Cyrus excels most when she’s employing her voice to super-sell big ballads, and Endless Summer Vacation is no exception.

This LP is a testament to her place as one of Latin music’s true originals.

Uchis’ 360-degree view of love and versatile voice make Red Moon in Venus a wholly satisfying examination of emotionalism in its many forms — romantic, carnal, self-preserving.

Delivered from DeMent, whose voice has never sounded more curious and committed (listen to her phrasing in the last verse of “Warriors of Love”), these messages of spirit-rising and movement-building feel less like MSNBC screeds than warm invitations toward a righteous calling.

It’s the easiest-going and most purely pleasurable Gorillaz album since their opening one-two punch, 20-some years ago. Guests feel purposeful, filtered into the indie-funk melange with ease.

As with Recess, Skrillex has wrangled a constellation of guest stars for Quest for Fire; the way they move in and out of each song enhances the album’s grab-bag feel.

Over Trustfall’s 13 tracks, Pink whirls through a wide range of musical styles—beat-forward electro on the title track, roller-rink-ready disco-funk on the Max Martin and Shellback-assisted “Never Gonna Not Dance Again,” spiky pop-punk on the middle-finger-flinging “Hate Me.”

Her curious spirit, as well as her undeniable talent as a vocalist and arranger, make Desire, I Want To Turn Into You a kinetic example of what happens when pop sets out to transcend its own limits.

For fans looking for something akin to the hyperactive energy of “King for a Day,” the fast-paced “Death of an Executioner” comes close, while not hitting the same level of earworm immediacy. The album is just diverse enough to show some evolution, while harkening back to key moments from their past.

This Is Why is Paramore’s excellent foray into post-punk, riddled with a new set of anxieties — from witnessing global events to dealing with entering your thirties.

On This Stupid World, the forlorn ambience is more lived-in and close-to-home than it’s ever seemed in the past. ... A record like this makes easing towards the abyss feel a little less painful.

She still has plenty of fun, even as she’s fully aware that it’s not the Nineties anymore. ... Sometimes the production choices feel conspicuously dated. ... Queen of Me is more successful when its pop references feel attuned to her sensibilities as a global pop O.G.

Taken as a whole, Anarchist Gospel is a powerful statement from a singer-songwriter poised to become one of the year’s most vital voices in roots music.

The record’s tight 57 minutes feel as cohesive a project as any artist has released in the streaming era. Yachty’s genuine adoration of his musical inspirations is like the Gen Z alchemy of Pinkpantheress, able to turn familiar source material into something entirely new.

As compelling as Trippie’s vocals and production are, each track leaves the listener feeling like he could be doing more as a songwriter. ... But overall, Trippie’s unmistakable mic presence, and ear for beats make the highs of Mansion Musik an overall enjoyable experience.

He’s earnest and erotic. And you’re likely to hear both a motivational psalm as well as a louche reference to some “thick batty gal.” But it’s those thoughtful moments that really stand out. And there’s a pure, almost spiritual feeling to Popcaan’s music.

Living up to the title of the whole series, those concert tapes often sound like bootlegs; here and there, you can hear people in the audience commenting as the songs start up and end.

She has a smooth, deep voice that glides over RIOTUSA’s beats, and her chopping delivery feels effortless. If these tracks seem a bit too sympatico, perhaps the result of studio freestyles with a hastily mapped-out hook to tie them together, their raw quality also makes her performances visceral and exciting.

A compact, steadily flowing collection of pop songs that showcase Smith’s vocal versatility and personal growth.

Mercy, Cale’s first in a decade, is one of his most compelling.

Thanks to co-producer Max Martin, who contributed to some of these tracks and knows his way around a hook, their version of rock is an aural food processor of stadium chants, processed-sounding beats, and wind-tunnel blare. Sometimes, an undeniable ear-worm emerges. ... It’s hard to tell how seriously Måneskin take any of this silliness. Certainly, being over the top suits them best.

This is very much an Ice Cube affair, and he sculpts this album in his loud, punchy, hard-funkin’ style. Too $hort acquits himself well, too, striking a balance between musty pimp raps and surprisingly effective community-oriented lyrics. E-40 remains a style ambassador, gliding with his liquid, off-center flow. Snoop is a dutiful presence by comparison, though he occasionally gets a good verse in.

Despite its scattershot title and the fact that it was recorded in five separate studios across Nashville and California, Strays feels like Price’s most cohesive collection yet guided by light West Coast shadings courtesy of Jonathan Wilson (Father John Misty, Dawes). Price finds ways to effectively and subtly tease out different shades from her longtime versatile band, the Price Tags.

Every Loser contains some of Iggy’s hardest rockers in years, and emphasizes all of the things the man does well: blistering rock, po-faced ballads, and a genuine way with words.

All told, these are soulful, uplifting songs by Afrobeats’ top artist. He’s all about dropping heat, even as he continues to evolve. More Love, Less Ego gives you more life.

On No Thank You, the follow-up to her excellent 2021 breakthrough Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, Simz gives us 10 choice cuts (showcasing her brilliance and breadth) that convey the whole emoji board of riveting emotions.

S.O.S., SZA’s long-awaited sophomore album, is even more enjoyable than her 2017 debut, CTRL. The songs are looser and more confident. And the worthy themes—retribution, nostalgia, ego—amount to the most intimate and juicy self-revelations since the Real World confessional booth.

Heroes & Villains is entertaining enough as a man’s, man’s, man’s world. It’s better conceptualized and executed than Only Heroes Wear Capes, even if 21 Savage can’t quite match the ASMR pleasures of that album’s “Don’t Come Out the House.”