They're the kind of songs you pull out once a month as reassurance that the mundanity of normal life can be beautiful, and/or we are all in this together. That's true today and it will be true tomorrow.

From start to finish, GREY Area reveals a young rapper who has seen success in her career, but is still sorting herself out in her real life.

Blending themes of politics and modern science into his fashion of storytelling, My Finest Work Yet is a true tour de force.

Yes, most of us listeners won't understand the Nigerian Ibibio language lyrics that she assuredly bellows and purrs on grooving songs like "Nyak Mien," or "Kuka." But Williams' masterful delivery, not to mention the band's deft playing, more than get the point across throughout this fantastic album.

Juxtaposing the escape provided by club culture's immediacy with the harsh realities confronted in the lab, Significant Changes sets a reality check to something danceable, but its success is wholly reliant on Jayda G's balanced presentation and steadfast commitment to both missions, tonal shifts like "Orca's Reprise" providing chill-out wind-downs for the party while the club anthems provide some sorely needed release.

The steep conceptual angle imposes a significant hurdle on casual listening, but Treanor rewards engagement with hypnotic, off-centred rhythmic cycles, and elements like the Nauman sample only represent a small portion of the runtime (Lancaster's assertions fall off before the two-minute mark).

What emerges through this permeable landscape is an ecosystem all its own.

This album is an advancement rather than a return to form. Despite their previous effort struggling against the weight of the band's dormancy, this album is a moving experience that brings with it a sense of fading youth.

La Dispute are more or less doing what they've always done. They're just continuing the refining process, whatever that is, for better or worse.

Clean rock tracks that deliver an immediate high, while still growing and unfolding over repeat listens. Lyrically, It's Real relies on a brute force, if not a particular nuance.

Miss Universe is an intriguing and smoothly constructed record. Groove and melancholy exist simultaneously in Yanya's work, providing listeners with no single answer to the questions she poses.

What appeals to you about this Strand of Oaks effort will likely depend on which side of this spectrum you fall on--in the heartland or out in space. That's a divide that Eraserland creates, putting it somewhat out of sync with itself, but the title track brings those worlds together beautifully.

As temperamental as the band may be, for those willing to indulge the band's proclivities, High Anxiety is a highly enjoyable filth-encrusted bludgeoning and thrilling catharsis of angular grumping.

Un Autre Blanc leaves everything out there and sees him go out on top.

Punk is a huge step forward for CHAI, and easily one of the best albums of the year.

Lux Prima certainly isn't Karen O's most urgent or explosive work, but it all sounds exceptionally lovely.

On Plastic Anniversary, Matmos make a perfectly indestructible album from pure indestructible chaos.

Groove Denied isn't the game-changer fans hoped for, but it's also not the disaster Matador expected. It's just your average Stephen Malkmus album... now with more electronics!

Acts like the Cinematic Orchestra are sometimes dismissed as background music. To Believe refutes that completely. Its gentle warmth makes the work accessible. But once you've pressed play, there is no ignoring it.

Hexed is better than its predecessor, I Worship Chaos, and certainly marks one of Bodom's better efforts of late. Old-school fans and newbies alike will be sure to find enjoyable aspects, but will quickly figure out which songs to omit when crafting their next workout playlists.

Aside from a few less-than-strong features, Rap or Go to the League allows 2 Chainz, a veteran rapper, to use his powers to acknowledge a picture much larger than him--it's one that's rooted in his past, but is planting the seeds for the feature.

With For Lovers, Octo Octa has delivered a set of tracks that are not only dance-floor-ready, but deeply personal and moving, creating a listening experience that is ultimately fulfilling and one that will be urging you to revisit it more than a few times.

Helado Negro has managed to craft an emotionally powerful classic with This is How You Smile.

Instrumentally, there's a flare and excitement that was lacking on previous work. Each song is unique, rarely applying the same formula twice. Fortunately, she's ensured every musical choice, structural or instrumental, serves a purpose. ... Stella never beats around the bush, and because of that, there is a magnetism to this album.

What's impressive about Girl though is how strong Morris's vocals have grown, along with the maturity and uniqueness of each song. It's clear that Girl isn't a sophomore slump, but rather an album worth investing in.

Basinski's latest effort is ambitious yet remains rooted in what he does best: instilling a multitude of visceral, yet ambiguous, feelings within his listener.

It's all good, but none of it is great. Still, if this is merely the first taste of an eventual vault series of releases from Townes Van Zandt's musical archive, it's more than enough to make us hunger for more.

Sasami is a gifted writer who is careful to develop arrangements that heighten the emotions of her songs. Listeners will relish the detail poured into her debut, its polish not too shiny to obscure the raw experiences that its songs are drawn from.