Rarely does it feel extraneous. Instead, it’s quite homogeneous, with certain timbres popping up again and again, underpinned by George Barnett’s commanding drumwork. This single-mindedness coincides with the group becoming a duo again.

While the music loses nothing in its thrilling Afro-electro rhythms and horn flecked grooves, this time it’s delivered with an increased universality as Ibibio Sound System broaden out their lyrical approach to be more direct and questioning, addressing their own community as well as the world at large.

Miss Universe is an intimate record full of personal fears and emotions, but these are of wider, universal relevance. They should resonate with us all.

Occasionally, the lyrics wander into cliché but for the most part, it’s a strong addition to a stellar body of work and another welcome showing from one of music’s most consistent and underrated performers.

Tom Walker’s debut is a perfect representation of him--cheerful, genuine, heartfelt and talented, and as the final notes of his much-awaited record grace your ears, it definitely seems like it’s a great time to be alive.

The innate desire of musical exploration of both artists is clear for all to see on Lux Prima; a complex but ultimately rewarding listen.

Stella Donnelly has an unwavering ability to execute a subtly empowering and relevant record with derisive humour and mischievous wit.

A core message for hope in a fragile world (delivered via singers like Moses Sumney and Tawiah) completes this delicate musical tapestry perfectly, resulting in a quietly triumphant comeback from the British masters.

A bold, tremulous feat, Sucker Punch will leave you floored.

Tastefully pieced together, ‘Jungle’ concludes In A Galaxy with chopped and screwed sound productions and juddering beats, a wholesome way to complete an emphatically creative album.

Fans of Father John Misty, First Aid Kit and Sharon Van Etten are likely to be enamoured.

An album of stunning ambition and outright defiance, Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 1 rips apart everything you know about Foals, a bold transformative work, as inspiring as it is urgent.

This newly three dimensional Little Simz--vulnerable and reflective, while spiky and hard--has produced a crafted project, and it’s one of her best to date.

Overall, When I Get Home is a triumph, and is the kind of album you put on to reach your calming, safe place, when you get home at the end of a long day.

18 thunderous tunes.

Whilst lyrically, it is a portrayal of insecurity and pain, sonically it is a bright, glistening piece of pop magic that merges the quintessential style seen on The Japanese House’s three EPs with new points of exploration that only increases the excitement around this enigmatic superstar-in-waiting.

Whilst it is undeniably their most experimental work, the record listens like an audio representation of Theresa May’s awkward robot-like dancing--confused, cringingly uncomfortable and desperately out of touch.

Eton Alive captures the self-proclaimed “Best Band in the World” as wide-awake as ever, dolloping fun all over their music like it’s Daddies Brown Sauce.

A singular experience, You Will Not Die is a theatrical jewel, the sound of a rich, vital talent moving briskly into the limelight. At times reminiscent of Kate Bush in its sense of performance, ANOHNI in its integrity, or even Marvin Gaye in its soulful, sinewy groove, this is an album to be cherished.

If this is the last we hear from Woman’s Hour then it underlines their formidable creativity; a moving, touching return, Ephyra is the sound of re-constructed glories.

Overall, Head Above Water is a collection of eclectic tracks and done well this could make for an element of surprise that keeps your ears perked in anticipation. Here, however, it makes for sonic inconsistencies that leaves you dissatisfied, wanting the bigger and better things that Avril is definitely capable of.

All in, Unfurl seems a pretty apt name for the album. It’s many layers unfold and wrap themselves around you, like a warm blanket after an invigorating surf.

It’s a self-assured, hook-laden set, and it’s exciting to imagine what they’ll do next as they settle into their roles.

For the most part, all 10 tracks are jam-packed with energy, and captivatingly so.

Driven by a passion to tell real, meaningful stories- without shying away from gritty topics-using their music, Skinny Diet Girl deliver with Ideal Woman a creation that has strong messages encapsulated in a brilliant soundscape.

With no intent on living off of past glories, Burslem and co. are keen to move forward and it shows. It's by no means a perfect record, but it sure sounds like they're setting themselves up for one.

With his debut album he firmly establishes himself as one of the leading lights in UK rap (if there were any doubts), and in a year where some of the scene’s heavyweights are also dropping albums, it won’t be a surprise if AJ’s project is rated as among the best of them by the end of 2019.

This album is a black-belt in terms of song writing and instrumentation... but when McCombs’ lyrics can’t match up, Tip Of The Sphere sounds like it’s limping.

Stuffed & Ready is more of Cherry Glazerr’s successes: the album is raw, desolate, and affecting.

It’s a quietly self-assured and immersive album that should mark out and reaffirm Pratt’s singularity.

Lennox updates that balance struck between squelchy abstraction and clarity, which is--in the main--an immersive experience.

Whilst her lyrical ability is still under question, there’s no doubting her ability to arrange a band and alter the mood and meanings of some undying classics.

A deeply mixed return, then, and perhaps not advisable as your first entry point to his solo work. We all know that Ian Brown can make waves; today he has chosen to make Ripples.

From the very first note Encore is superb, a joyous, addictive experience. Remarkably, it’s everything we’d want from a Specials album in 2019 and more.

Tracks like ‘Swamp and Bay’ bring us punchy indie rock, and ‘Hoax and the Shrine’ give us woeful nursery rhyme acoustics befitting to a reflective train ride in a coming-of-age film. A development for Girlpool, and one of sheer enigmatic bliss.

It’s not a particularly groundbreaking Beirut album, but it is certainly a beautiful Beirut album.

An album which altogether represents a welcome change of direction.

Why You So Crazy? is a mixed bag, but the scales are tipped too far towards the underwhelming. Too much is poorly executed and feels incomplete, with an air of self-indulgence.

There is so much right about this album that it’s hard to criticise: Swindle’s vision to blend different worlds of underground music, together with his choice of features--as well as intriguing changes in pace--are what makes this album great.

While it lacks the untethered aggression of past efforts, there’s a mean underbelly to tracks like ‘Beverly’ and ‘Howl’ that makes up for this.

If you like your music heavy with feels, story and a tangible sense of nostalgia, this is for you. Oberst and Bridgers have created one of those rare collaborative albums that rank with the best efforts of the respective artists.

Collaboration with Rancid’s Tim Armstrong, huh? Sounds right up plenty of people’s streets. But that “sweet spot” (in the main) seems to boil down to some cheesy scratching in amongst the ska pop (see ‘My Name Is Rat Boy’) and Jamie T-style vocals. But all is not lost. The keys of ‘Follow Your Heart’ are dreamy and unexpected.

This album captures an occasionally combustible but largely uncomfortable sound of a previously fearless and pioneering band caught in a crisis of confidence, overriding their own musical instincts to pursue an idealised version of themselves they picture in their own heads.

The world of hip-hop and rap is changing and, while Future’s pattern works well, it becomes slightly repetitive with every listen.

Assume Form isn’t a radical reinvention, but more a refinement. Live strings, for example, bring an organic warmth missing in some of his formative work.

It is so unmistakably Deerhunter without sacrificing any of their mythos or crucial genetic makeup. And we sure can't find any fault with that.

It sticks in the mind for a good while after and just keeps bringing you back in with fantastic production, brilliant pop songwriting and a central personality as easy to like and support as any on the current music scene.

The moments of nu-disco are superb, yet are weighed down by the sometimes-cringey segments of auto-crooning.

Just bask in The Unseen in Between enigmatic glory.

Mason is going from strength to strength, and new album Above the Light is quite possibly the most grandiose thing he has released to date.

A more concise LP that continues LUH's mythos, whilst also branching out sonically, Love Hates What You Become reinforces their necessary purpose. Fearless, life-affirming and without compromise, Lost Under Heaven's future blues have the potential to be a soundtrack of a generation.

While the opening moog throbs of ‘No-One’s Easy To Love’ and ‘Comeback Kid’ are initially distracting coming from an artist once known for her sparse compositions, they quickly blend in to become just another part of the atmospheric scenery that add colour to her widescreen laments.

Nili Hadida’s first foray into solo music is fearless and successfully breaks away from her band dynamic, as it showcases her evolution and experimentation in developing a unique palette of brilliant sounds.

There's clearly a lot of promise here, but drenching everything in reverb and letting blast on the arpeggios doesn't equal a fully realised record. The band's musicianship is certainly accomplished, but the listener occasionally needs a reprieve from its sheer wall of jangle.

Megadoze is a singular and esoteric collection of songs. It works equally well when played at an obscene volume to people giddy with excitement or when you are mooching about town and want to get lost in something to take you mind of the mundanity of urban living, or for that quiet and reflective cup of tea when you get in after a big night out.

While there isn't always a tonne sonically to separate this from Tonra's day job, it must be applauded for its brutal honesty and moments of pure poetry.

The story of Icarus is one of tragedy, but there’s only signs of success within this offering as ZAYN begins the journey to realising his full potential.

It’s the Gaviscon after the turkey dinner; the strategic nap to escape the family. Like the best sort of present, I didn’t know I needed it until it arrived.

This feels like an important record, one that opens up a conversation that has largely been excluded from the mainstream for much too long. Above all this, though, is the sheer marvel of the musicianship, the endless innovation, the continual improvisation that makes My East Is Your West such a surprising, and truly enjoyable listen.

Yes Patti Scialfa joins him for ‘Tougher Than The Rest’ and ‘Brilliant Disguise’, but other than that it’s just The Boss doing what he does best, “To provide an entertaining evening and to communicate something of value”. And in all honesty that’s all we could ask for.

Sinking Into A Miracle isn't for everyone, and it isn't meant to be. If you want to escape down a rabbit hole of enchanting electronic orchestration then this is just the ticket. If not, then maybe give this one a miss.

Whether performing the fabulously jaunty ‘Man Is An Animal’ or the vituperative anger of the title track, Knox is a truly compelling presence.

Meek Mill has definitely earned his place as the people’s champion, and in turn has provided his best album to date.

Overall, the album--filled with as much theatrical swagger as great music--is much more than just a remake as Ferry’s baritone vocals and inventive arrangements make for an album that invokes a lot more than nostalgia; with the ability to attract new fans as well as hold the old.

This record comes on like the voice of a friend, confessional and familiar-- full of small, important reassurances.

The fact that I’m listening to this album on a gloriously balmy afternoon and am getting in the festive mood is testament to Legend’s conviction and the arrangements. However after 14 tracks, it does start to lose its way a bit.

Before its release, Fetti had the potential to be one of the strongest hip-hop albums of the year due to the skilled people involved and it has no doubt fulfilled that promise.

Another sign of the creative ripples emanating from London’s jazz underground, There Is A Place features some stunning playing with an abiding awareness of the power music can hold.

Although not his greatest work to date, Oxnard confirms Anderson Paak at the upper echelons of the hip-hop scene.

It’s romantic, existential, frantic, and disorganised, and that ultimately strange mix of tones, genres, and production all adds into a singular esthetic. Nonetheless, it’s hard to ignore its shortcomings, and it is all too easy to rue what might have been, as there are moments of brilliance here that are too often cut short by an unnecessary lull in artistic reinvention.

After a few listens you get the feeling Art Brut are generally excited to be recording together again. The time apart has done them the world of good, as the enthusiasm they exude is infectious. Argos’ vocals have aged well and now have a warming tone, but the snarky bite still remains.

Phoenix has been four years in the making, waiting in the wings to see the light. And now that it’s finally here, Phoenix is definitely worth checking out.

With tracks produced by Timbaland, Skrillex and DJ Mustard, Carey duly pays homage to the sounds prevalent at different stages of her career whilst remaining fresh and contemporary.

Albarn on Britain is a proven formula, but Simonon, Allen and Simon Tong combine to craft curious twenty-first century folk about curious twenty-first century folk.

Is this new release going to blow any minds? Doubtful. Yet 'Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol 1.' sees these alternative figureheads finding their chemistry once more, whilst opening an intriguing new chapter. They've managed to beat the haters this time, let's just hope things remain cool in the SP camp.

Holy Hell succeeds in pushing Architects’ sound further than ever before. The grooves dig deeper, while the instrumentation is techier.

It’s a plaintive, poetic, and endlessly endearing return, a sign that the acoustic well, while previously untapped, remains brimming with inspiration.

Though its DIY production takes some getting used to, it’s an interesting insight into where Smith is as a songwriter today.

As it stands FM! is little more than a placeholder--an interesting but self-indulgent sketch from an artist who could be creating masterpieces.

Tthese songs are as focussed, refined and honed as anything Spencer has ever done, yielding some of his most infectious guitar lines and arguably some of the finest tracks of his lengthy career.

No Tourists is unlikely to win The Prodigy any new fans but it’s unlikely to upset any existing ones. And really, if rave-influenced industrial dance is your thing, these old heads are still a cut above anyone else out there.

Empress is that rare breed of album that is entertaining and says something worth saying. Once you get past the tight production and bass blips, what you are left with is a way to live your life.

This is an album made by musical artisans, who know exactly how to translate the sound in their heads on to record.

These songs may be scorched with an unavoidable yearning quality, but they find her standing at a new creative peak: ‘The Gypsy Faerie Queen’, co-written with Nick Cave, might rank among the best songs either have written, while ‘Born To Live’, her piano-led paean to departed lifelong friend Anita Pallenberg, speaks of our corporeal impermanence with a calm but unswervingly frank honesty.

Works of art like these elevate us beyond the material world, if only for an afternoon, and for that Holter remains worth her weight in gold.

Melancholy remains the primary colour in Robyn’s work, though it continues to sparkle.

Nao is entirely galactic on this record--there is an omnipresent sensation of otherness throughout the album. Whether it be in the trademark effluvient vocal or in the consistently atmospheric and glistening instrumental, Saturn is spacial.

While she might play it safe as far as messages are concerned--generally exploring relationships--her metaphoric representation of them somehow manage to keep the oft-played theme quite fresh.

While tracks like 'Beautiful Wreck'--springy, satisfying and by no means a misfit within this gripping offering--seems quite bland in comparison to the rest which boasts a bold sound, the album remains fascinating, never misses a beat and keeps you listening through to the end.

Delivered in a soft whisper, with the most minimal of supporting musical infrastructure compared to its studio counterpart, ['Distant Sky'] is immediately tender and transcendent, but devoid of all hope, the addition of Danish soprano singer Else Torp's stirring vocal enough to render even the hardest-hearted individual a bawling mess.

It feels staid, played out, and more than a little boring; despite Ashcroft’s pleas for energy, it feels absolutely zonked out, the wire-thin production helmed by the songwriter himself.

An endearing, and wholesome end for an album so wonderfully content it it’s own bubble.

The production is minimal throughout, often foregrounding Ono’s one take vocals against naive sounding guitar and piano backdrops. Side Two showcases Ono’s childlike side and is much more fun.

A slow burn of an album, Broken Politics artfully cuts through a turbulent, noisy world.

Bunny in its entirety is quintessentially disparate, a fleeting repertoire of the avant, and a keeper of both the nostalgic and the progressive. Matthew Dear is unlike the rest, as he invites us into his cathedral of sounds, and will undoubtedly ‘stick around in the house of your mind’.

Molly Burch’s debut saw her emerge as one of the finest songwriters around, and the follow up only cements that.

It will be fascinating to see where Clark goes next, but in the meantime MassEducation is better than it needs to be, and an interesting reflection on a career defining record.

Darkness Rains exemplifies a modern tap on fun house, whilst dabbling in punk-rock alternatives, with the militant beats and chaotic lyrics, making for a spiritually-driven listen.