Beautiful Thugger Girls--which lists Drake as executive producer--pushes the boundaries of Atlanta hip-hop while adding yet another groundbreaking project to the trapper's discography.

If Pretty Girls Like Trap Music doesn't make the rapper an immediate king of the South, it undoubtedly puts him in line for the title.

Despite how thunderous Thatcher sounds behind the drums or how dirty Kerr's bass tone is, unfortunately there isn't a pedal for more robust and compelling songwriting.

For Tweedy diehards, these intimate reworks may come off as a nice fireside chat with an old friend, but those less familiar with the singer are better off starting with the originals.

Progressing across a grid, Olson's explorative approach to loop-based production of music reveals an intuitive and refreshing approach to deriving emotive depth from a machine.

Working with Portishead's Adrian Utley and adding Matt Tong (Bloc Party) on drums, Algiers have managed to create a dizzying tapestry of sounds that incorporates wavy synths, industrial fuzz and gospel choirs into a protest record that embodies the key stages of grief.

Do not be deterred by Scogin's past endeavours; this is not a metal album--not even close. This is lyrical, groovy, poignant, unimpeded and, above all else, creative

Overall, On the Echoing Green is still an interesting listen with many enjoyable aspects, but a stronger, tighter EP might've been made from the first five tracks--or a stronger LP with less distortion and noise in the back half.

In an uncertain era, signposted with fallen heroes, Revolution Come…Revolution Go is a comforting, potent affirmation that Gov't Mule will continue to flourish.

While new beginnings aren't without their flaws, Big Boi's lyrical prowess and effortless delivery provide the thread that link the old Big Boi universe to this, the Boomiverse.

Lorde is masterful at making music that digs within the deepest recesses of your heart and brings to the surface the feelings that you thought you'd forgotten about. Melodrama is the perfect outlet to hash (and dance) those emotions out to.

At 16 tracks and a whopping 110-minute runtime, there are some songs that blend into the other, but it's a testament to Goldie's creativity and flexibility as an artist that there's never a single moment on The Journey Man that sounds compromised.

"I'll Fight for Your Life" makes up for its unremarkable melodies with a percussive synth pulse, while the charming "Head of the Horse" is a curveball ballad from a project that has always been better known for upbeat pop tunes. Beyond that, however, this album is a 50-minute slog.

In its own way, City Music is just as ambitious as the more obviously musically ambitious Singing Saw was; have this on hand for certain literary yet off-kilter late night city moods.

For fans of synth-wave instrumentals or for those who want an oft-compelling, free-floating soundtrack to their workday, nobody throws a throwback party like Com Truise.

It makes in confident swagger what it lacks in memorable hooks, but at 19 tracks, it's too imbalanced and stuffed to be considered a classic.

By incorporating vintage influences with so much skill, Nau channels yesterday's greats without ever lazily copying them. Instead, he transports you to way back when, then makes it sound of the moment.

If any shoegazers are primed and ready to make the most of this second chance, it's Ride.

With Crack-Up's earnest explorations of the human condition and evocative, progressive composition, Fleet Foxes maintain their status as one of the best folk rock bands of the 21st century.

Although many songs on Chuck sound familiar, it's amazing that no two tracks sound alike. Berry covers a lot of musical ground on Chuck, and most importantly, reveals just how much fun he was still having at the end of his storied life.

Though he tackles politics ("White Man's World," "Hope the High Road"), mental health ("Anxiety" and "Chaos and Clothes") and other highly present concerns, the overall effect is slightly more timely than timeless. Perhaps it's unfair, though, to hold Isbell to his own lofty standards. Compared to those of his contemporaries, these songs are still miles ahead.

SZA is the full package in terms of artistry: killer singing and songwriting abilities with a distinct perspective on life, love and destiny. CTRL is craft in action, a uniquely excellent album from a uniquely excellent artist.

If there's one general criticism to be made here it could be that the album lingers a bit too much in a dark and dramatic mood (especially in the first four songs), but that's less an outright flaw and more a desire for more of the playfulness that appears in the second half of the record.

All ten of the album's songs overflow with sparkling synths, sighing pop hooks and made-for-summer beats. The lyrics are often difficult to parse, particularly since Mars frequently dips in and out of Italian and French, but the overall impression is one of sweet, big-hearted sincerity.

Witness owes its imperfect existence to garage-punk, psychedelic Afro-rock and the overarching and heartbreaking sentiment that ours is a system that we might not get out from under anytime soon.

While it's surprisingly early in Alt-J's careers to release what is essentially their version of an acoustic album, Relaxer provides a necessary change-up that keeps the band's iconic sound from becoming a caricature of itself.

Planetarium does the solar system justice with almost every conceivable sound--from metallic auto-tune to rippling organ, to angelic strings and forceful horns--from four powerful multi-instrumentalists at the top of their respective games.

While McVie's voice seems to have held up quite well, it's all but lost behind multiple layers of effects, combined with gratuitous use of shakers and other percussion. As for the songs themselves, most are simply fair-to-middling pop songs.