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.

Beneath the Skin is too humdrum to garner any new acolytes.

Vieux Loup is an intriguing, layered record.

Bad Love has just too many things going on.

Love is the Great Rebellion shows more of Ben Lee's spiritual growth than musical growth, so fans who were attached to the more adventurous departures of his recent work may be disappointed here, but those still clapping along to "Catch My Disease" and "Begin" will surely find comfort in the album.

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.

[The EP] reveal a steadier, more confident Van Etten, which--surprisingly enough--is just as thrilling as the unpredictable, anxious turns that garnered her so much praise on her last LP.

It's a record built less on borrowed nostalgia and genre fetishism and more on earnest, risk-taking creativity and mixing genres in weird sonic chemistry experiments.

Universal Themes is still overwhelmingly heart-on-sleeve, human; if it's not universal in the specifics, then it is in the way it rawly depicts experience.

Many Levels of Laughter might not have the drugged out vibe that most psych enthusiasts search for, but J Fernandez's versatility makes him one of the most exciting new artists around.

If you're not familiar with Kinski, you may find yourself expecting vocals to kick in, but when they do on the next track, "Flight Risk," the skeezy, barfly style feels tossed off and has a cheapening effect on the song. Conversely, "Operation Negligee" features the most satisfying vocals on the album.

The Shakes is nonetheless brimming with alien sounds and left-field rhythms (culled from objects purchased on eBay), proving that even the most subdued Herbert release is still pretty damn fascinating.

Nozinja Lodge maintains its novel authenticity and stands as a curiosity that is definitely worth a listen.

Peace Is The Mission is equal parts tepid and garrulous, making it hard to get an overall read on this project. Probably best to not overthink it.

The problem isn't with Carnation's expansive instrumental palette, but with the way that the record struggles to use its sounds to captivate, often letting each part float away into the ether.

Before the World Was Big hears Girlpool unapologetically channelling some big feelings in a way that sounds brash without being bratty, and emotional but not without an empowering message.

A much more risky, expansive and intriguing listen [than Long.Live.A$AP].

Ash still generate radio-friendly tunes on Kablammo!, but they lack the depth that they demonstrated at their peak, and sound a little like they're merely repeating their post-millennial releases at this point.

A fine balance of naiveté and stirring wisdom.

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.

Those looking for standout singles and sing-along choruses best search elsewhere, but for fans of downtempo folk, there is a lot to appreciate here.

UMO definitely have hit their stride with this record, solidifying their place as one of this era's premiere groove-rock bands.