Sumney approaches the complexities of relationships, power structures and an inability to experience romantic love with a quiet, powerful confidence.

They manage to balance quieter, more serene moments with bombast and wildness, ending the album with the two longest tracks on the album.

Listening to Hiss Spun is a punishing affair, but it's a rewarding one too. It's the sound of an artist not afraid to dig deep emotionally, and that challenges the listener to do so as well.

Haiku From Zero is another strong effort by a band that continue to celebrate the power of dance music, but as closer "Tied to the Weather" demonstrates, they aren't opposed to feeling the comedown effects, either.

Stranger in the Alps is a gorgeously written record, and Bridgers shows her brilliance consistently across its 45-minute runtime.

Where once we witnessed the group tilling the fields, Thrice Woven presents the bounty on a shining plate. WITTR still provide a plentiful feast, but the sense of having earned Mother Nature's gifts is diminished.

The ambience of Second of Spring is pleasing for sure, but there's nary an earworm in the 17-song bunch.

Despite his claims of musical malaise, Pink continues to display excellence in his eccentricities on Dedicated to Bobby Jameson, one of his most dynamic records to date.

Virtually everything here, in its own edgy manner, points to light, hope and the endless possibility of the human spirit.

Corny super group-nostalgia act trying to live up to the untouchable legacy of the members' previous bands? Or timely, and much-needed visceral response to trying times? It depends on your outlook. Prophets of Rage might not be the rap-rock group we need, but maybe they're the one we deserve.

On Take Flight, Coles provides a stunning journey of immersive and emotive house music. While most artists would buckle under the weight of 24 tracks, Maya pulls off the feat with ease.

Deer Tick are so wonderfully straightforward and stripped of all self-importance that Deer Tick Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 manage to make up for lost time without compromising any of the acute writing or boisterous energy the band are known for. The records aren't epic returns to form that beg to be lauded; rather, they feel like four guys remembering how much fun it is to make good music.

Deer Tick are so wonderfully straightforward and stripped of all self-importance that Deer Tick Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 manage to make up for lost time without compromising any of the acute writing or boisterous energy the band are known for. The records aren't epic returns to form that beg to be lauded; rather, they feel like four guys remembering how much fun it is to make good music.

With an album-long theme revolving around the ascent of an alien who joins forces with natives to save the world, Antibalas seem more than ready to push themselves to another musical level with Where the Gods Are in Peace.

It all drifts along at an unhurried pace, but if you've been waiting a decade for more of Haines' most intimate music, you'll be rewarded for taking the time to let Choir of the Mind sink in.

The Mael brothers also manage to keep listeners enthralled by freely jumping between modes, moving between jaunty piano songs ("Missionary Position"), cascading layered guitar burners ("Unaware") and clever melodies and bridges ("Giddy, Giddy").

The tightly coiled rhythms and ominous moods show influences from trap to dubstep, but with around 10 years of mixtapes, remixes and other projects under his belt, the individual influences have long-simmered for a fine blend.

A fully realized album filled with beautiful soundscapes and dreamy vocals. It already seems permeated by a certain nostalgia, making it a perfect record to make memories to.

Nosaj Thing isn't just a brooding, melancholic minimalist, but an interior designer finding the perfect shade of white — not for some high-fashion contrivance, but for the psychological and emotional effects a colourful sunset will bring to it.

Not everything works, and some might bristle at the somewhat inconsistent recording quality that hearkens back to Leo's earliest work, but even though he turned to his fans for funding, these feel like songs that Leo needed to write for himself.

Yes, Native Invader is an effectual statement by an artist who has built her career on making them, but at times it feels a little restrained in its tone compared to some of her most memorable work.

Forced Witness is perhaps too heavily grounded in the sounds of the decade [early '80s], to the point that a "heard it before" spectre hangs over the album.

There's nothing groundbreaking or surprising about this last record--it's classic Gregg Allman--which is exactly why it's a sweet, solid note to go out on. I'd say we're mighty lucky he gave it one more kick at the can.

On the very next track, "Weapons," the production becomes quieter and dreamier, losing the noisiness and dirtiness that made Dälek so appealing in the first place. This continues throughout most of the album, which exchanges the sharpness of Absence for the gentle breeze of a drone record. If the group increased the focus on MC Dalek's rapping as a trade-off that would be fair, yet for most of the record his vocals are given an oddly low priority in the mix.

Although Young's had plenty of highs and lows throughout his sprawling discography, there's no question that each of his 38 studio LPs were results of a particular vision, and Hitchhiker benefits greatly from this fleeting vision captured over a single evening in 1976.

Love What Survives is a grower for sure. Mount Kimbie may never return to the height of those first few releases, but we'll still be here for another while yet.

For a project that centres on tragedy, though, Okovi feels remarkably vital. After five albums, Zola Jesus's balancing act remains compelling.

This influx of new voices finds Deerhoof exploring a number of different styles and sounds, all the while keeping that chaotic exuberance they are known for.