Despite such inclinations towards the jaded and cyclical at times, Out in the World boasts enough latitude and flexibility to hook interest.

Femejism is a powerhouse album that exudes defiant independence without succumbing to tropes, but there are moments where it falters--the overly abrasive yelling on "Little Baby Beauty Queen" comes to mind.

It's by no means new territory for the Swedish outfit, but a move that keeps their further foray into prog rock enjoyable.

More Scared of You is a booming, jumbled and explosive work that's the best kind of mess.

If not the most focused entry in the project's storied discography, it's a delightfully wide angled glance at what the Orb still have brewing and perhaps a projection of a vital new period of experimentation.

Baroque in complexity and dripping romantic drama, Altered State is a strong move in the right direction for TesseracT.

Ultimately, the album sounds confidently beautiful. While some may not be as memorable, songs like "Meadow Song" make this album one of S. Carey's best.

The Air Conditioned Nightmare feels like another uncompromising work from the intriguing Woodhead, and in its wide-spanning sound, offers something to both long-time fans and new ones.

Portraits is a successful attempt at an album steeped in tranquility that can also keep you moving.

Teeming with hooks and lyrical calls to arms, The Things We Do is a unique record, one that rages with youthful vigour, but which couldn't have been made by anyone under the age of 35.

While Of Montreal's brand of pop music has often been brainy and verbose, these songs offer simpler pleasures. UR FUN is, well, fun.

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.

The balance between abstract, synthetic noise and soothing, organic timbres is remarkable; it literally feels good to hear, like a conscious meditation.

There's lots to enjoy here for old and new fans alike.

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

It's authentic enough for natives to appreciate, but universal enough to maintain broader appeal.

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.

Underneath its few flaws, an electrifying energy shines through, even if its not as potent as it might have seemed in those halcyon 2000s days.

It's the kind of brash, whiplash-inducing pop album that only she seems capable of making at the moment. It's a bit messy, but most crashes are.

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.

The drawback is that the lyrics are often too hushed and garbled, which makes it seem like he doesn't really care about what he's saying, and so maybe you shouldn't, either.

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.

Although Jimmy Edgar isn't the first (or best) to do neo-electro (Chromeo and DāM-FunK come to mind), Majenta shows that he might just be the most believable.

The songs on Empire are still short, and while they retain the sunny aesthetic of Explore, they reveal a more motivated and confident Park.

Hyperdub's decision to keep the material on Hyperdub 10.1 fresh and topical may take away from the commemorative feel of the comp, but the pure excitement the label's latest incites deserves nothing less than celebration.

Preventing such weighty topics from becoming too exhausting are the upbeat instrumentals with which they've been paired.

Groove Denied isn't the game-changer fans hoped for, but it's also not the disaster Matador expected. It's just your average Stephen Malkmus album... now with more electronics!

While The Muscle Shoals Recordings reaffirms the SteelDrivers' deserved prominence in the bluegrass world, it does little to transcend the genre's current boundaries.