While this is a challenging, compelling record from a singular producer, it is a less exploratory effort than we've come to expect from her.

Although his political ideas may be rough hewn, Doom's latest effort stands out from some of the major releases in his discography.

With Odd Blood, the Brooklyn trio has left behind its most obvious ethnic influences--and its environmental anxiety--for a tighter, more polished sound.

Although beatless, it is not altogether one of those ambient albums you could play in the background and ignore, nor necessarily fall asleep listening to. At times unsettling and industrial-sounding, this is far from forgettable music; it is engaging, futuristic, and trippy as hell.

Ultimately, Dutch is less vibrant and, well, relevant than dance deconstructions by Actress or Oneohtrix, but it's also a lot harder to pin down, and there's a rogue-ish appeal to that.

Carbonated may not be exactly what the legions of devoted Mount Kimbie fans have been pining for, but music with such intricately weaved details surely takes time, and this EP proves to be a welcome stopgap to help hold us over.

As a record, Con Todo El Mundo won’t change the world, but it will make your day brighter. Once you’ve maxed out playing records by The Budos Band and Bonobo, then Khruangbin should be next in your selection.

DNA Feelings has moments of brilliance, but its dark mood and single-minded vision become oppressive over the course of its runtime. Those fleeting rave touches combine so well with her extraordinary voice, you can only wish there were more of them.

If it all sounds just a bit too familiar and seems a tad forced, no one could really blame you for saying so.

Kings Ballad marks the natural progression of a remarkable artist-in-residency.

Bundick's Causers of This is also peaceful, but the album's tranquil tones sound a lot more like happy accidents than well-executed plans.

Smalhans, [is] a return to his old self that alternatively plays things a little too safe by offering six tracks of Lindstrøm-by-numbers.

Though his misses may make Ghettoville appear lopsided and drab, every on-point production buried in the heap makes mucking through Cunningham's warped ideas rewarding work.

Bass Clef may have created a solid album, but, in the end, this lovely exercise leaves a sense that it was all a bit too easy for him.

It gets tiresome to listen to 14 bangers in a row. Had the duo distilled the finest cuts from its massive tracklist into something a bit sleeker, Ghost Systems Rave could have been an absolutely smashing release.

Crafting spacious soundscapes, taking droney vision quests into '70s psychedelia, and offering pleasantly subdued vocals, the Oakland trio appears to have found solid footing as a band of new-school doom-rock warriors.

Apar is left to sound good but not great, worthwhile but not essential, Delorean but not quite.

The knotty lyricism and psychedelic rumble of 12 Reasons to Die II should be more than enough to keep Ghostface fans satisfied.

For Paris has an avant-gardist taste, and the homemade artwork and written statements ring sincere.

Upon first listen, this album will disappoint those searching for the clever and inventive dancefloor tracks for which Vynehall has become most loved. There isn’t actually anything here which could be recognized as house music. ... Once you do get over it--and it may take several listens--Nothing Is Still is an intriguing engagement with an ambitious artist clearly still in development.

At it best moments, Overgrown proves that the two sides of James Blake—the dancefloor oddball and the crossover songwriter—can exist side by side, but it also demonstrates that, at least right now, the balance between the two is totally off.

Listening to Wave 1, there appears to have been no grand overhaul during the time Haley has spent on semi-lockdown, but neither has there been total creative stasis.

Call it short and sweet. And the vibe is definitely sweet, all acoustic guitars, reverb synths, and Sly & Robbie-worthy bass and drum rhythms.

The album's dusty beats, pointed electronics, and cinematic feel are pleasantly familiar, at best they recall the band's past glory rather than pushing forward their legacy.

The kitsch value may warrant a spin or two for curiosity's sake, but few of the album's 10 productions have the staying power of the musical touchstones Com Truise is referencing.

Make no mistake, Our Inventions is a very nice album—"Rest Your Head" and "Everything is Always" are precious little slices of pop music—just don't expect kids who have been gorging on the psychedelic exploits of Animal Collective to flip out over this one.

Digital Native is missing a large amount of the substance and general cohesiveness that any artist's "first proper album" should rightly offer.

His Headcage EP, released yesterday via Ghostly, continues on that trajectory, moving toward music for a wider audience while maintaining much of the oddness that makes him popular in the world beyond the mainstream.