Spaces is still a wonderful document of the powerful force that Nils Frahm is as a performer. At the same time, the album in some ways seems like a missed opportunity--no one has questioned the man's ability as a live act (quite the opposite, actually), so the record can't help coming off like a bit of a "gimme."

Whether you're an old fan of Drexciya or you've just arrived late to the party, Journey of the Deep Sea Dweller I is about as close to an essential compilation as you're going to get.

Throughout the Kindred EP, Burial seems curious to discover the perfect balance between gritty atmospheres and dusk-lit club music.

For an LP about the infinite unknown, it isn't that meditative or self-aware. Where Cosmogramma and Los Angeles made plot secondary, You're Dead! forces its cast to bend to an unwieldy storyline that ultimately only makes complete sense inside Ellison's head.

The music grows in richness with ritual, an evolution from the material scarcity and obscurity of Basic Channel releases.

Everything from the album’s sharp, shimmering opulence (its cover could be a still from Annihilation) to its thematic interactions between machine and being align it with Garland’s apocalyptic work. Objekt--whether artist, producer or mad professor--is on top of his game, and his latest creation is as beautiful as it is powerful.

In the end, Virgins only adds to the artist's growing legacy; it's another triumph for Hecker that once again strikes a resounding chord that not many ambient records can.

There's a cohesiveness here hard to miss, an emotionally-charged aura and elegantly precise feel that runs from Hollowed's surging opening notes to its final, poignant fade.

New Energy finally feels like an album that is truly unique, and characteristic of Hebden’s style. An artist comfortable with his tools.

Admittedly, Syro will probably not win over a new generation of fans like the Richard D. James album once did, but as a continuation of everything that has made Aphex Twin compelling, it's a triumph.

Luxury Problems may not be as unbelievably mysterious and engrossing as his pair of 2011 EPs, We Stay Together and Passed Me By, but his craft is just as sharp here, and the results just as worthy of intense, continuous listening.

Space Is Only Noise might be one of the most ear-opening techno records in recent memory.

Regardless of whether they're successful or not isn't quite the point; what makes Shaking the Habitual so important is that The Knife used an important moment in their own history to truly subvert the hierarchy that both the band and the album exist in. Thankfully, they also wrote some near-perfect music in the process.

A record notable not only for its considerable length (16 tracks) but its sense of cohesion and staggering brilliance.

On reflection, Glass exemplifies what a beautifully mysterious form ambient improvisation can be.

That Atrocity Exhibition sounds like neither backpack rap, hipster drivel nor dull trap, but something fresh that stands on its own is itself to be applauded. But that it’s so damn good too puts it among the best hip-hop albums in years.

As much as Livity Sound has something for everyone, there's no denying how carefully defined a sound these three have honed.

µ20 is a summary, a quick history lesson, and a celebration building upon itself. It might bypass some of Planet Mu’s finest moments—instead, the compilation aims to highlight the history of artists most likely to be around for Planet Mu’s future.

The new record doesn't quite live up to its predecessor, but its middle third is especially strong.

Thanks to his savvy techniques and careful placement, his penchant for the far-out fringes of dance music doesn't seem weird at all, but delightfully intriguing.

The LP's strength is in that undecidedness. When he leans too far to one side, which actually doesn't happen all that often, the album can feel mournful or facile.

Although it's possible to pick out this individual highlight, it’s when you take in the record in one sitting--with its subtle shifts of mood, highs, and lows--that you arrive on the other side mentally revived.

With Our Love, Snaith largely succeeds in bridging the two worlds, crafting radio-friendly cuts that can't be mistaken for the work anyone but Caribou.

Aju's adventurous boundary pushes are again a valuable addition to the Circus Company discography.

It's an evocative work, one that brings forth intense visual imagery.

What it may lack in sound system-minded sonics it makes up for with its distinctive mix of cacophonous rhythms and touches of warped soul that result in what is, simply put, an accomplished debut LP full of inventive house music.

Disregarding the CD's tacked-on bonus cuts, what takes place between the record's two "Voiceprint"s is a richly detailed, time-dilating set from a producer who can make the most out of narrow limitations.

Panorama Bar 05, the latest offering, is a consistently well-crafted snapshot of the dancefloor as presided over by long-time resident DJ Steffi.

Black Jazz Signature seems intended to shepherd people toward the Black Jazz reissue series. It no doubt does a terrific job doing just that, but it stands nicely by itself as a personal "best of" and a great DJ mix. Fans of Parrish--and anyone receptive to this sort of jazz, really--will very likely appreciate what's on offer here.

It would be wrong to describe Moodymann's DJ-Kicks set as a feel-good mix--it's much more than that, brimming with the highs and lows that real life can offer--but it is a joy to listen to, and that in itself is plenty.

The LP's white-hot bursts of energy are all the more thrilling for their scarcity, and as such, these moments linger in the memory as a sort of post-euphoric haze.

At times the record is hypnotic and yet mesmerizing with its abstract sound quirks. Heartfelt and authentic, each listen brings something new.

Looping State of Mind might just be the finest document of his craft yet.

It remains as disquieting and spectral as anything Stott has done, but its newfound guile is such that it no longer needs to bludgeon listeners into submission to strike a killer blow.

It would be a stretch to call Until the Quiet Comes' disjointed tracklist and middling retreads the low point of Ellison's discography, but suffice it to say that the LA cornerstone has produced far more challenging and consistent records than this.

Without necessarily bucking the trends of today, Koze has provided a complete picture of his truly singular outlook on dance music.

More so than any of his other releases, Burial seems to have something to say throughout Rival Dealer, and that message helps tie together the record's diverse 28 minutes and give its three tracks the impact of a full-length album.

Call it whatever you want-Barnett and his bandmates are just getting started with their musical experiments.

With All Melody, Nils Frahm has retained his unique approach and emotional sensitivity. He’s also expanded his sound, and shown more of his soul than ever before. It’s a record to be treasured.

With over 30 releases this year alone, L.I.E.S. isn't always an easy label to keep up with, but the embarrassment of riches contained within Music for Shut-Ins suggests that the effort may well be worth it.

Centralia, for the most part, goes back to the duo's tried-and-true dynamics for a seemingly exhaustive summary of the band.

Much like Four Tet's recent switch in focus towards club-friendly sonics, Caribou's Swim leaps into fresh, uncharted territory for the producer, but nonetheless retains the artist's unmistakably inviting and lovable style.

The third full-length from Hendrick Weber maintains the high quality of previous efforts while pushing certain elements of his shoegaze-y, minimal-inspired techno sound further.

Arpo feels like a real album, with a distinct narrative and recurring themes. Most of all, it’s a captivating and original listen, from an artist who sounds like no one else.

The producer has undoubtedly severed himself from his past work, and in turn, put himself in a class that few hold claim to.

Drone Logic is a fastidious and memorable debut, though the middle suffers from a significant lull in energy.

What's likely to stick out first and foremost on the 10 tracks that comprise Black Up are the beats.

While it presents many tracks worth praise, it lacks the masterful touch that made Routes such an instant standout.

As Seplacure takes form, a consistent emotional ground that exists somewhere between stoney reminisce and melancholic introspection is reached.

It's a safe bet that Steffi had some form of master plan in mind when giving guidance to the mix’s artists, who are largely plucked from her deep pool of electronic-music pals. Still, it’s an impressive achievement.

Glass Swords feels and sounds like a cohesive statement, and a strong one at that.

Restless Idylls is Lobo's most polished statement yet.

Immunity is not for everyone, especially those who come to electronic music merely for its club-ready, dancefloor offerings. But for those who listen seeking to peer into sonic worlds that might not otherwise exist, Hopkins has created one which is rich with gorgeous detail and worth fully exploring.

Too Many Voices provides as many moments of disquiet, albeit a particularly exquisite form of disquiet, as it does of comfort.

Credit Egyptrixx for making a debut album that sounds at once so unified and whole, yet like absolutely nothing else.

Yorke’s job here is to maximise the impact of the film through sound, something he does masterfully whenever employed. ... The film itself may have done some harm to Guadagnino’s reputation as a defining director of this era. The soundtrack, however, will do no damage to Yorke’s credentials as a composer.

Tranklements is straining to belong somewhere; in the process, it ends up sounding more like it wants to be defiant instead of inspired.

Digital Solutions is worthy of its place in the Model 500 discography. The fact that the LP even exists--and that people are excited to hear it--reinforces the music's enduring power, even if the record largely sets aside aspirations to be innovative.

Third Law seems to work in a defiant way that looks to inspire a new crop of producers more interested in the space of the club than the memory of it.

On Love What Survives, Mount Kimbie have emerged from their chrysalis to become something new altogether. Some might be disappointed that, for now, they’ve moved further away from dance music. But in the process, they’ve made a bewitching kind of music that’s uniquely their own.

Upon first listen, this album will disappoint those searching for the clever and inventive dancefloor tracks for which Vynehall has become most loved. There isn’t actually anything here which could be recognized as house music. ... Once you do get over it--and it may take several listens--Nothing Is Still is an intriguing engagement with an ambitious artist clearly still in development.

At it best moments, Overgrown proves that the two sides of James Blake—the dancefloor oddball and the crossover songwriter—can exist side by side, but it also demonstrates that, at least right now, the balance between the two is totally off.

Shlohmo's "debut" LP arrives slightly bloated due to its own blind ambition, and might require a few taps of the skip button for a more rewarding listen.

While the songs are still complex and full of countless moving parts, each melody and note plays a specific role, leaving There Is Love with a real clarity of vision.

That Le Kov is so loaded with meaning and significance adds to its appeal, but ultimately it’s the emotion and sound of the songs that make it such a wonderful and unusual record.

As it is now, John Wizards is an effortlessly fun, pan-global pop record that stands on its own, no qualification needed.

Listeners won't walk away with a clear narrative about The Inheritors, which is designed for nonlinear exploration. It doesn't pay off all its risks—at times it gets too blurry to follow--but this album sounds like little else.

Clocking in at a breezy 37 minutes, Mount Kimbie's second album feels a bit slight by the time it's finished, though not because it's short on great ideas or compelling tunes.

On Punish, Honey, Gainsborough has stepped up his sound design, but he's done so with a newly brutal approach. One hopes that he hasn't entirely abandoned his earlier, more atmospheric sound, but as career turning points and transformations go, this album is an accomplished one.

For all of its turbulence and dislocations, R Plus Seven is an astounding thing to behold, a perfectly imperfect and downright breathtaking masterpiece.

99% is a brilliant, well-realized combination of styles, with more than its fair share of memorable and addictive songs.

The record may not be Dragging A Dead Deer Up A Hill, but pieces like "Living Room" are the essence of Harris's singular oeuvre.

Ultimately, the restless movement here doesn't help the "classical" tracks connect to a non-specialized audience, but it does make for an inventive dialogue between the club and the ivory tower.

It's an undefinable musical culmination of our collective conscious-reminding us that the more we've changed, the more we've stayed the same.

Going Places has the feel of a ghost bearing down on you, and the only comfort it offers lies in the fact that it feels a lot like being alive right now.

Jones' voice is an instrument shaped by age, not youth, and Hard Way proves she's just hitting her stride.

His LNT is a soothing, calming mix for music lovers and night owls, with a human touch that’s impossible to replicate.

The music continually jumps between dubstep, house, techno, and beyond, almost never losing its propulsive motion. That kind of flow--matched with top-shelf tunes from around the globe--helps make Pinch's installment for Fabric's ongoing series an outstanding and even-handed display of contemporary soundsystem music that won't likely grow stale any time soon.

From a production standpoint, When You're Gone is a simply stunning effort, one that is continually intriguing and constantly surprising.

His evolution may not be complete, but the process hasn't prevented him from making quality tunes in the meantime.

This might not be an album that breaks much new ground, then, but what it does do, it does so expertly that you cannot help but be absorbed.

From its massively hedonistic club tunes to its handful of cavernous dancefloor abstractions, Drop the Vowels is an unsurprisingly quality affair.

Midland has created an imagined experience within the confines of a night at the club, the full evening from expectant queuing to frazzled come down condensed into 74 minutes. And as a master of that realm, he manages it with aplomb.

The LP is merely the byproduct of Barnes steadily refining his intricate and very particular sound.

It gets tiresome to listen to 14 bangers in a row. Had the duo distilled the finest cuts from its massive tracklist into something a bit sleeker, Ghost Systems Rave could have been an absolutely smashing release.

That ability to present such harnessed disarray through fresh and exciting music makes Replica a compelling listen from start to finish and a brilliant new direction for Oneohtrix Point Never's sound.

What takes shape is a solid, unflinching artistic statement, an effort at moments challenging and bizarre, and at others dreamy and utterly inviting.

A brand-new EP on Smalltown Supersound that picks up where his last left off.

the Norwegian superproducer has been intermittently working with Christabelle since 2001 and all the years of back-and-forth were clearly worth it, as Real Life is simply stellar.

Hauschildt's new opus is certainly just as captivating and varied as some of his band's [Emeralds] best work.

It's a little bit of everything, which is perhaps why ƒIN is such a rich, fulfilling listen.

Psutka's production on A/B Till Infinity is evocative and daring, and combines a future-oriented polish with an austere sense of simplicity, solidifying Egyptrixx's distinctiveness amongst a new crop of surface-obsessed underground producers.

Every selection here is strong, and though scholars may have heard the lion's share of these tracks already, this is a sturdy, enlightening gateway into a realm that isn't easily penetrable for those who weren't there.

Some may complain that Blondes hasn't radically expanded its horizons on Swisher, but frankly, such an effort isn't even necessary, as there's still fresh ground to cover within the confines of the duo's engrossing signature style.

In the end, Lucky Shiner stands as a proper introduction to a producer who cares as much about moving your body as he does your soul.

The album might not have quite enough Flying Lotus for some, and a little too much Aloe Blacc for others, but it has just enough Georgia Anne Muldrow to be another worthy entry into the catalog of a truly gifted musician.

Picking up right where A Certain Distance left off, the Seattle-based producer's latest LP shows the same passion for methodical soundscapes, which are no less thoughtful for their glowing warmth.

Magazine 13's emotional register may be rife with contradictions, but sinking into the album is never anything less than a joy.