Amoeba Music

Röyksopp's True Electric is the type of record that just makes you happy to be alive. Crafted to emulate the experience of the duo's live shows, the album consists of 19 studio tracks they performed on their 2023 True Electric tour, the previously unreleased track "The 'R'", and recently-reworked originals and remixes. Guest vocalists include Fever Ray, Robyn, Susanne Sundfør, Alison Goldfrapp — and that's just a sampling of the incredible talent included in the mix. True Electric is pure dancefloor euphoria. More

On their third studio album, Australian indie rockers Spacey Jane write affecting, addictive songs that always seem to get straight to the heart of the matter. They're also, at times, so catchy and so delightful, you'll get an adrenaline rush just from listening. Wryly named If That Makes Sense , the album's title evokes a need for reassurance even as Spacey Jane gets so vulnerable, insightful, and poignant, you'd swear you were listening to songs describing your own life. If you're not already acquainted with Spacey Jane, this urgent and exceptional record will make you wonder where the band has been all your life. More

The inimitable Jenny Hval returns with the piercing, lovely Iris Silver Mist . Named after a fragrance by the French perfume house Serge Lutens, the album is a reflection of Hval's pandemic experience: no live music, no scent of smoke and sweat, a longing for human intimacy manifesting itself through a newly rediscovered passion for perfume. The resulting album is both sensual and ethereal. The songs run the gamut from post-punk meets trip-hop ("The artist is absent") to melancholy chamber pop ("Lay down") to experimental folk ("To be a rose"). Iris Silver Mist is an extraordinary album, a record imbued with longing, wonder, and fragile beauty. More

On their first album in five years, Car Seat Headrest pays tribute to the legends of the western canon, from Shakespeare to Mozart to David Bowie. The Scholars is bold and experimental, while delivering head-boppin' rock anthems that are just pure fun. The songs will keep you on your toes; in the course of the opening track alone, genre flourishes swim seamlessly from piano rock to prog to krautrock to country rock. Each track is its own imaginative world because yes...it's not just a concept album, but also a rock opera. Innovative, jubilant, and filled with surprises, The Scholars is a delight. More

Time Indefinite is William Tyler's (Silver Jews, Lambchop) first solo record in five years. "Cabin Six" opens the album with a flutter of distorted noise, harsh sounds layering upon one another, a sort of voice crying above the tumult. Perhaps it's no surprise that this eerie track is a response to the anxiety, fear, and confusion of early 2020, when the world shut down. Partway through, however, a stillness emerges, laced with delicate beauty and quiet resilience. That understated loveliness carries the album forward, creating a rich atmosphere that highlights the joy amidst pain, the wonder amidst the terror. Time Indefinite is brilliant, thoughtful, and essential listening. More

Brothers Ross and Rocky Lynch have released their fourth studio album as The Driver Era, Obsession . It will unequivocally delight their avid fans of well-crafted pop/rock tunes with smooth vocals and catchy hooks. "The Weekend" is a frothy upbeat number suited to its title, while "Don't Walk Away" brightens romantic verses with a head-bopping chorus. Other highlights include "I'd Rather Die," a groovy, slightly funky gem, and "Don't Take The Night," which leans into electro-pop or disco-punk. More

HTRK's 2021 album  Rhinestones is getting reissued on what they call "Haunted Blue Vinyl." It's a dusky, enigmatic blue, fitting for an album the band has described as “eerie and gothic country music" with songs exploring the veneer of glamour, and how seemingly commonplace items and experiences can become precious things. And this album will haunt you. Stripped down, downtempo, and sometimes a bit jarring, these beautifully melancholic songs are bewitching and intoxicating. More

With an EP as good as Paradise on Planet Popstar , it's no wonder Wishy's star is on the rise. The Indianapolis indie rockers write blissfully fuzzed out tracks imbued with longing and driven by defiant riffs. The band deftly blends garage rock, shoegaze, and grunge, channeling frustration and desire into these gritty, cathartic songs. You won't be able to get enough of this short-but-sweet release. More

Originally released in 2002, Rilo Kiley's now classic indie rock album The Execution of All Things is being reissued as the Frozen Lake Edition . Recorded in Nebraska with Mike Mogis of Bright Eyes, the album became a landmark early '00s Saddle Creek release...and it still sounds just as refreshing, romantic, and poignant as it did back then. The songs showcase Jenny Lewis' incredible ability to take tales of depression and trauma and turn them into heartfelt, wistful, hope-inducing gems. Rediscover an old favorite or get ready to have your life changed with this bittersweet, beautiful album. More

Irish musician Maria Somerville makes her 4AD label debut with new album, Luster . Somerville has contributed to Richard Russell's Everything Is Recorded project and the 4AD compilation Bills & Aches & Blues, and kept busy as the host of "Early Bird Show" on NTS Radio. On Luster , she invokes a lush new world of dream-pop with hints of shoegaze. "Garden" is especially lovely with its nostalgic, shimmering guitar and joyful melody. "Projections" casts a spell with its mesmerizing strumming and echoing vocals. More

Oakland metal stalwarts Machine Head return with their eleventh studio album, Unatoned , introducing drummer Matt Alston and lead guitarist Reece Scruggs. The single "Bonescraper" is a dramatic ode to love lost and it pummels fans with its growling verses before bursting into an anthemic chorus. "Unbound" is a solid thrash headbanger while "These Scars Won't Define Us" brings on the chant-along choruses with guest turns by Lacuna Coil, In Flames, and Unearth. More

Chicago's Luke Titus has released his second album, another appealing fusion of jazz, hip-hop, experimental, and indie rock. The multi-instrumentalist applies his drumming expertise and production skills to excellent effect on these innovative tracks. "Above Us" is a groovy, buoyant tune with a toe-tapping beat. "Sideline" is stirring alt-R&B while "All My Life" is an infectious indie rock track with a funky rhythm. More

The fourth studio album by Connecticut's Goose is their first with drummer Cotter Ellis and it represents a period of growth and evolution for the jam band/indie rockers. This theme is reflected in the feel-good single "Give It Time," but also in the band's decision to include live favorites alongside the new songs. "Your Direction" also offers positive vibes, in a gently groovy setting with characteristic elements of psych rock. More

'80s rock icon Billy Idol follows up his EP The Cage with his first new studio album since 2014, Dream Into It . Featuring guests Avril Lavigne, Joan Jett, and Alison Mosshart of the Kills, the album is a decidedly fun blast of timeless rock n' roll. "Still Dancing" is a euphoric, fist-pumping ode to surviving the past and embracing the future. It's the perfect anthem for the seemingly ageless rocker who keeps giving it his all. More

Ghost's sixth studio album, Skeletá , has arrived in all its '80s rock-loving glory. Despite lyrics that delve into darker themes and contemporary issues, the songs continue to deliver plenty of satisfyingly catchy hooks and epic guitar solos. Tobias Forge is a master of melody, and "Satanized" is an instant earworm with its strong chorus and lyrics about religion and temptation. "Lachryma" has edgier, hard-rock verses that fit the vampiric theme, but it still soars into an infectious chorus. You just can't beat Ghost for a gratifying chorus. More

Adrian Younge's latest is the sound of eternal summer. Adrian Younge Presents Something About April III is a treasure trove of dark psychedelia, effortless cool, and Brazilian tropicalia. The record was inspired from classic '60s and '70s Brazilian acts, with the performers on April III hand-selected by the Brazilian composer (and Grammy winner) Céu. A 30-piece orchestra and a collection of analog synthesizers add to the groovy, downbeat, ultra-hip atmosphere. An exceptional record by one of the most talented and intriguing artists in the game today, you won't be able to get April III out of your head. More

The blissfully irreverent, iconoclastic South Park is somehow turning twenty-five. In recognition of this momentous event, Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheatre played host to a celebratory event that's now being released as South Park: The 25th Anniversary Concert . Over the course of 3 LPs, mayhem and magic ensue as creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone team up with Primus and Ween to perform songs made famous by the animated sitcom. Featuring guest appearances from Rush’s Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, it's more fun than anyone should have just listening to a record (or three). More

TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe goes solo on his super creative new album, Thee Black Boltz . The songs are eclectic and energizing, the type of tracks you immediately want to send to all your favorite people. Adebimpe fuses his deeply-felt, ultra-catchy indie rock with motorik rhythms, haunting whistle solos, '60s-style organs, and moments of slowed down, ambient contemplation. The album's title comes from the idea of sparks of inspiration and hope taking flight despite (or perhaps because of) grief, sadness, and despair, a self-conjured light flickering in the darkness, if only for an instant. Longtime fans will probably not be surprised to learn that the whole record is excellent. More

Superheaven's new self-titled album is pure bliss for fans of heavy music. The band deftly weaves strands of metal, shoegaze, grunge, and hardcore into a cohesive sound that's brutal and blistering...yet beautiful. The songs are sludgy, emotionally gripping, and filled with serious hooks that call to mind fabled '90s alt-rock acts. A melancholic, cathartic album that will gut punch you in the best possible way. More

The ever mighty Melvins are back with Thunderball . Credited to the band's Melvins 1983 moniker — a nod to the band's earliest days, with a lineup featuring just founding members Buzz Osborne and Mike Dillard, along with Void Manes and Ni Maîtres — it's a scorcher of an album. Heavy, intense, and thoroughly enjoyable, the record feels rife with creeping anxiety and doom while incorporating subtle, glitchy electronics and unhinged noise. Thunderball brings to mind the band's uncompromising, pummeling early work while adding unexpected twists and turns to keep listeners on their toes. Rough, raucous, and totally fantastic. More