Despite a few moments spent in the doldrums, Park's heartfelt lyricism and serene instrumentals navigate the complexities of love and healing, reminding listeners of the ongoing process of finding wholeness.

If All I Was Was Black is another late-career winner from Staples, an album that perfectly captures her gentle, loving and elegant way of making a political statement without sacrificing the passion she's built her career upon.

Born in the UK, based Stateside and of Sudanese descent, Sinkane has been able to draw his worldly experiences into something that's at once relatable, abstract and pertinent.

While Teitelbaum's vocals occasionally teeter on nonchalance or disaffection, she knows how to balance these quieter moments with bursts of passion, making them strike even harder.

If there's one general criticism to be made here it could be that the album lingers a bit too much in a dark and dramatic mood (especially in the first four songs), but that's less an outright flaw and more a desire for more of the playfulness that appears in the second half of the record.

The depth of these cuts will depend on your familiarity with electro-funk and its history, but there should be enough here to satisfy even the most literate of fans, and for newcomers to Dâm's sound, it's a fine primer.

As disjointed and tense as this sophomore effort may come across, angeltape is a proclamation of artistic and emotional resilience.

The band have played it relatively safe, changing little from the upbeat pop-punk formula established on 2014's Wishful Thinking, but have still managed to cram some undeniably catchy moments into this new set.

Belief System should clearly have been released as two separate albums; one that's a candidate for album of the year and one that's completely forgettable.

Although his lyrics are as benign as ever, much of the music here doesn't just rehash what was good about the band's salad days, but bravely presents Corgan as an artist trying to stage one of the most unexpected comebacks in recent history.

At 16 tracks, Dream Nails seems lengthy at first glance, but each track is punchy and goes by quickly.

As with his previous output, regardless of the myriad influences in effect, you never once have any doubts you are listening to a Zomby record.

It's a flawed yet noteworthy project that whets the appetite for Sandé's sophomore effort.

At times Clouds risks being dragged down by its bleak outlook, but ultimately it's a moving portrait of a band on the brink of its own breakthrough.

Overall it's the atmosphere that haunts the album that will stick with you, assuredly.

MeYouWeYou is an ambitious and confident record from a band with enough smarts to keep one foot in the electronic realm while letting the other roam free.

It certainly has a strong first half, opening with "Eve of Destruction" and "Bango," a pair of high-energy tracks that play to the Chems' strengths. ... Similarly, just-okay tracks like "We've Got to Try," while boasting some exciting elements, seem b-tier in light of past triumphs. That said, even b-tier work from the Chemical Brothers is worthy of interest--an opportunity to respect one's elders.

Leaving None but Small Birds is a departure for both bands that results in a mostly positive and rewarding listening experience. This complete change in sonic construction not only introduces these bands to wider audiences, but also gives a glimpse of their greater musical potential moving forward.

Hints of the album's atypicality are apparent from its opening minutes, for better or worse. "Falling Back" makes for a questionable lead-off, as Drake's falsetto has never been particularly strong, but Honestly, Nevermind rarely falters from there.

Frontwoman Jenn Wasner and multi-instrumentalist Andy Stack skillfully synthesize their last three albums into a glossier blend of synth-laced dream pop. It's the product of a band that know their strengths and work around their limitations.

Get Up Sequences is a nevertheless solid example of the Go! Team doing what they do best.

He writes and sings beautifully; Unfurl is a lovely, understated pop disc. But, for now at least, RY X's material lacks the range of a [Jeff] Buckley set.

While their mesh of influences isn't exactly novel, Patina shows Tallies coming into their own as songwriters, capable of crafting warm, memorable music unbeholden to nostalgia.

A lack of variation in tempos and tones gives a sense of redundancy, yet the pace of the album, with all of its gosh-darn hooks, carries it through to the end.

The 20-plus years of material featured on this record hold together with a remarkable consistency. 10:20 is far from being the sonic grab-bag of disconnected whims and ideas which would not have been completely unwarranted to suspect.

On II, Moderat have created an evolving piece of art that manages to both reference and reinvent their respective musical blueprints.

It's a successful album, but it's not quite a SOPHIE project. If you follow the sounds long enough, you'll eventually find her — quietly commanding the aux cord from another, better dimension somewhere in the kitchen.

It's wilder and brighter than their previous efforts, which is definitely a good thing.

Fragrant World challenges from the first to the 15th listen, yet lacks the hooks that made Odd Blood such an impossible album to ignore. But, at the same time, Yeasayer are a talented bunch who make forward-thinking, 21st century pop music designed to make you think while you dance.

For the first time on record, the xx sound happy. Lyrics about growing and taking a chance, especially, resonate throughout "Dangerous," "Say Something Loving" and "I Dare You," further substantiating the already-palpable sense of ambition here.

For now, the band seem content to maintain the status quo and refine the elements that made them so appealing in the first place.

No Grace is a short and concise album that's quick on its points: do your best, don't give up and have some fun.

The album's only real shortcoming is that the Chris Motionless-featuring "Slaughterhouse 2," a sequel to the Garris-featuring original on Motionless in White's latest studio effort, feels slightly underwhelming in the shadow of its predecessor. It's a small misstep in an otherwise robust collection of songs.

Singles "Hello" and "When We Were Young" remain highlights on the record, but aforementioned tracks like "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)," "I Miss You" and "Water Under the Bridge," not to mention "River Lea," hear Adele taking a welcome detour from the orchestral piano-pop formula and moving towards more interesting, groove-driven patterns.

The set comes off rather rigid when compared to the almost mutant beats of Perceiver, yet a sense of playfulness manages to reveal itself throughout.

Garage, house and techno are twisted into strange new forms over the 70-odd minutes that UFO holds us enthralled for.

The title of their latest isn't hyperbole; if this record's any indication, Silverstein are most definitely still alive.

If you'd cooled on the duo for this reason, now is the time to jump back in. Justice have purified their sound on Hyperdrama, largely for the better.

In the future, Ghost should do more of that heavy lifting, taking a cue from producer Adrian Younge, who provides his signature analogue flavour to sumptuous effect throughout.

Granted, tracks like "I Need You" and "Too Late" give off a Cars-meets-mid-career Tegan & Sara vibe that's a little too on the nose. ... This album is full of pleasant surprises, though.

This serves as the project's logical finale, and his most daring statement on homelessness.

Suitably cinematic, percussion-heavy and mostly instrumental, it's enjoyable as a standalone album, but it will be interesting to see how it works alongside the film.

Thematic and cohesive, Supermoon eschews the scattered folk of his LPs for an attentive, intimate perspective on some old tracks that should tide fans of Carey over until his next proper record.

Those who got on board with Strange Desire should have no problem connecting with the deep feels and big pop choruses that propel Gone Now.

It's really Schnauss's choice of drum sounds and patterns that prevent A Long Way to Fall from sounding like a toothless ambient piece.

Though a touch disjointed, at times, The Search Engine is a trip.

Ultimately, Thank You for Today finds the Death Cab for Cutie of 2018 taking stock of their band, choosing to forge ahead by using the foundation of their back catalogue to harness their core identity and build upon it. The band's shared vision is clear, encapsulated in this collection of songs.

"Dream Dream Big in the Sky," with its pat chord structure and surprisingly mundane lyrics, is the album's only true misfire. On the whole, however, For My Crimes is another intricate, emotionally complex folk record. It's what we've come to expect from Nadler after all these years.

Lone's take on DJ-Kicks nails it right out of the gate, but starts to lose its eclectic melange as it pushes forward, swapping out the nuanced front half of the album with bland cut-outs that vary too little.

If All In My Head is a stepping-stone in their sound, there's something great on the horizon from Seaway.

Old 97's show no sign of mellowing out or pandering to their audience, making Graveyard Whistling a sort of stubborn achievement.

The Million Masks of God goes for an emotional gut-punch, but it's a bit light on impact. Much of the power of this music comes from the mind when it ought to come from the soul.

Here, Scott Kannberg finally comes to terms with what originally made him such an important part of Pavement and the '90s underground scene--and runs with it.

The album, the first effort from the Poets in 20 years, is just as blunt and angry as their past work. But it is tempered with a patient wisdom that can only come with time, experience, and the gift of hindsight.

The sounds and textures contained here will not be surprisingly new to anyone familiar with Hauff's previous work, but regardless the sum of the album's parts is an entirely satisfying whole, sounding at times like the sound of a machine collapsing in on itself, but not before letting you have one last dance first.

With his altered, multi-tracked vocals and ear for dynamic builds, Philpots leads Bear in Heaven on a similar sonic path [as My Morning Jacket's Z], surrounding biting verse-chorus-verse lyricism with ambient laser beams and rubbery textures.

After being out of the spotlight for years, Marshall hasn't lost her style. Producing Wanderer entirely on her own, you get the sense that she has ventured into new territory. Artists like Cat Power have all been wanderers at some point, but she is the one in control here.

By creating longer songs that echo the hypnotic nature of house, the band draw listeners into the feeling of the beats and bass that anchor Nagano's melodies. In doing so, Little Dragon succeed in giving listeners a taste of the dance world they've entered into, in all its myriad forms.

The best way to enjoy Damage and Joy is to leave their past out of it. Psychocandy was 32 years ago, and the Reids are now pushing 60. The fact that they've come back at all is a remarkable thing. But doing so with an album that lives up to expectations is all we could have asked from the Reids.

Six Cups is a "fun" record, sounding less serious in melody and experimentation than Lindstrøm's previous work, but it was undoubtedly crafted with the intentions of being taken equally seriously

The MSTRKRFT formula of tight, catchy loops remains unchanged after all--they've just gotten a lot darker.

Diver completes Lemonade's transformation from jerky, banger makers into wistful, all-encompassing pop sophisticates. That it was done so flawlessly makes it such a triumph on their part.

A record that moves between genres and moods with a deft touch.

While I Was Born Swimming never goes into the unfamiliar, Williams' gushing charm is more than comforting enough to feel what it's like to exist somewhere in between destinations.

Ultraviolence prioritizes mood over innovation, classicism over experimentalism, and is better for it.

Recorded in just ten days, Morning World stands as Teen Daze's most effortless work to date, coming off thoughtful and patient without ever succumbing to the burden of "style."

Alcest strive for balance once more here, and for the most part, they achieve it.

The pacing of Rest and the length of its songs make it a grower of an album that, over time, ensconces listeners in the sonic layers and personal lyricism of Gainsbourg.

Cosentino's songwriting has definitely strengthened, it's just that instead of sounding like her peers at the Smell, she'd rather sound like her heroes on the AM dial, and that's not a bad thing.

This is a deeply enjoyable, satisfying and fun slab of melodic heaviness.

Far from essential, Hotel Sessions is a glimpse of a once great songwriter in mid-process.

It's a release that somehow feels like it has less to prove from a duo not quite overdue for their follow-up to a huge success.

Colors is a breezy, tightly composed party-starter of a record that doesn't demand much of the listener, but gives back generously.

if i could make it go quiet is a testament to girl in red's rapid growth as an artist. In addition to a sophisticated examination of anger and suffering, her voice has grown richer and deeper while her sound has evolved to blend punk nostalgia into her youthful ennui.

Fortunately, with The Battle at Garden's Gate, they've earned more ground by delivering an album that's far more confident, earning the rock schlock with larger compositions that feel more grandiose.

Given some judicious editing, this could have been a truly great album; as it stands, we'll have to settle for just really, really good.

Tricky has injected so much raw emotion into Fall to Pieces that it can't help but stand out as one of his most notable, memorable and authentic releases.

JJ's sound may be nothing special anymore, but their songs and vibe still stand up.

abysskiss continues to keep Lenker's songwriting hot streak going--more than enough to tide us over until the next Big Thief record.

Even when the band vamps for too long on "Home Alone" and their "Like a Rolling Stone" cover, the large roster of guests and collaborators rarely feels unwieldy. Instead, A Productive Cough draws strength from its collective spirit.

The entire premise of the album is entirely playful, defined by its because-I-can nature, and while this might not result in a unified feel, it's nonetheless an enjoyable and eclectic experience.

A few minor missteps don't derail the album. What's most impressive is that, 20 years deep, New Found Glory are still putting out compelling music and growing tastefully with each release.

Black Milk has renewed his sound, proven his skill in lyricism, and displayed his depth as an artist who is proudly using his platform to discuss political issues.

Babelsberg's ten songs comprise a confident, fully realized soundtrack to a quasi-fictional dystopia.

Paradise is a record with a big personality that demonstrates how much your integrity as an artist informs your music and why that slippery qualification separates someone like Hood from the legions of lesser producers out there.

Sonically and thematically, the 48-minute downtempo project is impeccably cohesive, executive producers Singawd and Yakob tying a black bow on a deep list of contributing producers with brooding, layered synths and space to think. Auto-Tune appears heavily, and the guest list is firmly in the now.

No doubt existing fans will love this about the album, but newcomers might be turned off by the uniform approach throughout. Still, Songs of the Recollection is a joy to listen to, start to finish.

On their 10th album, The Former Site Of, bandleader A.C. Newman has honed his playful gibberish to the point that it's become his signature style, delightful rather than simply a way to fill the syllables of his towering power pop melodies.

The real surprise of Miss Anthropocene is that it actually sounds like a fairly standard Grimes album. She's a become a controversial public figure whose whole persona is like one big multimedia art project, so this is a welcome return to her wheelhouse.

With its often bright, and chill nature, the album is a fitting soundtrack for the transition from spring into summer. It saunters by delicately, evoking floral scents and pastel colours.

The steep conceptual angle imposes a significant hurdle on casual listening, but Treanor rewards engagement with hypnotic, off-centred rhythmic cycles, and elements like the Nauman sample only represent a small portion of the runtime (Lancaster's assertions fall off before the two-minute mark).

Fans of the band will enjoy the mature and practiced sound of this very good album, but the unconvinced might remain so, as the band don't exactly reinvent the wheel on The Glowing Man.

Dva is a calmly delivered artistic statement, one that makes a compelling case that Emika could earn the kind of praise currently lavished upon James Blake.

This compilation shows the lasting impact Funkadelic has had on popular culture and on subsequent generations of innovators, striking a balance between reverence for the originals and creativity from the re-visitors.

Long Slow Dance is a record designed to earn them new fans, but also lose some old ones by ditching the scratchy, unpolished production of their previous work.

Having few tonal shifts and being practically devoid of contrast, LAHS is the perfect atmospheric soundtrack for a backyard party with boozy beverages and adult tokeables.

On Fading Frontier, Deerhunter focus on their ability as a band to hypnotize and confound, which make the explosive moments here stand out that much more.

While A Billion Little Lights as a whole is not as elegantly cohesive as Wild Pink's past work, the starry-eyed melodies shine stronger and more confidently than ever.