Romare's disjointed sound takes some getting used to, but it's often bewitching, and Love Songs, Pt. 2 is his best effort yet.

While the band's resemblance to its forebears is still strong--especially on the standout "Forget," which Hot Chip would be proud to call their own--Boxed In sound more assured than ever as they expand on that legacy.

It is a representative introduction to the work of a top-tier synth-pop group.

The album never seems to stray from its design, however, and is loaded with catchy, memorable songs, an even more impressive feat considering its origins.

This is anything but bombastic, and there's much greater attention paid to intricacies and subtle details than before. The arrangements consist of calm, patient pianos, gently swelling strings, and deftly integrated modular synthesizers, which help the pieces glow and vibrate. It's a vast, involved recording, but it doesn't bowl the listener over with heavy-handed sentimentality. Nevertheless, if certain pieces catch you at the right moment, they can be tear-jerkers.

What's different about On Sunset is that expansive hybrid of electronic and R&B, a fusion colored by just enough experimentation and craft to make the album feel fresh and distinctly belonging to Weller.

A consistently striking and highly collaborative full-length that, despite its hospitable quality, is the Griselda member's most exemplary solo release yet -- his most considered display of grim street bulletins and snarling admonitions.

Regardless of the thematic angle, Ivey approaches his music with intelligence and heart, serving up concise views of both the inner and outer worlds on this very likeable sophomore set.

Simply putting a group of barely-familiars in a room together doesn't necessarily guarantee collaborative magic, but Yorkston & the Secondhand Orchestra complement each other's strengths well on this richly satisfying matchup.

Everything I Know About Love is a strong first showing from Laufey, an effortless blend of old and new that manages to both comfort with familiarity and excite with possibility.

Pawns & Kings adds another reliable and tightly crafted volume to Alter Bridge's robust canon.

Social Lubrication is the work of a band that believes music can actually make a difference, and in Dream Wife's hands, it's a feeling that's contagious.

Layover is a gorgeous dose of adult-oriented pop that might be unexpected for those expecting the big BTS sound, but that's a big part of the allure.

While 2016's Two Vines had its merits, Ask That God is a welcome return to the blissful, body-moving spirit of Empire of the Sun's first two classics.

Together, they dig even deeper into the woozy funk rhythms and fuzz-tone electric guitar psychedelia of the band's '70s recordings. It's a vibe they bring to full fruition on "Queenless King," a kinetic, Afro-beat-infused anthem that sounds like it is pumping out of the speakers of a vintage 1970s van.

No Hard Feelings holds together perhaps even better than Blame My Ex, and there's a sense that the Beaches, who were in their early teens when they started out, are maturing into themselves and gaining a road-tested swagger. Yet they still know how to have fun.

Unbelievably, Shudall and Circa Waves have managed to expand and deepen what already felt like a complete emotional arc.

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.

There's no creative burn-out on Boycott Heaven as Ruess and Means offer an inspired third album that feels like two old friends reconnecting and finding that they have even more in common than before.

Even if it is an acquired taste, Kammerkonzert is still a fascinating release and a remarkable achievement.

OK Cowboy is a full-fledged album, with a satisfying ebb and flow that shows that Arbez's sound has several sides to it.

While these songs are spare and direct enough to withstand simpler instrumentation, the arrangements the Chicks worked up with Antonoff are subtle and sly; they wrap themselves around the bones of the melody, accentuating the emotions underpinning the songs.

With each album, they continue on the path of self-discovery and maturity, pulling off yet another effortless display of pop prowess without forgetting the fans that have helped them along the way.

Where 2013's Paramore found the group tentatively transitioning from their pop-punk roots toward a multi-layered '80s synth-pop sound, After Laughter reveals them having beautifully completed the transformation.

If musical adventurousness and short attention spans are viewed as positive attributes, then these 13 short songs offer ample rewards.

If anything, the aptly named LP feels more alive than anything the band has let loose to date, despite having successfully distilled their sound down to its very essence.

Heartache is likely the most mined substance in all of pop music, but Williams applies such panache to the material that it's hard not to get wrapped up in all of the delicious melodrama.

No previous knowledge of his catalog is necessary to get happily lost in the blissful layers of 2012/2017.