Standouts aside, Profound Mysteries III feels like the weakest link in this ambitious, year-long project which, while exciting to behold, probably could have been condensed into a one exceptional album.

BROCKHAMPTON have consistently been on an upward trajectory, improving upon each previous effort with the maturity and skill of much more seasoned artists. Ending this part of their story with grace and simplicity, The Family is not only a thank-you letter to fans but to the guys themselves -- a band of brothers who came, conquered, and clocked out while still on top.

And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow is another step forward for Weyes Blood, building on the stunning sonic and emotional environments she tailored on Titanic Rising and using that lushness as a means of processing destabilized times.

The Lone Bellow took a risk in self-producing Love Songs for Losers, and they pulled it off. Through this deeply moving collection of songs with a wide range of musical expressions, the album offers creative abundance and possibility.

This is deeply intuitive, subtly detailed, endlessly grooving, holistic jazz-trance music that was improvised at an extremely high level.

[The] spirit of fun and togetherness carries even the heaviest moments of the record, making it another valuable example of the unique magic Neil and Crazy Horse keep tapping into, even so many years on.

Even though The Metallic Index feels sparser and less developed than the first Fenella release, which was longer and a bit more dynamic, it's still a captivating effort, and well worth exploring.

While it sometimes feels like the duo could have done more with the album's concept, it's still a unique experience, and could very well signal a shift in how the visionaries approach their craft.

The bottom line is that Kalak is a musical manifesto of South Indian futurism. It stands out from the ideologies, prejudices, and cultural conceits of the West, offering an instructive, wildly diverse aesthetic approach that demands to be observed, critiqued, and celebrated on its own terms.

By not forcing Redcar's music into a pop template when it doesn't fit, the album reaffirms him as a resolutely independent artist and makes another fine addition to a nearly flawless discography.

It's enjoyable enough that it takes a minute to realize that Springsteen and Aniello aren't exactly re-interpreting these 15 songs: they're merely playing them for a lark. That's enough for a good time but once Only the Strong Survive fades out with the last notes of "Someday We'll Be Together," there's not much that lingers behind in the memory.

The Work is Gold Panda's most honest, emotionally direct release.

Pigments is not necessarily built for movement, but it's as moving as any of Richard's previous output. No other album is quite like it.

The closest thing here to a track that one could imagine being played through speakers instead of headphones is "Where to Put the Pain," which fashions a skittering ambient pop still very much in line with the rest of the album's design, for a set that's very unlikely to disappoint established fans.

Apart from "Zone 1 (24 Hours)," the selections are generally brief and concise, and the shortest ones sometimes feel like sketches that could've been developed further. Still, the techno side of Mount Kimbie is just as creative as the pop/R&B/hip-hop side, and both halves of MK 3.5 contain several gems.

Throughout the album, dal Forno reveals many intimate thoughts but still suggests much more.

Rarely deviating from a mix of elation and stupefaction, Cometa doesn't have the range of emotions examined on Green Twins and Will This Make Me Good, but frayed-nerve howls, phrases of distress -- anything other than loved-up susurration -- would have disturbed the groove.

The whole album is something of a surprise and the band make it work by wisely exploring both sides of the disco coin. Thanks to the care they put into the sound and the strength of the songs, they pull off their latest transformation smoothly.

While Where I'm Meant to Be is a logical follow-up to Ezra Collective's debut, it's a soulful, musically advanced, rhythmically infectious one, too.

Phoenix's most immediate work since Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix and their most varied since United, Alpha Zulu does indeed range from A to Z, but the band are always in control and the results are frequently brilliant.

It doesn't hurt that these moments of unfiltered introspection are matched with infectious, uplifting melodies. Working with longtime executive producer Malay (Lorde, Frank Ocean), as well as collaborators like Jennifer Decilveo and Jesse Shatkin, among others, Fletcher coalesces all of the atmospheric vaporwave and clubby electro-pop that marked her previous work.

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

Fields sings everything with the expected high level of conviction, covering nearly the gamut of blue-collar soul subjects with devotion and heartache at the fore. His performances elevate the material when it's merely functional.

Protector comes across as less lonesome than her debut, though the hushed mystique that is one of her hallmarks remains.

Ultra Truth is easily one of Avery's most powerful releases.

They approached the sessions with the idea of capturing the feel of "an old rock song from the '80s," specifically along the lines of Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, and Hall & Oates. Where the album really succeeds in this regard is in its strong, economical melodies and a certain warm, bittersweet depth to the songwriting.

By the end, the album both feels like an inevitable destination from prior albums and represents an excellent entry point for the uninitiated.

Entergalactic is a late-era gem in his catalog, a multimedia gift to fans that expands his artistic scope and bodes well for more projects outside the confines of music.