On Hubris, Oren Ambarchi displays the confidence to allow a jumble of musicians and sounds to come off like a beautifully orchestrated, high-concept piece.

Elephant Stone haven't lost anything here; rather, they've refined their songwriting and production, and the results are quite exciting.

Though Hail to the King failed to live up to the royal expectations of its titular disguise, The Stage's grandiosity smells of overcompensation; Avenged Sevenfold's crown lies somewhere in between.

Ensemble sections expand and contract into brilliant solos by his musicians, and while this will be a difficult listen for some, it contains some amazing moments.

The added bonus is the way this release is inclusive of the familiar textures of more poplar electronics. It's wide open and intelligent, and comes highly recommended.

Richard aims for an experimental vibe that has already been coopted by the mainstream pop and EDM, but Redemption nonetheless by revelling in triumphant themes of love, life and sexual identity--and does so in a way that's delightfully thoughtful and honest

With On Dark Silent Off, Radian have created a piece of art that's stubbornly beautiful.

DIANA blend genres and provide a real sense of intimacy on Familiar Touch, a deeply personal and musically rich collection of songs.

Lodestar is true to Collins' roots.

Woman is confident and captivating, and like their debut before it, demands attention.

Singles "Hello" and "When We Were Young" remain highlights on the record, but aforementioned tracks like "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)," "I Miss You" and "Water Under the Bridge," not to mention "River Lea," hear Adele taking a welcome detour from the orchestral piano-pop formula and moving towards more interesting, groove-driven patterns.

This is an intriguing album that doesn't allow the listener the placid, breezy experience that some instrumental albums permit.

Abasi's unique thump technique gives needed life to passages other technical players would simply pick their way through, as Reyes and drummer Matt Garstka lock in to drive these sputtering rhythms home with power and proficiency.

There are a few clunkers here. ... But these are minor complaints, and there's a masterpiece of a divorce album hidden in here.

Do Easy, the album, makes the magical mundane, and vice-versa.

They would have been wiser to trim more of the fat from the 12-track, two disc affair. In comparison to Death Magnetic's thrash-first approach, Hardwired features more mid-tempo material reminiscent of the band's divisive Load/Reload years, which bogs down the record's second disc in particular.

Glass represents Hunn's most mature musical sensibilities to date; however, the instrumentation throughout the album is so sporadic and indecisive that it's unclear what its ideal listening setting might be.

The Unborn Capitalist from Limbo is simultaneously unsettling and comforting in nature, as Hanson achieves what he ostensibly set out to do here: set a mood stuck somewhere between Heaven and Earth.

On their self-titled debut, E focus on each member's strength, leaving listeners with an album that's at times more combative than it is collaborative.

Cozy Tapes skips any syrupy clichés and eschews morbid references to the afterlife, celebrating Yams' life rather than mourning his death. A$AP Mob stay true to the sound Yams helped to cultivate, and in doing so, keep his spirit very much alive.

Overall, We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service proves that after all this time, A Tribe Called Quest can, in fact, still kick it. It's a goodbye on a high note.

Ultimately, variety is good for the album, but here's the thing: Martha's own songs can be completely riveting.

Part Two is a serpentine tour of disco, psych-rock, folk and funk, with a touch of house and a generous glaze of unabashed love. It's Romare at his finest so far, and whets the appetite for whatever honeyed treasures Part Three might hold.

Monument Building finds Loscil at his most focused, political and meticulous, a bleak but fulfilling listen whether you're aware of the album's brainy themes or not.

After challenging themselves on Whorl, Simian Mobile Disco push their craft as far as their comfort level will allow on Welcome to Sideways.

Slugger isn't a perfectly polished, radio-ready set of glossy chart-topping pop tunes, but an infectiously fun foray into shimmering, socially conscious synth-pop.

Black America Again isn't an album meant for casual listening, but rather a socio-politically charged album meant to be absorbed so that everyone can truly recognize the "Bigger Picture Called Freedom."

Arctic Thunder is an honest, heavy and crushing effort.