Volume 14 of the Kompakt label's Pop Ambient series contains a surprising amount of material that is aggressive, almost piercing--certainly less lulling--compared to gentler series highlights like Donnacha Costello's "Dry Retch" and Triola's "AG Penthouse."

It's an incredible feat for an artist to make something so enormous and unfolding without losing himself in the process, but McGuire has done just that, and as a result has turned in his most detailed and soul-searching work.

In the wake of crossover dance acts who scored after the success of On a Mission, Katy B remains in a class of her own.

Although it's unlikely In the Silence will have quite the same impact on the charts beyond the shores of Iceland, it does suggest another musical gem has been unearthed from the island's formidable pool of talent.

The peppy and ceaselessly upbeat tunes that make up the album rush by in a stream of self-aware lyrics about uncertain romantic relationships, disappointment, and the more bitter side of unrequited love.

If this initial step into adulthood is any indicator of future work, it will be a pleasure to follow their progress. If not, at least we have this excellent album to look back on fondly.

A thoroughly satisfying and intriguing record that pushes Fanfarlo toward new boundaries.

If the seats at brunch are all taken by indie kids and laid-back electronica fans, Wedding Bells is a suitable soundtrack.

The artistic playground of modern-day Berlin seems to have had its influence on the gentlemen of Breton as they turn in an extremely creative, yet accessible sophomore effort.

Peroxide showcases Nesbitt's sweet voice and personal yet universally relatable lyrics, which she frames in bright, often acoustic piano and guitar-driven arrangements.

There is a buoyant creativity to many of Lake Street Dive's arrangements, and cuts like "Bobby Tanqueray" and "Seventeen" reveal such time-tested influences as late-'60s Muscle Shoals-influenced soul and Dusty Springfield-esque pop.

Skaters' knack for writing infectious melodies often offsets their enthusiasm, so although Manhattan is an uneven record, its bright spots still have capacity to shine like Times Square.

The EP that preceded this album set the marker high for the Norwegian quintet, but they more than deliver here with a brave and diverse collection of songs.

Down Like Gold showcases the duo's harmony-laden, folk, and indie pop sound.

Architects have embraced change, and although they're still mindful of the sound that got them where they are, their refusal to be beholden to it makes Lost Forever, Lost Together one of their most exciting records to date.

The group may be following a blueprint, but they believe they're following their own course, and that conviction is convincing.

Happiness Is shows that they've honed their skills, creating a beautifully crafted, well-constructed album that feels like more than merely a collection of songs, but rather an album full of soaring builds and heartbreaking collapses that lends credence to the notion that the best things come to those who wait.

Taken as a musical statement, Sisyphus works fairly well at times, but it's the kind of collaboration no one asked for and much like their mythological Greek king namesake, getting all three artists' styles to gel is a bit like pushing a boulder eternally up a hill.

This strong debut points to even stronger, more focused work from Foy down the line.

Michael is in good form but he's coasting, doing no more than he needs to, satisfying fans without surprising.

Whether she looks into darkness or light, Eliza Gilkyson's vision is impressive, and she's given us another remarkable glimpse at her gifts as a vocalist and songwriter on The Nocturne Diaries.

That this trio interprets such a difficult work with this degree of faithfulness is remarkable; that they do so without sacrificing their personality in the process is worth celebrating.

Langford may have lost a tiny bit of ragged glory, but he's gained plenty along the way that makes this album a must, whether they're longtime fans or not.

Jamaica have enough of their own quirky likableness and vocal style to always register as a completely unique entity, albeit one that wouldn't sound out of place on late-'70s and early-'80s AM radio.

The predilection for ruminative introspection eventually gets a little heavy, but on a track-by-track basis this collection is very good.

Though worlds away from White Hinterland's soft-hearted chamber pop beginnings or more recent dreaminess, the dire overall feeling of Baby represents vivid, undeniable growth for the project.

Back in the day, Remember Me would have been titled Gas Pedal: The Album, so feed off the good times and clever ideas that power this party record because Sage is a great host, juggling familiar and fun with ease.

If there isn't much spark, there is a surplus of warmth; the trio is comfortable and relaxed, and it's hard not to succumb to such friendly, familiar vibes.

Coves' flair for drama sometimes outpaces their ability to write memorable songs, but Soft Friday's best moments are so good, and its overall sound is so vibrant, that it's a more than promising debut.

The use of production and electronic treatment amplifies almost all of the tracks here, creating interesting pockets of unexpected tension and menace in what would have otherwise stood as somewhat straightforward compositions.

In spite of the extremely high expectations, he has managed a pretty neat debut that will please fans who have been waiting since his early singles.

Call it sustainable punk--the kind that doesn't need to burn out or fade away.

Range of Light's unifying theme of the Sierra range is heartfelt, and when enjoyed as a whole, the album succeeds as a unique effort that is familiar, yet distinct and extremely personal.

Once again, Band of Skulls have proven that they have the chops and the moxie, but they still need more than a handful of memorable songs to seal the deal.

Inner Fire is a showcase for the Souljazz Orchestra's depth and experience.

At 74, he is in assured command of his voice, and better understands the deeper well it resonates from.

Motion represents something different, with its first three tracks being composed and realized from the ground up in the recording studio, seeing Holtkamp move away from some of the live looping and sample-based composition of previous work.

It makes the album a true pleasure to listen to, and Physical World gives Game Preserve a run for its money as Davenport's best stuff yet.

This band's disciplined, sensitive unity expresses Adams' fresh, expansive musical vision with elegance and grit, humor and pathos, tenderness and sensuality.

Cope is more than just the sound of a band getting by; it's the sound of Manchester Orchestra at their best.

While Hot Dreams is slightly less immediate than Creep on Creepin' On, its potent cocktail of menace, glamour, and vulnerability is nothing less than transporting.

With more memorable tracks and a slightly more accessible feel, the album is less distracted and more tuneful than before without losing any of the freewheeling spirit that made his songs and persona so attractive in the first place.

There's a refreshing, devil-may-care cavalier attitude to Education, Education, Education & War that eradicates much of the desperation that was beginning to creep in after 2007's Yours Truly, Angry Mob, but it still doesn't change the fact that you've heard it all before.

Miles at the Fillmore - Miles Davis 1970: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 3 is an essential addition to the Davis canon.

Just Because doesn't break down any walls in its bid for pop/rock superiority, but with voices this pure and earworms this painless it doesn't have to, as the Gruskas have crafted a timeless-sounding collection of songs with contemporary tools, and most importantly, they've done it with finesse.

Even if it's not quite as striking an achievement as WIXIW, it's a lot of fun and shows, once again, that Liars are unquestionably themselves no matter how much they push their boundaries.

Dissed is the kind of record that feels like it came out of nowhere to blow minds, and even though you can trace it clearly when you check out his previous work with the band Ovens or early solo recordings, it trumpets Molina's arrival with 12 short blasts of perfection.

Some of these versions work better than others, but they're all imaginative and worthy and, best of all, they prove the producers' thesis that there is a lot to discover within Dylan's '80s catalog.

In a lot of ways, Stereolithic sounds like a classic 311 album.

Strangers wavers between the sad and joyous sides of life, but Felice finds something out of the ordinary wherever he looks, and this record confirms this drummer just so happens to be a songwriter and frontman of the first order.

What underlies the handclaps and radiant melodies on their sophomore album Divisionary are songs that noticeably delve deeper into philosophical and darker themes than the wide-eyed optimism that engulfed their debut, and marks the evolution the band have undergone.

[It] doesn't necessarily mean that every cut is cohesive but Shakira is the rare pop star who can pull an album together through sheer force of personality.

Imperfections aside, this is a strange, oddly compelling addition to his catalog.

The lush, colorful songs combine orchestral arrangements, choirs, drums, and a variety of singers in an ambitious multinational pop collaboration.

Issues put enough of their own spin on things to feel like something new, which feels like a praiseworthy accomplishment in an increasingly homogenous genre.

As with Until Tomorrow, McFarlane produced the whole thing--an understated yet dazzling second album that is more imaginative than the impressive first.

Sweet, smooth, sincere, and smart, Dreams is an unexpected plush pillow from the group.

Toujours is an album of true originality, executed with humor, warmth, and spark, and captivating from beginning to end.

Bless Off is a single-minded beast of an album that seeks only to inspire the listener to hit the streets and take some risks, making a case for the idea that a life that isn't lived dangerously is a life that's barely lived at all.

Ragan's insightful writing lends itself to both anthems and love songs, revealing the singer/songwriter's maturity and savvy. He just needs to trust his vision more.

Its varied tones and moods settle into an exciting, vivid bigger picture and represent a clearer collection of Wilson's intelligent lyrical portraits and shifting stylistic muses.

Tokyo Police Club worked with co-producer Doug Boehm, who has also collaborated with the French Kicks, and Forcefield often recalls how that band managed to sound sophisticated and unpretentious at the same time

Somewhere in between his rich, weathered baritone and his self-deprecating lyrics, the listener is charmed into submission, and it all goes down like a perfectly sessionable ale, albeit one with peculiar origins.

World of Joy's second half isn't quite as cohesive as its first.

The album reaches its apex on the soaringly beautiful "Flight Song," evoking at once the best elements and most reflective shades of Eno, Aphex Twin, and free jazz saxophonist Marion Brown.

The vocals, the songs, the music, and the production work together to make Singles a one-of-a-kind experience that's nearly perfect.

This new direction is one that suits the band well, and although it may seem like they've put their bar rock days in their rear view mirror, it's seems pretty clear that the band is heading toward a big, arena rock future.

Out of the box, the Melodic don't sound much like anyone else in British pop, and their individuality, imagination, and vision already make them something special.

The set is essential to any fan, and these records are near-perfect documents of the roots of indie rock and D.I.Y. culture that started growing in the unheard music and handmade expressions of the early '90s.

The result is an electronic album that sounds nothing like electronic music, and manages to relate complex, well-crafted moods with a deceptively spare sonic palette.

If E Volo Love was his breakout, Piano Ombre should be the record that will truly resonate with fans.

This already busy album becomes even busier with so many cooks in the kitchen, and shoots off nonstop fireworks as if this was Skrillex's audio variety special, sponsored by the wing of the stereo industry that sells, re-cones, or fixes subwoofers.

They're as committed as ever to rocking and having a good time, and that's something that thankfully seems to be getting even stronger the more they figure out what they're doing.

The Imagined Savior Is Far Easier to Paint is provocative: its moodiness, myriad musical directions, and 79-minute length may be initially off-putting. What is revealed with repeated listening, however, is that this set's achievement is commensurate with its ambition.

Every one of these seem like they could have some kind of potential on the charts, so the fact they were shelved is a bit of a mystery because, when taken together--despite misguided novelties like "If I Told You Who It Was"--it adds up to one of Cash's stronger '80s albums.

Though Sex and Love tries hard to walk the tightrope between the personas displayed on Iglesias' two previous outings, he leans more to the club side here. Your feelings about the album will depend on which side of the divide you lean toward.

All told, Daughter of Everything is a promising, if somewhat scattered collection of wry guitar pop that nods to the best of the '60s and '90s.

Wildewoman can feel a little rote, but to its credit, never dull, due in large part to Wolfe and Laessig's commanding performances.

It's Alive is a debut that should appeal to both lovers of old-school surf pop and anyone who's into the modern "surf" noise-pop style, but always wanted more waves and less whine.

There's a bit more maturity and personality to some of these tracks that speaks of a band coming into its own. Still, for fans of their first two releases, Weird Kids provides plenty of the snarky sendoffs and he-said/she-said breakup rockers that drew people to the band in the first place.

The Soul of the Hour confirms that Gallon Drunk are bloodied but unbowed, still raging against the world around them and just as powerful as ever.

Ultimately, The Pink Caves has a haunting, surrealistic quality that, while melodic and song-based at times, also feels abstract and organic, as if these songs were not so much written by the band as cultivated as they grew out of the earth.

Though they took over a decade to follow up their first album, Two still sounds like a band a decade ahead of its time.

Think of 50 Cent's Get Rich or Die Tryin' delivered by an inspired rapper in a post-Nicki Minaj world and you're close to the thrill of this inspired debut.

Ibibo Sound Machine is an auspicious debut. The producers molded their rhythms around that beautiful voice with taste, creativity, and integrity, and the band plays the hell out of it all.

It's deliberately confusing, oddly seductive, and takes no prisoners.

Darlings comes across as a more focused and decidedly more solo effort than its predecessor.

These tracks are so striking that the album feels a bit top-loaded, but Abandoned City is still another fine example of Hauschka's combination of inspired musicianship and almost palpable emotion.

It's a near flawless collection of dreamy vibes, shifting moods, and movement, and stands easily as Granduciel's finest hour so far.

Perfect Pussy choose to shroud the clarity of their words in thick sheets of noise makes for a fascinating, if frustrating contrast; the only way to fully absorb their music is to put in the time with repeated listening and reading the lyrics. Fortunately, that's not a problem with an album as thought-provoking as Say Yes to Love.

Despite this one skippable moment ["Beautiful"], Kiss Me Once is a glittering, fun, and surprisingly powerful album that's classic Kylie through and through.

Startling numbers like the block-rockin' then dissolving "Real" crop up throughout the album and make this project even more than a sum of its parts, and with the track list flowing smoothly as attractive guests (Danny Brown, Raekwon, Scarface, Mac Miller, and the list goes diversely and gloriously on) come and go, Piñata winds up excellent overall.

If Torches scratched the surface of twenty-something angst, then Supermodel takes that exploration a few steps deeper, revealing a more introspective, enigmatic, world-weary tone.

The songs are too weak, the sound is too good (aka lifeless), and the album feels like a career move instead of anything real or fun.

A brief but compelling work from an important artist.

The darkness seems more dire and the fun moments feel more exciting and reckless, making All Her Fault a new chapter in a history of successes.

September Girls sound like a copy of a copy of a copy, not quite reaching the heights of their immediate predecessors, let alone the classic bands they're all aiming for.

Call it a wobbly when it comes to quality, or a showcase for the young that's stolen by the old, but it's best to consider it a simple roster-promoting label compilation that just happens to come with an EP or so worth of fire.