Even more so than on the already impressive Small Medium Large, SML have mastered their own musical language with How You Been.

FKA twigs may have already made 2025 her own with Eusexua, but Eusexua Afterglow is far from an afterthought.

With EVERYONE'S A STAR!, they look back at their early years with an artful honesty, crafting a post-modern boyband album that's as sonically and thematically ambitious as it is fun.

The two lengthy "Sparrow" pieces in the middle of the album are patient meditations that break away from the busier pace of the "Evensong"s. .... The fourth and final part of "Evensong" is earthy and joyous, sounding like a roomful of musicians dancing together and celebrating life, though it appears to be created by a multi-tracked Ellis alone. Ellis' work is perpetually filled with hope, always finding a way through.

Chin Up Buttercup's opening trio of songs is as powerful as anything Austra has released.

Their entire January 31 performance at hometown club First Avenue makes up half the collection, the rest is a grab bag of recordings made during the rest of the year. The former caught them on a good night for sure, it's hard to imagine another band of the time sounding as revolutionary and alive as the guys do here.

The shared lightness of touch among the producers suits Walker's uncommonly exquisite and authoritative voice. While she's still going through it, her artistic power remains undiminished.

The added brightness and clarity given to the songs is a nice upgrade, so is the more compact packaging. Is that enough to justify a repurchase? maybe. It definitely will appeal to Beatles fans who don't have the original versions and that seems like a very good reason for this set to exist.

This juxtaposition of soft-spoken self-examination and cathartic grunge is remarkably effective throughout the album.

Even grappling with mortality, De La Soul retain their eternal warmth and optimism on Cabin in the Sky, crafting a fun, jubilant set of tracks as they process deeper shades of reflection, thoughtfulness, and ultimately, acceptance.

It's defiantly a new kind of experience for the band, one that might surprise fans looking to this revival for kicks, but also one that will thrill anyone looking for a record that sounds like the most contrary, uncompromising, and flat-out punk thing possible in 2025.

It's a fantastic reminder of the side of GbV that's been underrepresented on some of their 2010s/2020s records: their ability to make fun, rambunctious rockers that are easy to sing along to.

Imaginational Anthem XIV: Ireland is yet another indispensible, high quality, revelatory missive from Ireland's bountiful guitar tradition.

Throughout, Spíra's soft, intricate arrangements, earnest vocals, and frequent minor modes give it a quality that's exquisite and haunting at once, making it an excellent entry point to an artist due for rediscovery.

Antibalas have an innate chemistry and musical shorthand that sounds effortless. The heavy parts always hit hard, but the intricacies of their arrangements are what make them consistently interesting.

Long March Through the Jazz Age is a wonderful final statement for Bailey and the Saints: it's reminiscent of their best post-punk work and serves as a reminder for all who may have forgotten that Bailey's skills as a writer and singer were immense.

Memento Mori: Mexico City is one of the stronger live sets in their discography since Devotional, buffered by the strength of the songs on the tour's parent album and the choice to include so many beloved crowd pleasers.

Holo Boy may not be as much of a statement as Box for Buddy, Box for Star, but its charms are undeniable.

The trailblazing Gothic doom group's 17th long-player, Ascension, builds on the gloomy architecture of 2020’s Obsidian, delivering muscular, melancholic melodeath-doom infused with subtle electronic flourishes and lyrics rooted in the cold certainty of mortality.

A stellar effort from both producers, Implosion pushes ambient dub to the limit.

The hollow-eyed confessions of childhood trauma on "Gina" and empty consumption on "The Unwrap" make it clear Sleaford Mods are still masters of bleakness, but it feels less like Fearn and Williamson are fighting their battles alone. They broaden their horizons on "Flood the Zone," joining forces with Liam Bailey.

Courtney Marie Andrews is a first-rate talent, and Valentine shows us she can move in a number of different directions and still deliver something remarkable.

The weird detours and stylistic wanderlust result in an album that somehow makes a lot of sense as a larger statement, with all the dissimilar sounds contributing to a listening experience that demands attention and doesn’t let go once it takes hold.

If you're a fan of Williams, there are no surprises here, just ten more great songs to add to a catalog that might one day get the credit it's due for the pop star's contribution to, what else, Brit-pop.

World's Gone Wrong is an album of its moment that addresses issues that have been with us for centuries, and like a good blues song, they never stop being timely – and worth singing loud and clear, which is just what Williams does here.

A sizeable shift in tone and emotion from 2022's excellent Faith in the Future, this equally-enjoyable release finds Tomlinson on a winning 2020s streak.

By prizing nuance, PVA take a decisive step forward; like the bare, imprinted flesh on its cover, No More Like This leaves a subtle yet lingering mark.

Wounded and graceful, both in its music and messaging, the writer's eponymous album is one for headphones and private moments.