More diluted than truly disappointing, Paradises boasts enough standout tracks to please fans -- but with more shaping and a sharper mix, it could've been one of Ladytron's great albums.

Arirang not only stakes a solid claim for the group's place in the cultural heritage that helped inspire it, it's also a triumphant statement that cements the BTS legacy beyond the bounds of K-pop and Korea's borders.

Livingston is a smart and savvy songwriter who also knows when to let the heart cry out, and he's rarely done so with the soulful impact he registers on Cityfolk.

Sometimes all you need to make a great album is a batch of fine songs, a handful of sympathetic musicians, and a bit of kismet. Transmitter has all those things, and it's a quietly excellent album that favors Max Clarke's talents in all the best ways.

We Are Together Again ultimately takes its place as another beautiful entry in Bonnie “Prince” Billy’s everchanging, ever-engrossing discography.

As a culmination of everything she's been building toward in the years since I Disagree, Empty Hands is a towering success, priming Poppy for the arena big leagues with her twisted and wildly engrossing style.

Curiously, the weakest moment on High Noon Hymns comes at the very end, as they deliver a nice but unremarkable cover of Bob Dylan's "Forever Young" -- truly ironic, since the previous 12 tunes confirm the Long Ryders haven't aged out of making music worth hearing, not by a long shot.

Refreshing, comforting, and accessible, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. is a fine transition album that points to even bigger and better things for the pop star.

The score ends with a string-based version of "Sunlight Zone," which feels a bit lighter and more ethereal than the original, but doesn't quite capture the same sense of awestruck wonder. In general, though, Midnight Zone is evocative of a journey into the unknown depths, and it succeeds at creating an atmosphere of curiosity and discovery.

Barry Can't Swim presented a volume of the Late Night Tales mix series, showcasing music he's fond of but wouldn't necessarily be appropriate for him to drop in a club. While there's a little of the type of lush, organic house that he produces, much of the mix is more downtempo, often exploring Balearic chillout territory, but also venturing into a few other directions.

Easily Taylor's best solo album, Paris in the Spring is a moving, playful, and accomplished statement that'll strike a chord with anyone weathering a crisis.

If The Collective was punishing in its density, Play Me is its equal and opposite: leaner and more melodic without sacrificing invention. It's an album that reaffirms Gordon still knows how, and why, to push forward.

Add it all together and A Pound of Feathers is not only reaffirmation of their comeback, but the kind of daring and defiant record that it's a miracle that a band this far into their career could still make.

A mercurial debut album that's also quite theatrical -- think Kurt Weill and rock opera -- it indulges in multiple genre send-ups during its alt-rocky journey through the head of a frankly loathsome narrator.

Her haziest and trippiest yet, involving well over a dozen guests, including on synthesizer, organs, and electric guitar.

The band deserve all kinds of praise for pulling off the somewhat rare feat of being both musically adventurous and emotionally gripping on Only You Left; it feels like the destination to which all their previous excursions were leading and is a fine example of indie rock at its all-around best.

While there's a sense that Moroney is well aware of her pop star status, on Cloud 9 her music soars, but her heart and her charm are as grounded and relatable as ever.

While the Morrissey comparisons are inevitable this time around, Brigitte Calls Me Baby put their own soaring, lovesick twist on influences here, resulting in a dramatic sound all their own.

The 2026 edition of Squeeze, anchored by bassist Owen Biddle (who produced the album), makes music that's rich limber, and they make the most of the ideas the group's songwriters dreamed up a few decades back.

Gary Numan is represented by both of his U.K. number one singles, and Secret Service's "Oh Susie" topped the charts in the group's native Sweden, but otherwise the set largely avoids proper hits. There are a few underground classics (Suicide's "Dream Baby Dream," Dark Day's "Hands in the Dark") as well as album cuts and B-sides from genre-defining acts like the Human League and OMD. There are also tracks that arrive at synth pop from different angles.

Certainly, these are great songs, all of them from Autechre's melodic early-'90s heyday, but Parish casts them in new light with his own artistry in a unique and unexpected collaboration.

It's their most accessible set of songs yet. Having said that, the group's whimsical practice of injecting far-flung timbres and effects into their songs, as well as a certain flat-tire wobble in their performance style are both joyously still in play.

Arranged with a sense of brevity, Ca$ino is limited to just eleven songs, making each of its entries feel both more unique unto themselves and more significant as part of a larger statement than the usual overstuffed commercial rap record.

It's admirable that Palermo doesn't want to stick to just one sound, and some of the experiments work well, it's just that, ultimately, the misfires far outweigh the moments of promise.

This is a Shabaka album; it resonates with individuality, innovation, and abundant creativity.

Morrissey’s singular personality is on full display, and just as uncompromising as ever, but sitting through an entire album of his musings and moanings circa 2026 is less than fun.

Kin is unexpectedly abrasive compared to other KMRU albums, but feels just as natural and inviting.

Deface the Currency is gloriously intense and raucous, as avant funk, explosive jazz, free improv, psychedelia, and post-punk chaos meet in hallucinatory joy.

This blend of great tracks by well-known bands (add to the list of already mentioned groups a few more like the Three O'Clock, Green on Red, Redd Kross, Cynics, and Long Ryders), strong picks by the really good bands who filled out the ranks, and the occasional left-field surprise (looking at you, Camper Van Beethoven) makes for a collection that serves as a reminder of just how thrilling an age it was to be an open-eared and broad-minded fan of psychedelic and garage music.

Normal Isn't is focused and polished, going for the jugular on every single track -- both musically and lyrically -- leaving no room for ambiguity. They're pissed and anxious, with a fear that's turned to desperation on lyrical highlights such as "The Quiet Parts," "Thrust," and "A Public Stoning."

A set of delightfully askew R&B.

The Great Satan absolutely rips, with the jagged riffs, wild audio samples, and jackhammer drumming (courtesy of Ginger Fish) supporting some of Zombie's best (and most rabid) vocals in many an album.

Short and sweet, it highlights all the different styles and moods the quartet is capable of, proving they still have it and hinting at exciting directions for a future full-length.

The Apple Tree Under the Sea takes more listens to fully appreciate than the effortlessly charming "girlfriend," springs' breakout viral hit, but it's undoubtedly a magical and inspired work.

It’s a long journey through a track list that approaches two hours of music, but if time does indeed reveal it to be his final album, The Fall-Off is a worthy swan song.

With In My Dreams, Frisell pulls you into his western reverie, a wagon train journey into his soul.

This record, and Light Verse, show that he is still searching, still working hard, and still able to imbue his albums with the same deep feeling and unstinting beauty that he has from the beginning.

Pairing thoughtful craft with spontaneity is no easy feat, but My Days of 58's songs do it effortlessly.

The wait was worth it: Side-Eye III+ is the most holistic, tender, and joyful recording from the guitarist in more than a decade.

Heavenly have done a fine job of delivering what their fans might expect -- indie pop at its finest -- with enough curveballs, gentle bite, and brilliant songs to make it sound 100% brand new, exciting, and impossible to write off as just another nostalgia trip.

It's a well-dressed set of nine finely crafted love songs.

While Maria BC's songs can float away into the clouded ether at times (or sink into the sea), Marathon's more tactile sounds keep it loosely tethered to human interaction.

Like most remix collections, this should be approached as a bonus round for fans of the original release, but there's an abundance of worthwhile material here.

After he works his way through songs with titles like "Can I Mend It?," "Worms," and "God Knows Why," most listeners will likely be willing to give the sometimes anti-hero a second chance thanks to his deep self-awareness, charming turns of phrase, intention to do the work, and expressions of seemingly genuine affection.

Nothing's About to Happen to Me may be the Mitski-est Mitski album yet, despite its character-driven nature and partly because, at least on some level, it captures the anxiety of the Zeitgeist of its time.

The emotional backbone of The Mountain, however, pushes that expert musicianship beyond the typically reliable Gorillaz sound and into new territory, adding more heart and humanity than this cartoon crew has ever mustered.

Despite being only six songs, Days of Ash packs quite the punch and reminds listeners how good U2 can be when they have something to say.

Her most purposeful album since The Teaches of Peaches, No Lube So Rude is a sexy, witty, and urgent statement that reaffirms she's still a trailblazer.

Refreshingly introspective, stylish, and transparent.

A really strong album, one that finds the band circling back to the reasons they started the group while also exploring new, very interesting territory.

Moby's weary voice surfaces during the mournful "This Was Never Meant for Us," one of several songs that start out slow and sparse but eventually bloom when the strings hit. "Mott Street 1992" recalls the best of Moby's downtempo material, with dreamy breakbeats and lush synths conveying a slow-moving but expressive rush of feeling.

Prizefighter is marginally better than its predecessor, dispelling some of the awkwardness of a long hiatus and reinforcing Mumford & Sons' reputation as purveyors of quality comfort food. It's hopeful, reflective, safe, and deeply rooted in the folk and country traditions the band knows intimately.

The rapper's sound moves subtly between modes throughout the album, with touches of fantastical synths on the trap-pop tune "Call Back," R&B undercurrents on the infectious "Tiramisu," and a hybrid of Y2K-inspired pop melodies and simmering old-school radio rap production on "ATM."

The remastering is bright and crisp, and it stands the test of time. .... The songs intended for 15 Big Ones are a bit of a mixed bag, with covers of songs like "Mony Mony" and "Running Bear" falling flat, due to the band's basic disinterest in what they were doing. On the other hand, the cover of the Righteous Brothers' "Just Once in My Life" is quite beautiful. .... Another reason to get excited about the collection is that tracks from the banished Adult/Child get a proper airing here.

There’s a stillness throughout Laughter in the Summer, a mood that can sometimes read as somber. The overarching feeling in these songs, however, is one of beaming gratitude, and that keeps the album feeling less like an expression of mourning and more a slow-moving outpouring of joy and acceptance.

She's full of fire, uncommonly dexterous both vocally and in emotion -- scathing, instructing, loving, and funny as all get out. All 360 degrees of the Jill Scott experience are presented here.

EXPO can be like trying to hear through phantom barriers, but attentive listening is rewarded, and the project succeeds in reflecting a very contemporary fractured reality.

Delivering raw, narrative‑driven songwriting that feels both prescient and relatable, as heard on standout cuts like "Plastic Cigarette," "Say Why," and "Appetite."

Delivers a denouement and a love letter to fans with an assured set rooted in the genre's sonic hallmarks.

Tenterhooks is one of the darker and more internal SSPU albums that stresses atmosphere over energy, which will hit listeners who enjoy their more thoughtful and introspective material, but may miss fans craving cathartic ragers and catchy anthems.

Few bands conjure the heady, dream-like atmosphere of '60s psychedelic rock as believably and with as much passion as England's Kula Shaker. It's sentiment they underscore on 2026's incense-soaked Wormslayer.

If you're a fan of Williams, there are no surprises here, just ten more great songs to add to a catalog that might one day get the credit it's due for the pop star's contribution to, what else, Brit-pop.

Ultimately, Can I Get a Pack of Camel Lights? represents a deepening of Geologist’s already unique musical language. He uses the hurdy gurdy as an entry point for many of the songs, but always proceeds to strange, new places from there.

While the album covers a wide range of heavy sounds, Blackwater Holylight designed the album so some of these intensities bleed into each others while some intentionally upset the balance. It’s a perfectly architected expression of uncertainty and stress, one that only occasionally offers a reminder of hope somewhere in the distance.

It's an engaging sound adjustment for the band that's unlikely to leave many fans of their label debut behind.

Despite its multi-purpose recording approach, widely varying tempos, and ever-changing moods, it's Ratboys' most cohesive album yet and one that will likely connect with those fruitlessly seeking closure.

The weird detours and stylistic wanderlust result in an album that somehow makes a lot of sense as a larger statement, with all the dissimilar sounds contributing to a listening experience that demands attention and doesn’t let go once it takes hold.

For better or worse, locket sounds like an album with a lot of producers.

On One Mississippi, the songs, production, and inspired performances offer honest emotions and direct messages, elevating this record above his other recordings, and most 21st century albums in the genre.

Not all of Kiss the Beast's risks pay off, but by letting his creativity run wild, Tellier defies the expectations of anyone who thinks they know his music inside and out.

Selenites, Selenites! offers the creative vision and fortitude to celebrate community and the human spirit.

A thrilling showcase of Daniel’s compositional abilities, Can Such Delightful Times Go On Forever? makes a compelling case that beauty and expression are essential tools for much more than mere survival.

It's all fine and good, but it lacks the excitement of the Buzzcocks' salad days.

LAROI reveals a growing maturity and surprising pathos on Before I Forget. He brings you into his heartbreak and holds you there.

Courtney Marie Andrews is a first-rate talent, and Valentine shows us she can move in a number of different directions and still deliver something remarkable.

It's ["Vacancy"] an ace slow jam, as are many of the equally flavorful and coquettish songs that surround it -- the slinking "Mobbin in DC," the doo-wop-tinged "Under the Moon," the weightless "Dreaming," and so forth.

It's not always the most forceful or aggressive protest music, though it does have its harder, more bracing moments. Instead, much of it seems to search for the peace and tranquility that would be present in the absence of war and violence.

By the time the 12-song set closes on the lively, horns-injected "Waiting So Long," it's clear that Ballgame's got the goods and the charisma, and that he found an ideal crew (or they found him) to put his music in its best incandescent light.

Scenes from Above stands apart from the guitarist's other Blue Note titles because of the gauzy strength, pliability, and openness of the ensemble in trusting and embracing the tender quality of Lage's music.

Adamson's music for SCALA!! sounds like ideal accompaniment for all manner of nefarious behavior; it's one of his most entertaining film scores and great fun for post-punk hipsters and psychotronic film freaks alike.

There are no weak tracks on the entire compilation, making it essential for anyone who's into jungle in its purest, uncut form.

Wounded and graceful, both in its music and messaging, the writer's eponymous album is one for headphones and private moments.

By prizing nuance, PVA take a decisive step forward; like the bare, imprinted flesh on its cover, No More Like This leaves a subtle yet lingering mark.

World's Gone Wrong is an album of its moment that addresses issues that have been with us for centuries, and like a good blues song, they never stop being timely – and worth singing loud and clear, which is just what Williams does here.

A sizeable shift in tone and emotion from 2022's excellent Faith in the Future, this equally-enjoyable release finds Tomlinson on a winning 2020s streak.

With its highly developed songwriting, excellent vocal performances, and rootsy production style that support and showcase both albums, Can't Take My Story Away is a career-defining album.

The hollow-eyed confessions of childhood trauma on "Gina" and empty consumption on "The Unwrap" make it clear Sleaford Mods are still masters of bleakness, but it feels less like Fearn and Williamson are fighting their battles alone. They broaden their horizons on "Flood the Zone," joining forces with Liam Bailey.

Simply put, Tragic Magic is an affecting, powerfully gentle testament to the alchemy that comes from sharing the burdens -- and opportunities -- of hard times with love and creativity.

On Off the Fence, Hunter's crew display their richest stylistic and rhythmic varieties to date in songs that stimulate the body and resonate in the heart.

This is a solid showing from two still-prolific artists, and while none of it is as momentous as duo classics like "N.Y. State of Mind," "I Gave You Power," or "Nas Is Like," it's substantive comfort listening in the form of highly distilled boom bap.

Keeping the industrial tradition alive in 2025, CONFLICT DLC is another satisfying effort from the Los Angeles trio.

The release is a set of moody trap numbers with sharp beats and stark lyrics about hustling and street life. He also spends time roasting online haters and addressing Internet drama.

Dry Cleaning sound more expansive and present than ever on Secret Love, transcending their role as sprechgesang post-punk standard-bearers to become innovators whose surreal, poetic expressions of emotion reveal hearts as open as their eyes.

For their second LP, they've boosted their pop-psych influences, adding to the atmospherics of this music without slipping into silliness, especially on the trippy coda "Gonna Catch You." And the strength of Bill Schalda's songwriting continues to impress here.

A stellar effort from both producers, Implosion pushes ambient dub to the limit.

The trailblazing Gothic doom group's 17th long-player, Ascension, builds on the gloomy architecture of 2020’s Obsidian, delivering muscular, melancholic melodeath-doom infused with subtle electronic flourishes and lyrics rooted in the cold certainty of mortality.

Who Waters the Wilting Giving Tree... is a nonstop flow of stunning ideas and performances, without ever getting so heady that the fun and strangeness become alienating.

White doesn't aim for emotional grandiosity on Inner Day, but uses the album as a place to collect some spare instrumental musings and let them float around before one idea fades into the next.