Editors' Choice for September 2013

Album cover for Move in Spectrums

Move in Spectrums

Instant / Instant Records

After taking a long break, the synthesizer-playing trio return with their most sophisticated and moving record to date.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for Blood!

Blood!

Southern Lord Records

A powerful lost recording session from this legendary mid-'80s hardcore unit, remixed in 2012 by Dave Grohl.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for Coming Apart

Coming Apart

Matador

Kim Gordon's first album with guitarist Bill Nace is among the most challenging and compelling music of her career.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for Stitches

Stitches

Dead Oceans

Bluesy, broken, and highly impressionistic, Califone's latest trades the wounds of the windy city for the scars of the Southwest.

— James Christopher Monger

Album cover for Nature Noir

Nature Noir

Sacred Bones

On their third album, they band expand their sound to include acoustic guitar and strings but still conjure up a wonderfully dark psych pop sound.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for Negativity

Negativity

Partisan

Dark without being depressive, this lively Americana-rooted album hides its tormented core in a multifaceted musical approach.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for Apar

Apar

Matador / True Panther Sounds

After a three-year break, the Spanish electro-poppers return with an album as dreamily danceable as their last.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for Tookah

Tookah

Rough Trade

The Icelandic singer/songwriter's fourth outing is built on a foundation of emotional balance and vintage synths.

— James Christopher Monger

Album cover for Herein Wild

Herein Wild

Fat Possum Records

The dreamy singer/songwriter's third album is a thrilling synthesis of noise pop and synth pop.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for Liquid Spirit

Liquid Spirit

Blue Note

On his Blue Note debut, the Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter makes an inspired artistic leap.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Forever

Forever

Captured Tracks

Second album from Swedish post-punk group shows the same type of growth as phases of some of their most revered predecessors.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for Pull My Hair Back

Pull My Hair Back

Hyperdub

Made beside Junior Boys' Jeremy Greenspan, the Canadian vocalist/producer's Hyperdub debut offers a pleasurable synth pop/post-disco hybrid.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for Weird Sister

Weird Sister

Slumberland

The Welsh noise pop quintet's debut album is brilliantly influenced by Riot Grrrl, C-86, shoegaze, Veronica Falls, and punk.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for Love in the Future

Love in the Future

G.O.O.D. Music
R&B

The piano man's first proper solo studio album since 2008 is a sprawling set of intense love songs.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for Law and Order

Law and Order

Woodsist

Solo project from half of Foxygen explores many different rock and pop styles in delightfully lo-fi fashion.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for The World Is Real

The World Is Real

K Records

With their fourth and finest record for K, this Olympia collective's evolution toward indie pop perfection continues.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for Total Exposure

Total Exposure

Fire Records

Argentinean trio's fourth album scales back on the riot grrrl energy in favor of a reggae-influenced sound that would make the Slits proud.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for Vagrant Stanzas

Vagrant Stanzas

Topic

The singer, songwriter, and guitarist cut this exquisite set intimately; he was accompanied only by his guitars and banjo.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Piano Sutras

Piano Sutras

Thirsty Ear

On his first solo date in three years, the pianist and composer delivers a tour de force in relatively brief original works and covers.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for MGMT

MGMT

Columbia

MGMT return to work with Dave Fridmann on their most artistically ambitious album to date.

— Gregory Heaney

Album cover for Bed & Bugs

Bed & Bugs

Sub Pop

With their third album, this quartet made up of Hot Snakes and Edsel alumni turn in a stylistically varied but always potent set of tunes.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for Get Happy

Get Happy

Heinz / Heinz Records

Featuring collaborations with Rufus Wainwright and Phyllis Diller, Pink Martini's fifth album is more bittersweet than its title suggests.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for Hawaiii

Hawaiii

Hidden Pony

The Vancouver-based indie rockers' most well-crafted, and deliberately misspelled, collection of songs to date.

— James Christopher Monger

Album cover for San Fermin

San Fermin

Downtown Records

A powerful and epic statement of conceptual chamber pop finds a balance between huge hooks and obtuse, sometimes difficult orchestration.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for Alafia

Alafia

Thrill Jockey

On his third Thrill Jockey offering the Malian songwriter jarringly addresses the social and political upheaval in his homeland.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Kaani

Kaani

Fat Cat / FatCat Records

One of the hardest working groups in West African guitar music present their clearest, most widely available album to date.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for Love in Flying Colors

Love in Flying Colors

Foreign Exchange Music
R&B

Nicolay and Phonte's joyous and audacious fourth album brims with note-perfect incorporation of folk-soul, house, drum'n'bass, and broken beat.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for After Blue

After Blue

BFM Jazz

Exchanging the standards of Great American Songbook for the songs of Joni Mitchell, the stylish vocalist delivers one of her finest recordings.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Lost

Lost

In My Room

There's less dance music than early fans might like, but the Danish producer's third effort is a rangy, rich success.

— David Jeffries

Album cover for Interchange

Interchange

Distraction / Distraction Records / Forced Exposure

Interchange transcends its roots as a locally commissioned art project, becoming a playful, optimistic examination of nostalgia and futurism.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for Soma

Soma

Relapse Records

Windhand's sophomore effort finds the band creating a more dynamic take on doom with an album that isn't afraid to show its lighter side.

— Gregory Heaney