To some fans, The Center Won't Hold might always be remembered as the album that convinced Sleater-Kinney's legendary drummer to leave. But really, it should be celebrated as a brave left turn, where one of indie rock's most consistent bands took a giant creative leap 25 years into their career and stuck the landing with poise.

Animated Violence Mild is a powerful collection of music made in response to a phenomenon that is too pervasive to ignore in the world today, and one well worth the listen.

These songs evoke an assortment of characters — a washed comedian, a wayward traveller, a group of disengaged partygoers, a doomed mobster — who tend to be down on their luck and feeling like they're wasting their lives away. But there's also a sense of movement — in time and space — that suggests that while things are strange and messy and definitely not ideal, there's more on the horizon.

If The Lost Boy was the new wave rapper's most substantial test of talent and longevity, YBN Cordae passed with flying colours.

It's rich and endlessly rewarding. i,i brings together Justin Vernon's evolving, career-spanning vision for Bon Iver into one satisfying, defining work.

With an honest and unflinching stance, Chris Cohen effectively creates a series of songs that allow for a slight glimpse into the melancholy and inevitable contentment that accompany a candid existence.

The album is a tad long, but the diversity in sounds and use of ambient noise make it clear this is to be listened to from beginning to end. There are plenty of single-worthy songs for casual listeners, while offering dedicated fans a more fulfilling experience by pacing the record's heavy moments.

Overall, the songs on record two are smarter, punchier and catchier than the ones the first time around. How Do You Love? is summer pop punk at its finest, music that can no doubt soundtrack the rest of your summer.

These songs are infectious enough that they ought to catch just about anyone's ear.

The project is packed with enough ammunition to hit that mark.

The EP's mix of the myriad styles presented (drone-influenced electronica, dancehall, progressive synths) come together in a way that makes the experience feel unique.

Even the bangers on Brandon Banks are thoughtful. ... All that thematic ambition, along with the minimalist yet catchy instrumentals and Kream's unfussy, but deceptively thoughtful lyrics, make Brandon Banks the breakout debut of the summer.

Clairo's stylistic variability sets her apart from these artists however, and while some more time and resources wouldn't be unwelcome on a sophomore effort, Immunity confirms she's one to watch.

Strange Ranger's music rambles along in sync with our inner thoughts — joyful and cheery, but at times full of doubt and overthinking. There are no definitive conclusions on Remembering the Rockets, but instead an analysis of friendships, relationships and everything in between, letting it all spill out in an extensive afterthought.

This album, Segall's 13th, is a sonic buffet that will likely have you reaching for a second helping. If this is your first foray into the dense world of Segall, you're in for a mouthful with First Taste.

Following ECM's 21-disc retrospective Art Ensemble Of Chicago and Associated Ensembles, this new collection serves as a forward-looking, optimistic companion.

Emily Alone is a landmark LP, recorded swiftly to perfectly capture urgent beauty and raw authenticity in its purest forms.

In the end, Everything Hits at Once may not be the most necessary thing. But, like most of Spoon's material, it is a well-crafted, admirable work — a pleasurable end unto itself.

The Big Day has enough ideas, sounds and flows to justify its vast breath. What's more: it finally gives us a glimpse at Chance's multitudes, letting us accompany him to the altar and the confessional, instead of restricting him to the pulpit. (Independent)

Dig beneath all the sneering sarcasm and laissez faire projection, however, and you find a band stuck in strict formation with the subject matter of their songs. For much of its runtime, Dudu, the cheekily titled followup to 2017's Dada, operates as a series of short diatribes.

Though the band have toed the line between boyish charm and adolescent callousness for most of their career, this ambivalence has not aged well, and often obscures the more successful moments of sincerity on the record.

Subtly sad, sweetly distorted and at times outright trippy, the result is perfect for long drives under summer skies.

At only 22 minutes, Cut Your Teeth is a head-spinning rip made for repeated plays. Listeners are guaranteed to rage and laugh at the same time, every time.

The album is fun and enjoyable, but it never really reaches what they are capable of as a dynamic group. Every song bleeds into the next, almost sounding the same. It's not the worst feature ever, but as a collection, it doesn't stick out as anything exceptional.

Personal tumult is not an unusual topic for an album, especially by someone in their 20s, but McMahon's sharp lyrical phrases and outstanding voice are enough to make Salt a fresh and exhilarating debut.

At the end of the day Tony Molina is just a guy who loves making music, and this is clear in every second of the layered, hard-hitting Songs from San Mateo County.

Its explorations are well considered and the rewards for following along are many.

Dunn's ability to subsume the subject into his detailed sonic landscapes with minor shifts in the onslaught of drones speaks to this album's ability to impact a wide-ranging listenership. From Here to Eternity serves as a masterful articulation of the power of ambient music.