We're halfway through the year, so it's time to count down our favorite albums of 2026 so far.

Hear more of this bonus episode for free over on YouTube.

Subscribe on Patreon for more bonus episodes and the chance to choose our next topic: patreon.com/gonkcast

Email us: [email protected] 

Follow us on social media: @GonkcastPod

----------

Dan's list:

1. Boards of Canada - Inferno

2. Sunn O))) - Sunn O)))

3. [Ahmed] - Play Monk

4. Speedy J - Walkman

5. Shane Parish - Autechre Guitar

• Honorable mention: Gregory Uhlmann - Extra Stars

• Archival: The Beach Boys - We Gotta Groove

Gabe's list:

1. Speedy J - Walkman

2. Boards of Canada - Inferno

3. Tara Clerkin Trio - Somewhere Good

4. Sunn O))) - Sunn O)))

5. Ibrahim Alfa Jnr. - Infinite Black Inside

• Honorable mention: Squarepusher - Kammerkonzert

• Archival: Oren Ambarchi - Hubris

We're getting back to work on our installment-by-installment revisit of Autechre's 2016 album, elseq 1–5, this time with a deep dive into elseq 4.

Subscribe for bonus episodes on Patreon: patreon.com/gonkcast

Email us: [email protected] 

Follow us on social media: @GonkcastPod

----------

Check out a possible clip of new AE music here.

Read a great blog post on "Elseq @ 10" here.

Read the aepages entry on elseq here.

Read a fantastically in-depth interview with Autechre all about elseq here.

----------

Dan's new music rec: Horse Lords - Demand to Be Taken to Heaven Alive!

Gabe's new music rec: dgoHn - Tessares

Enjoy this bonus episode, for premium subscribers, on Sophie's 2018 classic, Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides.

Subscribe on Patreon for more bonus episodes and the chance to choose our next topic: patreon.com/gonkcast

Email us: [email protected] 

Follow us on social media: @GonkcastPod

----------

Read Resident Advisor's great review here.

Watch the iconic video for "It's Okay to Cry" here.

----------

Dan's new music rec: This Heat - This Heat

Gabe's new music rec: Tara Clerkin Trio - Somewhere Good

We're off this week, so enjoy this unlocked bonus episode on Boards of Canada's 2013 LP, Tomorrow's Harvest—originally released on March 16th, 2026.

Subscribe on Patreon for more bonus episodes like this and the chance to choose our next topic: patreon.com/gonkcast

Email us: [email protected] 

Follow us on social media: @GonkcastPod

----------

Read a great interview with BoC about Tomorrow's Harvest here.

Read a little about the ARG marketing campaign for Tomorrow's Harvest here.

Dive deep into fan theories about Tomorrow's Harvest over at BOCPages.

Watch Deadly Harvest (1977), the film that's thought to have inspired Tomorrow's Harvest here.

Check out a possible early version of "New Seeds" here.

----------

Dan's new music rec: Caterina Barbieri & Bendik Giske - At Source

Gabe's new music rec: Bonnie "Prince" Billy - We Are Together Again

Enjoy this monster-sized bonus episode, for premium subscribers, on Boards of Canada's triumphant return, Inferno (2026).

Subscribe on Patreon for more bonus episodes and the chance to choose our next topic: patreon.com/gonkcast

Email us: [email protected] 

Follow us on social media: @GonkcastPod

----------

Dive deep into all the Inferno theories on BoC Pages.

Read the Guardian's pan of Inferno here.

Read one of many Reddit threads discussing Inferno's strange writing credits here.

Read about the weird Inferno White House video here.

See the source of the "Father and Son" sample here.

Listen to the bonus flexi disc track here.

----------

Dan's new music rec: Iceage - For Love of Grace & the Hereafter

Gabe's new music rec: Ibrahim Alfa Jnr. - Infinite Black Inside

We're pressing on with our installment-by-installment revisit of Autechre's 2016 album, elseq 1–5, this time with a deep dive into elseq 3

Subscribe for bonus episodes on Patreon: patreon.com/gonkcast

Email us: [email protected] 

Follow us on social media: @GonkcastPod

----------

Preorder the new elseq CD box set here.

Read a great blog post on "Elseq @ 10" here.

Check out an art piece by Arthur Ganson that reminds one listener of "eastre" here.

Read the aepages entry on elseq here.

Read a fantastically in-depth interview with Autechre all about elseq here.

----------

Dan's new music rec: Miles Davis - The Cellar Door Sessions 1970

Gabe's new music rec: Speedy J - Walkman

Enjoy this bonus episode for premium subscribers, on another topic chosen by those same subscribers: Seefeel's brand new LP, Sol.Hz (2026).

Subscribe on Patreon for more bonus episodes and the chance to choose our next topic: patreon.com/gonkcast

Email us: [email protected] 

Follow us on social media: @GonkcastPod

----------

Read the very good Pitchfork review of Sol.Hz, written by Philip Sherburne, here.

Check out an AMA Seefeel just did about this album here.

----------

Dan's new music rec: [Ahmed] - Play Monk

Gabe's new music rec: Vladislav Delay Quintet - vd5

We're continuing our installment-by-installment revisit of Autechre's 2016 album, elseq 1–5, with a deep dive into elseq 2.

Subscribe for bonus episodes on Patreon: patreon.com/gonkcast

Email us: [email protected] 

Follow us on social media: @GonkcastPod

----------

Read the aepages entry on elseq here.

Read a fantastically in-depth interview with Autechre all about elseq here.

Read about the new Boards of Canada singles here.

----------

Dan's new music rec: Les Rallizes Dénudés - Disque 4 -'76 Studio et Live-

Gabe's new music rec: Martyn - Music for Existing

Enjoy this bonus episode for premium subscribers, finishing the job we started last bonus episode, discussing Aphex Twin's 2001 LP, Drukqs, one disc at a time.

Subscribe on Patreon for more bonus episodes and the chance to choose our next topic: patreon.com/gonkcast

Email us: [email protected] 

Follow us on social media: @GonkcastPod

----------

Read The Wire's surprising original review of Drukqs here.

Read the debate about track title meanings on this Reddit thread and decide for yourself.

----------

Dan's new music rec: Ohkami No Jikan - Black Tape II

Gabe's new music rec: Ichiko Aoba - 15th Anniversary Concert

We're kicking off our installment-by-installment revisit of Autechre's 2016 album, elseq 1–5, with a deep dive into elseq 1.

Subscribe for bonus episodes on Patreon: patreon.com/gonkcast

Email us: [email protected] 

Follow us on social media: @GonkcastPod

----------

Read the aepages entry on elseq here.

Read a fantastically in-depth interview with Autechre all about elseq here.

----------

Dan's new music rec: OOIOO / Lightning Bolt - THE HORIZON SPIRALS / THE HORIZON VIRAL

Gabe's new music rec: Cass McCombs - Interior Live Oak