The majority of the record does take the tortoise's path to victory and proves that with this kind of music, it's really not a race at all, but a fight.

Northern Shore explores terrain that's simultaneously familiar and bracingly fresh; it's a gem.

This is easily one of their best albums, which is no small feat six albums into such an illustrious career.

It's not often to encounter music this conceptually sophisticated and well executed that also, in its most secret depths, simply hates you.

It's more fun than 2010's Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa, but with a slightly less lurid and lingering "oomph" than classic Cradle of Filth.

With this hugely energetic disc, consisting of eight tunes in 32 minutes, Early Graves have proven that they can survive a horrible catastrophe and continue to make great music.

Ocean Roar proves to be a cinematic experience that's good more often than not.

There is a catchiness to the song structures that occasionally brushes against an industrial influence.

Lovelessness is an ugly, abject work that challenges the listener to accept both unhappiness and disgust, conveyed with power, intelligence and artfulness.

While the mix is peppered with samples from Butler's yoga guru, Parahamansa Yogananda, aiming for a spiritual vibe, this set is really one big party.

Grace/Confusion could have been a great 20-minute EP. Instead, it's a listless 40 minutes that works best as background music.

Scott Walker is one of the true geniuses of modern music and the treasures are as rich as ever for those prepared to go the distance.

Although it may not be essential listening for Mogwai fans, A Wrenched Virile Lore's recontextualized tracks certainly allow for greater appreciation of one of the band's best albums in years.

An immersive and atmospheric sonic experience, one made all the better by the group's much-improved songwriting chops.

Bold and robust, these eight tracks are sure to engage any fan of the label's prior output.

On their debut, they don't seek to out-pummel other contemporary hashers with speed or heaviness; rather it's on the golden fields of mood and groove where they excel.

The mixed bag nature of Don't Be Scared that is its downfall: a lack of consistency leads to the album sounding more like a DJ set than a cohesive record.

This Working Girl's Guitar is in top form here.

Ohio native sons MHz (Copywrite, the late Camu Tao, Tage Future, Jakki Da Motamouth and producer RJD2) have finally released their long-overdue debut album, MHz Legacy, and it doesn't disappoint.

Kaleidoscope Dream is a statement that Miguel has arrived.

This is an astonishing album, but not an easy listen.

It's a gritty, soulful sound that holds The Solution together, seemingly aspiring to be nothing more than "Boot Camp meets Little Brother": familiar and stress-free for an audience seeking a vintage feel in their hip-hop.

It's when producer the Alchemist trims and arranges that Bronson becomes a salable bouquet.

This might not be the golden, triumphant comeback Aguilera had hoped for, but it's pretty close and, let's face it, it's better than most Top 40 music right now.

Is it less than the sum of its parts? Perhaps. However, it is an ambitious and interesting album that not only plugs the gap nicely between Tim Hecker and Oneohtrix Point Never albums but signals interesting things to come from Lopatin's SSTUDIOS series.

The Santa Barbarite has focused even more on textured, hazy compositions, allowing much of the album to move at an ebb-and-flow pace.

From the Vaults is a collection of b-sides presented and packaged as a full-blown studio release, and it's worth the effort.

Using the album as a full-length thesis on the blending of Berlin and Manchester sounds causes Living With Ghosts to feel rather analogous and tedious, at times.