The album's strongest asset is its sense of emotion that bleeds through, especially on guitar solos, in impressive contrast to the always-brutal breakdowns.

Lazaretto will no doubt be heavily scrutinized by critics and celebrated by hardcore fans, but love it or hate it, nobody can call this stuff "watered-down."

This is perhaps Krauter's best work yet, as their artistic project comes into sharper focus.

Sure, the LP falters when it casts its net too wide, particularly on the Roxette-indebted "Love They Say" and Twin Shadow outtake "Shock to Your System," but those moments are few.

Afrobeat, techno, Latin rhythms, jazz and electronica fly by thick and fast on We Will Not Harm You in a dizzying display that's both comfortingly familiar and wildly futuristic.

It's a sound we've come to know DaBaby handle on his own, but he invites industry peers like Quavo ("Pick Up"), Future ("Lightskin Shit"), YoungBoy Never Broke Again ("Jump") for the ride.

To the casual listener, it may sound like a shadow of their greatest work, but fans will find it rewarding.

The rest is more than art for art's sake, and a pleasure for the ADD listener in all of us.

Themes for Television works as the perfect translational piece between Windswept and the much lighter, more traditionally ambient followup Digital Rain, despite actually arriving in the wake of the latter.

Parallel Universe Blues is a dreamy, laidback record made for easy listening. It's a great album with a step up in its production. It would be more interesting for Quever to do something a little bit different this time around, but staying true to your roots isn't a bad thing.

Surfing Strange feels like a transitional album, as the group look to define themselves with their artistic voice, rather than those of their influences.

The sense of velocity and flight, paired with Meiburg's dramatic vocals, delivered with Bowie-like flair here, making Jet Plane and Oxbow a natural progression for Shearwater, and a nice departure from their typical offerings.

In these subtler moments, Ward's genius is undeniable; if he employs more of that lighter touch on his follow-up, it'll be the classic that More Rain falls just shy of being.

Although Köhncke may have released stronger singles in the past, Justus Köhncke & the Wonderful Frequency Band stands as his most all-around complete full-length to date.

Though not their best record, IV is nevertheless an excellent addition to the group's staggeringly consistent discography.

The ten songs here threaten at times to up and wander off, but Bare manages to hold everything together with some strong songwriting and unusual, borderline retro arrangements.

Fans of surrealist, lo-fi beats and the 1980s will finds Edwards' beach worth visiting.

This is likely not an album to give their career an extra boost, but one that'll surely keep loyal fans happily on board the Rockets' ride.

For an ambitious release that obviously reaches for such lofty heights, Taiga is peculiarly light on hooks and personality, forcing Danilova to fill many of those gaps in with glittering aural cosmetics.

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

There is plenty to enjoy here, though many of his long-time fans will be hoping for a return to the bigger picture next time out.

Versing have an aptitude for taking the familiar sounds of earlier genres and developing them into something fresh. 10000 is bold and jarring when it needs to be, filling space with ubiquitous noise and melody.

A committed listen to O'Rourke's latest iteration reveals the piece to be understatedly eloquent, its movements and progressions restrained yet effective.

DJ Shadow's solid fifth LP shows that he still has the chops to cut a good record when he's not doing a complete gear change (The Outsider) and then turning down the wrong road at full speed (The Less You Know, the Better).

Commonwealth offers a little something for everyone, no matter what you're looking for.

GEMS' only shortcoming are their occasionally cheesy, melodramatic lyrics, and when Usher's intermittent vocal contributions sound like tired grumbles, working against GEMS' aesthetic and Pitts stylized vocal tendencies. Otherwise, Kill The One You Love is an undeniable success.

As the artist has noted himself, Boyd has finally stepped out of his label as a jazz musician to embrace himself as a producer who also plays jazz.

Not everything lands with the same emphasis as the album's opening moments, but there are enough quality moments across ten tracks--how "Lois Lane" frames the horrors of the "over 30 singles night" at its chorus, the disco drive of "Glimpse of Love," the mid-song sax run of "Feel the Love Go"--to suggest this transformation in sound has yet to reach its peak.

The record is much more interested in problems than problem-solving, and that's what marks its maturity.

Vile could have chopped most of these songs in half and they would have worked just fine, but the overall effect wouldn't have been so blissfully druggy.

One of the only things missing from the album is flow between tracks. Songs hit a satisfying ending, but then fade out and move to a track that doesn't connect to what the listener just heard.

The record's quieter moments give a welcome reprieve from the extended jamming, with "Right On Time," "Heart Full of Scars" and the slow-burning "Swamp Dog" giving the record some welcome balance.

Long-time listeners will revel in the subtle sonic shifts but the rest of us are still waiting for the band to make that major artistic breakthrough we know they're capable of.

Filled mostly with retro-cheese instrumentals with a smattering of blue-eyed vocal performances, Weird Drift explores the stranger aspects of love and devotion.

Ultimately, Something to Tell You rests uncomfortably between the retro California pop sound HAIM pulled off so perfectly on album number one and experimentation that reaches a little too far into a cartoonish computerized concept of the future.

Although Sunshine Kitty could be shaved down a bit, this album feels like the first time Tove Lo is really situating herself on her own ground. It's sexy, raw, and honest — but above all, Sunshine Kitty is just really good dance music. Essentially, every song on this album would bring anyone to their feet.

To put it into perspective, if By the Hedges was Minks channelling Joy Division, Tides End is more New Order ("Doomed and Cool," quite literally), in both its disposition and potentail to reach a wider audience.

The best of this record comes early, with opening tracks "Burn Baby," "Fighting the Crave" and "Proto Prototype." ... Scatter the Rats falters as it gets closer to its middle. ... The record picks back up in earnest with some of the final tracks.

Lest this all start to sound like homework, Rooting for Love has a glossy surface layer that’s as seductive as any dance floor banger — even brainiacs need rapture from time to time.

Though some may find the metal might tiresome over Periphery III's hour-plus runtime, the drive to keep exploring outside of their stylistic box continues to be crucial to their success.

Throughout the record, Romano truly embraces mysticism in his lyrics, and throws the idea of form and structure out to sea. It can be overwrought at times, as Romano stretches the seams of certain songs with oft impenetrable lyrics and perhaps a surplus of instrumentation.

The production values mean that, even though Powers' reverent anthems aren't a huge departure from what he's done in the past, the results have added gravitas.

The Kills' fifth studio album might not bring anything particularly new and groundbreaking to their discography, but it certainly won't disappoint fans.

On Hot Hot Heat, the quartet jettison stylistic pretensions altogether in order to write their best batch of songs in a decade. There's a sense of nostalgia that permeates these ten tracks.

The tracks contained on Filo Loves the Acid are altogether enjoyable rhythmic excursions for fans of both Dozzy and acid techno alike to listen and dance along to.

Opting to work with four different producers led the band to a wide variety of sounds on Morning Report, and while that will be a sticking point for some listeners, the record shows they're far from content in solely making plays towards accessibility.

This project, as conceived by the artist, wraps itself in an Afro-futurist stance, an approach to neo-soul that feels right at home played next to the sounds of FKA twigs or Solange. But Sudan Archives still has room to grow while she defines her sound.

The results are sporadic and schizophrenic, in the sense that it's hard to pinpoint a solid foundation within the album, and easy to get lost in its infectious melodies.

Sympathy for Life isn't a failure as much as it's just a step down from the indie rock podium. There's still a lot to admire for longtime Parquet Courts fans here, while the rest just requires some patience and a bit of unconditional love.

There is little to be surprised by on K.G, but perhaps its recognizability is a testament to the band's certainty of who they are, what they are here to do, and their intention to not stop any time soon.

This is business as (un)usual for one of indie rock's greatest experimental institutions, to be sure.

With nothing to prove, no features or flashy hooks or bells and whistles, it is his most accessible album in seven years.

Making a Door Less Open feels smaller than Car Seat Headrest's best work — not only in its sonic scope but in its lyrical content, now less insular and biting. Still, Toledo's talent for stirring melodies and intelligent song writing remain firmly intact, and he makes intriguing use of this new palette.

No Age's latest is not ground-breaking, but it doesn't need to be. It's an enjoyable rock record from a pair of sonic auteurs whose instincts for DIY noise-punk are as strong as ever.

Nostalgia may still cloak OMD's early work in an impenetrable aura, but this album shows a band at the top of their game.

The album isn't perfect; it is a little too slow in spaces, a little too quiet, and sometimes it is too serious. Fussell is capable of being goofy, but even the humour here never rises above a wry chuckle.

To Live Alone in that Long Summer is an elegant, contemplative album that thankfully bears little trace of its long gestation.

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.

Weapon stands as Skinny Puppy's strongest work since 1992's Last Rights; it's a testament to one of the few reformed bands still striving to push, not just themselves, but an entire bygone genre forward.

Shaw's songs, in particular, sound like lost X classics. This switch in sonic templates doesn't blunt Bogart's rapscallion personality, though, which ultimately is what lies at the heart of his music.

There isn't anything innovative about their music, but every note of this album feels honest and considered.

As always, the band are at the height of their powers when at their most emotively rousing. ... But when recalling their previous efforts, there's an unshakeable feeling that they've done it before, but better — though you can't fault them for doing what so many post-rockers have done over the past 20 years.

At the core of Bottle It In, the 38-year-old husband and father of two offers his family the comforting illusion of his presence, a chance to hear his voice, and a reminder that they're with him, wherever he may be.

Fancy Some More? is a lot of fun. It leans further into the '90s/noughties than its predecessor, intensifying its jungle and D&B undercurrent while also adding some Madchesterian flavour with SEVENTEEN's mix of "Illegal."

This is a violent force of targeted creativity.

Some of the tracks, like the first few ballads, feel a tad exhausted and perhaps a little clichéd, but that's the nature of Sia's universal, inclusive pop music, and on This is Acting, she approaches it in an intriguing way and performs it with gusto.

It's tremendously long, offering remixes of old material and recapitulating many typical Vile motifs. While slyly daring in extremely subtle ways, a large portion (of an almost hour-long EP, I might remind you!) feels somewhat superfluous to his more grounded catalogue.

They may no longer be cutting edge (who is these days?), but Autechre's intricately psychedelic pieces are still chock-full of detail, intrigue, wit, intensity and poise.

DNA Feelings is unlikely to show up in any club sets. It is far too complex and unconventional. This is late-night, "visions of alchemy" stuff.

Lianne La Havas is boldly authentic and infused with passion.

While INVSN probably won't shock anyone sonically or lyrically, there is still definitely a spark of creativity and honest expression here.

The best live albums are ones that clearly distinguish themselves from their studio counterparts (Nirvana's MTV Unplugged in New York, for example), and this isn't that. But as a way to cap off 2022 while refocusing attention on their live show, Live at Montreaux adds to (rather than detracts from) the impression that the Smile are successfully carrying the torch for Radiohead during this period of uncertainty.

This string of downtempo songs, while soothing and catchy, will leave fans of Shovels & Rope's more upbeat fare feeling restless. A more balanced reshuffling of the track list would have solved this issue, and might have made this already excellent album a classic. But as is, Little Seeds is a fantastic LP that showcases Shovels & Rope's uncanny ability to both rock out and rest easy.

While Home lacks the consistency of previous records, it makes a strong case for Rhye as a pop star waiting in the wings, à la the Weeknd, thanks to a voice versatile enough to complement any instrumental choice. Four albums in, Rhye has finally begun to branch out, and not a moment too soon.

ACCA is showy, drama-dripped and ultimately rewarding. It demands a lot from the listener, but more music these days probably should.

This still sounds like the Âme of the past 15 years. Truthfully, without a real departure from their signature tropes, the album doesn't have too many big surprises. Above all, the album serves as a strong reminder as to why Âme and Innervisions have reached the lofty heights that they have.

Vieux Loup is an intriguing, layered record.

Volume X is a balanced record, potentially a future classic for those who are into that sort of thing.

On Luck, Vek has released some of the strongest material of his career; here's hoping there's still someone out there to pay attention.

Abundance Welcoming Ghosts is, in other words, not always an easy journey, but its desire to thoughtfully explore the nooks and crannies of the land and the heart do make it worth the effort.

This is a good effort from these two but could've been tighter. It's best when Lil Baby raps about his emotions, where the two once were and when Gunna brags about how far they've come since. But it's clear, they've still got farther to go.

There's still room to grow, but their adventurous spirit on display across the record will hopefully make for some compelling material moving forward.

Those wishing for a return to the Trilogy days will have to bit a tad longer; across 18 tracks, the Weeknd proves he's ready for primetime here, but there's still a sense of feeling out the new parameters.

Kamikaze hits like an electric storm, shaking into its listeners the disconnection that's resulted from our over-connected world.

It's all weird and ramshackle, but it fits the music so well. With each improvised yelp, clap and audience holler, Butler has created a record that captures his sound, in spite--or, perhaps, because--of his unwillingness to stick to one.

Nabuma Rubberband stretches their dance scope even wider, incorporating trance and underground club beats into their already varied repository of techniques.

An album that's good, but hard to get excited over.

At his best, he updates the Allman Brothers, splicing in just enough of the Bakersfield sound, without sounding nostalgic or dated.

The ambitions, expansions, and collaborations on Vertigo Days mostly pay off, sacrificing a little thematic cohesion for the reward of greater variety in sound. It does the good work of forging musical links out of broken global barriers.

Moon Tides doesn't quite have the same lingering effect as Beach House's Teen Dream, but there's enough here to slide into a wonderful daydream for a half-hour or so.

If Clark maintains the marquee star promise she shows throughout Your Life Is a Record, swaths of the next generation's songwriters will long for her to cover their tunes, and daydream about following in her footsteps.

Much like Ross' affinity for mink coats, Mastermind is grandiose in its presentation, but it still only shows the surface of the man behind it.

The music is as diverse as ever — from psych folk to hard rock to prog-jazz to post-punk to stoner metal ― but Segall’s songwriting feels streamlined and clear-eyed, a welcome respite from the storm that surrounds it.

It’s a fittingly adult album from a pair who’ve long seemed stuck in a loop of playful immaturity — midlife sounds good on them.

The band's albums with outgoing guitarist Josh Klinghoffer weren't bad, exactly — The Getaway in particular holds up quite nicely — but, when listening to Unlimited Love, there's a strong sense of everything falling into place and order being restored.

Despite the lesser tracks on the record, Forward Motion Godyssey is a strong sophomore attempt from Post Animal. The band still have yet to truly define their unique identity, but as they are now, they are one of the stronger genre-bending psychedelic rock groups around.

Illusion of Time is at its best on the tracks whose titles imply clear pictures of light and dark. It feels less focused on the penultimate "Water," which is also the longest track at 8 minutes — a virtuosic experiment that regrettably dispels some of the dramatic oomph and coherence of the album as a whole.

The cleaner sound of Water on Mars introduces a newfound confidence to the music of Purling Hiss and it's certainly a welcome direction.