23 March 2026
Here's how it works: The Recent Releases chart brings together critical reaction to new albums from more than 50 sources worldwide. It's updated daily. Albums qualify with 5 reviews, and drop out after 6 weeks into the longer timespan charts.
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Latest album of 'IDM' from Travis Stewart, the New Zealand-born electronic producer
7.0
Some Machinedrum fans will find his newfound cheeriness disconcerting, but Stewart approaches the project with so much enthusiasm that it’s hard not to get swept up in the good vibes Read Review
Stewart spins whirlwinds of infectious beats, swirling synths and supple bass for his most upbeat tracks in years Read Review
Maybe this is the album where Machinedrum breaks big. If it is, there’s even less to the glitch/pop divide than we ever suspected Read Review
Human Energy shifts away from the introspective haziness of his lengthy Vapor City series towards textures that are brighter, more accessible and uplifting Read Review
An exhilarating showcase for Stewart's continually mutating vision of abstract pop Read Review
A successful document of an artist enjoying his life, his work and more generally his own company Read Review
The cosmic consciousness that drives this album feels like a bright ray of hope in these supposedly dark times Read Review
Human Energy succeeds in being indulgent, excessive and occasionally silly. But happily so Read Review
Although it marks a different direction for Machinedrum, the LP shows that Stewart’s best work may still be yet to come Read Review
It's hard to complain when listening to Stewart's illustrious sound design and arrangements, but in his quest for positivity, Human Energy limits itself to just a fraction of the emotional spectrum Read Review
Review 1: "A seamless blend of uninspired and corny". Review 2: "A solid entry in a confused, overcrowded genre" Read Review
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Machinedrum: Human Energy
Ora Cogan Hard Hearted Woman
Varied yet elegantly stitched together, Hard Hearted Woman shows the many sides of Cogan, whose story is as resilient as the subjects she depicts No Ripcord
Ladytron Paradises
A lean masterpiece lurks in Paradises, a record that holds rewards for the patient listener. But it cries out for a judicious pair of editing scissors musicOMH
In an age when production is deliberately designed not to disturb listeners, Paradises may prove popular The Arts Desk
The cover artwork to Ladytron’s latest record Paradises adopts mind trickery by showing two hands touching through a triangle shape that looks both like a reflective mirror and a translucent window. Befitting artwork to hint at the content inside the triad’s album, which often takes the listener to places that are up to one’s own imagination and interpretation God Is In The TV
Ladytron head for the disco and relive the fun of 90s clubland The Skinny
Maybe Paradises could have been trimmed down a little, but their contagious creative zeal is apparent throughout its entirety. Ladytron have secured their iconic status once again, ensuring they become a cult band for an entirely new generation, or maybe more Under The Radar
The track I See Red radiates synth euphoria but the Pet Shop Boys-ish Death In London and single Kingdom Undersea are more about introspection than rapture. Print edition only Mojo
Momentum sags somewhat over its lengthy duration - but it also unquestionably features some of their finest, and funkiest, work to date. Print edition only Uncut
BTS ARIRANG
The group's journey to global domination has been nothing short of extraordinary, so it’s fitting that they have delivered an album that is of similarly epic proportions Rolling Stone UK
The barrier-breaking K-Pop icons return with a blockbuster album Clash
Ending a hiatus that began in 2022, the septet recapture a distinctiveness that had been threatening to ebb away The Guardian
Seven members attack the music with a ferocity that feels earned and personal. The album feels more often like seven individuals with real chemistry than one polished unit. The solo years gave each member a sharper creative identity, and RM’s instincts hold the whole thing together Consequence Of Sound
On its blockbuster return, the world's biggest band stresses group identity and South Korean roots, while pushing the songs into adventurous new territory Rolling Stone
Brigitte Calls Me Baby Irreversible
Irreversible sounds like a dead end: a lethargic monument to hollow style over substance, entirely on brand for a band that saddled their debut with one of the more ridiculous, faux-philosophical titles of recent years. It is a meaningless shell of a record with few, if any, redeeming features No Ripcord
In a time that can appear bent on applauding cynicism Cogan chooses curiosity. Her songs look straight into the abyss and still reach out for colour The Line Of Best Fit
Since we've been around, that is. So, the highest-rated albums from the past twelve years or so. Rankings are calculated to two decimal places.
Kendrick Lamar To Pimp A Butterfly
Fiona Apple Fetch The Bolt Cutters
Rosalía Lux
Kendrick Lamar Damn.
D'Angelo And The Vanguard Black Messiah
Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds Ghosteen
Spiritbox Tsunami Sea
Self Esteem Prioritise Pleasure
Hayley Williams Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party
Bob Dylan Rough and Rowdy Ways