Editors' Choice for February 2016

Album cover for Painting With

Painting With

Domino / Domino Recording

Calling it "our Ramones record," the indie experimenters' tenth LP puts a premium on tightened forms, lively beats, and nimble vocal interplay.

— Marcy Donelson

Album cover for Avocet

Avocet

Earth Records

At once bucolic and urbane, Jansch's 12th studio album is rated among the guitar legend's personal favorites.

— James Christopher Monger

Album cover for In My Mind

In My Mind

Motown
R&B

Long overdue Motown debut from a gospel- and soul-rooted singer and songwriter who appeared on several high-charting albums during 2014 and 2015.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for Dig in Deep

Dig in Deep

Redwing Records

On the blues-rock icon's self-produced 20th album, virtually everything she's learned about making a great record is on display.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Still Waters

Still Waters

Because Music

The duo's second album expands By Your Side's pop moments into an album perfect for chilling out instead of working up a sweat.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for Daze

Daze

Tri Angle

An action-packed soundscape of cyber warfare from a London-based producer making his debut for Tri Angle.

— Paul Simpson

Album cover for Loop the Loop

Loop the Loop

Deek

Delightfully unorthodox pop from Nathan Jenkins and a cast of associates including Sampha, Laura Groves, and Shabaka Hutchings.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for Architect

Architect

FatCat Records

The Mercury Prize-nominated debut album from Glaswegian composer/bedroom pop spell-caster is as good as you've heard.

— James Christopher Monger

Album cover for Lola

Lola

Luz / luzrecords

The Austin-based singer, songwriter, and violinist formed an all-star band to record "culturally blended music for a culturally blended world."

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Velvet Arc

Velvet Arc

Trouble in Mind

Celebrated for his acoustic guitar playing, the composer and experimentalist switches to electric, with a rhythm section for this rootsy outing.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Is the Is Are

Is the Is Are

Captured Tracks

The band's tumultuous past is transformed into some of their most beautiful, and cathartic, music.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for New York Is My Home

New York Is My Home

Instant Records

The great Bronx vocalist is still sounding strong and smooth at the age of 76 on this album produced by Jimmy Vivino.

— Mark Deming

Album cover for It Calls on Me

It Calls on Me

Trouble in Mind

Less psychedelic trickery and more of a folk-rock jangle on Tuttle's second album, but the songs are just as good, maybe even better.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for Perpetual Gateways

Perpetual Gateways

Must Have Jazz

Brazil's musical renaissance man records in the U.S. with producer Kamau Kenyatta and a dream team of studio aces deliver excellent results.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for In Search of Harperfield

In Search of Harperfield

Chemikal Underground Records

A lustrous and heartbreaking home movie of a record that makes aging, death, and melancholy feel positively vital.

— James Christopher Monger

Album cover for Opus

Opus

Astralwerks / Virgin EMI

With its epic title cut as its key track, the progressive house producer's long-awaited debut does not disappoint.

— David Jeffries

Album cover for Commontime

Commontime

Memphis Industries

The Brewis brothers have crafted a predictably brilliant smart pop album, this time with a welcome '80s pop influence.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for Scheherazade

Scheherazade

Bloodshot / Blue Rose / Missing Piece Records

Their first album in over a decade shows Catherine Irwin and Janet Bean are still writing and singing with moody down-home genius.

— Mark Deming

Album cover for Golden Daze

Golden Daze

Autumn Tone Records

Underneath its dreamy psych and lo-fi textures, the California duo's debut offers some solid pop songcraft.

— Timothy Monger

Album cover for Phase

Phase

Interscope / Island

Arriving on a wave of sizable British hype, this exciting debut combines powerful soul and deft electronics to create an entirely immersive journey.

— Neil Z. Yeung

Album cover for Hold On!

Hold On!

Daptone
R&B

On the band's Daptone debut, they deliver ten dynamic, soulful originals cut in mono and live from the studio floor with producer Gabriel Roth.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Better Strange

Better Strange

Fairfax Recordings

Stunning genre-blending debut from Californian trio that swirls and blends a blissful psych-pop panoply of sound, texture, and influences.

— Neil Z. Yeung

Album cover for Mambo Nassau

Mambo Nassau

Light in the Attic Records

Whimsical jolts of wriggling rhythms and delighted exclamations, cut at Nassau's Compass Point with synthesizer wiz Wally Badarou.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for Zulu Rock

Zulu Rock

Light in the Attic Records

Recorded in South Africa years before Paul Simon's Graceland, an exuberant album that rejects exoticism in favor of kinship and play.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for $99 R/T Hawaii

$99 R/T Hawaii

Fire Talk / Redeye Music Distribution

A frenetic and beguiling debut from this largely instrumental Orange County indie outfit.

— Timothy Monger

Album cover for Orchids and Violence

Orchids and Violence

Nonesuch

The renegade traditionalist offers a mirror-image double album of the same bluegrass and traditional standards -- half acoustic, half electric.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for DJ-Kicks

DJ-Kicks

!K7

A coup for !K7's long-running mix series, featuring 11 custom edits and a prized highlight from the DJ/producer's Mahogani Music label.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for Here Be Monsters

Here Be Monsters

Rune Grammofon

Norway's veteran psychonauts explore the vast reaches of inner space with this sprawling yet refined offering.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Sisters

Sisters

Leaving Records

The Anticon-affiliated beatsmith produces some of his best and most reflective material on his second release for Leaving Records.

— Paul Simpson

Album cover for Plaza

Plaza

Mexican Summer

Equally sharp-edged and wistful, the group's psych-pop sounds more confident than ever.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for Need Your Light

Need Your Light

Barsuk

The Syracuse outfit exudes arena-sized passion on an album produced by Vampire Weekend's Rostam Batmanglij.

— Matt Collar

Album cover for Synesthetica

Synesthetica

Polyvinyl

The band's third album is slick and fun modern pop, with some R&B added to their space age indie pop sound.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for Rocket Science

Rocket Science

Frontiers Records

The actor/musician's 18th album is an energetic set, including songs written with members of Rascal Flatts and the Hold Steady.

— Mark Deming

Album cover for Né So

Né So

Nonesuch

The Malian singer/songwriter's sixth LP is uncompromising, richly detailed, and utterly compelling.

— Timothy Monger

Album cover for 99 Cents

99 Cents

Atlantic

Santi White's third album offers some of her catchiest and most subversive music yet.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for Seth Bogart

Seth Bogart

Burger Records

Stepping out from behind the Hunx name, Bogart's debut is a bubbling blast of good-time bubblegum-flavored electro pop.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for Moments in Time

Moments in Time

Resonance

Captivating live album featuring Stan Getz performing with his quartet at San Francisco's Keystone Korner in 1976.

— Matt Collar

Album cover for Night Thoughts [CD/DVD]

Night Thoughts [CD/DVD]

Rhino

A grand, meditative, and moving record that finds Suede embracing their middle age without losing any sense of their glamorous identity.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Album cover for Human Ceremony

Human Ceremony

Fat Possum Records

The Brooklyn trio's debut is an assured and exciting slice of '90s-influenced psych pop with classic alt-rock flavors.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for Banshee

Banshee

Jagjaguwar

Fifth album from the Seattle indie-folk quartet expands on their quiet and gritty sides with intelligence and soul.

— Mark Deming

Album cover for Midnight Palms

Midnight Palms

Easy Sound Recording Company

The amiable Californian indie outfit adds five new sun-soaked charmers to its canon on this well-made EP.

— Timothy Monger

Album cover for Journey

Journey

Linn / Linn Records

Trevor Pinnock's Journey is a survey of 200 years of harpsichord music, from Antonio de Cabezón to Domenico Scarlatti.

— Blair Sanderson

Album cover for Porta Bohemica

Porta Bohemica

Megaforce

On her sophomore album, the singer/songwriter offers soulful, artfully written songs that combine modern production and roots music.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for The Wild Mercury

The Wild Mercury

MRI / Whitespace

Mark Heidinger's long-tenured alt-folk project turns in a beautifully crafted and deeply personal fifth album.

— Timothy Monger

Album cover for We Are King

We Are King

King Creative
R&B

Beatific electronic soul, all about plush grooves and rich harmonies, slow-cooked to perfection.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for Life of Pause

Life of Pause

Captured Tracks

A more mature and well-produced version of their sound, with longer, more emotionally involved songs.

— Tim Sendra