Singer/Songwriter
Damien Jurado - The Horizon Just Laughed - A beautiful and optimistic breakup record between a man and his home.
Ray LaMontagne - Part of the Light - This really threatens to be dad-rock a lot of the time, but somehow I’m cool with it.
Dream Pop
Beach House - 7 - The best Dream Pop record by a band who started in this century.
Art Rock
Tropical Fuck Storm - A Laughing Death in Meatspace - Basically another Drones record in most ways, including the high overall quality.
Parquet Courts - Wide Awake! - Savage and Brown are writing really different kinds of songs but they’re both getting better at writing them.
Indie Rock
Stephen Malkmus + The Jicks - Sparkle Hard - Malkmus and his band as good as they’ve ever been.
Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel - Courtney returns with an even more rocking set.
La Luz - Floating Features - The garage surf girl group torch carriers are writing more distinct songs and having more fun at the same time.
Techno
Skee Mask - Compro - a breadth of ideas and technical perfection from one of the best techno producers.
Fluxion - Ripple Effect - Cinematic ambient techno for late nights.
House
Jon Hopkins - Singularity - Sometimes too indulgent, but big and beautiful ambient tech house.
DJ Healer - Nothing 2 Loose - As personal and affecting as a house record could be - stick with it for a couple listens.
Ross From Friends - Aphelion - fun and funky big room outsider house jams, whatever that could mean.
LNS - Recons One - a fun combination of outsider house and electro.