If you like minimal electronic music at all, you must seek it out.

Stevens is simply one of the most talented artists creating music right now, period.

If I were to have just heard the first half of the disc, I probably would have proclaimed it the best of the year as well.

Needless to say, Untrue shatters any ideas of a sophomore slump.

If you've liked any of his previous work, you won't go wrong here.

With Neon Golden, The Notwist have done something that's not exactly an easy task; they've created an album that's mixes electronic and organic music in a way that makes each better.

It obviously has its high points and moments that drift a little more, but The Avalanches are definitely onto something with the release.

Your tolerance level for the group will probably mostly have to do with how well you can stand the rather light vocal stylings and the sometimes lighter-electronics programming.

We Are Monster is one of those fun albums that sounds great whether you're in the mood to move or just sitting down and listening on headphones as you ride to work on the bus.

Despite having a lot in common with their first disc, there are some slight variations in sound that make Chutes Too Narrow even better than its predecessor.

He jumps styles of music effortlessly, all the while managing to pull things together with touching and inventive lyrics.... One of the best releases of the year.

Some of the more stunning psychedelic rock I've heard in awhile.

If you're a fan, there's certainly stuff you'll enjoy here, but if you're looking for them to take another step forward, this might not suffice.

Dense and substantive, Return To Cookie Mountain is a nice head-trip to take.

Once again, Snaith has surprised just about everyone, and Up In Flames will likely go down as one of my favorite albums of the year.

If there's one question to be raised with the album, it's that it's all simply so lush and nice that on some levels it fails to excite.

While it makes a lot of musical leaps (it's probably the most "experimental" work he's done), not all of them work, but there are still some great moments for fans of his work here.

It's certainly pretty, and definitely has its moments, but it simply lacks the vitality of past work.

In truth, a couple tracks could have been cut to turn this into an epic single-disc release of huge proportions, but it's still the best work that Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds have done since Murder Ballads.

One of the problems with the album is that after the super-solid beginning the second half or so of the album just doesn't compare.

As with many releases like this, I wish the ride were just a little bit more bumpy just to throw off expectations, but nonetheless Fleet Foxes have put out quite an enjoyable little debut here.

Essentially, Person Pitch is an amazing third album from the young musician, on a par with the best work of the Animal Collective. Striking just the right balance between melody, song, and experimentation, it's one of the best albums of the year so far.

It's definitely a great step for the group.

Low continues to create beautiful music.

Call it music for lucid dreaming, call it music for daydreams, or call it music for simply strolling in the dusk, this is another album that will stretch time and take you to another place.

Insanely catchy and perfect for singing along with.

For the most part, it's the sophomore release without the stumble.

I'm not sure if it's the work by O'Rourke or the progression of the group (or a little of both), but this disc is so multi-layered that it's easy to hear new things many many times after the first listen.

It's something that could appeal to everyone from fans of Can to Fela to Kompakt. This is inspiring stuff.

Sufjan Stevens is a musician who seems to just be reaching his creative peak and shows no signs of slowing down.

Like her debut, Kala is somewhat inconsistent, for slightly different reasons. While there isn't the distraction of short tracks and skits to break the flow, some of the songs essentially do the same thing by shooting high and missing the mark.

In the end, the nine songs and fifty-five minutes of Sound Of Silver find LCD Soundsystem really hitting a stride. It's no less playful, but at the same time it's more focused and varied. This is one I'm glad I gave a chance.

One Word Extinguisher opens and closes with a batch of great songs, but gets a bit soggy in the middle, treading similar ground several times over again and tossing out tracks that feel too similar to what we've already heard from him.

It's definitely ambitious, and probably a little pretentious in places, but it works darn near all the time and is a downright joy in many places.

It's dance music that's hard to dance to and post rock music that's post what everyone else making post rock is doing. Oh yeah, and it's also one of the best releases of the year.

While I don't think that it's quite the groundbreaking release that many have given it credit for, there are definitely moments during the 12-track release that I feel like the group has cracked into something unique and downright amazing.

Not only a one of the debuts of the year, but also one of the better releases in general, this self-titled debut from Hercules And Love Affair is worth picking up.

Nearly everything is fair game with the group, and that's what makes this release one of their better ones.

There's a lot of the year to go still, but this one's going to be hard to beat.

If you already have the original download from last year, there isn't a ton here that's really alluring, although the three bonus tracks are all pretty good in an of themselves. If you haven't yet heard this one, its by all means time to pick it up.

In some ways, the release is validated almost completely by the inclusion of a bonus disc that includes all previous singles from LCD Soundsystem, most of which feel more thought-out and slamming than much of what resides on the album itself.

If you're a fan of their more experimental instrumental work, you'll find plenty to be interested in here, as the album as a whole feels a bit scattered.

There are a lot of groups out there doing this sort of music, but not very many doing it this well.

The Lemon Of Pink is built in much the same way that its predecessor was, and while it conjures up similar feelings at times, it also takes off in different directions entirely with the addition of actual vocals.

Bird seems to have really reached a stride in terms of his overall sound and the result is one of my favorite albums of the year so far.

While it's all produced and performed immaculately, it just feels like too many of the rough edges have been smoothed off.

It's one of the most vital releases I've heard this year, and while I can hear fans of their past work being a bit puzzled, I simply can't imagine anyone not being at least a bit thrilled by it.

You could take this release and pair it up with Boards Of Canada's In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country for a back-to-back hit of sunny, frolic-in-a-sunny-field goodness.

Paavoharju have put together an entrancing second release.

Several of the shorter tracks feel like little more than filler.

Sure, they make use of their obviously higher budget and Source Tags And Codes sounds more rich and layered because of it, but like Modest Mouse with The Moon And Antarctica, they've used these new elements to accent their music, not destroy it.

A very good slice of experimental pop.

I actually find it kind of funny that the group has managed to land on a large label with this release, because even though it's a bit more polished sounding than anything they've done before, I simply can't imagine anything on "Crimes" playing on anything other than college radio.

A knockout of an album.

People wishing the group would change up their style a little more might find themselves a bit disappointed, but everyone else should be happy to know that they've again put forth a very solid effort, and one of the best electronic releases yet this year.

Although it's a huge departure for those expecting more of the same from Holmes, it's easily the most sonically interesting release by him thus far.

Take some metal and stir in some prog, sludge, and psych rock and basically you've got yerself Comets On Fire.

It's a fun, varied excursion.

Street Dad is one of the coolest, most fun releases that I've heard in quite awhile.

There are times where the release feels like a transitional effort, yet it also contains some of the best songs that they've ever done.

A glorious, noisy, melodic, celebratory release from the ever-inventive group.

Although the album isn't groundbreaking, it does contain several new wrinkles in sound for the group, and most of them work quite well.

Definitely a bit more hit-or-miss than some of his past work.

While the group has done a great job of incorporating even more digital tricks and unique sounds into the mix, they've somehow managed to create a slightly more sterile environment.

There are a few peaks, not much in the way of valleys, and although it's not the best work by Kozelek, it's still pretty damn good.

Easily the best work that the group has done.

[Ounsworth's] weird quirks do grow on you, especially because the music backing him is so solid most of the time.

Overall, a small step up for the group, but not quite the masterpiece that they might very well be capable of.

As a whole, The Body The Blood The Machine is a bit more inconsistent than Fuckin' A, but at the same time has some of the best songs in the group's discography and some of the better arrangements [as] well.

Not only has the group taken their sound and refined it even more, but even the ambient soundscapes and parts between the actual songs are more well constructed.

Over the course of 11 tracks, it rarely rocks out at all, but instead moves through different styles with a more assured hand.

Clever without being pretentious.

While it indeed works wonders in most places, it stumbles in a few, crossing over into an almost sickenly sweet radio-friendly territory that make me doubly wish for new Portishead material.

They take their rough charm and run with it, continuing the giddy momentum they hinted at on [their self-titled] EP.

Easily the crowning achievement of their short lifespan thus far.

Sung Tongs is 12 tracks and 52 minutes of the most bizarre and absolutely mind-bendingly infectious pop music that you'll hear this year.

Probably the biggest complaint could be that the group has tightened up their sound even more on this release, leaving behind even more of the roughshod qualities that made their earlier discs blister with such energy.

Midnite Vultues kind of sounds like an album Prince would have made if he were more interested in being a geek than carressing his own ego.

When they're on, though, they're on, and although this album doesn't quite reach the heights that their earlier At Dawn does, it's still a great disc from a young group who will be making even more noise in the future.

Sounding somewhat like a lot of groups but not exactly like anyone, this is an album you shouldn't miss.

[A] lovely debut album of hushed folk that may be one of the best things in this sort of genre that I've heard in some time.

It's pleasing, and sometimes outstanding, but it ultimately feels a bit too safe and soft.

It's one of those releases that takes awhile to seep in completely, and while there are a great deal of amazing songs, it doesn't move me quite as much as their last disc.

One of the most disturbing orchestral albums you'll hear.

It's one of those releases that reminds you that with all the experimenting and genre-blurring, there is still something simple and nice about an album that takes fairly base elements of rock and roll and creates a disc that's highly catchy.

In places, the group seems like they're being almost willfully difficult, and yet it often makes for darn good listening.

It's nice to hear him breaking free of the contraints that he's laid out for himself thus far.

There is just enough of a changeup in the sounds of the songs (from a variety of releases) that makes the disc worth having if you enjoy the group.

While Happiness never gets up and rocks, it's solid from beginning to end.

I have to admit that this release usually manages to give me a little boost when I listen to it and it has the added bonus of scaring little kids.

Instead of exposing any weaknesses, the group has highlighted their strengths by stripping things back to their essentials for A Vintage Burden.

Mathy, but hyper melodic, it packs more ideas into forty minutes than most releases that are much longer. Stern has clearly side-stepped the sophomore slump.

With the new directions in sound, there are a couple places where the group stumbles just a bit.

For a debut, it's a remarkabley inventive and interesting release.

It's kind of a mess in places.

It's probably not substantial enough that it will stick in my head all year (and possibly not even until the ground thaws), but it is a highly enjoyable pop album from a young group who are riding some hype and getting slapped with backlash at the same time.

It's a psychadelic haze of an album with layers upon layers of sound, many tracks so dense that lead singer Isobel Sollenberger just becomes another element.

An excellent third album from the Swedish trio, Writer's Block should make sure that the group remains in obscurity no more.