Despite the quarter system’s best efforts, summer will soon be upon us, bringing with it a slew of exciting new albums. From alternative emo-rock and big-budget rap to ambient electronic and hard rock, here are six summer releases you’ll want to put on your calendar.

Kanye West – Yeezus (June 18)

If you’re already sick of Kanye West’s Messiah complex, skip to the next blurb. If you, however, loved My Beautiful, Dark, Twisted Fantasy, and frequently get a kick out of Kanye’s “embodiment of every characteristic of the egotistic,” then you’re going to want to put June 18th on your calendar – it marks the release of Kanye’s new record, which is actually titled Yeezus. It’s been nearly three years since Kanye’s game-changing fifth studio album, and most of the recent news about Yeezy has been related to his ongoing relationship with Kim Kardashian. With a recent appearance on SNL (as well as a big-budget viral marketing campaign involving video projections around several major cities), however, Kanye has returned, and in a fierce way. On SNL, he debuted two new tracks “New Slaves” and “Black Skinhead,” and where Twisted Fantasy focused mostly on big-budget arena-level bombast, Yeezy’s new material is darker, harsher, and adopts a more industrial aesthetic and in-your-face approach. And if those song titles are any indication, it looks like Kanye’s new record is going to explicitly address the issue of race in America. We’ll see if the rest of the record moderates these harsher themes with more of the party-style grandeur we saw on the last record, but for now, it looks like Kanye’s looking to go in a bold new direction, and the results could be very promising.

Jimmy Eat World – Damage (June 11)

Watching Jimmy Eat World transition into adulthood has been more than a little depressing, as the group’s last two records have felt overly bright (Chase this Light), needlessly loud and worst of all, emotionally forced (Invented). The Arizona group’s upcoming eighth album, Damage, looks like the return to form we longtime fans have been waiting for. Rather than attempt to artificially re-capture the youthfulness that time has taken away, Damage is a concept album about looking back on the decisions and relationships of times past. Initial tracks “I Will Steal You Back” and “Damage” are both exceedingly promising, with solid guitar hooks and heartfelt vocals from frontman Jim Adkins. What’s more, the production on this record sounds like it’s going to be fantastic – rather than re-using the hyper-processed, overly loud and mechanical techniques of the last two records, Jimmy Eat World opted instead for analog tape on this one, and these songs sound warm, natural and inviting. With Damage, Jimmy Eat World might be acknowledging its own age, but the group hasn’t sounded this lean or earnest in nearly a decade.

Queens of the Stone Age – …Like Clockwork (June 4)

For those looking for something with a little (or a lot) more oomph, look no further – Queens of the Stone Age are back, baby, and they’re looking to reclaim their rightful thrones. From the bristling and dramatic “My God Is the Sun,” to the fierce and brooding “Keep Your Eyes Peeled” and to-be six-minute epic “I Appear Missing,” QotSA sound stronger, tighter and more melodious than ever before. What’s more, …Like Clockwork has got quite an impressive array of guest stars on its playbill, from Arctic Monkeys’ Alex Turner, to Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor and even an appearance from Elton John, who will be providing piano and vocals on the track “Fairweather Friends.” Whether you’re looking to get your eardrums or your mind blown, …Like Clockwork is sure to do the trick. Oh, and the band will be playing at Red Rocks on August 15th with special guests Gogol Bordello. So, yeah – get on it.

Sigur Ros – Kveikur (June 18)

Sigur Ros’s last record, Valtari, was about as ethereal as an album could be. Long, ambient tracks with scarcely a drum or bass track to be found dominated the Icelandic group’s sixth effort, and while it was a fine piece of work to zone out to, the band ultimately felt handcuffed by its airy ambitions. For its upcoming record, however, Sigur Ros has returned to its aggressive post-rock roots with an earth-shattering first single “Brennisteinn” and intense accompanying live show to boot. Valtari will be the first Sigur Ros record made without the efforts of keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson, and if “Brennisteinn” is any indication, it appears that the group’s stripped-down, darker approach will serve it well. Definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for something off the beaten path.

Jon Hopkins – Immunity (June 4)

Jon Hopkins is a UK-based electronic artist who first broke into the (semi) mainstream consciousness after fellow country mates Coldplay used his track, “Light Through the Veins,” to bookend their 2008 record Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, which turned out to be the best-selling album of the year. They also invited him to open on the North American leg of their massive Viva la Vida tour, which ended up reaching millions of adoring fans. Not bad PR for a relatively little-known electronic producer. Now, Jon Hopkins is set to release the follow-up to his loved-by-Coldplay record, and it’s looking to be a vibrant, sonically ambitious effort combining Jon Hopkins’ knack for ambient landscapes with aggressive percussion. First single “Open Eye Signal” is a bristling, propulsive eight-minute electronic banger that’s got both visceral and intellectual appeal. If you’re in the mood for some thinking man’s dance music, look no further than Jon Hopkins’ upcoming fourth LP, Immunity. Check out a short collection of samples (set to awesome time-lapse microscopic photography of crystals growing) below.

Editors – The Weight of Your Love (July 2)

UK-post punk group Editors has had a rather troubling album arc, with an aggressive and unique debut LP, followed by an overly ambitious sophomore record and a third-album failure of an electronic experiment. It’s been nearly four years since that third-album flop, and it looks like Editors are ready to drop a true return to form. First single “A Ton of Love” ditches the synths, embraces the group’s guitar roots and channels early U2 and Echo & The Bunnymen in a way that sounds both traditional and innovative. We’ll see if Editors can keep up the fire, but this summer might just show the redemption of a group many (myself included) had simply given up on.