Shaw Calhoune’s “Fly Langston” is a homage to the Harlem Renaissance. The smooth jazz backdrop creates a vintage-tinged, laidback foundation that would be a relaxing 19-minute experience on its own. Its pairing with incisive social commentary rap is a fusion that works uniquely well, weaving a satisfying juxtaposition.

Album Highlights: #1 Buttoned Up and #5 Jazz Club Session.

"Luv Is Rage 2" by Lil Uzi Vert was my first deep dive into their work. Despite its massive popularity, the album didn’t meet my expectations. Although, as a debut, this contained promising hints. A trimmed tracklist, extra polish to the remaining songs, and additional feature artists would have greatly improved this release.

Album Highlights: #3 Sauce It Up, #5 The Way Life Goes, #8 Neon Guts, and #16 XO Tour Llif3.

Part of Metallica's legendary run in the eighties, "...And Justice For All" is a thrash metal masterpiece. With a politically charged narrative, the album presents a very dark, heavy, and pessimistic view of the world. The controversially faint bass lends the music a distinctive dry and sharp edge to its overall aggressive sound.

Album Highlights: #1 Blackened, #2 ...And Justice For All, and #4 One.

Sprain's “The Lamb As Effigy” is an experimental marvel. This ambitious album is full of grand arrangements and unconventional structures and sounds. Abrasive and dissonant to the point of becoming jarring at times, it’s definitely a challenging, boundary-pushing, immersive, and enigmatic 96-minute sonic odyssey.

Album Highlights: #1 Man Proposes, God Disposes and #4 Margin For Error.

Puma Blue's "Holy Waters" offers listeners sensual, tender, and jazz-inspired tunes, creating an intimate atmosphere that lingers. While the album maintains a laid-back style, some songwriting concepts show promise but aren't fully realized. Some tracks feel overly long despite attempts to keep them engaging.

Album Highlights: #2 Pretty, #4 Hounds, and #10 Mirage.

Slowdive's "Everything Is Alive" envelops listeners in a dreamy and psychedelic soundscape. The album consistently charms you with its feel-good and relaxing atmosphere without ever becoming tedious. This was a reminder of how good music can be, featuring instant favorites that I really just can’t get enough of.

Album Highlights: #1 Shanty, #5 Kisses, and #8 The Slab.

João Gilberto's "Amoroso" is a truly smooth and alluring album. It’s too bad that its instrumental brilliance invariably gives in to monotonous tone and lack of dynamic variation. While the genre's inherent softness and nonchalance may never deeply resonate with me, I really appreciate experiencing this masterful work.

Album Highlights: #1 'S Wonderful and #5 Wave.

Alice Cooper's “Road” is a marked dichotomy. On one hand, we have its instrumental potential, notably the electrifying guitar solos, which steal the show. On the other hand, most tracks here falter due to overly theatrical vocals and cheesy lyrics. Don’t berate the 75-year-old legend having fun 5 decades past his prime.

Album Highlights: #3 All Over The World, #5 Go Away, #9 The Big Goodbye, and #10 Road Rats Forever.

Asia Menor's long-awaited debut LP “Enola Gay” fuses art punk, noise rock, and other influences; crafting anthems for the alienated. The raw, noisy aesthetic effectively captures the live, DIY essence the Chileans were going for. It presents its bleak themes and poetic lyrics in a muddy, experimental, and intense way.

Album Highlights: #1 Patio and #5 La Naturaleza.

Zach Bryan's self-titled album pours with emotional depth and features great collaborations. Lyrics touch on personal struggles and growth that’s easy to relate with. Its varied pacing can be hit or miss, especially if slow tracks with country instrumentation aren’t your particular cup of tea. A strong, emotionally-intense release.

Album Highlights: #6 Fear And Friday's and #11 I Remember Everything (ft. Kacey Musgraves).

Victoria Monét's new “JAGUAR II” radiates a smooth and playful vibe with robust production. The album delves into diverse themes, from empowerment to sensuality. The few club oriented tracks feel hollow, most features add value, and the very last track hints at very exciting potential for her future endeavors.

Album Highlights: #6 How Does It Make You Feel and #11 Good Bye.

“SPELLLING & The Mystery School” takes us on a dreamy journey where Chrystia Cabral’s standout vocal performances create an incredible atmosphere layered with diverse instruments. Discovering her music through this album, new versions of her big hits re-recorded with her new band, feels like perfect timing.

Album Highlights: #2 Under The Sun and #8 Boys At School.

This is my first Horrendous album and I was expecting death metal with proggy elements, but it turned out to be the other way around. “Ontological Mysterium” is groovy, experimental, complex, and melodic. The vocals and drums may remind you of the genre fusion, but aren’t overpoweringly aggressive either.

Album Highlights: #2 Chrysopoeia, #6 Cult Of Shaad'oah, and #9 The Death Knell Ringeth.

Hozier's 'Unreal Unearth' paints a captivating soundscape, yet yearns for more daring ventures. The outstanding vocals, especially the synergy with Brandi Carlile, shine throughout. However, the second half starts dragging with weaker songs and eclipses the album's thematic and emotional richness.

Album Highlights: #2 De Selby (Part 2), #7 Damage Gets Done, and #16 First Light.

"STRUGGLER" by Genesis Owusu showcases a vibrant fusion of raw punk and danceable funk, backing versatile vocals that even dip into soul and rap performances. It's a fun and dynamic concept album with experimental shifts, all tied together by the concepts of defiance and struggling embodied by “the Roach”.

Album Highlights: #1 Leaving The Light and #6 Tied Up!

Mick Jenkins' new "The Patience" weaves in strong collaborations, allowing the featured artists to take the spotlight on the songs. Notably, the solo tracks weren’t as strong, faltering due to production that was either underdeveloped or not quite as good as the rapping performance, greatly diluting their overall impact.

Album Highlights: #2 Show & Tell, #3 Sitting Ducks, #4 Smoke Break-Dance, and #8 Pasta.

"UGLY" by Slowthai offers a lot of conscious angst, raw vulnerability, and depressing alienation in quite the experimental packaging. All in all, it's a therapy album that turns purposefully deranged, which fits the concept but undermines the quality of the music. Its uniqueness is possibly its main appeal as well.

Album Highlights: #4 Feel Good, #7 HAPPY, #11 Tourniquet, and #12 25% Club.

"Divine Inner Tension" by Hail The Sun is a vibrant and intricate album, with vocals and energy reminiscent of 2007 Paramore - except HTS is angstier and proggier. Superb drums and guitars explore time signatures, enriched by guitar solos, transitions, and breakdowns. I regret it took 6 albums for me to discover this band.

Album Highlights: #1 Tunnel Vision Alibi, #6 The Story Writes Itself, and #9 Tithe.

"Radio Red" by Laura Groves envelops listeners with consistently dreamy and ethereal melodies, perfectly paired with her captivating mellow voice. The songs resonate in their vulnerability and create a very soothing ambiance. The album's second half could pack more punch, but it's still a beautiful experience.

Album Highlights: #1 Sky At Night, #2 Good Intention, and #4 D 4 N.

Noname's "Sundial" presents groovy beats but suffers from inconsistent energy levels and rapping deliveries. Some moments in the album shine with great flow and attitude, while repetitive lyrics really dampen the experience in many songs. Despite this, conscious themes emerge and most features improve the tracks.

Album Highlights: #4 Boomboom, #6 Namesake, #10 Gospel? and #11 Oblivion.