It certainly was a long wait, but finally Slowdive have given us the album that we have been dreaming about for the last 22 years.

L.W. may not boast many surprises, but it cements its makers as masters of their realm.

Duterte and Kempner manage to break the mould with Doomin' Sun, proving their chops as singular visionaries as well as synergetic collaborators.

On Black Times, Seun Kuti continues to be one of the most important voices in music, by simply reinforcing to us what we already know.

The vocals on Unfollow the Rules are unmistakably Wainwright's — remarkably indistinguishable from his younger voice. With the strong drumbeat on the opening track, "Trouble in Paradise," it also becomes apparent that this album possesses some spark: if it represents coming home at dusk, then it is not without fireworks.

Combining Latin rhythms, call-and-response vocals and funk stings, the brass'n'bass music of the Marković Orkestar relies on pure fury and sexuality in a genre built upon romantic passion and tradition.

This is a forward-looking release by a group still searching for reverence.

The Wild Feathers makes a solid first impression, but if they can dial down the earnestness a bit in the future, they'll have a better shot at becoming the great American rock 'n' roll band they clearly have the potential to be.

While Detox seemed poised to erode Dre's sonic reputation, Compton, reputedly his last record, instead solidifies Dre's already ironclad claims to all-time status. Not only does Compton make you forget about Detox, it also makes sure you won't ever forget about Dre.

Self-produced and written almost entirely while isolated in a lake house outside of Mexico City, Me is Rodriguez' most fully-formed artistic statement yet, an intensely personal, self-assured outing that cements her as a powerhouse producer, sonically harkening back to her Colorminutes days and establishing her as an expert songwriter.

A consistent, flawless catalogue that spans nearly three decades.

There is something innate about Bernice's music, full of Dann's knack for honesty, observation, and language that reflects on the natural beauty around us. It is a joy to hear Bernice's musical identity coalesce.

While 99% provided the initial space for Kaytranada to make his mark, BUBBA is where it matures.

On ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH, every fragmented idea is thoughtfully ripped apart and stitched back together with the gusto of a delirious genius. The band reframes reality and mixes the euphoric highs with the sinking lows in strangely surreal collages that are freakishly beautiful, leaving you feeling kinda stoned and a little bit sinful.

With Struggler, he's proven that he's a singular talent, overcoming the sophomore slump and putting the world on notice by taking everything that made Smiling with No Teeth so special and digging deeper, building a world that's uniquely his own.

With Human Performance, Parquet Courts have managed to cram in a lot. Lesser bands might have made a mess attempting a project like this, but what separates Parquet Courts is their adaptability and understanding of the subject matter.

On Treasure House, Cat's Eyes continue to forge a unique path, as Badwan and Zeffira blend the old with the new, pop with classical and melancholy with drive.

By not only fearlessly facing grief, but also honouring Justin's sly humor, raw vulnerability and nimble songwriting, Steve Earle fittingly sees his young Cowboy off into the sunset.

From "Runner's High," the album can drag until the second half, which has many more acoustic ballads.

Nighttime Stories is the most memorable Pelican album since 2009's What We All Come to Need. They're showing no signs yet of slowing down yet.

It is not surprising that Empress Of has produced yet another gorgeous and memorable collection of songs, yet her consistency does not diminish the unique achievements of this album. This is a perfect album for finding comfort and beauty in the things and people closest to you.

Andrews grasps her songs tightly. Her lyrics are considered and heartfelt, her vocal performances are clean and pure and the songs are produced and arranged with nuance and precision.

Whipple's previous PAN release, the Scythians EP, hinted at the greatness to come from this Janus club night co-founder, yet was a little too short to really demonstrate his true power. It took a full-length release to truly suss out the immensity of M.E.S.H.

This is the fifth album in nine years from the still-young Saskatchewan folk duo, and it continues their sustained level of excellence.

While the narrative correctly serves to examine our relationship with machines, and the execution feels as precise as something purely from the world of artificial intelligence, A Separation of Being struggles to find a sonic identity, which might make this a polarizing listen.

Just as deep and cosmic in scope as its predecessor, this album eschews traditional beats in favour of a primordial throb, a rhythm that seems to originate deep within the planet's core.

Heartless continues to build on the band's reputation as one of the biggest acts in doom metal.

Not Even Happiness is a triumph of subtlety, proof that music doesn't have to be forceful to be powerful.