On Half A Human, they’ve taken steps to create songs that better reflect their states of mind and, as a result, have uncovered a new confidence and self-assuredness. Regardless of their music’s reception, their changing circumstances, the world at large, they’re right where they want to be.

There is still plenty to cherish here, and no Ryan Adams devotee is going to feel disappointed. In reality, this is likely just another detour in the ever evolving and confusing career of Ryan Adams.

The thematic and musical revamping is impressive, even for a band that seems to enjoy turning itself inside out on a regular basis, but it isn't quite matched by the execution.

The end sensation is one of anticipation, to hear where Eisold goes from here, now that he has made the album he has worked his career for and it is ultimately underwhelming. Thus Cold Cave are stuck with another good album, and are hopefully an album away from a great one.

BANKS still surprises and delights with her unique lyricism, emotive vocals and direct assessments of those who have hurt her alongside herself as an individual. Still, many tracks are damned short and feel like they are lacking necessary bridges to reach their full potential that this album feels quickly consumed and fleeting when we want to stay inside these songs a bit longer.

It's just solid and efficient, a period piece with modern trimmings.

God Forgives is consistently, pleasantly underwhelming: the plodding R&B-rooted efforts aside, there's nothing much to complain about.

On balance, it’s what you’d expect from a Wavves record, hardly revelatory and moderately inconsistent, but packed full of reckless exuberance and fun, hyperkinetic jams to thrash around to that take only a couple of listens tops to get lodged firmly in your head.

Think of Endless Now as a sturdy yet slightly uncertain move forward, but a step in the right direction nonetheless.

Short, sweet, and edgy without being rough, Strange Grey Days is the perfect soundtrack to an afternoon daydream, be it sunny or shadowed, for its lullaby quality if not its stark originality.

Sudden Elevation is her first album entirely in English, and is the result of an escape to a seaside cottage to focus herself on her songs and the concept of the album itself, detailing the way tracks would ebb and flow. As a result she’s created arguably her best work to date.

Pure X have crafted a dream-like (think more Galaxie 500 and less Beach House) tapestry that is as difficult to derail as a freight train once it builds up relative speed.

While there are moments where he undeniably soars, the overall demise feels down to a simple trajectory problem. The calculations are off, and as a consequence Ishibashi has found himself tangled in his own creation, being swept up by the wind, and dropping the grace he once emanated aplenty.

The lightness of touch and tone on The Power of Rocks imbues it all with an easy energy.

Throughout Fly Siifu’s, the duo offer nothing more than a chill rap record, which has highs and lows. It’s a fine record to put on in the background, but a slog to try to focus on, as so much of it blends together with hardly anything to standout in the end.

As commendable as their attempts at exploring different genre’s are, Fol Chen do sound their best at their poppy moments.

An album of pristine beauty and shimmering harmonic structure.

This is a generous, compulsively enjoyable statement, unburdened of commercial pressure in a way that’s all too rare in this numbers game.

Beer has opted for a generally more cohesive sound. While some tracks do run the risk of sounding samey in terms of production, the main strengths of this album lie in Beer’s powerful voice and transparent lyrics.

This may not be a step upwards, but it is a step forward in the overall right direction.

In the end, SOPHIE the record is a fitting tribute to SOPHIE the artist because of how well it highlights the ways in which she can never be replaced.

The music itself feels intentionally designed to juxtapose her own search for belonging, lending it an organic duality.

Songs like “Carpenter” and “Set the Fairlight” have some of that old-school Islands mentality, displaying Thorburn’s ability to write infectious grooves. But these moments are few and far between and easily overshadowed by the homogenous tones of “Natural Law Party” and the flighty “Marble”.

This may be a confused record, but it finds its place through a universal truth it manages to hit: so Skinner can't quite find his way in this world: who among us can?

As a package on its own, Air's Le voyage dans la lune doesn't hit especially hard, but when paired with the historic film, they become a dreamy, fulfilling piece of entertainment and mystery.

The Babies is a worthwhile enough diversion to make me genuinely excited for the next Vivian Girls record, and think that maybe Morby should stay in the spotlight and ask Woods to find a new bassist.

As out of place as the occasional vocals are, the production surrounding them is impressive enough to at least disregard the problems for the short-term.

Instead of charm you've got big dramatic gestures at every turn.