Neil Z. Yeung
Zig ends up being her most focused and mature work to date, one that finds her spreading her wings and expanding her arsenal yet again.
Even though it's marketed as a "new positive" Gucci, Breath of Fresh Air shouldn't worry longtime fans wondering if he's seen the light and switched to gospel: this is yet another collection of rousing, engaging trap from a master veteran who knows exactly what his loyal fan base demands.
Moving way beyond their debut, Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete. is the sound of artistic maturation and sonic expansion, a logical culmination of what they were trying to do in the first place.
Something to Give Each Other succeeds because Sivan has been freed: to be who he wants to be and express that through his most engaging and addictive album to date.
Thrilling and depressing, it's another wake-up call for those who aren't listening.
Much like Disco, Tension is a master class in pop wizardry and escapist bliss. Releasing an album this expertly crafted and stunning in her fifth decade in the business is an absolute wonder to behold.
Revamped is great fun, and fans of both sides of Lovato's sonic personality will appreciate this bonus diversion from the main catalog.
Melodic and heartfelt, Austin surprises at nearly every turn, whether that's by an unexpected sonic detour or the simple fact that Post Malone has never sounded this fearless.
Barbie: The Album is a celebration as colorful and uplifting as the movie itself, and both are highly recommended.
Altogether, Evergreen is a masterfully executed maturation that launches Gunnulfsen forward into fresh, fearless territory.
Altogether, Central City is a total riot and fun as hell, the culmination of years of grinding and fighting to place New Orleans bounce on an even larger stage.
However transparent, this stylistic shift is, in the very least, an interesting move for Leray. But, at its most passable, COI is an engaging play with enough highlights to pack a playlist and keep the party moving.
The Show is his most immediate and engaging set to date, endlessly listenable and full of heart and charm.
Although the album is a change from the tougher, more hardened fare that fans might expect, Bebe makes a stronger impression than its predecessors and has enough high points to further support Rexha's position as a masterful pop songwriter capable of churning out the hits. With Bebe, she comes another step closer to a fully realized vision that could pull her into her own true spotlight moment.
Given the unique experience and organic, real-time nature of this performance, Twenty One Pilots Unplugged is a vital deep-cut release that breathes new life into these multi-platinum smash hits and showcases Joseph and Dun's undeniable chemistry and musicianship.
Though not their most immediate offering, Memento Mori is their most heartfelt, thoughtful, and moving statement in decades.
Altogether, Ben feels like the first time Macklemore has truly let listeners into his inner world, showcasing his underrated lyrical skills and enough varied production to keep the album moving forward toward a hopeful finish.
Closing on the soaring, bittersweet ballad "Performer," Black joins the ranks of other pop chameleons on an impressive and engaging reinvention.
With that control of his artistry and the mature angle of these tracks, the set is elevated beyond simply a "side album" issued while fans wait for more BTS material; Indigo is an eye-opening taste of what RM is truly capable of outside the bounds of the K-pop powerhouse.
TM would have received all the immediate attention as the "final Brockhampton album" -- since they got at least more than one member on the tracks -- leaving Kevin Abstract's reflective solo joint The Family as a bittersweet epilogue to Brockhampton's brief but eye-popping moment in the sun. Instead, an otherwise solid LP got lost in the shuffle, treated more as a footnote than a true parting statement.
Elevation is yet another exciting dose of will.i.am's deviously catchy fare, designed to get the bodies moving and the hands in the air.
Charlie offers hope to both the singer and to sympathetic listeners, closing this very relatable chapter of his life with optimism hard-won through this catchy pop package.
Snow Waltz is a warm cup of cocoa (with a little something extra splashed in) that pleases the soul and primes listeners for the holidays.
Entergalactic is a late-era gem in his catalog, a multimedia gift to fans that expands his artistic scope and bodes well for more projects outside the confines of music.