3) Plini – Sunhead – EP
He is just a master… Plini has this vibe that I can’t get enough of; very soothing yet powerful. I’ve always thought of him as the new age Jeff Beck. There are moments of this EP that reminds me of a djenty sounding ‘Snarky Puppy’, another amazing group of musicians that everyone should check out… My only gripe with this release is that IT WASN’T LONG ENOUGH! – Jesse Olsen (bass)

2) The Pineapple Thief – Dissolution (Kscope) 
I fell in love with The Pineapple Thief for the way they marry melancholic feelings with upbeat grooves. They do this, while somehow blending in all these progressive elements and making it flow seamlessly. The fact that Gavin Harrison played drums on their last two records is a huge bonus. Check out the track, “White Mist”. – Tyler Menon (drums)

1) Between the Buried and Me – Automata II (Sumerian Records)
BTBAM put out two amazing records this year, but Automata II is the one I keep coming back Mostly for the 13-minute epic, “The Proverbial Bellow”. It has all these wonderful dips and valleys, as well as an awesome release when the last chorus drops. It reminds me why I fell in love with BTBAM when I was 14.
– Tyler Menon (drums)