On The Mande Variations, Toumani Diabaté has recorded his first solo kora album in two decades. Pitchfork gives it an 8.3 rating, calling it "the real thing, casually captivating from start to finish." It's also "haunting stuff ... in the awe inspired by hearing music this pure woven from the hands of a man."

"Few string quartets on the scene today are as intrepid as Kronos in the exploration of unconventional form and methods to extend the reach of a centuries-old instrumental configuration," says All About Jazz in its review of the Quartet’s latest release, Terry RIley's The Cusp of Magic. "Few composers possess a body of work defined by such a rich palette of references as Riley ... It's no surprise, then, that Kronos and Riley have collaborated so often and so well, with The Cusp of Magic providing further evidence of a truly rare musical symbiosis."

Steve Reich's latest album, Daniel Variations, receives four stars from The Guardian, whose Andrew Clements writes of the title piece: "From the very first uneasy chord it is very obviously a searching, serious piece and, I think, one of Reich's major statements." The album is now available in the Nonesuch Store with the exclusive bonus download, Dance Patterns.

Attack & Release, says KCRA-Sacramento, marks "a new musical paradigm for The Black Keys." The band is "now reborn and under a sign that bodes them well." And by year's end, it "shouldn't be a surprise to see the record wind up on many critics best-of lists." Metro Toronto gives the album four stars, calling the Black Keys / Danger Mouse pairing "a synergy that is so good." The Tampa Tribune exclaims that the band has unlocked a "grimy blues treasure trove" with the album.