Amsterdam’s Spinifex erupt with chaotic intensity on Hipsters Gone Ballistic, a set of avant-punk-jazz aberrations that are simultaneously crushing, refined, and unpredictable.

Based on his incorporation of retro synths into his cutting edge jazz fusion style, I get the impression that Evan Marien is a fan of chiptunes,  however his production skills and bass chops help put his latest release, Artifacts, on an entirely different level.

The debut Advent EP from blackened folk metallers Wandering Oak is a promising display of occult darkness forging a distinct identity without forgetting the roots from which it sprung.

Satan’s Secret is a well-crafted set of art rock tunage from the duo that is 3dCosby.

That all of the musicians on Donny McCaslin’s 2015 release Fast Future were selected by David Bowie to play on his final album should give you a clear sense of their excellence.

Retro rockers Tines have taken an ambitious, proggy turn with the 11 minute track Augmented Exile, proving that there’s still some room for experimentation within their mature genre, though a couple parts sound awkward and forced to me.

Normally prog rock with a melodic pop sensibility would be a recipe for disaster in my book, but somehow Tabula Rasa have pulled it off amazingly well with their diverse, dynamic, and catchy self-titled release.

There could be Grim Repercussions for passing up the latest from the aptly named instrumental math/prog rock band Captain Kickarse and the Awesomes, but who can know for sure?

This epic 26 minute track from Andy Edwards traverses much of the prog/fusion spectrum with grace and ease, and should please any fan of long-form prog.

I’ve been hearing a lot of great progressive jazz from France lately, of which Ô-liostére is a fine example, skillfully wielding polyrhythms to great effect on Circonflexe.