The album is riddled with feeling, and there is an adamant sense of joy.

On Memento Mori, Depeche Mode turn this philosophical reminder into a beautiful, raw, and passionate rebirth.

Uptempo or down, Shane's performances were maximum R&B before the term was coined.

The album can so ricochet because of Folick's sprawling vocal range, which can quiver at atmospheric, Sinead O'Connor altitudes only to plummet into St. Vincent growls and skips.

Tying ambient soundscapes, borderline IDM and subtle snapshots of traditional music into a coherent, yet distinctive, body of work, this auspicious debut forecasts a promising future for Yu Su. Anyone would be happy to hop in a boat and sail these waters for hours and hours.

A tight 12 tracks that show the artist at his most approachable, romantic and optimistic.

With subtle rhythms and interesting melodies, In The Magic Hour delivers both lightness and depth in one hauntingly beautiful recording.

An even stronger effort, one that avoids the sometimes-frantic pace that marred that earlier album a little.

All in all, The Now Now feels fresh and present. Gorillaz have performed a type of sonic reset by stripping back their cast of collaborators, yet it exemplifies the strength of the songwriting at the group's core.

By shedding any cool pretence and steering directly into the skid of adult alternative cheese, the Killers have followed a lifetime of perfect songs and made their first truly great album.

For as often as Impersonator threatens to dishearten, it's anchored by an equal and opposite force: a humanity so earthbound and maternal that it washes away your petty sorrows in a birdbath of optimism.

On Talk Memory, BADBADNOTGOOD find likeminded collaborators ready to challenge and compliment them at every turn, resulting in a new evolution for the trio.

Maribou State's new LP delivers a musical mosaic that stays true to the roots of downtempo, while exploring new ground through diverse influences and styles.

µ20 gives this now-classic label the classy tribute it deserves.

On Amatssou, Tinariwen adds to their amazing range and melodic flexibilities through collaboration, allowing some of their biggest admirers into their majestic, fully realized world.

McCombs tries on many different hats, but has the skill to produce mostly positive results.

This album — through its stirring, stripped-back guitar music and syllabus of cultural touchpoints — limns a path to that solace, and locates it alongside the toil and trouble that underlies rock 'n' roll's still-unfolding history.

ARTPOP is a dynamic, memorable album that, while it fails to unveil the girl behind the aura, reveals a performer who finally sounds as invested in her art as she is in her image.

The album accomplishes what Psutka set out to do, which was to convey the dichotomy of club music through a minimalist and deconstructionist lens, and it does so unapologetically and with considerable confidence.

Straightforward and simple, A Eulogy for the Damned isn't a work of great musical genius, but is refreshing in its bravado and simplicity.

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

With a staggering 18 songs, Vessel may appear daunting at first, but quickly proves itself to be a sharp and smooth listen.

Virtue is as fun as it is challenging and is both catchy and complex.

While Barnes is definitely well-versed in musical melancholy, there's also a thoughtful, sensitive part to balance all this pathos.

Power manages to keep Dumb Flesh sounding uniform and digestible, a great feat for an artist hell-bent on dissecting his craft.

True Love is a loving snapshot of what Hovvdy holds dear in the present and their excitement for the future is infectious. Instead of reflecting on the past and easiness of simpler times, they are finding pockets of these hyper-elated feelings in the here and now.

It all taps deeply into different veins of pop, yet it's gloriously synergetic in the incredible world created by Prince Rama.

Joke in the Hole is undoubtedly Eric Copeland's strongest release, a cycle of songs that brazenly possess both structural maturity and childlike weirdness.