Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You

9.1

entwine, for ages, faith, range life, where the heart is

Standouts:

"Certainty"

"Dried Roses"

"Blue Lightning"

Mitski - Laurel Hell

8.2

days that got away, high maintenance, hopeless romantic, pearly gates, taking the fall

Standouts:

"Working for the Knife"

"That's Our Lamp"

"The Only Heartbreaker"

Big Thief - Two Hands

8.0

refuge, tactile, wonder, thickets, sun and moon

Standouts:

"Shoulders"

"Wolf"

"Forgotten Eyes"

Alvvays - Blue Rev

8.4

gone with the wind, sunbath, tailspin, shotgun, blue velvet

Standouts:

"Easy on Your Own?"

"Belinda Says"

"Pharmacist"

Sade - Love Deluxe

8.7

blessings, lookout, tingles, overflowing, abyss

Standouts:

"Kiss of Life"

"Bullet Proof Soul"

"Pearls"

Titus Andronicus - The Will to Live

8.5

desolation row, clash, hell on earth, original sin, wayward

Standouts:

"Give Me Grief"

"69 Stones"

"Baby Crazy"

The 1975 - Being Funny in a Foreign Language

8.9

for dear life, disaster waiting to happen, love on the run, sappy, don't ask for much

Standouts:

"Part of the Band"

"I'm in Love With You"

"Happiness"

Beth Orton - Weather Alive

8.5

atmospheric pressure, spellbinding, put it into words, drops in the river, pale blue sky

Standouts:

"Unwritten"

"Fractals"

"Friday Night"

Rosalia - MOTOMAMI

8.1

angels and demons, chameleon, souped-up, Adonis, taste on my tongue

Standouts:

"G3 N15"

"HENTAI"

"LA COMBI VERSACE"

Beyonce - RENAISSANCE

8.2

money moves, set the night on fire, God-given, ecstasy, brown sugar

Standouts:

"VIRGO'S GROOVE"

"HEATED"

"MOVE"

Steely Dan - Aja

8.8

queens, low spirits, in the groove, left in the dust, last legs

Standouts:

"Deacon Blues"

"Peg"

"Black Cow"

Sabrina Carpenter - Singular Act II

8.2

heat of the moment, racing hearts, pull back the curtain, feeling myself, secret safe with me

Standouts:

"Exhale"

"Tell Em"

"In My Bed"

Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers

8.7

unhealed, past is present, fallen on hard times, resolution, more than meets the eye

Standouts:

"Savior"

"Purple Hearts"

"Auntie Diaries"

Bad Bunny - Un Verano Sin Ti

8.1

rhythm of the island, sunset to sunrise, high life, washed out, slivers of shade

Standouts:

"Ensename a Bailar"

"Me Fui de Vacaciones"

"Despues de la Playa"

Japanese Breakfast - Jubilee

8.6

roundabout, picturesque, twists and turns, cut loose, fear of the unknown

Standouts:

"Tactics"

"Paprika"

"Kokomo, IN"

Phoebe Bridgers - Stranger in the Alps

9.0

Gothic, winter's night, phantom feeling, grow old, pallid

Standouts:

"Scott Street"

"You Missed My Heart"

"Killer"

Real Estate - Atlas

8.2

crossing paths, deciduous, light drizzle, track of time, like it was yesterday

Standouts:

"Horizon"

"Navigator"

"Had to Hear"

Kelela - Take Me Apart

8.0

ellipsis, shivers down my spine, cloudburst, till it's gone, flurries

Standouts:

"Onanon"

"Frontline"

"LMK"

Beach House - Once Twice Melody

8.5

stardew, double fantasy, incantations, chimerical, seismic

Standouts:

"New Romance"

"Many Nights"

"Another Go Around"

Titus Andronicus - A Productive Cough

9.4

rock bottom blues, where the wind blows, studio therapy, freewheeling, all ye who tread the path

Standouts:

"Home Alone"

"Real Talk"

"Above the Bodega (Local Business)"

Animal Collective - Time Skiffs

8.4

on safari, jungle gym, temples, pond skater, hidden treasure

Standouts:

"Royal and Desire"

"Dragon Slayer"

"Strung with Everything"

Yo La Tengo - And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out

9.1

starry-eyed, quaint, in the moment, sneaking out, nocturnal

Standouts:

"Our Way to Fall"

"Last Days of Disco"

"Saturday"

Passion Pit - Tremendous Sea of Love

8.1

last forever, sky and sea, keep them close, egoist, colossal

Standouts:

"Somewhere Up There"

"Undertow"

"Moonbeam"

The Mountain Goats - Tallahassee

9.0

slow to rise, sunshine state, combustible, blood sweat and tears, road to ruin

Standouts:

"Alpha Rats Nest"

"Game Shows Touch Our Lives"

"Idylls of the King"

Earl Sweatshirt - SICK!

8.2

everything to gain, Pan-Africans, cabin fever, action is now, high temperature

Standouts:

"Old Friend"

"Sick!"

"Fire in the Hole"

Manitoba - Up in Flames

8.7

imagination, absolute blast, whirlwind, like a kid again, good feeling about you

Standouts:

"Hendrix with Ko"

"Every Time She Turns Round It's Her Birthday"

"Kid You'll Move Mountains"