The title says everything you need to know about Darcy Baylis’ new LP, as well as his broader contribution to the current musical landscape as a producer for artists like Wicca Phase Springs Eternal, Wisp, and daine over the past decade. He may not be the sole voice paving the road of emotronica, but he’s certainly an important one as he continues to perfect the balance of ecstatic electronic music and atmospheric misery.
Emotronica, then, is something of a solo mission statement for the Australian producer as he refocuses his attention following the breakout success of Ninajirachi’s I Love My Computer last year, which he co-produced (he also contributed to the equally outré electropop sounds of Debby Friday’s The Starrr of the Queen of Life earlier in 2025). His new record balances some of his deepest influences—which range from early-2000s progressive trance to mall screamo from that same era—in a way that feels even more personal than 2024’s More Again Forever was, parsing the aggressive sounds of electronic music past and present for an aesthetic that’s fully his own. “I immediately fall in love with any song which has emotional lyrics and breakbeats,” he confesses while citing Caroline Polachek as an inspiring figure.
With the record out next Friday, Baylis shares how Araabmuzik, Björk, Pictureplane, and more helped lay the groundwork for Emotronica. Check out this playlist and writeups below, and pre-save the album here.
Lorenzo Senni, “The Shape of Trance to Come”
Hugely influential on me as far as contemporary minimalist music goes. I find the open/extended chord voicings here really moving.
Kraus, “Fell for It”
I’ve been listening to Kraus’ music for years, and more recently I’ve been lucky enough to become his friend. I sent him a screenshot when it turned out he was my most played artist of all time on Spotify.
Caroline Polachek, “Coma”
Originally written by Jaime Brooks, who is one of my favorite songwriters. I immediately fall in love with any song which has emotional lyrics and breakbeats.
Motorcycle, “As the Rush Comes”
Essential piece of early-2000s progressive trance music. I love how dramatic this specific era of dance music is.
Memory Tapes, “Bicycle”
When I first got a laptop and was learning how to produce music on Logic Pro, I made a bar-for-bar copy of this song using MIDI guitar. Love the New Order–style riff toward the end.
Headphones, “I Never Wanted You”
The emotronica song. There’s a whole generation of artists that I think probably wouldn’t exist if this song didn’t.
Araabmuzik, “Let It Go”
Halftime emotional trance music. The feeling of this song is exactly what I was trying to replicate on my record.
Pictureplane, “Post Physical”
The whole reason I ever felt comfortable singing in this style over breakbeats was because of artists like Pictureplane. A legend.
Björk, “It’s in Our Hands”
Just such beautiful chords. The percussion layers are so layered and detailed I feel like I notice something new every time I listen.
Funeral for a Friend, “Sonny”
Love this era of music production, where emo bands would always have a track with electronic drums that was just like a 909 kick and snare. So simple, yet so moving.
