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Following a string of hotly-tipped 12" singles and EPs, Barcelona-based electronic producer John Talabot offers his debut full-length album of stunning grooves that tackle slow-motion disco, simmering house, and tropical indie/psych/pop territory with an equally adept touch. Perfectly fit for the dancefloor, home stereo, and headphones, ƒIN is one of the strongest electronic LPs of recent memory. 2/10/2012 -Alex

The solo debut from local MC Thaddeus David (aka Young TH of State of the Artist and Thadwick Tristen Trevor III of Helluvastate) is a top-notch set of smooth, slick hip-hop that finds Thaddeus balancing some harder, swagger-heavy rhymes with more personal, introspective fare and bringing his clever wordplay and nimble flow throughout. Onry Ozzborn and fellow SOTA MC Parker Joe make guest appearances, while the wide-ranging supporting beats from Ski Team and Kuddie Fresh (amongst a handful of up-and-comers and some recycled backdrops) are equally consistent. "Jones" notably finds Thaddeus rapping over an awesome medley of classic Nas beats. 2/10/2012 -Alex

This New Orleans band’s latest album is an explosive set of red-hot party funk evoking the live-wire electricity and celebratory spirit of Mardi Gras with a raw, aggressive blend of funk-rock, jazz, hip hop, zydeco, soul, Brazilian samba and more with help from special guests ranging from soul singers Cyril and Ivan Neville and rappers Mystikal and Mannie Fresh to New Orleans carnival vets, Brazilian musicians and even a high-school marching band. 2/10/2012 -Don Yates

This Scottish band revamps their sound on their third album, which mostly trades out the shoegazerish guitars in favor of harsh, icy synths and more mechanical rhythms for a dark and bleak post-punk sound that better suits frontman James Graham’s stern, ominous-sounding vocals and gloomy, sometimes sinister lyrics. 2/10/2012 -Don Yates

Originally the solo project of Seattle-based guitarist Jessica Dobson of The Shins, Deep Sea Diver has evolved into a full-fledged band. Their debut full-length is a promising set of adventurous indie-pop ranging from atmospheric, piano-based ballads and tropical-flavored pop to some moody, fuzz-encrusted rockers. 2/3/2012 -Don Yates

This Minneapolis project spearheaded by GAYNGS mastermind Ryan Olson and vocalist Channy Leaneagh debuts with an excellent album of R&B-tinged electro-pop featuring a heavily reverbed sound combining a variety of atmospheric synth textures, echoing dual drums, funky bass and processed vocals. 2/3/2012 -Don Yates

This Tokyo duo’s debut EP is an impressive set of epic, ‘80s-influenced dream-pop with hazy, celestial synths, swirling guitars, propulsive rhythms and buried vocals. 2/2/2012 -Don Yates

This French duo’s latest album began as soundtrack that they were asked to compose for the newly restored in-color edition of the 1902 French silent-film classic Le Voyage Dans La Lune (A Trip To The Moon). After completing the soundtrack to the short 16-minute film, they decided to expand it and turn it into an official AIR album, and it does indeed work more or less like an album of mostly instrumental space-pop (though Victoria Legrand of Beach House and Au Revoir Simone contribute vocals to a song apiece) incorporating elements of prog-rock, funk, ambient, techno and more, with atmospheric songs driven by sci-fi keyboards along with prominent timpani and other percussion. 2/2/2012 -Don Yates

While the former Screaming Trees frontman has been keeping busy the past few years by working with Isobel Campbell, the Twilight Singers, the Gutter Twins, Queens of the Stone Age and Soulsavers, this is his first solo album since 2004’s Bubblegum. Lanegan albums are usually pretty dark affairs, and this one’s no different, though the musical palette’s a bit more expansive this time, ranging from Lanegan favorites like fiery psych-rock and bleary-eyed downer ballads steeped in blues and gospel to the more surprising additions of moody synth-pop and dark chamber-pop, but whatever the style, they’re unified by the album’s rumbling bass and haunting melodies, along with Lanegan’s raspy growl and dark-night-of-the-soul lyrics. 2/2/2012 -Don Yates

This Montreal band’s second album is a non-stop barnburner of catchy lo-fi garage-punk reminiscent of Portland’s late great Exploding Hearts along with the more melodic early British punk bands that influenced both bands (Buzzcocks, Vibrators, Undertones), featuring punchy, hook-filled songs with ringing, distorted guitars, relentlessly uptempo rhythms, wailing vocals and anthemic sing-a-long choruses. 2/2/2012 -Don Yates

The sixth album from this Virginia trio comprised of three brothers is one of their strongest outings to date, with a dynamic and heavy psych-rock sound featuring a variety of sturdily constructed songs ranging from thick, sludgy stoner-rock to more limber and melodic fare. 1/30/2012 -Don Yates

This Brooklyn artist follows up the promising 2010 album Frankie Rose & the Outs with her first solo full-length, which finds her leaving behind the shoegaze haze and reverb that enveloped her album with The Outs in favor of a cleaner, sleeker ‘80s-influenced ethereal-pop sound with crystalline guitars, majestic synths, loud bass, propulsive rhythms and angelic harmonies. 1/30/2012 -Don Yates

Like his previous full-length (2010’s Saint Bartlett), the latest album from this Seattle singer-songwriter was produced by Richard Swift, and while Saint Bartlett contained a few sonic surprises for longtime fans, Maraqopa sounds like nothing else in Jurado’s illustrious catalog. It’s a dynamic and expansive set of adventurous psych-folk with a variety of haunting, well-crafted songs featuring trippy guitar work, atmospheric keyboards, swelling strings and various ambient noises accompanying Jurado’s soothing vocals and evocative lyrics. 1/30/2012 -Don Yates

This Brooklyn duo takes a giant leap forward on their second album (and major label debut) thanks to songwriting that’s both more sophisticated and more emotional along with production that’s more polished and also more adventurous on a variety of sparkling, ‘80s-influenced electro-pop songs with lush, inventive musical arrangements accompanying Caroline Polachek’s ethereal vocals, sweet pop melodies and emotionally direct lyrics. 1/27/2012 -Don Yates

While this British artist first became known as the bassist for legendary bands Magazine and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, he’s since released many acclaimed solo albums and film scores for various real and imaginary films. His 10th solo album is a vibrant, edgy blend of noirish garage-rock, industrial funk, smoky jazz, moody soul and more, with well-crafted songs featuring bristling guitars, haunting organ, fuzzed-out bass and Adamson’s stylish crooning. 1/27/2012 -Don Yates

This New York band’s latest EP is another bracing blend of shoegazerish psych-rock, dark post-punk and industrial with lots of distortion-fried guitar, pounding rhythms and gloomy, half-buried vocals. 1/27/2012 -Don Yates

The first studio album in 8 years from the 77-year-old Canadian singer-songwriter is his best in over two decades, combining a stately, stripped-down sound steeped in noir-ish blues, rustic folk-rock, cabaret jazz, gospel hymns and other low-key, rootsy styles with his deep, weathered baritone and finely crafted lyrics that reflect on mortality and failed relationships with wry humor and a deep poignancy. 1/27/2012 -Don Yates

This Brooklyn singer-songwriter’s third album was produced by The National’s Aaron Dessner, and he provides her with a fuller, slightly more rock-oriented sound with help from other special guests including Zach Condon (Beirut), Bryce Dessner (The National), Matt Barrick (The Walkmen), Jenn Wasner (Wye Oak), Thomas Bartlett (Doveman) and Julianna Barwick on this poignant set of brooding folk-pop highlighted by her melancholy, beautifully crafted lyrics, mournful melodies and gorgeous, elastic vocals. 1/27/2012 -Don Yates

The veteran British band’s sixth album finds them polishing their scruffy sound a bit while also sharpening their song craft for one of their strongest releases yet, highlighted by an abundance of spirited, heartfelt songs ranging from anthemic indie-rock and brittle garage-pop to some affecting acoustic-oriented ballads. 1/25/2012 -Don Yates

This Denver-based trio’s second album is another impressive set of breezy indie-pop with echoes of ‘60s girl groups, Motown, Petula Clark and other classic sources. Young & Old was produced by Patrick Carney of The Black Keys, and he brings a bit more fuzz and grit to the band’s melodic blend of jangly guitars, bright keyboards, bouncy rhythms and Aliana Moore’s winsome vocals. Best of all, there’s not a weak song in the bunch. 1/25/2012 -Don Yates