So far, Cults have relied on that brand of fresh, unbridled energy that fuels new groups like them, making Static a fine example of an album running perfectly off of kinetics.

No Horizon pairs ecstasy with pensiveness, using experimentation, static, tension and texture to push Wye Oak's skills ever forward.

The result is a sonically coherent, and impressive, album that dances on the borders of multiple subgenres without ever really taking a full dive into any one.

The tracks on Apocalypse, girl flow into one another like smooth, glassy water, and the collaborations, with improv cellist Okkyung Lee, harpist Rhodri Davis and Swans' Thor Harris, add texture.

Most of Occupied with the Unspoken works like a well-executed indie film score: evocative, exigent and with purpose.

There are enough unexpected moments--a nice peppering of saxophone, the gospel choir on "I Like It In the Dark" and the velvety hum of closing ballad "Un Chant D'Amour--to distinguish this as the best album yet by these sunglasses-at-night-wearing rockers.

Ghetto Gods was created through a plague and a racial reckoning. So, it's understandable that the fun factor and the tempo have been dialled down. Heavy is the pen. Still, when those heroic ghosts and EarthGang pop in synchronicity, the music is downright out of this world.

It may be a bit platitudinous, but Temple's delicate voice and songwriting make it an enjoyable listening experience.

Without Goodman's unique artistic voice anchoring and guiding the proceedings, Music for Listening to Music To feels set adrift, done in not by its makers' stylistic diversions, but by their unwillingness to give the album a proper focal point.

From those raw, candid lyrics, to ScHoolboy's increasing pop acumen, CrasH Talk reveals many sides of an increasingly (and compellingly) unpredictable MC.

RBCF are a welcome addition to the range of Australian guitar bands taking the world by storm, their confident debut an exploration of angular v. melodic guitars and energetic rhythms.

Though they won't repeat the trick, Diana plunder '80s-aping blog-pop and find surprising riches in a long washed-out gold mine.

Ensemble sections expand and contract into brilliant solos by his musicians, and while this will be a difficult listen for some, it contains some amazing moments.

Although Box oddly and quite disappointingly omits Voigt's 1995 Modern EP and 1996 self-titled debut, the vinyl version adds in tracks that were previously unavailable in the format, along with the inclusion of 1999's Oktember EP and the hard-to-find "Tal 90" single.

This odd, emotionally varied collection of songs embraces the fluidity of sexuality and gender, yet acknowledges that finding a stable, strong connection with another person remains an anxiety-inducing task.

His latest is an unhurried flow of ambient piano pieces that, despite the implications of the title, are only momentarily dark and far from risqué, perhaps at times more suited for those soft intimate moments made for two, or most certainly personal reflections made for one.

The album is somewhat lacking in range, but otherwise, Agora offers no evidence of compromise. If anything, Fennesz turned that bit of adversity into artistic license.

Magma demonstrates a healthy admission and channelling of Gojira's explosive tendencies into a record that is truly an intriguing change of pace when considering the band's more eruptive past efforts.

A couple tracks are crowded and rambling, as the theatrical cacophony obscures intention and meaning in a way that bores rather than intrigues. But for the most part, the album's depth and texture are a refreshing contrast to the industry's current hyper-polished pop moment — and the complexity of the arrangements is essential to support the magnitude of Welch's vulnerability and fury.

For those who've held on for the ride and enjoyed the band's descent into the heart of darkness, it'll be a welcome addition to your already massive collection of the band's many gems.

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.

With gale force drive and buffeting rhythms, Winter Kills is as entertaining as it is carnivorous.

Tracks like "Your Nostalgic Heart and Lung" and "PF, Day One" find RJD2 exploring the depths of his own synth work, without a sample in sight. Granted, they are actually some of the weaker tracks on the album, but it's a step towards a more mature sound that has room to grow.

Sometimes the melodrama is enough to cringe at; sometimes the sultriness is enough to make you blush. ... Overall though, Misadventures is an impeccably polished take on that sort of emotive sing-scream stuff that fans will love.

A fluid release, a chilled-out, soulful take on the Charlatans' psychedelic sound complemented by muted horns and jazzy keys.

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.

Songs Cycled is a striking reminder of Van Dyke Parks' songwriting strength and deft arranging touch (see the reworking of his classic "The All Golden") for those already in the know; for others, it might just make the perfect introduction to a legend so ahead of his time that his 1968 masterpiece is just now getting its due.

No Shame is exactly what it says it is--an album where all is revealed, even the unpleasant parts.