Whether she'll ever return to Dum Dum Girls remains to be seen, but as Kristin Kontrol, she's offering an exciting artistic refresh that Dum Dum fans should get on board with.

This time around, they've pulled from the world's ever-present deterioration to bring some much-needed heft and urgency to the formula.

The melodies, meanwhile, avoid obvious hooks, in favour of tension and knotty complexity. This rescues Lousy with Sylvianbriar from dreary rockism.

A decent addition to his discography, More Is Than Isn't could use more dance beats and much more P. Blackk.

It all sounds great, but the songs don't sink in, don't push past the surface.

While not as rewarding on multiple listens as anything the Collective has ever produced, Enter the Slasher House is the ideal detour between now and the band's next record.

At only 22-years-old, Cara doesn't feel gimicky, nor like an over-produced product of a record label. She's raw and pure, an obvious example of an artist who will only continue to build momentum.

The record is their most musically ambitious to date, while still maintaining the unrelenting, thrash-influenced Southern heavy metal they do best.

With heavy doses of Mellotron, downtempo breakbeats, electric piano, fuzzy guitars, family and fortitude, And Those Who Were Seen Dancing demands to be heard and felt.

They might be picking at low-hanging fruit, but by tapping into the aesthetic vocabularies of higher king loners like Dinosaur Jr., Pity Sex have created a document that's a better reminder of how timeless incompatibility is than a hard sell on a specific lifestyle.

For the most part of Concrete and Gold, it's the same anthemic, meat 'n' potatoes arena rock we've come to expect; a little more punk or metal aggression here, a little more acoustic balladry there, but the mould is the same.

Spacey synths and trippy percussion give listeners a taste of her internal world; dreamy and wistful but also riddled with disruptive bouts of gentle chaos.

Though billed as a Mr. Tophat project first and foremost, Trust Me is ultimately weighed down by his collaborator's past triumphs. Though they are no doubt killer floor-fillers, outside the club, these three songs can't quite hold listeners' attention.

Duffy relinquished control and precision — and perhaps loneliness — in favour of something more immediate, striking, and impulsive. The resulting six-song record has a looseness to it that celebrates the uninhibited power of spontaneity and invention.

Don't call it a full-fledged De La Soul record--call it an enjoyable diversion until the full crew come back proper.

As rich and resonant as some of these synth tones are, it's ultimately an album that's more conceptually interesting than it is musically appealing.

While McVie's voice seems to have held up quite well, it's all but lost behind multiple layers of effects, combined with gratuitous use of shakers and other percussion. As for the songs themselves, most are simply fair-to-middling pop songs.

Glover is clearly better than he's ever been in almost every regard; his rapping, singing and everything in between feel refined to a point they never have. The issue is that, without the movie, there's no connective tissue between these songs, as great as the majority are. For now, Bando Stone & the New World exists as a collection of songs that are mostly great, but lack any real sense of cohesion between them.

While the rest of Nothing's Gonna Change sometimes falls prey to sheer navel-gazing, overall it displays some clear signs of maturity in someone who remains more determined than ever to carry on his father's legacy.

Cutler has riddled these tracks with a rainbow of synth ripples, making Levitate stand out immediately as a Lone record, despite heavily harkening back to a bygone era.

Cosmic Logic contains probably some of the most accessible material they've released to date, material that'll hopefully attract a whole new slew of fans.

This gloriously woozy record is era-ambiguous and the sonic equivalent of a contact high.

As a third album, it's an interesting station on the way to potential greatness, and it will definitively put the group on more than a few radars. Above all, on this album TOY makes us feel really excited about Brit-pop again, which itself is no small feat.

For all the mercurial experiments in power, Forgiveness also contains moments that scale back the theatrics to spotlight Tucker and Tividad as the sincere, gimlet-eyed songwriters they've proven to be since Girlpool's inception.

What For? is a little less varied than his past records, as the repetitive nature of the genre (particularly the lengthy jam outro of "Yeah Right") has a tendency to creep in, but it's an aspect that would have only hindered the record more had it been longer.

Beyond the overt gimmickry of the singles "Concrete" and "BLOODMONEY" (the latter sounds like she went rooting through Skrillex's trash), I Disagree is often surprisingly unchaotic.

His care and preservationist approach to each arrangement gives everything an authentic vibe that transports you back to a much simpler time.

The result is a fine record, but one that ultimately fails to leave a mark.

Ulver doesn't do anything to push the synthpop sound they pursue out of its comfort zone and this keeps the album from greatness, but Flowers of Evil stands out as the band's most accessible album to date.

The addition of synths and steady, solid backbeats, mixed in with the natural and live elements Silver Wilkinson rides on, gives the album tangibility worth grasping.

Occult Architecture Vol. 1 isn't as daring as its literary influences would suggest, but it succeeds often, particularly when it varies from its central sounds. Moon Duo should embrace the change on volume two.

The Way Things Fall remains a sometimes flawed, sometimes inspired, inadvertent return to form.

This record will surprise their fans.

There's more of the same on Dormarion, the singing drummer's reliably affable third album for Merge, which has a little something for everyone, but stops short of total engagement, like a slightly too tipsy party host.

By employing the occasional tapping lead or reverb-drenched tremolo section, the band add layers to each song, resulting in an overall sound that has enough variation to keep it from sounding tedious but maintains enough pop simplicity to keep it catchy and memorable.

It's music with a strong pulse that also whispers its truths close to your ear, like an intimate conversation at the back of a booming dance club.

Even though Protean Threat proves to be an adventurous, quirky and downright strange album at times, Osees manage keep the whole thing sonically grounded and consumable, all while keeping Dwyer's winning streak impossibly alive.

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

Needless to say, Big Sean may not have solidified his position in the rap hall of fame, but is certainly in the process of paving his way.

While the album is a fine showcase for Kim's beautiful, ageless tenor, those expecting more of the singer's soulful, sunny hits or Broken Social Scene's sonic adventurousness are likely to walk away a bit disappointed from It's Decided's classy, if a bit monochromatic, adult pop.

Brutalism finds Pierce at his most confident, musically, but his most vulnerable, personally. He's able to explore new sounds without worrying about expectations, and open up about emotions that he's never touched on in his music before.

Sure, some of the dark and downtempo beats can begin to sound same-y by the time you're through. And Offset certainly hasn't attained the lyrical brilliance of JAY-Z on 4:44, or any of the other elder rapper's releases for that matter. Nevertheless, Offset's level of growth and candour on Father of 4 is that of an MC making leaps and bounds, both in his music and his personal life.

It's an elusive and subjective notion, but it's impossible to listen to this rich, remarkable album and not be left thinking that this is the sound of Ellis coming into his own.

Legend is content to adopt a croonerific sound that doesn't challenge existing soul genre parameters in the least. That's fine, in theory, but rather yawn-worthy in execution.

There's enough here to suggest a breakthrough is coming, but Axxa/Abraxas isn't it.

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.

If one were to quibble, Taste is maybe a couple of tracks too long, and could possibly use a bit more of the sincerity and heartfelt emotion on display on Islands' underrated 2012 gem A Sleep & A Forgetting. Regardless, this is another solid record from a prolific talent.

It's a confident and proper return, written squarely from Gonzalez's comfort zone with a few fun twists from its undersung predecessor; It's exactly what we needed from M83 right now, even if it's sometimes a little too extra.

While founders Jonathan Russell and Josiah Johnson do seem to come from the Simon & Garfunkel school of songcraft, an appreciation of California pop also comes out.

God of the Serengeti should impress fans and may even bring back some of those who miss the Psycho-Social days.

Producer Nigel Godrich, no stranger to helping soundtrack world-weary malaise, keeps Waters in comfortable territory with pianos, string arrangements and acoustic guitars, along with a few unmistakably Floyd-ian arrangements.

Baby Grand is a wide-screen, psych-pop gem that continues to realize his potential in rewarding ways.

King's Disease is a record that's occasionally swollen with too many ideas, backed up by lazy rhymes and unsavoury politics. Thankfully, with impeccable production overseen by executive producer Hit-Boy and bolstered by a slew of excellent guest features, Nas overcomes these pain points to pull together his most satisfying project in close to a decade.

The seven songs that make up The Times are stark and haunting.

Johnson has made great creative leaps with every new album he makes, but with Back to Land, he seems to have finally backed himself into a corner.

Planetarium does the solar system justice with almost every conceivable sound--from metallic auto-tune to rippling organ, to angelic strings and forceful horns--from four powerful multi-instrumentalists at the top of their respective games.

It's unfortunate that Vicious Lies has come out after everyone has finished compiling their year-end lists, but it's already a contender for best record of 2013.

Saturday Night is a confident debut from a creator who's best when he seems uncomfortable. So long as he keeps evading his comfort zone, Darcy's songwriting should remain potent for years to come.

On the whole, via his work and commentary, Iggy Pop has pushed our world to think and act differently, and he brings that same mission of liberation to himself on Free.

Relationships with women are at the forefront of Tha Carter V, including a desperate cry for help from his mother on "I Love You Dwayne," which leads into the sorrowful "Don't Cry," featuring a chorus from the late XXXTENTACION. ... Despite the revelations, the album is not without its expected bangers.

Tall Tall Shadow (the long-awaited follow-up to 2010's Heart of My Own) sees Bulat lifting her voice once again--high above the fussy introduction of electronic elements--to a place where joy and despair mingle in heady measures.

They've returned with a refocused sound closer to '70s singer-songwriter fare from Carole King and Fleetwood Mac, a sound that supports Moore's thoughtful lyrics.

I can assure you that you will not stand still while listening to this album.

It's a feat of musical arrangement and of lyricism, sure, but in essence, it's the songwriting on MCIII that really makes it such an achievement.

An even stronger effort, one that avoids the sometimes-frantic pace that marred that earlier album a little.

In contrast to comrade Rocky's music, Trap Lord succeeds largely despite its production, fuelled by Ferg's oddball enthusiasm and sincerity.

Alone for the First Time is a pretty solid sophomore album, but it falls shy of Guilt Trips' coming-of-age charm.

When Anything But Words ups the pace, it proves to be one of the finest records of the year.

Standout tracks "Chlorine" and "Round" start the album off strong, but the downside is that the rest of the album feels drawn out, with more valleys than peaks. If you're not actively listening to each track, it can feel like the album is a long interlude that fades into the background.

Worth is at once fully realized and brimming with potential.

Overall this is a meditative collection that eloquently expresses a great deal of uncomfortable feelings few other songwriters are capable of addressing.

There's an overwhelming lightness to Concrete Vision, even when the lyrics veer into darker territory on tracks like the rippled ballad "True Love" or the title track. The comforting timbre of Kramer's voice keeps the vibe mellow and even-keeled, a lifeline throughout the record's changing synth textures.

Despite the changes, many things remain the same, and fans can look forward to a solid third instalment.

Whether Sport is really for digital punks or leather-clad clubbers remains to be seen, but regardless of audience, this is one of the most interesting records to come out this year.

Ultimately, All That Must Be is a glowing album that plots the psychological journey of its creator through the often un-navigable waters of change. Yet somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle of real life, Fitzgerald found his strongest compass.

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

Do Easy, the album, makes the magical mundane, and vice-versa.

Island Intervals is barely over half an hour, but it's so rich with mood and detail that it stretches out and out and out to the horizon and beyond.

It would have been really easy for Temples to pump out Sun Structures 2.0, but they took a chance, and the result is some really exciting rock'n'roll.

What sets Dagdrøm apart from their other work is just how deep this rabbit hole goes and how menacing the sounds echoing up from its depths are.

As Cyclops Reap shows, Presley still finds time to put a great deal of thought and effort into his solo project, producing tripped-out, acidic '60s jams.

Big Sean has reached a personal high by finding his Dark Sky Paradise, and it's his honesty that takes listeners there with him.

It is intimate and alienating; friendly and mysterious; and, most importantly, a whole lot of eerie fun for any listener interested in experimental music.

Fall Out Boy have honed in on an arena-rattling brand of pop that is different for sure, but likeable nonetheless.

Even ballads like "Give it Up for Love" and "Mountain Song," while rooted in dance music, have a fresh and organic feel to them that feels equally suited to the dark booth of a nightclub as it does a cozy catch up at home.

This is no B.S. heavy metal and it makes you feel good, which is way more than many were expecting. And, no, the bass isn't embarrassingly loud in the mix.

Look Park's weakest points are the frills that seem to dominate more than half of the album.

With crisp, concise songwriting, slick production and subverted historical rock references, Oceania is more the addition of a new tower to the alternative palace Corgan helped build than the foundations for something strange and new.

An easy listen it isn't, but Ghettoville is full of such textural subtlety, rubbed-raw sound design and spatial aural play that it will leave you somewhat discombobulated yet curious for more.

Despite occasionally overlong runtimes, Rainbow Mirror is an album that encourages introspection and submerging oneself in their unconscious. It's a monument that both inspires and terrifies.

Optimistic but never mawkish, August Greene distinguishes itself from other socially conscious albums with its practical approach. It's motivational music that, for once, makes change feel less elusive.

Between its laid-back vocals, surf guitar and stomping percussion, Born Under Saturn makes a strong claim to being your ideal beach or road trip companion this summer.

The London producer emphasizes structural variety over substance, and relies on former sonic signatures to push a release that remains distinguished within the electronic landscape. However, in the context of his oeuvre, Young Death / Nightmarket listens like just another cut of the same.

In the end, Tomorrow's Modern Boxes is undeniably enjoyable, acting like a 2014 version of The Eraser and adding some new Thom Yorke material to your music collection never hurts.

No matter how many times Dee Dee alludes to heartbreak and ritualistic evil, Too True is a joyful career pinnacle.

Dope Body deliver hard-hitting rock, employing skill and effects while keeping things more accessible for their audience (heavy alt-rock lovers) than they did on 2012's Natural History.