Mike Kinsella's voice doesn't have the punch it did in 1999, but it's still a feat to see American Football just as emo and layered in presentation as they were 27 years ago.

Isaiah Rashad's poppy, layered production is nothing new, and his performance occasionally struggles to stand out in the mix, but the overall package and presentation reveal a well-thought-out hip hop album with vulnerable themes of kicking off lingering addiction.

An Irish Hip Hop album that certainly has more to offer than simply its own novelty, with witty hooks and groovy production, but not something I would find myself often returning to.

I found much of the production and performances to be rather dry, with features that sounded too subtle to provide variety from track to track. Rhinestoned was an immediate standout. Loved the bright, twinkly sound and catchy riff.

North is just having some fun, and it's got some sprinkles of creativity.

One of the best-performed live studio recordings of an artist I've ever heard. Clairo and her band crack all five tracks wide open and expand them to be the most electrifying pop songs ever.

Some intense, classic shoegaze. Great record.

The Great Divide is the separation we have with the people we assume are long gone, or perhaps it's our ideological divisions. While people seem physically or intellectually separated, Kahan ironically describes the Divide as something that still spiritually ties us together. It could be a loved one we miss. It could be a person we hate, lingering in our hearts. It could be the generations after you yet to exist. It could be a friend who, despite all your differences, perceives the same ... read more

There's not much happening on Kehlani's self-titled record outside of what you might expect from a standard contemporary R&B release. None of the features really stand out, with Kehlani's more focused, self-driven tracks being the best thing offered here.

It's been really rough the past few years seeing one of the most visually interesting music artists continue to show themselves creatively bankrupt.

You can't say experimental hip-hop without considering what Injury Reverse has done for the genre, driving where it will continue to go across the next decade.

Carole King is a musician through and through. Tapestry makes the blueprint for how an artist should work and craft albums in the postmodern era of recording music.

There's a lot of tracks here, with an attitude that bounces across a smorgasbord of concepts, and Jill Scott presents herself as very classy while still being modern and forward-thinking.

There's a lot of rough edges and songs that feel undercooked, but Wesley Joseph far exceeds the average standard, standing out in the UK hip-hop scene with a fresh sound and blend of R&B and pop. Joseph certainly didn't skimp on putting his best foot forward for his debut album.

tsubi club has always been a unique project. Based on its totality of 2 standout singles across the past 5 years, I never imagined its debut album would take such a quirky direction, with a focus on the feel of 2010s Wii games in hyperpop form.

Singin' To An Empty Chair excels in its pacing, from its mixture of layered alt-country epics and briefer bursts of pop rock.

While the musicianship is pretty stellar, My New Band Believe doesn't quite find it's footing when it comes to pacing its grand and experimental moments with is more standard folk elements. They've still yet to find a pocket that sticks similar to their other windmill contemporaries.

Ella brings a vintage charm to country pop, and though her songwriting could use more consistency, a few sprinkled tracks are pretty entertaining.

Melanie's approach to writing pop is to stretch out songs as much as she can, filling them with clunky melodies and verses that often deliver satire as conspicuously shocking and crude dark humor. She says a whole lot, without ever making the effort to deliver music as an impactful art.

The way Arlo combines bedroom singer-songwriting with UK-bred dance pop production makes for a uniquely delightful listening experience. There are certainly a few tracks that have me wanting to go back to this album. I think my biggest issue with it is Arlo's one-note performance. I'm not familiar with her other albums, so I don't know if her delivery is always like that, but her higher-pitch, breathy singing doesn't always seem natural in specific moments.