Ambient music centred on glass sounds is nothing new, of course, but the duo's ability to take such a well-worn concept and turn it into a piece so meticulous and touching is a testament to their uniquely fruitful partnership.

When a guy comes all the way from Jakarta, that's unique, and you want something unique from him. Amen falls way short of that.

Wait for Love shows that Pianos Become the Teeth have a firm grip on a sound and identity that's beautiful, poignant and wholly their own, and it shows that they can keep maturing without having to constantly recreate themselves.

The simple production, with Lalonde's untamed vocals clear as a bell and Hamelin's homecoming, lets the joy that played a part in the process of making the short and sweet Uncle, Duke and the Chief shine evidently through.

Everything Is Recorded by Richard Russell is a moving, beautiful album that offers community as a cure for loneliness. Even if at times he's somewhat overshadowed by his collaborators, Russell manages to have his voice shine through.

The age-old saying goes if something isn't broken, don't fix it, but the re-release of Twin Fantasy shows that, seven years later, Car Seat Headrest are capable of re-contextualizing their work in ways that cement the faith that we have in them as revolutionary musicians.

Loma is also the product of atypical conditions, written and recorded as the marriage of two of its members was dissolving. The trio seem to have leaned in to that situation: Loma captures the intimacy of such heightened circumstance with layered, compelling nuance.

Groovy and scintillating, but with depth and meaning to spare, In a Poem Unlimited is U.S. Girls--and pop music--at its very best.

Thirty years deep into their career, Superchunk throw yet another left turn into a career full of them, offering up a protest record about the people for the people. What a time to be alive, indeed.

The singer elicited production help from Noah Georgeson ( Joanna Newsom, Devendra Banhart), a smart decision, given the subtle yet always effective sonic touches here. The result is a stunning work that will draw you back to repeated, if oft intense, listening.

Dead Start Program as another dependable collection of quality techno that will satisfy his fan base, even if it fails to bring in new ears.

Due to the first half's measly runtime (half of its high octane songs clock in at under three minutes) and heavy as hell ending, listening to Clone of the Universe kind of feels like visiting a tapas bar with a few friends, only to drunkenly venture off at the end of the night to slam down a whole duck, solo (and no, that's not a euphemism): it's a journey most would avoid making, but a compelling one for those willing to roll the dice and ride.

Ought are moving forward on Room Inside the World, adding new elements to their sound while largely retaining the tension that makes the band so compelling.

It was always going to be tough for Dashboard Confessional to repeat what they were, but while maybe Crooked Shadows doesn't hit the heights that A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar did in 2003, it's still a welcome return.

Fans of Mastodon's swamp prog and Tool's art-school alternative will find plenty to like.

Its first half features some of the group's sweetest pop confections since those massive singles, while its second delves into the muggy Barrett-isms of their more recent work.

Not everything lands with the same emphasis as the album's opening moments, but there are enough quality moments across ten tracks--how "Lois Lane" frames the horrors of the "over 30 singles night" at its chorus, the disco drive of "Glimpse of Love," the mid-song sax run of "Feel the Love Go"--to suggest this transformation in sound has yet to reach its peak.

Sleepwalkers has some very good songs, but often comes off as cheesy and predictable--if a melody sounds familiar, it's probably because Fallon has sung one just like it before.

Atmospheric grooves is the order of the day with Khruangbin's latest; by way of psychedelic rock, Con Todo El Mundo's got the groove and grips it tight.

There's nothing truly radical about the collection, but it is gratifying riff-based rock, and in an industry littered with sycophants, Starcrawler's brand of exuberant noise is refreshing. The future may be bright for these young guns.

Never too bitter or too sweet, these songs are bursting at the seams with casual urgency, an intoxicating counterpoint to the songs' melancholy.

The leisurely pace of "In Your Dreams" is too soporific, while "Yeah You Know" lacks the punctuation that needs to accompany Burch when she resigns to "go out west a while." Despite this dilution at times, Bruch still burns bright on Quit the Curse.

Most of the risks he takes on Criminal pay off, and the record is among his most confident statements as an artist.

Immaculately produced and performed, it's hard to imagine Man of the Woods not being a hit, its tracks a steady stream for playlist fodder. But sound and feel are no substitute for soul.

Poppy Ackroyd chooses to move at a efficiently percussive pace throughout (best highlighted by the fertile and aptly-named "Time"), giving the album a post-modern atmosphere rarely explored on many classical-inspired albums, making Resolve an album hard to pin down and hard to categorize, but easy to adore.

When Olsen sings, the record takes on an ephemeral sad-in-a-good way vibe, Merritt's and Gustafson's voices also blend with McEntire's terrifically, making Lionheart enjoyable on the level of a record of country duets as well.

It is intimate and alienating; friendly and mysterious; and, most importantly, a whole lot of eerie fun for any listener interested in experimental music.

Having more songs available to stream results in more royalties, though it doesn't equate to a flawless full-length.