Editors' Choice for December 2016

Album cover for Wonderland

Wonderland

Modern Love

The consistently brilliant electronic duo follows a series of limited 12"s with a thrilling album of mutated club tracks.

— Paul Simpson

Album cover for Fireplace: TheNotTheOtherSide

Fireplace: TheNotTheOtherSide

Odd Future / Sony Music
Rap

The Odd Future rapper's proper debut album, clear-eyed and substantive, released seven years after his first mixtape.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for Better Left Unsung

Better Left Unsung

Royal Potato Family / Rpf Studio Productions

Beautifully detailed and frequently inventive arrangements of Grateful Dead songs for solo piano.

— Timothy Monger

Album cover for Darkness and Light

Darkness and Light

Columbia
R&B

The Academy Award winner's fifth album, produced by Blake Mills, is a fully evolved synthesis of gospel, folk, R&B, and adult pop.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for Before the Dawn

Before the Dawn

Concord

The reclusive musician's return to the stage in 2014 is documented with this singular and spectacular live recording.

— Mark Deming

Album cover for America Again

America Again

Sono Luminus

Downes realizes that concert music influenced by jazz and blues or spirituals mixes naturally with actual jazz or blues pieces.

— James Manheim

Album cover for Vol. 1

Vol. 1

Fat Possum Records

Lo-fi meets AOR in a noisy battle to the death on the short, insanely hooky single from the Indiana duo.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for Don't Smoke Rock

Don't Smoke Rock

iHipHop
Rap

Bringing a taste of the Golden Age of hip-hop into 2016, this collaborative album is a nourishing standout of solid production and hard-hitting bars.

— Neil Z. Yeung

Album cover for Just for Fools

Just for Fools

Urinal Cake

The Michigan-based garage pop group, led by songwriter Autumn Wetli, expands its sound on its third album.

— Paul Simpson

Album cover for The Storm

The Storm

Strange Music
Rap

Eleventh solo effort from the veteran rap workhorse that delves into familiar dark and honest territory.

— Neil Z. Yeung

Album cover for Getaway [Deluxe Edition]

Getaway [Deluxe Edition]

Merge

The band reunites for another album of guitar pop delights, featuring members of Yo La Tengo. This edition adds a bonus disc of live shows.

— Tim Sendra