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

Dreams Worth More Than Money overflows with sonic effervescence, drawing you into the snake pit that is the mainstream hip-hop industry, with all the opulent trappings therein. Tight production support ingenious raps that continue to push the envelope of the street anthem narrative.

Essentially, Yukon Blonde sound like a new band, and they may just be your new favourite because of it.

On A Lesson Unlearnt, the insights on love are articulated both from the position of the one being sought and the one seeking affection, offering an entry point for anyone who can identify with love's effects.

Thoughtful, relentless, arty and uncompromisingly queer, Fist City are a rough gem in the unforgiving expanse of the Rockies.

Bilal finds an excellent match in Adrian Younge for the type of musical exploration he's embraced with his more recent output here, and In Another Life offers yet another example of Mr. Oliver's incredible range.

Morning/Evening is a gorgeous, daring album that draws its greatest inspiration from a much-maligned genre most often associated with John Tesh and Yanni.

The Heart is a Monster doesn't quite leave the impression mid-'90s Failure did, but despite less experimental approach and cleaner digital production, it's still a compelling listen.

Wildheart has its mushy spot (see the superfluous "Destinado a Morir"), but on the whole, it stands as one of the year's standout efforts.

Wherever Thundercat plans to go from here, this EP builds the robust case that one probably should follow.

The album's strongest asset is its sense of emotion that bleeds through, especially on guitar solos, in impressive contrast to the always-brutal breakdowns.

Summertime '06's coming of age tale is complemented perfectly by production that finds the nuance in Staples' stories and matches it, couching Staples' rhymes in a way that the streets can understand best.

A solid listen front to back, Freedom is the album fans have been waiting for.

It's another album of Neil being Neil, and that's a good thing.

Pale Horses compiles all of the strengths of mewithoutYou into a gorgeous, dense package that remains engaging throughout.

With Everybody is Going to Heaven, Citizen have forged a visceral, stunningly nuanced work that is nothing short of immaculate.

By simply moving with the times, Desaparecidos have managed to skirt that issue entirely, making Payola a surprisingly vital return we never knew we needed.

Coming Home is a star-making vehicle that is solidly crafted, robustly traditionalist and palpably soulful. This is not just a nostalgia act; this is music from the heart, and the soul.

Smart, funny, empathetic and wise, Musgraves is one of the best in the business right now--even when it seems she might be treading water.

It's a cool record that coasts on chill grooves rather than bombastic drops.

The directness of Bully's songs--both emotionally and melodically--is their strongest asset, but it's tough to argue that Bognanno has any discernable weakness when it comes to her music.

On their latest full-length, the duo maintain their ambition, putting together four sonically challenging tracks that range between nine and 15 minutes in length.

Those beats prove to be a dynamic soundtrack for Esoteric and Deck's shameless, endlessly entertaining punch lines, which are bizarrely charming enough to leave you rooting for the bad guy.

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

Heavy metal at its finest, Luminiferous is a brilliant, dynamic release, showcasing High on Fire's penchant for diverse, thoughtful songwriting and impeccable musicianship.

Olympic Mess isn't a complete shift in direction for him. It's merely one step toward the outer rim of a very large and very dark shadow.

Overall, Lantern's a beguiling collection of songs from an artist whose road to success is made better by the number of detours he takes along the way.

One wonders what could have happened if Moroder explored a little more, rather than playing it safe.