It's bound to thrill longtime fans, and anyone looking for some relief from the suffocating smoothness of most mainstream country.

Despite their proficiency, the Messthetics' individual talents don't entirely gel as an ensemble yet. Their debut is flashy, but it won't bring them out of the shadow of Canty and Lally's more famous projects.

As there's been no sign of new material from Paradinas in the past half-decade, Challenge Me Foolish is just interesting and familiar enough to keep µ-Ziq fans satiated, even if it is inferior to Royal Astronomy.

Although the band haven't really made a notable album since the close of the '70s, this ten-track, 42-minute LP stands as some of their most focused and stylish work to date.

Fresh and ambitious without taking a step too far, Sister Cities is the Wonder Years' most fully realized work, and an artistic statement that deserves to be taken seriously.

"Psycho Star" and "Neverending Sunshine" are the more dance-y tracks that make The Other much more vast than Thomas's earlier work. Lastly, "No Man's Land" is a mesmerizing sendoff to end the album; slow and triumphant, by the time it's over you're left with a lasting impression.

There's Always More at the Store is a solid addition to Holland's discography, and hopefully there is indeed more where this came from.

There's plenty to bliss out on here and Holy Wave prove strongest when they focus on the emotional core of their songs as much as on the waves of sonic exploration.

He has his own sound and stands out as an artist, with this album possibly being the one to distance himself from being overshadowed by other Chicago rappers. He does hold it down for showing his upbringing through his music as a Chicago artist in a more authentic way this time around.

As the album comes to a close, "Rest" and "Hidden" begin to work off of fuzzy, pulsating beats and slow, trancelike synth passages, proving that Rival Consoles certainly holds a blueprint to the dreamworld contained within Persona.

Tinashe's Joyride is a stop-start journey that doesn't quite stall out, but does feel like some ground has been lost. It does move, however, and it will be interesting to see where things go from here.

Much of The Lookout is subtly fraught.

Isolation works because Uchis displays impeccable command over her voice and her style. She bends genres to her will rather than allowing them to absorb her identity, making for an impressive effort that will only improve as it ages.

A dizzying array of sounds and vocals that probably would have come off as a sonic mess if not for Mouse on Mars' crystalline vision.

Loud Patterns is an overtly ambitious first album, which fittingly captures Molleson's "difficult to define" approach.

They avoid mere imitation, but a sense of aimlessness still floats through the record.

12 is arguably the most well-rounded album they've made since 1999's underrated Between the Bridges.

Iit's her softer singles that add a new dimension to her artistry. While Cardi B's own relationship with Migos's Offset has been thrown into the spotlight, Invasion of Privacy feels like her Lemonade moment, one that magnifies her insecurities for public consumption.

From start to finish, the album is a mix of complete swamp-rock songs, only to be broken up by confusing, short bursts of instrumentation.

Everett has always been loathe to stand in one place for too long so it's quite possible that we'll see yet another side of him in a matter of months. For now, The Deconstruction is a rather rote and lackluster return.

Yes, Erase Me also features more singing and less metalcore than has been standard in Underoath's career, but it straddles Sleepwave's experimentations, landing on the catchier side ("Rapture," "Wake Me"), more energetic side ("It Has to Start Somewhere," "Hold Your Breath") or somehow pushing both extremes ("In Motion," "Sink With You").

Golden is bereft of relative stinkers, but there's little to bring listeners back.

A charming and disarming album.

Bark Your Head Off seem like a gamble, given its broader palette. It only takes a few listens to realize that it is really the fulfillment of the band's potential, though. ... Hop Along are truly a band at the top of their game.

While Sex & Food is a disjointed effort with Nielson's usual ingenuity wavering at times, fans will undoubtedly find favourites in certain tracks. It's an anxious, up-and-down affair, with moments of reward sprinkled within its lethargic haze.

It is an album dense with meaning, with excellent, full-throated singing, tempered guitar playing, and an elusive, decorative prettiness.

Ortega's musical composition revels in an outlaw spirit, echoed vocal acoustics and a Spanish waltz. She masters the equilibrium and stability amid light and dark, which is regularly touched on in her earlier works.

Frontwoman Jenn Wasner and multi-instrumentalist Andy Stack skillfully synthesize their last three albums into a glossier blend of synth-laced dream pop. It's the product of a band that know their strengths and work around their limitations.