Published: 13 May 2026 / Last Update: 13 May 2026

Here’s a simple guide for anyone interested in nu jazz / jazztronica, from essential starting points to deeper standout albums and tracks.

Getting into any genre isn’t always as straightforward as it seems, and nu jazz is no exception. Genre lines are naturally loose, and not everyone is going to agree on exactly what qualifies. But debating those technicalities isn’t really what our “Getting Into” posts are about. Some of the releases below sit right at the center of the movement, while others simply pull from specific elements of its sonic palette. Either way, we think they’re all connected in some way, whether through texture, rhythm, atmosphere, or attitude.

To make things easier to navigate, we’ve broken the guide down into a few broad, mood-based categories. Plenty of artists move between them, and these “sides” constantly bleed into one another, so treat them less like rigid rules and more like a loose map to explore.

This is also a highly subjective selection, of course. Narrowing down an entire genre into a list like this is never easy, but our main goal is simply to help you find something new that resonates with you. And if there’s something you love that we missed, feel free to share it in the comments below or on our socials.

Finally, most of the releases mentioned here, along with plenty more, can also be found in our Nu Jazz, Jazztronica playlist on Spotify, which we update regularly.

Now, let’s dig in.

COSMIC / FUTURISTIC / PSYCH-PROG SIDE

Must-Hear Albums (in no particular order)

• Jaga Jazzist – Starfire (2015)
• Jaga Jazzist – One-Armed Bandit (2o1o)
• The Comet Is Coming – Trust In The Lifeforce Of The Deep Mystery (2o19)
• The Comet Is Coming – Hyper-Dimensional Expansion Beam (2o22)
• Xploding Plastix – Amateur Girlfriends Go Proskirt Agents (2o01)
• Donny McCaslin – Lullaby For The Lost (2o25)
• James Holden & The Animal Spirits – The Animal Spirits (2017)
• Lua Trilogy! & Mayfly Priestess – You Are Peace! You Are Love! (2024)
• Red Snapper – Making Bones (1998)
• Nana Rizinni – Epiblast (2026)
• Nick Walters – Singularity (2022)
• Nate Mercereau – Joy Techniques (2019)

Must-Hear Tracks (in no particular order)

• Jaga Jazzist – Oban (2015)
• Jaga Jazzist – One-Armed Bandit (2o1o)
• Jaga Jazzist – Starfire (2015)
• Jaga Jazzist – Spiral Era (2o2o)
• The Comet Is Coming – Summon The Fire (2o19)
• The Comet Is Coming – Start Running (2o17)
• The Comet Is Coming – Code (2o22)
• The Comet Is Coming – Blood Of The Past (2o19)
• Donny McCaslin – Wasteland (2o25)
• Donny McCaslin – Glitch (2o25)
• Nils Petter Molvær – Recoil (2011)
• Nils Petter Molvær – Baboon Moon (2011)
• Xploding Plastix – Funnybones & Lazylegs (2o01)
• Xploding Plastix – Sports, Not Heavy Crime (2o01)
• Cocomofo – Oblique Strategies (2023)
• Eivind Aarset – The String Thing (2001)
• Amon Tobin – Sordid (1998)
• Nate Mercereau – There You Are (2019)
• James Holden & The Animal Spirits – Thunder Moon Gathering (2017)
• James Holden & The Animal Spirits – Spinning Dance (2017)
• Submotion Orchestra – Bird Of Prey (2012)
• Submotion Orchestra – Thousand Yard Stare (2012)
• Submotion Orchestra – Awakening (2014)
• Lua Trilogy! & Mayfly Priestess – Maraylin Monore (2024)
• Red Snapper & MC Det – The Sleepless (1998)
• Red Snapper & MC Det – 4 Dead Monks (1998)
• Bloto – Hipokryzja (2021)
• Bloto & Kwazar – Muchomor (2024)
• Sungazer – Lunar (2021)
• Sungazer – Against The Fall Of Night (2024)
• SML – Taking Out The Trash (2025)
• Nana Rizinni – Epiblast (2026)
• Ishmael Ensemble – Siren! (2019)
• Moses Boyd – Stranger Than Fiction (2020)
• Szun Waves – High Szun (2018)
• Blast – Super Chaton (2018)
• The Brums – Happy Nervous Heart (2025)
• Little Fingers – Under The Wire (2021)
• XOA – After Burner (2023)

ATMOSPHERIC / CINEMATIC / DOWNTEMPO SIDE

Must-Hear Albums (in no particular order)

• Jaga Jazzist – What We Must (2005)
• Portico Quartet – Monument (2021)
• Portico Quartet – Memory Streams (2019)
• Portico Quartet – Art In The Age Of Automation (2017)
• Hidden Orchestra – Archipelago (2012)
• Hidden Orchestra – Night Walks (2010)
• Floex – Zorya (2012)
• Nils Petter Molvær – Khmer (1998)
• Nils Petter Molvær – Buoyancy (2016)
• Nils Petter Molvær – Stitches (2021)
• Eivind Aarset – Électronique Noire (1998)
• Eivind Aarset – Sonic Codex (2007)
• Svaneborg Kardyb – Over Tage (2022)
• Submotion Orchestra – Finest Hour (2011)
• Ishmael Ensemble – Visions Of Light (2021)
• Notilus – Notilus (2017)

Must-Hear Tracks (in no particular order)

• Jaga Jazzist – All I Know Is Tonight (2005)
• Jaga Jazzist – Oslo Skyline (2005)
• Jaga Jazzist – Lithuania (2001)
• Portico Quartet – Captured Time (2022)
• Portico Quartet – Endless (2017)
• Portico Quartet – Youth (2022)
• Portico Quartet – Offset (2019)
• Portico Quartet – On The Light (2021)
• Portico Quartet – Spinner (2012)
• Portico Quartet – A Luminous Beam (2017)
• Hidden Orchestra – Overture (2012)
• Hidden Orchestra – Spoken (2012)
• Hidden Orchestra – Attic (2020)
• Hidden Orchestra – Antiphon (2010)
• Floex – Forget-Me-Not (2012)
• Floex – Casanova (2012)
• Nils Petter Molvær – Song Of Sand II (1998)
• Nils Petter Molvær – Ras Mohammed (2016)
• Nils Petter Molvær – Angels Ahead (2021)
• Nils Petter Molvær – Bathroom (2014)
• Nils Petter Molvær – Access / Song Of Sand I (1998)
• Nils Petter Molvær – Ligotage (2000)
• Eivind Aarset – Dark Moisture (1998)
• Eivind Aarset – Sign Of Seven (2007)
• Amon Tobin – Slowly (2000)
• The Cinematic Orchestra – Man With The Movie Camera (2002)
• Medasin – Elevator Music (2023)
• Skalpel – Momentum (2022)
• James Holden & The Animal Spirits – Each Moment Like The First (2017)
• James Holden & The Animal Spirits – The Neverending (2017)
• Szun Waves – Exploding Upwards (2022)
• Svaneborg Kardyb – Fragt (2022)
• Submotion Orchestra – Eyeline (2012)
• Submotion Orchestra – Finest Hour (2011)
• Taylor McFerrin – Postpartum (2014)
• Ebi Soda – Spooky (2020)
• Leland Whitty – Awake (2022)
• Ishmael Ensemble – Surge (2019)
• Ishmael Ensemble – The Gift (2021)
• Red Snapper & MC Det – The Sleepless (1998)
• Kinkajous – It Blooms/Then Nothing (2021)
• Paraskeva – Hymn To The Sunrise (2024)

RHYTHMIC / PLAYFUL / JAZZ HOUSE & ACID JAZZ SIDE

Must-Hear Albums (in no particular order)

• Llorca – Newcomer (2001)
• St Germain – Boulevard: The Complete Series (1995)
• Kyoto Jazz Massive – Spirit Of The Sun (2002)
• Kyoto Jazz Massive – Message From A New Dawn (2021)
• Moses Boyd – Dark Matter (2020)
• Neue Grafik Ensemble – Foulden Road Part II (2022)
• Atjazz – Labfunk (2009)
• NuHussel Orchestra – Kids (2022)
• Yarni – Pigna (2022)
• Tour-Maubourg – Paradis Artificiels (2020)

Must-Hear Tracks (in no particular order)

• Skalpel – Drive (2022)
• St Germain – Rose Rouge (2000)
• St Germain – So Flute (2000)
• Llorca – The Novel Sound (2001)
• Neue Grafik Ensemble – Queen Assa (2022)
• Makaya McCraven – Black Rhythm Happening (2021)
• Red Snapper – Bogeyman (1998)
• Kyoto Jazz Massive – Get Up (2021)
• Kyoto Jazz Massive – Substream (2002)
• EABS – UFO (2020)
• We Used To Cut The Grass – Lights, Camera, Ham! (2025)
• Moses Boyd – Y.O.Y.O (2020)
• Torino Unlimited Noise – Pulse In The Dark (2026)
• Bear Garden – Up (2023)
• NIJI & Moses Boyd – Sounds Of The City (2023)
• Little Fingers – Fire Up/Go! (2025)
• Bandler Ching – P’tit Île (2025)
• NuHussel Orchestra – Cptn Future (2022)
• NuHussel Orchestra – Circles (2023)
• Yarni – Cherub (2022)
• Jazzanova – Fedime’s Flight (1998)

SPIRITUAL / MELLOW / SOUL SIDE

Must-Hear Albums (in no particular order)

• Uyama Hiroto – Freeform Jazz (2017)
• Uyama Hiroto – Freedom Of The Sun (2014)
• Uyama Hiroto – Breath Of Love (2024)
• Erik Truffaz – Bending New Corners (1998)
• The Cinematic Orchestra – Every Day (2002)
• The Cinematic Orchestra – Motion (1999)
• Taylor McFerrin – Early Riser (2014)
• Makaya McCraven – Universal Beings (2018)
• Yussef Kamaal – Black Focus (2016)
• Yussef Dayes – Black Classical Music (2023)
• Alfa Mist – Antiphon (2017)
• BADBADNOTGOOD – IV (2016)
• St Germain – Montego Bay Spleen (2000)
• Resavoir – Resavoir (2019)
• Broadway Project – Compassion (2002)
• Joe Armon-Jones – Almost Went Too Far (2018)
• Robert Glasper – Black Radio (2012)
• DOMi & JD Beck – Not Tight (2022)
• Venna – Malik (2025)
• Clutchy Hopkins – The Life of Clutchy Hopkins (2005)
• Skalpel – Transit (2014)

Must-Hear Tracks (in no particular order)

• Erik Truffaz – Arroyo (1998)
• Erik Truffaz – Flamingos (2003)
• Uyama Hiroto – Yin And Yang (2017)
• Uyama Hiroto – Taiko (2017)
• Uyama Hiroto – Compass (2014)
• Uyama Hiroto – Gentle Luv A Dub (2024)
• Amon Tobin – Natureland (2000)
• Sam Wilkes – Tonight (2018)
• Sam Wilkes – Descending (2018)
• The Cinematic Orchestra – All That You Give (2002)
• The Cinematic Orchestra – All Things To All Men (2002)
• The Cinematic Orchestra – Channel 1 Suite (1999)
• BADBADNOTGOOD – Speaking Gently (2016)
• Resavoir & Brandee Younger – Taking Flight (2019)
• Skalpel – Siesta (2014)
• Skalpel – Sculpture (2004)
• 44th Move – 2nd September (2025)
• DOMi & JD Beck – Smile (2022)
• Yussef Dayes & Tom Misch – Rust (2023)
• Robert Glasper & Lalah Hathaway – Cherish The Day (2012)
• Robert Glasper & Erykah Badu – Afro Blue (2012)
• _BY.ALEXANDER & 070 Shake – Trumpets (2020)
• Taylor McFerrin – Already There (2014)
• Venna – Eternal Reflections (feat. Yussef Dayes) (2025)
• Ebi Soda – Something To Do In The Future (2020)
• Yarni – Spell Over Me (2025)
• Alfa Mist – Antiphon (2017)
• Yussef Kamaal – Keep On (2016)

AVANT-GARDE / EXPERIMENTAL / LEFT-FIELD SIDE

Must-Hear Albums (in no particular order)

• Amon Tobin – Permutation (1998)
• Flying Lotus – You’re Dead! (2014)
• Hakushi Hasegawa – Air Ni Ni (2019)
• DJ Spooky – Optometry (2002)
• Squarepusher – Music Is Rotted One Note (1998)
• Jon Hassell – Listening To Pictures (Pentimento Volume One) (2018)
• Ben LaMar Gay – Open Arms To Open Us (2021)
• Sungazer – Sungazer, Vol.2 (2019)
• We Used To Cut The Grass – We Used To Cut The Grass #1 (2021)
• Anteloper – Pink Dolphins (2022)

Must-Hear Tracks (in no particular order)

• Flying Lotus – Cold Dead (2004)
• Amon Tobin – Reanimator (1998)
• Amon Tobin – People Like Frank (1998)
• Jaga Jazzist – Animal Chin (2001)
• Eivind Aarset – Self Defence (2001)
• Hakushi Hasegawa – o(__*) (2019)
• Hakushi Hasegawa – Only You (2019)
• Xploding Plastix – Treat Me Mean, I Need The Reputation (2o01)
• Amon Tobin – Golfer Versus Boxer (2000)
• DJ Spooky – Ibid, Desmarches, Ibid (2002)
• We Used To Cut The Grass – DEVO Variations (2021)
• We Used To Cut The Grass – Visitors Pomp I (2021)
• We Used To Cut The Grass – The Hatman Cometh (2025)
• Jon Hassell – Ndeya (2018)
• Sungazer – Drunk (2019)
• Sungazer – Why We Fight (2019)
• Anteloper – Delfin Rosado (2022)
• Ben LaMar Gay – Sometimes I Forget How Summer Looks On You. (2021)
• Elf Traps – Metrognome (2025)

RECENT STANDOUT ALBUMS (2023–2026)

(Aside from those already mentioned above. Listed in no particular order)

• Bear Garden – Up (2023)
• Medasin – Always In A Hurry (2023)
• Bandler Ching – Mercurial (2025)
• The Big Tusk – Shrimplet’s Regrets (2026)
• SML – How Have You Been (2025)
• Moses Yoofee Trio – MYT (2025)
• EABS – Reflections Of Purple Sun (2024)
• Cocomofo – Cardinal Rose (2023)
• Daoud – ok (2025)
• We Used To Cut The Grass – We Used To Cut The Grass #2 (2025)
• Yarni – Anemoia (2025)
• Little Fingers – Snakes & Ladders (2025)
• The Brums – Soleil Noir (2025)

Want more? Our companion playlist features many of these selections and plenty more, with tracks rotating in and out regularly and new music added all the time. Feel free to follow it to stay in the loop.