When it comes to L.A.’s “beat” scene, few figures are as influential as Ras G. While contemporaries like Flying Lotus may have wider name recognition, Ras G has been releasing music since 2005 and helping to grow L.A. beats from a local strain of Dilla-fied boom bap to a progressive musical movement known for punishing subwoofers worldwide. But on Dance of the Cosmos, Ras G turns away from the beats he’s known for and dives headfirst into the world of house music. ►

Cherushii & Maria Minerva’s collaborative album is a bittersweet collection of dancefloor delicacies, each its own wistful vision of an international retro-future. ►

Imagine, if you would, the Dead Boys without the blatant nihilism. Into the Iris is an epicenter, radiating the contradictions and ambiguities of living in search of some type of hope. ►

Alas, our beloved experimental-psychedelic-bedroom-punk conjurer Tim Presley has decamped to San Francisco, the city from whence he came. If the music he makes up north continues to reach the creative heights of his new offering I Have to Feed Larry's Hawk, however, all is forgiven. ►

Kick the tires (in your mind) of your old car that still had that blue-lit CD player in the dash and break the speed limit of your youth once again. ►

When a nineteen-year-old releases an avant-garde pop album as assured and engaging as Lealani's Fantastic Planet, it's worth championing. Sounding a little like Broadcast or maybe CocoRosie exploring a DIY hip-hop percussion palette, Fantastic Planet is a consistently enjoyable listen. ►