Electro

Electronic music has established itself as one of the major trends in the contemporary scene, born in the clubs and sound laboratories of the 80s and 90s. Hypnotic rhythms, synthetic pads, and deep bass are its pillars, creating a musical language that is both festive and experimental.

From Kraftwerk to Daft Punk, from Laurent Garnier to Carl Cox, from pioneers to today's DJs, electro has explored dozens of subgenres: house, techno, trance, drum'n'bass, or minimal. Each era has seen the birth of new sounds shaping clubs and festivals worldwide.

This music is inseparable from dance and collective experience. It unites entire audiences, whether on intimate dancefloors or monumental stages of international festivals.

Each Electro vinyl is both an archive and a playground: it transmits the raw energy of a set and invites endless rediscovery. A vibrant universe, where innovation and celebration intertwine to create unforgettable moments.

Explorer les sous-genres de Electro : Ambient , Ambient Techno , Breakbeat , Dance , French Electro / French Touch , House Music , Lo-fi , Lounge , Synthwave , Techno , Trance , Trip Hop / Drum 'n Bass , Vaporwave

Electronic Vinyl Records: House, Techno, French Touch and Trip-Hop

What's in this electronic vinyl section?

This collection of electronic vinyl records spans the whole field: French electro / French touch, house music, techno, ambient, trip-hop / drum 'n' bass, synthwave, dance, trance, lounge, lo-fi and niches like vaporwave. French touch, the filtered, disco-rooted house sound that came out of Paris in the 1990s, makes up the biggest share, alongside Bonobo, Faithless, Groove Armada, Tricky, Armand Van Helden and Ryuichi Sakamoto. Vinyl is this music's home turf: the 12-inch single became the club standard, and many DJ tracks were only ever released in that format.

Each record page compares offers from several partner stores, whether you're after an album, a reissue or a 12-inch. That's especially handy for classics that get repressed regularly, since prices can shift quite a bit from one edition to the next. The same album may be listed as an original pressing, a standard black repress and a color anniversary edition at once.

Album, 12-inch or repress: buying electronic music on vinyl

With electronic music, format matters. An album spread over two or three discs keeps more bass and dynamics than a crammed single LP, and a 12-inch cut at 45 rpm sounds fuller than one at 33, at the cost of fewer minutes per side. Labels such as Warp, Ninja Tune and Ed Banger regularly repress their key albums. If you're buying an original club 12-inch, look closely at the grading: many of these records saw heavy use in DJ booths.

33 or 45 rpm, single or double LP
official repress or unofficial bootleg
surface condition on ex-DJ copies
what the edition includes: extended mixes, remixes, B-sides

Essential electronic albums on vinyl

The pioneers include Kraftwerk ("Autobahn", 1974; "Trans-Europe Express", 1977) and Jean-Michel Jarre ("Oxygène", 1976). In 1982, Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force released "Planet Rock", the blueprint for electro in the strict sense; by the mid-1980s, Chicago had invented house and Detroit gave birth to techno through Juan Atkins, Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson.

The 1990s brought Bristol trip-hop with Massive Attack's "Blue Lines" (1991), Portishead's "Dummy" (1994) and Tricky's "Maxinquaye" (1995). French touch went global with Daft Punk's "Homework" (1997), Air's "Moon Safari" (1998) and St Germain's "Tourist" (2000), and the duo Justice later revived French electro on Ed Banger. Over on Ninja Tune, Bonobo stands for a warmer, more organic sound.

Electronic subgenres to explore

Use the subcollections to narrow your search: French electro / French touch, house music, techno, ambient, ambient techno, trip-hop / drum 'n' bass, synthwave, dance, trance, breakbeat, lounge, lo-fi and vaporwave. Club fans will head for house and techno, headphone listeners for ambient or trip-hop. The genre's new release and pre-order pages track upcoming albums and announced represses, which often come as limited or color vinyl editions.

Frequently asked questions

What is electro music?

The word has two meanings. Strictly speaking, electro is a style born in the early 1980s that blends funk, hip-hop and drum machines, with Afrika Bambaataa's "Planet Rock" as its emblem. In French and in much of Europe, "electro" is also used loosely for all electronic music, from house and techno to French touch.

What is the most iconic electro song?

There's no single answer, but "Planet Rock" by Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force (1982) is often cited as the track that founded electro. For electronic music more broadly, Kraftwerk's "Trans-Europe Express" and, on the French touch side, Daft Punk's early records come up again and again.

Should I buy the 12-inch single or the album?

For DJing or getting the best sound from a single track, the 12-inch is ideal: few minutes per side, wide grooves and strong bass. For living with an artist's work, the album is more practical. On a double LP, check that the music is spread out, since fewer minutes per side usually means better sound.

What is lo-fi electronic music?

Lo-fi is music with a deliberately imperfect sound: vinyl crackle, tape hiss, jazz or soul samples and slow, mellow beats. Popularized in the 2010s by nonstop YouTube streams, lo-fi hip-hop is often played in the background for studying or relaxing. Its nostalgic sound makes it a natural fit for vinyl.

Electronic Vinyl Records: House, Techno, French Touch and Trip-Hop

What's in this electronic vinyl section?

Album, 12-inch or repress: buying electronic music on vinyl

Essential electronic albums on vinyl

Electronic subgenres to explore

Explore Electro styles