A pleasant enough album, but when it comes down to it, Toy are much more appealing when they soar rather than tread water.

Because the Internet is a vast improvement over his debut effort, showcasing an artist who has confidently found a way to coalesce his love for music and films into one hybrid effort.

Ultimately, there isn't much to recommend with Black Panties.

The music lacks the sheer immensity that must have graced it originally, as it's virtually impossible to recreate something so grand at home.

In order to continue to excel, he needs to move past the solipsistic and look outward. He raps better when he does.

The set comes off rather rigid when compared to the almost mutant beats of Perceiver, yet a sense of playfulness manages to reveal itself throughout.

Though precise and at times cold and glassy, the album is by no means a minimalist evocation of a future world of urban decay.

It is minimalist yet lush, hopeful yet rooted in a stark and sometimes grim reality.

The set list here, drawing a bit from 2013's Push the Sky Away and then from throughout their catalogue, features longer songs, each drawn out patiently, and rewards fans before trying to impress novices.

It's a puny representation of a big sound made all the more unlistenable by the nuisance of the vocal lines.

The sense that this project comes from a place of honesty and respect is clear. Unfortunately, as ever, [Jamie Stewart's] voice remains the double-edged sword that cuts the enjoyment of his work in either a "love it" or "hate it" direction.

On SUM/ONE, DeGraw avoids the trappings many first-time solo artists fall to, leaving the listener with a collection of songs that manages to exude its own indispensable personality while staying true to Gang Gang Dance's wild and wooly origin story.

It's that intoxicating blend of late night, tripped-out electronics and melodic psych that is featured prominently on Shine Your Light, and it's a notable improvement.

With Nun, Teengirl Fantasy sound pleasantly restless and resourceful, but there aren't enough transcending moments here to make this EP anything more than a stop-gap.

Though certainly not as compelling as Vile's more recent work, the Jamaica Plain EP is worth a listen if only to dig deeper into the musical past of one of modern indie-rock's most celebrated performers.

Five Spanish Songs is satisfying enough for its 20-minute runtime, but it definitely lacks the heft of his recent work; without his distinctive lyrics, it doesn't really feel like proper Destroyer.

Saint Heron is a statement, a musical manifesto with a collaborative vision for today's R&B.

There will be some very painful moments where you'll be forced to end the song half way through, only to start from the beginning later. That said, if you're in a comfy spot and don't plan on going anywhere, alter your state and listen to this record from beginning to end; it will take you places.

Dark and syrupy in tone, with just the right amount of haze, as if from sacred smoke, Sister is a fine addition to the witchy, ritualistic hard rock that's leaving an ever-darker mark on aggressive music.

The result is Protest the Hero's best effort to date, one where (relative) restraint yields a far more powerful product.

There's something lacking in this collection of tracks: a counterpoint to the darkened atmosphere to prevent Remember Your Black Day from coming across as just another example of weak-willed EBM.

Last Patrol is an incredible display of mature stoner metal from dudes that view aging as more than just graying beards.

While the majority of tracks involved sound more suitable for a late night study session than a singles soirée, like all good DJ-Kicks compilations, this one succeeds by enlightening listeners, not just seducing them to the dance floor.

Spaces is in turn haunting, energizing and overwhelmingly emotive, and a must-have for fans of the young German pianist, whether or not they've caught him live yet.

This eight-song set provides a bit of insight into the evolution of Grizzly Bear's ever-ripening sound.

While some results sound a little too much like a Speak and Spell, the compositions largely survive their robotic mutations, some even gaining new generations of melancholy and grayness via their detachment from the world of simple human emotion.

As a whole, Yours To Discover lives up to its name; it's an opportunity for fans to hear a different side of Sebastien Grainger, one more relaxed than frantic, more interested in forging a new path than rehashing old memories.

With Cupid Deluxe, Hynes has revealed his exquisite vision, one that swells with inspiration from his various collaborators.