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• Between the Buried and Me, Neon Indian and Brother Ali

Artist: Between the Buried and Me

Album: The Great Misdirect

How do you classify a band like Between the Buried and Me — a band whose music seems to switch effortlessly from genre to genre. Groove metal? Death metal? Metalcore? While there are only six songs on The Great Misdirect, four are over nine minutes long; the longest being 18 minutes long. As with their previous albums, BTBAM brings a high level of technicality and musicianship while maintaining a br00tal heaviness. While something about the vocalist’s voice strikes me as “off,” I know that I’ll definitely be getting this album sometime soon. — Jeremy Lin

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Artist: Brother Ali

Album: Us

Rappers are not often seen as being albino and overweight, but in his latest release Us, Brother Ali proves once again that perceptions don’t matter. Ali again teams up with excellent producer Ant to create his best output since his 2003 debut Shadows on the Sun. The title track is another feel good, heartfelt number like his biggest hit “Forrest Whitaker,” and he flows through the remarkable beat of “Crown Jewels” with incredible ease and clarity. Us is a well-needed breath of fresh air in a lackluster year for hip hop as it seaps with the simultaneous angst and hope of the streets. — Benjamin Kuzemka

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Artist: Neon Indian

Album: Psychic Chasms

Even if you don’t think too intently about what the album title Psychic Chasms could mean, it doesn’t take long to perceive some sort of time-warp upon listening to this electro-pop EP. With hints of 80’s synth and video game noise effects, the past and the future seem to meld together impossibly. Though several of the tracks have been available previously, Alan Palomo, under his third musical moniker, has tied the finished album together artfully. While exhibiting smooth transitions between tracks, it takes on an eclectic, swanky sound with impulsive record samplings and often dreamy vocals. Tracks such as “Deadbeat Summer” and “Terminally Chill” are fun, catchy and fully dance-worthy, while others play around with cacophony and chaos. — Megan Creighton

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