Many avant-garde instrumental albums exist to strictly craft a mood, and Tom Rogerson and Brian Eno somehow seem to merge these moods, sounds and themes together effortlessly and radiantly on Finding Shore.

Like the murky corners of the city that birthed it, Get Back is filled with interesting diversions, even if those ideas don't necessarily add up to a unified vision.

Empress Of takes listeners into a rich sonic environment on Us, while placing careful emphasis on the emotional territory she ventures into. The universality Rodriguez has sought to embody the record with is present, yet the vulnerability she is known for remains.

Although Jim White and Marisa Anderson never seem to give themselves enough time or space to truly stretch out, The Quickening nonetheless captures two masters at their most free.

For each song where the more minimal sonic approach comes up short, there are places on Temple where it succeeds.

The potency of Toots Hibbert's material is evidenced by the presence of his classic tune "Pressure Drop" in a current TV beer commercial. No single track on Got to Be Tough matches up to that song, but this is a solid offering from the 77-year-old.

What Trouble lacks in focus, it largely makes up for with ambition and dexterity.

Egypt Station is best when McCartney is at his most eclectic.

In the past, Femi has sounded just as vital and his playing just as powerful, but he's never done it in such radiant tones.

It's a remarkably ambient record that is also hard to settle into and relax around; it definitely rewards active listening.

It's a comfortable collision of songs that probably won't gain many new listeners, but should find a home in real fans' collections, despite its lack of risk-taking.

Although it's an intertextual and oftentimes challenging listen, Future Politics is also a compelling call to action to collectively conceive of the future and its manifold possibilities.

The record is, unfortunately and overwhelmingly, a bland release from a band that feels like they're stuck going through the motions.

Though Key hosts the padding typical of latter day Doom, the highlights bode well for Madvillainy 2.

falling or flying may fall a bit short of the expectations set by her debut, but it does fly in the face of what you'd expect of someone on their second outing as a solo artist. It's a solid effort despite some missteps — among the clutter is some of the best material of Smith's young career.

Modern Ruin is a solid, well-balanced effort that showcases Frank Carter's versatility as an artist while pleasing fans of his previous work.

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

Shows that CFCF aspires to be known as a serious artist, not just an electronic one.

Black Hours could easily have been Walkmen-lite, but Leithauser's ambition to seize the opportunity, and eschew the obvious, results in an album his voice--and a number of his fans-- has no doubt longed for.

Between his riffy, arpeggiated acoustic strumming and the strongest vocal performance of his career, he cries out, grief-stricken, to hold on to life yet to be lived. With a record this strong so deep into his career, he’s definitely making the most of his own time.

From the lonesome synth pop of 2016's Pool and 2018's The House to 2020's hyper-Auto-Tuned Ricky Music to the freewheeling indie rock of All Day Gentle Hold ! — Shirt is an intoxicating feat.

The record is just playing true to form for the veterans, proving that the beast is back with teeth bared and a few more tricks up its hairy sleeves.

It's this constant dynamic of push-pull throughout that makes Ancient Future a compelling listen.

A kaleidoscope of wonder, moments tucked inside other moments like Russian nesting dolls.

While the songs on If I Am Only My Thoughts feel gradual and soft, the album nevertheless contains a form of passionate songwriting, catering to feelings of hopefulness and longing.

High Noon showcases Arkells' lofty ambitions, and while it might not be their defining record it's another intriguing step in their evolution.

The cumulative result of these exploratory tracks is a meditative collection that stays true to Submotion Orchestra's house background despite exploring new auditory combinations.

Nihilistic chugging riffs permeate the album from beginning to end, thundering away and drilling a particular tempo into your head. But this repetition isn't served by the sort of groove that previously was a keystone to Electric Wizard's sound.