86TVs are a band whose debut album is the sums of its parts; whose formidable past endeavours including The Maccabees have helped cultivate a distinctive sound today which promises to deliver more in their bright future ahead.

To be clear this is far from a melancholy album, in fact it is more melodic than their EPs, but still retains the very essence of Humour, with their vividly unique view of the human condition.

While there are moments where the concept of ‘Parasites and Butterflies’ is stronger than its execution, this is still a stellar outing for Nova Twins, once more establishing themselves as a vital and thrilling voice in the rock scene.

An assured work framed engrossing ideas.

On ‘Irreversible,’ Brigitte Calls Me Baby has emerged with a maturity that encapsulates the timelessness they have been honing all along.

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

Tales Of Us is relentlessly one note but frequently beautiful, and a welcome change from the theatrics of its immediate predecessor, 2010’s ‘Head First’.

An album which altogether represents a welcome change of direction.

Two years spent reconstructing and re-dubbing has clearly paid off for the pair; an essential for all the late-night dub heads out there.

Still in place is their frenetic rushes of sonic trickery, but most notably the band have relaxed a little and even got a little funky.

Please Be Mine will go down as a hugely self-assured debut offering from one of indie’s most promising new acts.

It’s note-worthy how fresh and vivacious ‘Man’s Best Friend’ sounds.

The North Borders is a triumph--each listen is a revelation; seemingly it’s a breadth of work that marks a new, exciting era of electronic music.

This a confident debut album, one fuelled by a palpable sense of intentionality. If this is the next wave of shoegaze, then the legacy of my bloody valentine, Slowdive et al is in creative hands.

Boasting 17 tracks and 78 minutes of music, ‘STAR LINE’ is a feast from start to finish. A record that points to his breadth, certain aspects – the torpid ‘Tree’ featuring an out-of-form Lil Wayne – don’t quite resonate. That’s fine, though: there’s more than enough here to drown out the noise.

Even if there are occasional flirtations with bland daytime soul sludge, Mr. Strickland Banks is a welcome addition to Ben Drew's beguiling set of alter-egos.

By releasing a debut with such honesty at its core Lianne will find a nation falling in love with her.

An album that never fails to take you off guard with each new song. The end result of that frenetic time in California shows how a change of pace can create magic; this is Sylvan Esso’s best album yet.

Ronson’s ability to tap into each artist’s strengths and dig out their particular prowess allows each voice to shine through and own each individual track. This is what elevates the record to a guaranteed award winner and a truly empowering listen.

From opener ‘Cheap Talk’ onwards, this is never anything but the purest DFA1979, served flaming hot. Which was just fine back when--but it’s definitely a disappointment to not hear the band even hinting at an expansion of their stripped-raw sound, just deep-groove bass and heavily hit drums.

A riveting, vastly effective display of his generational talents, The Weeknd uses this broad canvas to assert the multi-faceted aspects of his pop genius. Unafraid to plumb the depths of his emotions, there are also straight-forwardly fun, explicitly pop moments. For all its undoubted complexity, it’s also an incredibly open record.

This is what we have come to the expect from Eno’s ambient endeavours, and it remains as beguiling and original as ever.

The Scene Between is a happy remedy to a cynical industry and scary, un-groovy world. One listen and you'll be transported back to your teens--when some sunshine and a little dance would cure all.

The complete departure from Weezer’s usual formula of distorted electric guitars and pop rock will almost certainly be divisive amongst the band’s incredibly dedicated fanbase. But ‘OK Human’ undeniably contains some of the Weezer’s catchiest songs Weezer have put out in their entire career.

With this album they’ve perfected their journey of the last decade of connecting with their musical past while pointing a way towards the future.

Sure, it's not all killer.... But still, this is AC/DC: an unstoppable volcanic force, a group that seems to weather every obstacle placed in its way.

Peter Katis’s production can at times strangle the band’s live thrash.

It’s a record that will make you smile and swoon as it burrows its way into your heart. A triumphant return.

What first seems impenetrable and maybe even pretentious reveals itself to be a rich and detailed tapestry, full of colour and emotion.

It’s not always entirely successful and moments of cliché are peppered across this album, but the moments of success are plentiful and Ali Shea’s distinctive voice ensures that Daydream is an endearing statement of intent.

‘Love Chant’ takes time to sink in, but it grows on the listener with every return.

‘What an enormous room’ is an amalgamation of its title: an expansive collection of tracks, difficult to define, but somehow remains undeniably TORRES.

As with all their output, ‘Ohio Players’ is a few tracks longer than necessary (the cover of William Bell’s ‘I Forgot To Be Your Lover’ is superfluous) but otherwise finds the duo in spirited form.

The result is utterly stunning.

There is a deep sadness to every song here, Shah’s first studio set one that will either make you sink into a shadowy pool of darkness, or allow you to reflect upon your own sorrows in a melancholy reverie.

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

Five ravishing down tempo moments, ‘Life On Earth’ is a pivotal transmission from the R&B artist, one that is heavy on aesthetic sensuality and lyrical emotion, which dipping into varied points of inspiration.

Although both ‘Monument’ and ‘Terrain’ were made in the space of six months, the albums are as different as night and day. If 'Terrain' is the stream of consciousness after three glasses of wine, 'Monument' is the sharp energy welcomed after a detox.

Refulgent in tone, gorgeous in execution, the new album lingers on matters of the heart – a full four different songs have ‘love’ in the title. Still, nobody does it better.

Big layers of instruments dual with and complement each other via weird time signatures, and inspired, complex riffs that sound like they’re scoring a car chase from a cult Seventies film, mixed with bursts of electronic futurism--perhaps best displayed on the album’s title track--a manic, brilliant piece of instrumental songwriting that shows Jaga Jazzist to be at the top of their game.

Another ambitious statement from a band that has made a habit of reinventing themselves at every stage, while still, somehow, sounding uniquely like Liars.

Easy on the ear yet hard on the heart, Aidan Knight has delivered something very fine indeed.

Billie Marten delivers a pragmatic album that explores the equilibrium between her positive and negative outlooks on life, whilst confirming that being preoccupied with our own contemplation is and will forever be an ongoing process of the human condition.

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 undeniably interesting, but here’s hoping the clever USP doesn’t lessen the record’s staying power.

‘Idlewild’ is undoubtedly the strongest album of their second arc, a release that in any just world would gain plaudits and laurels at every turn.

The sugar coated melodies and lush production give ‘Finally Over It’ a frictionless feel this time round, but Walker’s aching monologues keep things grounded in reality.

With such grand ambitions achieved, great music produced, and a five year journey concluded and justified, Morricone would be proud: Rome was well worth the wait.

Diamandis is using her music to discover who she really is. That said, by the end of Froot, we're still none the wiser.

There are enough moments of musical eclecticism here to suggest that Built On Glass is his solid starting point, rather than a definitive statement.

Often melodically startling, the work contained therein feels close to definitive – if you’ve ever thought to explore their work, but not had the chance, this is the perfect entry point.

There are a few moments that feel oddly dated or too by-the-numbers, but otherwise, this is an engaging return from the gothic dance-rock four-piece.

The trio’s self-titled debut album sounds like the first airing of lost classic rock record, with a tonality redolent of tube amps and smoky studios. ... A bold and surprising statement of purpose and intent.

We get a less focused effort, with peaks and troughs in its quality. Yet the best tracks off the album are better than any of the band’s previous work. It’s just a shame that the weaker songs fall below the standard The 1975 set for themselves.

Cloud Control's debut is making an early play for the feel-good record of 2011. There are more hooks in Bliss Control's thirty-nine minutes than in Captain Birdseye's entire fleet.

In the end, LP 2 is the sound of a band taking everything that’s worked so far and refining it with style, taste and precision.

With titles like ‘Carpathian Darkness’ and ‘Weeping Ghost,’ this latest set is a must-listen for both fans of ‘The Fog’ and those who love their instrumental music dripping with malice and danger.

Sadly, co-producer Rick Rubin’s minimalist philosophy stifles many of the tracks. ... When the album does decide to break free, however, the results are stunning.

This is her strongest set of songs since 2000's 'Faith And Courage'.

Whilst it could be easy to turn up your nose to the fact the instrumentals may be relatively straightforward, the magic of The So So Glos truly lies in their witty lyricism.

It’s a bit less frenetic than previous material, but across ten songs Thomas leaves his unmistakeable sonic signature with auteur-like precision.

The result of her personal awakening is an album that is cathartic, tender and heartbreaking in equal measure.

The band’s blend of baroque and alternative rock, sounds immense live and this show has rightly been selected as a testament to that. This is also a perfect bridge to whenever the group release their next material and with 21 tracks is somewhat of an early Christmas present for the band’s legion of fans.

The end result is something that feels both familiar and oddly generic, a set of Lucy Dacus covers performed by Lucy Dacus herself that somehow still leaves out the most vital elements.

Romance Is Boring is another step up for the Cardiff seven-piece; avoiding the shoutier, brattier elements of debut ‘Hold On Now, Youngster...’, the band bring to their latest effort a much darker atmosphere, with similarly desperate lyrics.

Go To School is a highly ambitious album and some may be wary of the concept, however, if you unpack it, there’s a touching tale within that can resonate with all.

Across its 14 tracks, Fingers, Bank Pads & Shoe Prints twitches with endless inventiveness and energy, finding Boo tinkering with vocal snatches as frequently as he skews the beats into ever-more queasily unusual formations, drawing from soul, soundtracks and classic dance music along the way.

Although refreshing, visceral and completely understandable--when listening to the whole LP, the political themes are occasionally overwhelming.

The entire album is a beautiful assemblage of the ways we hurt, how we fall short, how we rise and how we begin again. There is a captivating dizzying quality when you listen, as if Salvat is transporting us to the inner bindings of his heart. There is inertia and there is quiet in the unraveling of the emotional.

Although ‘Present Tense’ leans on the cumulative distance between its collaborators as its primary subject matter, it generates a distinct vacuity within the record.

It’s cinematic and magical and stands as some of Fionn’s most captivating and compelling work to date.

With only one relatively short album used as a basis for the comp, there’s some repetition over the course of the deluxe edition’s tracklist. It’s a relatively small squabble, though, an unavoidable conceptual one. ‘Mixes Of A Lost World’, for the most part, is a varied, refreshing listen.

It might not cut as hard and sharp as Van Etten, but her careful lullabies ooze with enough steady sadness that when the light finally does break through, typically via bubbling layers of instrumentation doused in near shoegaze-ready echo, the result really is akin to soaring above the pines.

There are a few misses, however. ’Do The Romp’ is sheer bar room bluster, while ‘Coal Black Mattie’ seems to stray too far into the line of being merely copyist. Yet when it works, it certainly works – potent and atmospheric ‘Delta Kream’ undoubtedly has its heart in the right place, while the core material stands as some of the most addictive elements of modern blues songwriting.

This album as a whole is without doubt greater than the sum of its parts, but it just so happens that those parts comprise one of the most intriguing production collectives in the industry, and arguably the most unique MC that this country has to offer.

This release feels infused with self-assurance and pride, merging know-how and passion with a strong vision that only seems to get bolder with each release.

It is a tremendous debut and the quality is beyond question.

The Russian five-piece move so defiantly through their debut the resulting radiance sings of a group unshackled by their limited means.

Black Rainbow Sound is an album that shows a band in flux. The songs sounds bigger and more articulated. Menace Beach are using a larger musical palate and it mostly works.

While it might not possess the anodyne lyrics of generic chart mush, the similarities are disturbingly discernible. Thankfully, such moments are in the minority.

Mostly, Before We Forgot How To Dream reads a little like a portrait of Bridie's hero Joni Mitchell as a young artist: irreverent, observational and soulful.

A group at their preening, pouncing best, ‘Songs For The General Public’ offers a full 360 view of the D’Addario bros. creativity.

Modern music can often be accused of being so predictable and so formulaic that you’d be forgiven for expecting Hakim to churn out a new record without taking a hint of a ghost of a chance – but ‘WILL THIS MAKE ME GOOD’ is a thrilling, timely reminder that true art shines brightest when it emerges from the darkest skies.

In its length and scope, there’s a feeling here of witnessing H.E.R. in 360 – panoramic R&B that more than justifies the wait, a sumptuous, multi-faceted jewel that seems to reveal fresh colour with each play.

Cyrus conveys a jaunting and heartening honesty throughout her lyrics as she reflects on love, guilt, addiction and the business of breaking hearts. In a year shrouded by isolation and starved of social interaction, where individuals have been forced to discover the unexpected joy of solitude, “Plastic hearts” might just be the soundtrack to through this journey as you embark on your very own Rocky-esque beast mode montage of shameless self-empowerment.

The bared teeth and balls that made PABH so loveable in the first place are still splattered all over Blood, but for the first time it sounds like they have a plan.

Luckily her jaw-dropping vocal capabilities are enough to maintain a consistently thrilling album, and it’s this that makes Careless People worth the wait.

By focussing in on softer deployments of electronics and more subtle processing, and staying resolutely in an ambient soundworld, Art In The Age Of Automation does feel comparatively safe; well turned-out and nicely polished, but generally risk-free in execution.

Tycho never loses sight of what he is known for: the skillful mastery of crafting brilliant ambient soundscapes from bare computer programs. And believe it or not, his sound here is that much more captivating.

Overall 'Self-Surgery' bristles with promise rather than complete realisation. As a raw one-off release it’s a breathless listen; the hope is, though, that the duo may return and build on this project in the future.

Whilst there are still shades of James’ jangly indie-pop in parts, this album takes the band into a new sonic adventure where you hear lo-if leanings and pumping club beats.

A hodgepodge LP bound skillfully by the starry-eyed aestheticism he's become so fond of lately.

A step forward in terms of production and vision, but no doubt at quite a personal cost to Lukid.

Mosquito is a much-needed return to the days of ‘Fever To Tell’ and ‘Machine’--it embraces the band’s early, reverb-heavy sound but also tips its hat to the dance feel they’ve been honing in recent years.

Not Real proves a fun set--but whilst you can't help but admire Stealing Sheep for evolving their sound, with a few track tweaks it could have been an evolution which went so much further.

While the comedown is expertly managed, one begins to pine for the glossier touches which Molleson clearly excels at. Nonetheless, it’s an album brimming with vigour and ideas from start to finish, and likely set to be one of the UK’s most engaging debuts this year.

Everywhere ‘the rest’ feels less collaborative than ‘the record,’ and more about celebrating the three of them as friends.

It’s one of their strongest of the 2020s and across their 25-year career.