Generally, Egoli bends toward joyous exuberance, music that sustains itself through its spontaneity and its open heart. The immediacy makes Egoli an instantly inviting listen but it's the camaraderie that makes it a nourishing one.

The set won't take the place of any of their studio albums, but it's a strong addition to their body of work that fans should treasure.

Fiske's participation makes PSII even more compelling than its fine companion album. It is arguably Elephant9's finest live offering to date, and a guidepost to other bands showing how it's done.

Drab Majesty have crafted an album that works on its own merits, with songs that you may want to revisit just as much as your favorite vintage post-punk classic track. There's also a nice emotional arc and flow to the album that speaks to the band's theatrical nature as they recontextualize a kohl-eyed '80s goth aesthetic for the next doom generation.

Its glassy, placid groove isn't a reflection of his blandness, but how Sheeran knows that this is the sound that defines global pop in 2019.

The radical changes Trash Kit made to their music only heighten their time-tested strengths, and Horizon is some of their most satisfying music as well as their most forward-looking.

At times, his contemplation gets a little too meandering, and some songs fall on the wrong side of the fine line between anthemic and clichéd. Nevertheless, The Soft Cavalry is a promising debut that's held together by the emotional commitment Clarke and Goswell bring to each of its songs.

ic. Sincere and genuine activists who can move the crowd like this are a rare commodity, and A People's History of Gauche belongs in the collection of anyone who doesn't want to shut down their brain or their convictions when they head out to the dance on Saturday night.

Though it's unlike anything he has attempted before, the ambitious sounds of Tracing Back the Radiance still bear the distinctive stamp of his artistry, one that feels restless, nostalgic, and quietly hopeful regardless of the form it takes.

From beginning to end, The Long Goodbye is pure Pere Ubu: surprising, unexpectedly tender, and above all, thought-provoking. Even by their standards, this is a wild and challenging album -- coming full circle rarely sounds this exhilarating.

Weather functions as one would expect of Tycho's vision of a pop album -- it's immaculately crafted as well as relatable, while also smooth and unchallenging enough to warrant repeated background listening.

Filled with lonely songs that are as warm as a hug from a long-lost friend, Purple Mountains is more of a rebirth than a debut, as well as a potent, poignant reminder of how much Berman has been missed.

The band surely meant for this to be a stopgap until their next album, but rather than giving this a spin it would be more rewarding to go back to Con Todo el Mundo and enjoy its many charms instead. The ways they explore the outer reaches of dub on that album are truly exciting, while this comes off like a school assignment in comparison.

It's a cool wash of shimmering dream pop, soulful, electronics-laced indie rock, and windows-down Americana that somehow manages to be both unassuming and grand.

If you got to know METZ from 2015's II or 2017's Strange Peace, Automat will amaze you as you ponder how long they've been this good, and if you haven't been introduced to their work, starting at the beginning isn't a bad idea at all. Either way, you need this music.

Torche can get dirty as well, as evidenced by the gnarly, Alice in Chains-meets-Mastodon attack of "Extremes of Consciousness" and the scorching, aptly named "Inferno," but for the most part Admission administers seismic confections that vary in sweetness but always satisfy.

"Love Will Find a Way" closely echoes the levitating version on Pharoah Sanders' like-titled album, all the while seeming to inch toward "Love's Holiday." It ends this invigorating album just as effectively as the blueprint began its parent release.

While there's a mercurial effect to Until the Tide Creeps In at least partly due to its songwriters writing separately, common tendencies, artful execution, and a melancholy dreaminess tie it all together, like a novel that's consistently compelling as it moves through multiple perspectives.

Her most accomplished statement to date, a collection brimming with emotion, attitude, and unexpected delights.

This album of skeletal club tracks might be a bit puzzling to listeners who prefer Aguayo's more song-based efforts, but it's definitely worthwhile for anyone keeping an ear to the vanguard of global club music, particularly labels like Príncipe Discos.

While the group's tone reflects the hardships of life in politically suppressed Kinshasa, KOKOKO!'s songs extend beyond mere protest music, bearing an aura of mystery and a celebratory sense of their own spontaneous creation. In an era of musical abundance and sonic homogeneity, it's increasingly uncommon to hear music this fresh and original.

On their third campaign to open the public's eyes to the ills of modern society, Los Angeles industrial anarchists 3Teeth expand the scope of their assault with the powerful Metawar, a hulking monster that makes shutdown.exe sound tame in comparison.

While some of Garson's other albums may have been more overtly groundbreaking, there's something endearing and pure about Mother Earth's Plantasia that resonates even more powerfully decades later.

Poised and spacious, warm and inclusive, and highly provoked, Stonechild is another memorable addition to Hoop's discography.

A paranoid set that's nonetheless cathartic and dependably fun.

Aptly named, Patience is the sound of a band who have spent a few years growing into themselves and it honors Mannequin Pussy's raw punk past while opening doors to new creative possibilities.

To Each His Own goes down plenty easy, due in large part to the effortless soft rock arrangements--warm electric piano, weepy pedal steel, lush harmonies--but all of those breezy pop vibes would feel rote were it not for Pulido's affable presence and keen ear for melody.

This music is still monstrous in its unrelenting pound, and for stamina and impact, this is as satisfying as anything to come down the alternative metal highway in recent years.