slowly reveals the months-old feces of every dog and homeless person that passed by. This album sounds like spring in the fantasy world spring fans live in, and for a brief moment, I believe it could be true. 7/10 T3: Since I Left You, Closer To You, A Different Feeling

This album is doing something for me that I couldn't get out of Brian Eno (Another Green World) or The Chemical Brothers (Exit Planet Dust). I can't put my finger on it but perhaps it's this warp-nature and distortion that this album brings that's responsible. I think the term "warp" is the best way to describe my feelings towards this album. It's feels like I'm traveling through some ever-changing—kaleidoscopic—tunnel. A Different Feeling is a good example of this feeling. The track has three distinct parts to it that each add to this impression of traversing through Time (the best way to describe it). Like two contrasting themes trying to grab the attention of the listener and takeover. I'd say this track encapsulates the entire album pretty well even if it's not my favourite. My favourite is the track (one of the singles) Electricity. Such flavour with this track. Feels so saturated. [insert abstract terminology here]. The ending to this song is beautiful and almost remorseful in a way. To add to the track, though not a part of it, the transition to the next is smooth and sad. Reminds me of the melancholic sounds of Portishead's Dummy album—which is a album I love—so it wins some brownie points for that. The singles contains some of the best offerings in the album: Since I Left You, Radio, Electricity, and Frontier Psychiatrist. All four are great with the last nearly being my favourite almost exclusively because of the intensity of those horns. Another thing I want to note—I say this as someone with no knowledge in producing music—is the creation process and concept behind this album. Before listening to this album I wasn't familiar with the term "plunderphonics" which, if I'm getting this right, involves creating something new out of the past. Past music or samples. Sampling and a lot of it. Plunder seems reductive or under-appreciating. Implies something negative is what I'm getting at and what I hear from this album is not that. Carving a new path from only what lies in front of you. I like that idea and description better than what plunder- implies; simply taking and leaving what isn't valuable. We create from what we take with us, that isn't plundering. That's the creation process. I had a lot more to yap about with this album than I originally thought I would. Maybe it was letting my mind run wild while listening and creating something in my head from it. Maybe it's the distinctive elements found within each track that connect but also separate themselves from one another. Maybe its because this album released the same year I was born and I have this weird soft spot for anything art-related manifesting within that year. This album got me yappin. 5/5. Simple As. T3: Electricity, A Different Feeling, Frontier Psychiatrist

some of the most dreamy music ever, I keep questionning how it's possible to have even been made. It's a wonderful album to share with people and to zone out to

“Plunderphonics”? Or is it … Australian Shibuya-kei?

I did not hate, sometimes it was pretty good, so 4 I give it

Well, another album that's new to me. But really, even in 2000 all this sampling must have been old hat, and with some of the samples being mercilessly looped, I found this album tending towards annoyance. Other than that it seems to be a run of the mill electronic dance album.

This one was definitely interesting. Very original DJ music. A little all over in terms of style, but quite inventive. As with a lot of DJ music, some of it gets repetitive, but this one much less so than a lot of others. I did feel myself grooving on a couple of tracks. It’s sort of good ambient music to have on while you’re doing something else. I’d say this is better than average DJ music, and while I don’t think I’ll ever reach for it again, it was worth the listening to. Another one I’d like to give a 3.5 to. I’m going 3, because even though I liked it, it didn’t really move me much. Just head-bobbing good.

This is indeed a classic and essential album. I may not be as big a fan of it as a lot of people are, but I can't deny how well executed everything is. The key is how all its different moving parts fit together. And I would say the less samples one recognizes the better and more immersive the experience. Or maybe knowing a lot of the source martial gives you a completely new outlook on the whole thing? I don't know. Key tracks: Since I Left You Frontier Psychiatrist

375

Not for me. Background music for some annoying restaurant. This one can disappear forever.

Worst album ive listened to in my whole life

It was OK. Nothing too exciting though. Maybe a 2.5 - round up.

It’s the opinion of the entire staff that Dexter is criminally insane! This album is gorgeous. Has a really consistent sound with the vinyl crackles and pops and layered samples. Some tasteful drums, record scratching, and animal sounds.

Psychosomatic, that boy needs therapy! Never knew these guys did that song - that song alone gets this album a 4/5. This album overall is quite decent and fun though.

Fabulously weird mix of chilled vibes.

4/10 I can get behind the general vibes being put out here but I'm not sticking to any specific songs

Man this isnsokid’

Enjoyable, experimental album that melted into the background. A few memorable tracks and moments (most notably Frontier Psychiatrist)

Insane

The sample work is obviously impressive, but the songs just aren't as much fun to listen to as they should be given the amount of work that went into everything. Lots of repetition. Frontier Psychiatrist is always fun though.

Weird album to describe. I'd never listen to it again by itself. It's interesting beats and samples, a bit all over and just makes for a audible assault in a way. However, all of it sounds like the perfect blend of "Indi shit" (to quote Donald Glover) to rap over, and would tell me about as far as something to listen to and experiment with. The album feels like it has potential to blend with something else and be greater than the sum of its parts

The Avalanches - Since I left you Bought this at the time. Forgot how good this is - the final quarter is excellent. Good , not great , so ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Zu noisy/busy und weiß nicht wos hingeht

Really great

Pre listen: Frontier psychiatrist is a staple on the playlist - but I've never listened further. I remember first seeing the music video on morning TV - possibly the big breakfast? Post listen: What a journey. Seamless transitions, happy vibes. Like the best holiday you ever had encapsulated in an album. This is evolution in sound form. Building, iterating and growing. Made purely of samples this is a snapshot of humanity. There are a few songs I'll definitely return to - [Electricity][Radio][Stay Another Season] Downsides wise - personally the art of sampling means that at times the hook or beat I like may just drop out, some vocal samples repeat a little too much and it fades out towards the end a bit too much. Next long car journey this is definitely going on!

Interesting album - never listened to this artist before. Is a mix of electronic r and b and rock. Is like a continuous song for over an hour - is a chill vibe. 2 rating for me

1/3 of the way through and Since I left you sounded like such a nice opener to a summer fun album with beers buds and a lake shore beach, then it dropped off the face of the planet from there. We'll see how it develops. Electricity track and we have redemption. I knew the name was familiar here we go with Frontier Psychiatrist which is an absolute Tom Cruise banger. One good song in rotation, a novelty song, and the rest of the album forgettable as the waves receding into the lake and the beer is all gone.

Ever since hearing Frontier Psychiatrist, I'd wanted to check out this album. Well, this was my opportunity. It is very repetitive, which usually annoys me, but the inventive use of the repetition intrigued me rather than annoyed me. Overall, I enjoyed listening to this album.

Mästarna

Riktigt snyggt

Tyvärr rätt uttråkad, men ballt att allt bygger på samplingar. Stark 2a.

Tänk om man vore en solbränd, välsvarvad australiensisk surfare med billabongshorts och solblekt hår. Aah, vad livet vore lätt. Nu är man ju gammal, bitter och grå svensk man, fast i välfärdssamhällets hegemoni. Det enda de inte tagit från mig är drömmarna om höga vågor, oändliga stränder och livet i surfskolan som gick på tv på sommarlovet

Did not know anything about this and really loved it! Really close to a 5

It might be the recent Led Zeppelin albums, U2 and Bat Out Of Hell talking, but Since I Left You sounds even better than I remembered. Fresh and timeless!

Three stars, still good

A pot smoking pot smokers album

danced the whole time. I love this album!

No. 410/1001 Since I Left You 4/5 Stay Another Season 3/5 Radio 3/5 Two Hears in 3/4 Time 3/5 Avalanche Rock NR Flight Tonight 2/5 Close to You 3/5 Diners Only 3/5 A Different Feeling 4/5 Electricity 3/5 Tonight May Have To Last Me All My Life 3/5 Pablo's Cruise NR Frontier Psychiatrist 2/5 Etoh 3/5 Summer Crane 3/5 Little Journey 2/5 Live at Dominoes 3/5 Extra Kings 2/5 Average: 2,88 Personally this rates as pleasant background music.

A sonic roller coaster.

As one half of British Electronic Gurus Houmous & Chutney I can really sit here and say this album is average at best 2.5 13/18 Frontier Psychiatrist

I didn’t dislike this but it was close. Some good tracks in here. Decent enough sounds. There was one specific sound I heard earlier that really reminded me of daft punk, but I’m unfamiliar with their history so I don’t know who influenced who there.

Interesting sound, but it feels dragged out. Also, it feels like something was missing but not quite sure from these songs.

Stange to listen to. I didnt mind the first song, but from thst point I felt it kinda devolved into singing that was really boring. Was a strange mix of electronic music and hip hop. At points this was okay, but must of the time I made me feel nothing and was boring. Not much else to say this was a bit of a nothing album for me.

felt as if i was a bad party that only played house music. Or waiting at the bar for my table to open up at some fancy-schmanzy restaurant. Or at the mall, shopping at American Eagle.

I honestly don't know how people could WANT to listen to this. Not sure how it makes its way into a 1001 album list. There is just nothing worth listening to here.

Good background music. Nothing to to get excited about. But would not go out of my way to listen to

Not my bag, but interesting

Two-thirds of this record is brilliant, featuring masterpieces of digital slicing and dicing in which the history of post-war pop music is recut and reconfigured into both brand new forms and eerily familiar shapes at the same time. There are real strokes of genius at work here (the stomping groove of "Electricity", the hypnotic vocal spiral of "Flight Tonight", and the sleek album closer "Extra Kings"). *But* the other third of this record is absolutely unlistenable, from the annoying "Two Hearts In 3/4 Time" to the quease-inducing (take some motion sickness pills before attempting to listen to "Tonight May Have To Last Me All My Life"). Skip the gimmicky stuff on this record and what's left is a solid mini-LP that will take you to another dimension of sound.

Since I Left You is a DJ mix of many samples from pop music with a preference for hip hop or hip hop-derived tracks. I enjoyed the whole album.

Like it but lots of filler

I've given this a few listens now and, while it at no point offends me, it also doesn't particularly excite me either. I think there are other artists in this genre that do it a bit better, and therefore I can't imagine I'll be returning to this again anytime soon.

Эльфийский лес в новом Орлеане. Впервые до прослушивания альбома, при его появлении и первом взгляде на обложку меня схватило и отпустило. Охватила тревога, но ... Приятная ? Это саркастично меланхолический праздник. Это сложно назвать альбом это одна огромная симфония, которую пришлось поделить на треки. Как только ты слышишь первый "since i left you" ты понимаешь что дальше тебя ждёт час транса и восторга. Данное произведение запрещено слушать в разрыве исключительно альбомом. Очень сильно перекликается с альбомом entroducing своей собранностью, четкостью и одновременно намеренной растерянностью. Сэмпл проходящий через все произведение похожий на гоготание чаек и эта древняя флейта сразу цепляют и не отпускают до конца. Удивительно подобранные вокальные вставки уникальные в моем музыкальном представлении и моей наслушанности. Всегда возникало ощущение что я хожу по чему-то очень мягкому и надёжному, вижу что-то детальное и величественное, ощущаю пух на кончиках пальцев, а на языке что-то медовое и ферментированное. Не покидает ощущения контролируемого страха и тревоги - я боюсь и тревожусь но ровно столько сколько нужно для прослушивания. Оценка этого альбома рекордные 9,5/10. Это первая 5/5 в переводе которую была поставлена на моем пути. Этот альбом я очень хочу сохранить на чем-то жёстком круглом и желательно с принтом обложки.

Don’t think I have ever actually listened to this… But I know much of it. Often weird listening to a dj mix straight, there are quite a few on this list, and it’s really demonstrated to me that this is not the intention for these albums in the same way as their rock and roll cousins. On the other hand, I do enjoy them. And this release from the Avalanches DOES pile the hits and craftily sampled hit on you. 4 Boolean: yes, let’s get the party going

Man Idk these electro sample albums just are not my thing. I can tell this one is well done but it just bores the shit out of me. 3/10

To me this is an example of electronic music being repetitive yet unique while not sounding annoying. Plus each song seemed to effortlessly transition from one to the next creating a more cohesive sound. Likes: Since I Left You; Stay Another Season; Electricity; Summer Crane; Live at Dominoes

Je crois que j'avais déjà vu passer ce groupe deux trois fois, sans trop m'y intéresser. Et en vrai, c'était très cool. J'aime beaucoup quand les artistes composent uniquement en se basant sur des morceaux préexistants. Endtroducing est l'un de mes albums préférés, donc quand j'ai vu que celui-ci était plus ou moins dans la même veine (avec un axe plus dance que hip-hop, quand même, nuance importante), j'étais plutôt content de m'y pencher. Effectivement, c'est un album assez orienté danse, avec des rythmes prenants et des passages répétitifs. Et en vrai, c'était franchement cool à écouter. C'était créatif, assez riche au niveau des sonorités... C'était pas tout à fait mon style de musique, mais c'était très bien fait et je dois dire que j'ai passé un très bon moment.

Oye muy guapo

First listen thought it was just OK, but when I went back through a second time some of the tracks really stood out and overall I enjoyed it quite a bit more.

Too much. Oh my. At the risk of sounding pretentious, but this album is like a Rubens. Eventually, it makes your eyes and ears hurt. Baroque paintings aren’t for me and neither are The Avalanches.

mega fajny unikalny dzwiek ale zmarnowany potencjal w wielu miejscach na mocne bangerki

2.5

Decent. Not among the upper echelon of electronic music that i've heard, but it's solid.

Another late 90s early 2ks dance record with lots of samples of things - not songs just verbiage. It’s fine and I’m sure they have a nice little fan base.

Cool electronica find

shoutout tijdij

fühlt sich an wie nachts durch verschiedene Radiosender zu zappen

5/5 superb

What an album. If you don't like this then you are soulless and have no joy in your life.

Overly repetitive beats give me a headache and make me ragey so this is gonna be a hard pass for me.

4.5

Nobody dances like coal miners.

Ok.

10/10… sample dance / electro hip-hop / *2000 👂

7/10

A 2.7

Sampling masterclass that produced some great songs. "Frontier psychiatrist" and the title song are pure genius. It does go on a little long being a little too repetitive and not every track is a hit, though.

This was already a favorite of mine. Such a weird album that works surprisingly well. The fact that the entire thing is made of samples is kind of mind boggling

Fun fact: the sample in the title track is saying "since I met you," not "since I left you." I still remember when I found that out and felt ridiculously gaslit. Anyways, I feel like it's not super farfetched to say that this is one of the most creative albums on this whole list. A ridiculous amount of different samples from a bunch of different decades came together to make this. I saw another review saying that the number was somewhere between 900 and 3,000. It really puts into perspective just how crazy this album is. This is 21 songs of 100% recycled music. There are definitely albums, other albums on the list, that did the same thing that these guys do here, but the big difference between The Avalanches and somebody like DJ Shadow or J Dilla is that these guys didn't limit themselves to Rap. This album throws itself across a bunch of different genres and makes some of the most fun music imaginable in all of it. They really do throw some incredibly wacky stuff around as well, especially with Frontier Psychiatrist. I feel like it could be a fun challenge to track down every sample in that song and listen to/watch whatever it's connected to. Anyways, incredible album, if nothing else for how ridiculous it is as a concept and how well-executed it turned out. I love this album more every time I listen to it.

4/10

I thought XX was pure Muzak. This is even worse. I listened to one of the discs all the way through and was waiting for something interesting to happen. No dice. The irony is that I am a big Tangerine Dream fan, so I am ok with repetition (which this album has in spades). Now I know how my wife feels when I put on TDream…. I cannot bear to finish the second disc.

This is a fun little beats album. I can imagine this being on a radio station in GTA or something like that.

Supreendeu

Acho que podia ate ser mais. Mas muito longo e não achei o álbum coeso.

Zzzzzzzzz! SOS

Ehhhhh. It’s different and I like different but I’m unsure if I LIKE the result of their experimental sound

I’m of two minds here, because on the one hand, I do think this is one of the better electronic albums I’ve had to suffer thru for this challenge. But then on the other hand, I think it’s fair to acknowledge that these are two white Australian dudes sampling A LOT of music made primarily by people of color, and the vast majority of those albums are NOT represented on this list. Why does it become better, more worthy of inclusion on a “best of” list when it’s sampled by a couple of white dudes. They literally made nothing for this album. Every second belongs to someone else. I think it’s worth thinking about, especially because this list is sooooo white people heavy. On a lighter note this is another album where one of those songs was featured a lot on Vh1 clip shows from the early 2000s (Frontier Psychiatrist), so that scratches my nostalgia itch!!

Gorgeous timeless feel to it and v creative use of samples

Cool, chill grooves. Somewhat repetitious. Typical DJ dance mix fare.

Honestly pretty good. Lots of instrumentals but beautifully done. Each song had its own individual sound while still being catchy. Not something i would listen to regularly but i mess w it. 8/10

4/5 https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/the-avalanches/since-i-left-you/ Not everything hits, but when it does, it really does. Opening track, Frontier Psychiatrist, absolute bangers. Crazy how this is just/mostly(?) samples.

Great. Fun if kind of just elevated background music.

Such an entrancing and mysterious album, it really rules. So much to get lost in and I can’t even fathom how they landed on this. Once I asked the DJ (my middle school English teacher) at my middle school dance to play Frontier Psychiatrist. Something’s wrong with me

For some reason this album has never connected in the way it should have. i know its good and the best im just gonna keep listening to it until its my fav

This is good at points, and forgettable at others. It's almost background music at points, it's good but still not pushing to the front. I like the sampling and mixing of this and it does work for me to an extent, I'm not a fan of the more obvious samples on tracks as I don't feel much is really done with them to make something unique. The more out there stuff like 'Frontier Psychologist' grabs me moreso and I wish more of the album tried stuff like that. There are definitely better albums of this genre out there. Fav Track: Frontier Psychologist

This has long been one of my favorite electronic music albums. The creativity, skill, and composition is top tier, and each track seamlessly blends into the one before to create a symbiotic masterpiece. It’s hard to overstate how groundbreaking this album was at the time. The use of samples is carefully curated and eclectic, and the melodies and beats create a beautiful, textured landscape that’s also a straight up groove. This album is a perfect 10/10.

Solid album. I liked how everything flowed together. Electronic albums are always better when the songs don’t overstay their welcome.

Pretty good electronic/sample album but maybe a tad repetitive for me? Had some nice stand outs on it though. Favourite tracks: Radio, A Different Feeling, Electricity 3/5

This was a pleasant surprise. I’ve never heard of the avalanches before and I have never heard anything from this album before but I really liked it!

Jeg husker hvor jeg var når jeg hørte Frontier Psychiatrist på radio for første gang (som for øvrig har tidenes musikkvideo), og hvor mye jeg gledet meg til plata skulle komme. Flere tusen samples har blitt brukt for å lappe sammen denne plata, og det er et lite mirakel at det fungerer så godt som det gjør. Med tanke på at den ble laget på en tid det ikke gikk å separere ut lydspor er det utrolig at den ikke er mer masete og rotete enn det den er. Fun fact: Vistnok første gang Madonna godtok at noen samplet hennes låter. 6/5 håndverk, 4.5/5 plate.

En plate jeg hørte masse på i 2000. Ble skikkelig glad da den dukket opp. Deilig søndagsplate, tenkte jeg. Men det er kanskje en grunn til at jeg ikke har hørt de på 25 år. Er litt grei her av nostalgiske årsaker.

Groovy greier man kan ha på i bakgrunnen på en fest. Et par seige spor på midten.

Awesome

Interesting

Soaking wet layers of samples snipped and snapped together to create soundscapes that take you away

There is a lot going on and at times I found it a bit exhausting, but I am sure I will go back to it so that is a win. And Frontier Psychiatrist is just good fun

Interesting genre, would be better if I was on drugs

You didn't leave me, you NEVER had me with the crap.1

I didn't think I'd enjoy this at first, but after a few songs, it kinda grew on me and I noticed I was dancing along in my car on the way to work. Not bad at all. It was fun to really put on my listening ears and take notice of all the different samples used in each song, which is mindblowing when I think of the talent involved in orchestrating this kind of music. I probably won't go out of my way to listen to it again, but I won't skip it if it happens to pop up on a shuffle.

An album that I forgot how much I loved. Absolutely brilliant

infinitely groovy and a great time

The Avalanches are a little to big to be underground and not quite big enough to be mainstream. This leaves them in a sort of liminal space where they are too popular to be properly underrated, Since I left You is largely regarded as classic after all, but are also definitely underappreciated by the masses. Maybe that's the price of working in plunderphonics, or maybe it's becuase they're Australian or took so long on a follow up. Whatever the answer, they are worth however much time you give them and, while you can debate about exactly how good their other albums are, there's no debate about this one. They came out of the gate as hot as possible and whether you think they managed to live up to it since or not, this remains as an incredible artifact of music. Definitely a must hear.

I kept thinking these songs had promise, but then the vocals would lose me.

...Flight 22 is off to Honolulu…Flight 22 is off to Honolulu... Originally heard about this album on a Questlove podcast with The Avalanches. It didn't click right away, but "Live at Dominoes" stuck out (and got stuck in my head). Went back and a few more spins made me realize this was a great one. Worth a second shot - or just go back and listen to "Live at Dominoes"

Not too bad! Pleasantly surprised!

I can't remember exactly how I first became aware of The Avalanches, but what I do remember is that I'd never heard anything quite like them at the time, and that I found their mishmashing of assorted vinyl samples invariably fascinating. It's an album that very much rewards dedicated headphone listening, and it's a gift that continues giving each time I revisit it. Since I Left You takes on a narrative form across its running time, where each of the songs feel like immovable and irreplaceable pieces of the arc, whilst transitioning between one another subtly to give the illusion that they're still contained within the same scenery. It's not all atmosphere-driven, however, as there is no shortage of ingraining motifs to be found here, not least the wacky storytelling of "Frontier Psychiatrist" and the pulsating vigour of "Electricity". By all accounts, this album should feel like a cold, academic experiment, but somehow it constitutes an incredibly fluid listening experience vested with emotion. There is a warmth to the arrangements here that completely belies any haphazardness you might expect from the collation of disparate samples, though it is a warmth that is caveated by a cloak of melancholic longing and spiritual emptiness enveloping the songs. It's kind of like a wave of depression hitting you mid-summer, and I'm not positively sure that any other album out there encroaches into such a mood in quite the same way and with the same degree of skill. In short - I bloody love this album!

I just can’t get into this group. Their samples often involve sounds and spoken phrases that come off more annoying than exciting or aurally pleasing.

What started as a repetitive electronic album grew on me as it went. I wouldn’t put it in the upper echelon of albums on this list, but it was an enjoyable listen and got stronger after a weak first half.

One of my favorites!!

A wonderful album reminded me a lot of the Radio 1 mini mixes I used to listen to only extended out over one hour. You can see the influence this album had on music over the next decade or

BANGERS i really like this one. frontier psychiatrist is an all timer.

Big fan of this one, had actually heard most of it before so it was fun to see a familiar face hehe

Man. I am such a sucker for well constructed sample songs. I’m not sure if the whole album is a perfect five, but its just good the whole time with massive peaks with Since I Left You and Frontier Psychiatrist. Love the way this album sets its tone so simply and stays just long enough on each beat

album tipo da dj, con mix e transizioni tra brani molto pulite, quasi come se fosse un unica ondata di musica!

"Is this song not done yet?" is a thought I had many times while listening to this album.

Since i left you - 4 Stay another season - 2 Radio - 2 Two hearts in 3/4 time - 3 Avalanche rock - na Flight tonight - 3 Close to you - 2 Diners only - 2 A different feeling - 2 Electricity - 3 Tonight may have to last me all my life - 2 Pablo's cruise - na Frontier psychiatrist - 4 Etoh - 3 Summer crane - 2 Little journey - 2 Live at dominoes - 1 Extra kings - 2

Really smooth samples and pretty sick flow from track 1

A perfectly nice album that I never fully clicked with in the way others have. I prefer tue tracks that have some sort of hook (e.g., Frontier Psychiatrist) over the more soundscape-y ones.

Oh man what is this? In Radio, she keeps saying "sometimes you don't understand". Well, I don't understand most of this album. Frontier Psychiatrist was kinda funny though. Best song: Frontier Psychiatrist

if you rate this album one or two stars you may be stupid. like three i get if it's maybe not your thing, but one or two stars you're fucked in the head bud

Since I Left You is an endlessly creative and fun album (from my home country), that admittedly can get a bit too repetitive for my taste but most of this album is just so fun to listen to 8/10 Favourite: Frontier Psychiatrist Least Favourite: Flight Tonight

Boring and repetitive

Pretty average Nothing I found to be extraordinary 3/5 Favorite: radio

Álbum muy experimental tiene momentos buenos y otros no tanto

I liked this! Some songs I love and will revisit but as a whole I don’t know if I would go back for a whole relisten

Not for me

Uma autêntica merda

Nope

Electronica seems to be overly represented in this list. Maybe I need to read the book to see what the parameters were for selecting these albums, but I have a hard time believing that this is amongst the best, most important or most influential albums of all time.

Didn't care for this one, all the songs sounded the same and didn't leave a lasting impression on me. I'm learning I don't really like electronica type music.

3.25 - This is the kind of electronic music I prefer. Reminds me of Kid Koala.

Hard to place and hard to get a grip on, but there are some amazing sound landscapes in here.

I didn't really like this album. It's just a bunch of samples and beats mish-mashed together. Some of the combinations had an atmospheric and catchy nature, but I couldn't get into the majority of it.

Their debut album. Electronica. This album was chill.. horse noises... oh la la... ETOH ETOH. This album was chill.. horse noises... oh la la... ETOH ETOH. This album was chill.. horse noises... oh la la... ETOH ETOH. This album was chill.. horse noises... oh la la... ETOH ETOH. This album was chill.. horse noises... oh la la... ETOH ETOH. This album was chill.. horse noises... oh la la... ETOH ETOH. This album was chill.. horse noises... oh la la... ETOH ETOH. This album was chill.. horse noises... oh la la... ETOH ETOH. This album was chill.. horse noises... oh la la... ETOH ETOH.

favs: radio close to you a different feeling electricity frontier psychiatrist close to you (sun araw remix) radio (sinkane remix) a different feeling (carl craig’s paperclip people remix) thank you caroline (original demo tape) rating 2.7/5

The sheer fact that this album contains so many samples which were seamlessly mixed together is amazing. I really enjoyed this, never having heard of the Avalanches before.

I think this would be greatly improved if some of the vocal sampling was removed, there is just a bit too much. But an impressive technical feat all the same 3.5*

So good grooves and interesting samples - but not enough.

After reading the Wikipedia summary for this album, I did not have high hopes for anything more than another entry in the "Millennial Hipster Nightclub Music" chronicles. Fortunately, the music was more attention-grabbing than I anticipated.

Fun, light, airy, jazzy & definitely catchy. Yet, it all sounds about the same. It kinda sounds like a weird robot dinner party. The weird fake scratchy old record sound to the start & stop qwik edits. The edits reminds me of MF DOOM. I liked it more than I thought I would but gets annoying at times. Music Collage 3

"Since I Left You" and "Frontier Psychiatrist" I stumbled upon years ago, recommended to me by a faceless YouTube algorithm. They've been in *heavy* rotation for me since. I'm reserving my excitement since I never explored their discography, but absolutely adore their singles. Let's see if the album holds weight beyond those. ********* Wow. The entire album is crafted from a dense layering of samples. It's the ultimate postmodern (no longer a fan of this word, but appropriate here) record. What I found amazing is the care & thought put into the transitions. Many of the tracks slap (quite hard in a few cases, "Avalanche Rock" was too short! "Radio" & "Close To You" were some other toe tappers) but in every case there was a blending at the edges to herald you into the next song. That level of care and quality is rare. All of the gushing aside, I can't see it being on constant rotation. I love the singles and I'll come back for a few more, but as an experience it's not quite 'great' for me. (4/5) Out of respect for the time, quality and care put into this. I, also, endorse it's inclusion on the list. It's a pinnacle of the art of sampling, and it would be a no-brainer to put this on and let it play at a party. No one would know when one track stopped and the other ended, but you would know when you're in the next song. That's some electronic voodoo, right there, and I deeply respect the craftsmanship. I'll still stick with the singles ("Electricity" didn't grab me..) and probably revisit again soon. Glad I finally took the time to sit through this one, though. I wasn't disappointed, it just wasn't a love connection.

I'd never heard of these guys before, and was optimistic for the first minute or so. And I do like some of this, in the way that it is layered with sometimes competing melodies and rhythms that meld together into a solid groove. But almost throughout, if there are 10 layers, I like 8 of them, and the other 2 throw it completely off. Kinda like that singer for Wild Beasts just ruining the good music behind him, the foreground of these tracks (the radio voice, the screaming lady, the ultra-repetitive speech tracks, etc...) overshadows the cool stuff happening behind it and renders large swaths of this annoying and disappointing. I know I've said before that I thought this type of music was my thing. I just didn't realize how many acts were bad at it, which made me conclude that it is not, in fact, my thing, and I just love a few outliers. This is NOT one of those, and doesn't get far enough above a 2/5 to round up.

Variety: 5 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 5 Emotionality: 3 = 4.6 rounded up to a 5 "Rannygazoo, let's have a tune!" Been forever since I've listened to this. I do have the video for "Frontier Psychiatrist" in my Youtube music playlist so that pops up occasionally. I honestly don't remember much about it since around the time it was out aside form the couple of hits. I am terrible at remembering song titles though, so maybe I'll remember this more than I think. THE TRACKS "Since I Left You" - The second big hit off this I think, though maybe the more mainstream one? Also had a very memorable music video. Lush and busy as hell, this starts off the album with nice, reasonable and slow steps into the pool so we don't get a shock from the temperature change. I'll have to look it up, but was this whole thing made using mostly samples? Maybe I'm thinking of the DJ Shadow album? Several genres mixing are swirling around in the pool, but it's never distracting. This flows right into... "Stay Another Season" - ... which continues without a break in continuity and even carries over the vocal bit, and incorporates elements we'll see pop up on songs MUCH later. This is primo chill music to me, and it flows right into... "Radio", which lives up to its name, and feels like you've tuned into a slightly staticky live set from some MTV Spring Break beach party. The constant groove has yet to wear thin, and I don't see it happening anytime soon. Even though... "Two Hearts in 3/4 Time" picks up from the last one, it has a starkly different feel, and immediately veers off into a Stereolabish bit of electronic tweeness. It's quite airy and beautiful though and also has elements of something The Free Design might have done. By the end of this one we start the transition into... "Avalanche Rock" and we get something closer to what we will eventually hear on The Beastie Boys's Hello Nasty. If only very briefly, because... "Flight Tonight" comes right in and we're in early 90s dance/ hip hop territory here. C&C Music Factory teaming up with LL Cool J as heard from a couple of rooms away. Or something. Maybe Primitive Radio Gods? When... "Close to You" starts playing it feels even less like we've moved into a different song. That hardly matters though as we STILL have not lost the groove. It's not until around 2:30 that we finally move into another mode. Now we're firmly into some "Got to give It Up" faux crowd noises, so the party's still going strong. But then... "Diners Only" is close enough to another near the beginning of a song changeup, that it feels different from the start. The flute and the vibraslap in this one gives it a distinctly funky flavor. When things switch up again with... "A Different Feeling", it comes in almost like a Daft Punk song. The energy has not been sapped yet, but this one does take things down to a lower register. Ok, now I remember that... "Electricity" was a hit as well. Maybe smaller though. Damn, this slaps. Hard. A roller skating jam for the ages, up there with "Atomic Dog" and "Genius of Love". It's possibly the most separatable of the songs so far, as ... "Tonight May Have To Last Me All My Life[nb 1]" starts right up into a completely different sound as we accidentally wonder into a wobbly jazzy piano bar somewhere in the Twilight Zone. Psychedelic isn't quite the right word. Some sort of altered state though, and we go on... "Pablo's Cruise" for barely a minute before... "Frontier Psychiatrist" starts and we get into one of the weirdest hit tracks I can think of outside of Herbie Hancock's "Rockit". I think I remember the bulk of the vocal samples here come from some awful 50's comedy record sketch ( someone out there oding the Lord's work has posted the timestamps for all the samples in the first comment of this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu8_uDydq7w) . So much of this thing lives on in my brain ( heavily burned there in no small part from its awesomely strange music video) that I don't think I'll ever forget a note of it, from the exchange with the kid about the bird, violins, and the mariachi band which plays us out into... "Etoh", which feels like a waking dream where you are grasping to hang onto the slowly fading pleasure of sleep, but can't help but fall upwards into consciousness. There might have been more THC in those gummies than you thought. We awake to the sunrise and the birds singing in... "Summer Crane" where we get more of the same chill morning vibes, just with more cartoon birds twittering around and singing their song.The global sound collage stuff leans hard into a Troplicalia feel. We go on another... "Little Journey" to Honalulu ( I guess) where the Avalanches are playing... "Live at Dominoes" in Daft Punk drag I think. Or maybe it's their Stardust personas? This one feels extra packed, and weaves pretty deftly through a host of genres and sounds before almost falling to the floor with exhaustion. When... "Extra Kings" starts up, it almost sounds like a hangover of a track before dissolving into a candy coated, sugary sweet bit of electronic chamber pop. Though I think that candy might be laced with something. We come full circle as the pitch-shifted vocal sample from The Osmand's "Let Me In" echoes the pitch-shifted vocals from The Main Attraction's "Everyday" from the first track. HIGHLIGHTS - All of it was great but "Electricity" was still my favorite. MIDLIGHTS - ??? LOWLIGHTS - Check your head FINAL THOUGHTS This is essentially one long track with sections that segue, sometimes imperceptibly, into each other, but which all feel like their own unique parts. That said, I think this loses something unless you can key up an immediate auto play between tracks. I can hardly imagine not listening to it the whole way through, or worse listening to it on shuffle. The hits are maybe the only exception, and I'm fairly certain the versions played on radio and in videos are edited so they feel complete in and of themselves. This whole album is one giant block party playlist that does not ever let up, yet never feels exhausting. Even when the beats get loud or fast, or both, it also never loses its chill mood. This is a pure vibes album, and I'm struggling to find anything to knock it on. The fact that it's a masterclass in musical vulturism only makes it more impressive, somehow. With a lot of the sample heavy albums this far I've used a site to suss out and explore the specific samples. I have not even bothered with this one as it seems like it would be too daunting a task. It seems very obvious that whatever they did with the original parts is wholly transformative. Great stuff, and this'll be one I can't see myself ever getting rid of. My only note is they should have the last track flow into the first one for an infinite repeat experience. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - Impossible FURTHER LISTENING - Kites Are Fun by The Free Design - Sound Dust by Stereolab - 10,000 Hz Legend by Air - Endtroducing... by DJ Shadow - Hello Nasty by The Beastie Boys - Os Mutantes by Os Mutantes - Alegria, Alegria by Caetano Veloso

"When you have insomnia, you're never really asleep, and you're never really awake. With insomnia, nothing's real. Everything is far away. Everything is a copy of a copy of a copy.” - narrator, Fight Club. Its Late Night Channel Surfing: The Album. Seriously, this album was fueled by the same insomnia driven compulsion to cycle through 57 channels when nothing is on. It is full of music that sounds like the last 30 minutes of syndicated programming before station sign-off. Needless to say I vibed with this immediately. Most of the electronic and techno albums I've encountered have all been 3s. Its hard for me to rate this type of music. This one, however, hooked me. Its a sleep deprived sonic stream of conscience composition. I was reminded of those Adult Swim bumpers or old Toonami music videos, the ones that sampled the shows and made short themed music videos. Look up Broken Promises (Dreams) for the best example. Since I Left You is like that in you have a "track" that is meticulously arranged samples and loops riding an ambient backbeat. "Frontier Psychiatrist" is going to be a playlist mainstay while "Avalanche Rock", "Flight Tonight" and "Electricty" also caught my attention. And that bring us to the end of the review. Time to sign-off. See you tomorrow.

A trip

Basically just a mellowed out version of Fatboy Slim’s music, its repetitive and annoying. Simple boring beats and repeating lyrics, its not enjoyable in any capacity

This album is just a mess. After listening I felt like someone had been shitting directly in my ears — my head was spinning and I honestly regretted putting it on. It’s dull, boring, and way too chaotic for its own good. The “riffs” (if you can even call them that) are weak and repetitive, the samples are thrown together without any real flow, and the whole thing feels like a bunch of random bits glued into songs that go nowhere. The voice that accompanies everything is annoying and sorry-sounding, and not a single track stood out as actually good. Sure, there are a couple of short moments in some songs that feel kinda funky and could work if you’re sitting in a bar having a drink and just want background noise. But the second the song keeps going, it makes you regret even wanting that funky vibe in the first place. Overall, it’s boring, pointless, and way overrated. I suffered through the whole thing once and I have zero interest in ever hearing it again.

So we get 28 minutes of music looped for 2 hours? GTFO with this BS.

Started promising. Then it kept going and going. There were a few moments scattered about that were fine, but overall forgettable

Plunderphonics er imponerende arbeid. Rytmisk dansemusikk med godt driv. Engasjerer meg dog mindre enn man kunne håpe. Når det er sagt, fortjener albumcoveret nesten en stjerne i seg selv. Top 3: Frontier Psychiatrist, Since I Left You, Live at Dominoes

This is actually a fun pot-pourri of several danceable retro music styles put together in a creative way.

Really like this. I listened to their 2020 album which was also good. This might deserve to get a 3 but there are no rules

Bought this when it first came out and liked it have never really listened much since. Still sounds OK but never quite settles down in to what it wants to be.

Creative use of samples, not just repeats over and over. Some of the songs are really catchy.

Decent.

I get the influence but I feel like many bands have done this WAY better since, Emancipator comes immediately to mind

Great from beginning to end. Frontier Psychologist is ridiculously good.

I’d not heard of these before tbh so didn’t know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised. Considering the grooves I was equally surprised to discover they were two white Aussie guys

Since I Left You by The Avalanches was completely new to me before today, and it turned out to be a very welcome surprise. It also made me realise that I clearly like electronic music more than I thought. This album is great. It’s full of variety, really tuneful, and built on some brilliant use of samples. It’s an easy listen at home, but you can also imagine it working perfectly on a night out. The title track Since I Left You is a standout, just a superb piece of music, but there are plenty of other highlights too, like Close to You and Frontier Psychiatrist. The way the samples are layered and stitched together across the album is really impressive and gives it a unique, almost nostalgic feel. What’s most impressive is how fresh it still sounds over 20 years later. It doesn’t feel dated at all, which is a real credit to how well it’s put together. I’ll definitely be coming back to this and adding it to the record collection. Favourite tracks: Since I Left You is brilliant. I also loved Frontier Psychiatrist and the use of samples throughout the album Least favourite tracks: Every track is worth a listen, but it is a little long and can feel slightly repetitive in places Album artwork: Cool cover that fits the vibe of the album

Super interesting and fun - would love to listen to when cooking etc

Albums like this were what I was hoping for when I started this project. Despite the accolades they've received, I'd never heard of The Avalanches prior to getting Since I Left You this morning. This album is entirely constructed from samples. The effort in taking those samples and constructing them into music is mind-bending. In some ways it makes me think of the sample-based production of hip hop, but pushed hard at the limits until it forms something else entirely. This is a treat for the ears: the rhythms are in the broad spectrum of dance or disco, but all the sonic textures give it a tropical, psychedelic feel. Beyond the considerable ambition, it works and is coherent as songs and as an album. As far as its influence, I have no idea, but I’m happy to have heard this.

A good album to listen, nothing precisely remarkable.

Vibes

A little heavy on the techno for my liking

Wel lachen, 3.5

Title track and first song was really fun and engaging - also was my favourite song on the album. The constant use of samples and their variety reminded me a bit of a beat tape which I enjoy in general. I previously only knew them from their collab with blood orange that I really enjoyed and it was the first project from them, that i gave a chance to. Though the album dragged for me a bit in the end and only 3 songs stuck with me, ill listen again and think it was fun.

I truly love this album, don't wanna get into cliches, but it really changed how I viewed music when I was like 16. The repetitiveness isn't a flaw, it's a tool and it's effective

First track rips I listened to a lot of future funk in my early 20s that this clearly directly influenced. You can tell gorillaz is influenced by this too The rest kind of devolves into cringiness

Chaotic good, beach party edition. Following these guys to afters.

this is the avalanches? i thought the avalanches were something different. this is ok.

Ni me gusto

3.8 2x great electronic album. catch up 4/8

Really really good But Its about 20 mins too long. Its far far too long and it kinda feels it at times. But its all quite good The singles are superb

Overall: 4/10 Not terrible, but way too repetitive for me. I think you can make good dance music without the same beat repeating constantly. Fav Song: A Different Feeling

Classic album for me, 3 songs that I really like and the rest I enjoy but I wouldn’t necessarily call them good songs that I would play for other people. 3.5 stars rounded to a 4

Masterclass in sampling, bafflingly complex layering of sound effects, tv/film snippets, and frequently totally contradicting music styles to form something entirely new and yet somehow nostalgic.

Still not a fan of instrumentals and this one was quite boring and repetitive, it was putting me to sleep.

Not for me but I didn’t hate it.

What is going on there, DownUnder? Sampling, lots of sampling, lots of squeaky, hippity-hippity-hoppity, repet, pet, pet, petitive sampling. Somebody get me a sedative. Quick, quick, quick, quick, quick. Quick, quick, quick, quick, quick. Somebody get me a sedative! This album must’ve been a lot of work to put together, but it runs long and I don’t think we needed a double album. The Avalanches tumble in at (2.0*s) Did I mention it’s repetitive?

As I have noted in past reviews of similar albums, I do enjoy a skilled sample artist. The Avalanches are top notch and their debut is a really nice, chill representation of the genre. The duo produced a free flowing, single run record that makes for great background for pretty much any activity. The alum starts a bit slow but picks up as it goes, peaking at the middle with "A Different Feeling" and "Electricity." They really flex their "cut" muscles with "Frontier Psychiatrist." Been listening to these guys for a bit but did not know about them upon this records release. Solid work form a couple Dingo DJs...3.37 stars.

I previously had a passing knowledge of The Avalanches from Frontier Psychiatrist and a couple of other songs I had run into in the wild. Always thought they made some cool stuff but never took the time to check out an album. Since I Left You was an exciting entry to see hit the list. I went in a little giddy with somewhat high expectations and man did The Avalanches hit it out of the park. Since I Left You is such a creative and fun endeavor. The practice of generating an album from extensive sampling and looping is really intriguing but I haven't seen it come together so effectively until this album. Any acclaim for this album is deserved as it really is a unique and exciting experience. A couple hits stand out but entire album is engaging and doesn't have any low points or skips. Fun and creative from start to finish. I'd love for more stuff like this to get an entry on the list. 3.73 stars

Ik vond het bij de afgelopen albums zo leuk om te horen dat de muziek echt een basis vormt voor de muziek van nu, dat vind ik bij dit album al helemaal. Het voelt alsof het een voorloper is op bepaalde DJ en hip-hop muziek.

a fun listen!!!

Odd to class a sampling band as being a Pioneer in 2000 but the avalanches where/are

This is a big sample loop nothing burger

Excellent album All music is built on what came before, the trick is to combine it into something new. 5/5

I came into this clueless. Super unexpected, 10/10

At the beginning an interesting album. But the further you go, the more identical every song becomes. Nice ideas but to much repetition.

2,5

Super fun overall. Mostly hits some misses. I just love Aussie artists - so talented.

Looooved this, so much fun.

Album 81 Top 3 "favorites" off the album: Frontier Psychiatrist, Tonight May Have To Last Me All My Life, Radio It's fine. The transitions between songs are seamless which made for an easier listen. I liked the horses in Stay Another Season. Actually, there's a lot of horse in this. Frontier Psychiatrist has some, too. This is the kind of album I'd accidentally hear while walking around at a summer music festival. I would do one of three things: I would keep walking, I would pause on the edge of the field to listen and then keep walking, or I would actually go and stand at the back for a little while and then keep walking. I would keep walking, though. Not really my thing.

I like it more than most turn-of-the-millennium electronic music. Still, I find it hard to stay engaged through the whole album.

Perhaps a bit too soundy for me but I’d like to try again in a different context. Frontier Psychiatrist is pretty fun though. I learned the term “plunderphonics” which is comedy and the album itself is all sampling - which i still feel I don’t quite understand despite a year plus of song exploder

A phenomenal and fun listen. The chosen samples were great and they were remixed into some really stellar beats. There are genuinely no audible flaws with this. The tracks transitioned very smoothly into each other, yet each song felt very different. It was very hard to choose a specific favorite track, but I ended up with this one because the groove was so good and it sounded like something playing at a club in a movie. Also, there are more animal noises on this than you may think. Favorite Track: Live at Dominoes

Really enjoyed

25/03/2026 *1. since i left you - ooo nice guitar... strings are great!! looove immediately!!!! incredible use of sampling!! insane <333 2. stay another season - love how the samples from the last song are reused here.... and the horse from frontier psychatrist! *3. radio - love how the tracks fade into one another... beat drop! loove the ending *4. two hearts in 3/4 time - title reminds me of something i read about andy warhols short films.... wowowow!!!! love the cabaret sample! 5. avalanche rock - short but nice! 6. flight tonight - title like the joni mitchell song? loooove the drums in this one. the french rapping is reaaaaalllly nice!! 7. close to you - love it! especially the horns near the end and the stop-starting!! loooove the piano at the end. 8. diners only - nice :) *9. a different feeling - loove this one immediately! great tune! *10. electricity - loooove the intro... bass is fantastic! *11. tonight - reallly loving this one immediately as well! *12. pablo's cruise - looove the atmosphere in this one!! foghorn at the end is great! *13. frontier psychiatrist - already looooooove this one!!!! phenomenal!!! <333 14. etoh - softer... nice :) 15. summer crane - veery dreamy. love the strings about 1:40. *16. little journey - wooow love the start!! gorgeous!! 17. live at dominoes - loving it immediately... verry daft punk. more upbeat! not as massive on this one, just over halfway in, but still wouldn't complain if it were on :) 18. extra kings - looooove the start!! the horns are fantastic! kindof psychedelic... reaallly loved this one!! was already excited when this came up because i loooooove frontier psychiatrist and have been meaning to listen to this album!!! definitely don't regret that now!! phenomenal!! <3 <3 <3

O QUE É UM SAMPLER FOR A NON BELIEVER? Meu deus, não esperava por isso sinceramente. A PRIMEIRA MÚSICA já me deixou boquiaberto. Uma fusão de samples com uma melodia cativante e suave, E TRIP-HOP. Entrou pro meu radar de uma forma surpreendente, além de terem transições absurdas. E pensar q eram somente dois australianos. HIGHLIGHTS: SINCE I LEFT YOU, FLIGHT TONIGHT, Close to you, A Different Feeling, Electricity, Frontier Psychiatrist 8.5/10

This was completely new to me and I enjoyed it while driving south on I5 to Portland. It was eclectic, interesting, and entertaining. Really fun and frequently put a smile on my face. Makes me want to have a party so u can play it for a crowd.

I have to say that I really enjoyed this. EDM and hip hop are kinda my bread and butter, so most albums in these areas are enjoyable to me and the crossover is so natural. This album is a perfect example of that with the intense level of sampling that blends from chill EDM to chill hop. Frontier Psychiatrist is kind of the exception here as it is basically just a straight up hip hop beat. I really like EDM Trap, so this one stuck out as an obvious favorite. This is supposed to be a concept album of "an international search for love from country to country. The idea of a guy following a girl around the world and always being one port behind." I think this comes across well as you can hear the album jump almost from musical genre to genre, which is really cool to hear. This album also famously had over 3500 samples, and they never thought anything would come from this album, so they didn't bother to really record what samples would use. That had to have been a nightmare later. Overall a great EDM album and even better since it's from an "underrepresented" country like Australia.

I enjoyed this album quite a bit. It sounds like music for a party I would like to go to.

cool