4 Albums That Perfectly Capture the Chaos of the 2000s

Ah, the 2000s. For people who were children during that era, it probably seemed like a delightful time full of pop music and colorful aesthetics, both in film, music, and clothing trends. But for adults, the 2000s was an era of quite a bit of chaos. The recession caused financial instability, the tech boom radically changed the way everything was done, and things seemed to be changing at a faster pace than ever before. And some music, particularly in rock and electronic genres, reflected that chaos. Let’s look at just a few albums from the 2000s that reflected just how insane that era really was.

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1. ‘drukqs’ by Aphex Twin

Aphex Twin mastered the art of chaos (if such a thing exists) throughout most of his career, but there’s something about drukqs that is just pure, unabashed insanity. Released in 2001, this drill ‘n’ bass album has elements of everything from IDM to classical music to jungle to acid, with a bit of ambient here and there. It’s a wild ride with enough contrasting style changes to give you whiplash in the best way possible.

2. ‘Boris At Last -Feedbacker-’ by Boris

Japanese experimental outfit Boris have become iconic figures in the drone genre, and one of their best releases is the 2003 post-metal noise effort Boris At Last -Feedbacker-. It’s basically just one long track in five movements, perfectly blending pure chaos with rock elements. It’s not exactly surprising that the band would perform the album in full for years at their live shows.

3. ‘Mount Eerie’ by The Microphones

It might seem odd to include an indie folk band on this list. However, the 2003 album Mount Eerie by The Microphones perfectly encapsulates the chaos of the 2000s, without the stereotypical chaotic elements you might expect from drone, electronic music, or industrial bands. This album is an experimental psychedelic folk concept album that explores life and death. It’s an existential experience, to say the least.

4. ‘Jane Doe’ by Converge

A great example of the metalcore albums from the 2000s, Jane Doe by Converge is still hailed as one of the most definitive metalcore releases of the 21st century. There are post-hardcore and hardcore punk elements on this 2001 release, and it’s a wild ride from start to finish.

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