If you spend enough time in London, avoiding the overtly upper-class locations and just take in the atmosphere and culture of the city at large, you can begin to understand the inspiration behind its music scene.

Owing much to the stagnant nature of modern country music, Kacey Musgraves—along with acts like Chris Stapleton and…well, that’s pretty much it—has appeared to be somewhat a beacon of hope that this genre isn’t all outdated musings of heady optimism, pick-up trucks, and religious overtones.

In 2014, Tinashe was on the cusp of a mainstream breakthrough. Her debut album, Aquarius, had received critical acclaim and comparisons to fellow fast-rising artists FKA twigs and Kelela, as well as comparisons to R&B legends Janet Jackson and Aaliyah.

Nick Cave and Warren Ellis are best known for their work in the post-punk, blues-rock, ass-kickin’ posses Grinderman and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. But the two are slowly gaining traction as reliable composers for penning original scores for television and motion picture soundtracks.

To create an album, without lyrics, that is worth listening to in a world that is so fast-paced and is informed so much by what has gone before that we liked, can be a daunting prospect. In the last few years, producers have fallen succinctly into two camps as they either deliver masterpieces—Oneohtrix Point Never, Todd Terje, Aphex Twin—or fall completely flat on their face-Bing & Ruth, The Orb.

Although Janelle Monáe has never been shy, she has not always spoken openly about her beliefs. Her past albums, The ArchAndroid and The Electric Lady, were extravagant genre-mash-ups that pulled ideas from rock and classical music as effectively as they did from soul and hip-hop. However, they were essentially concept albums.

Delivering your first record in six years sets a high bar for any band to try and meet in this age of streaming and diminishing attention spans. Chicago stalwarts The Sea and Cake had the added pressure of appealing to fans both and new with the absence of one of their key members, bassist Eric Claridge.

Rebound marks Eleanor Friedberger‘s fourth solo release since the disbandment/extended hiatus of her former band The Fiery Furnaces in 2011, a band that she was a member of alongside her brother Matthew Friedberger.

The other of two recent compilations of Elton John cover songs, Restoration, finds John and Taupin’s compositions played by country artists both old and new.