Earthy, enigmatic and possessed of a refreshing lightness of touch.

It’s a huge record, a panoramic thriller that places three incendiary MCs against a digital orchestra – an ambitious, lavish, and extraordinarily successful release.

This is pretty simple club music solely about the 'now' of dancing. And that can only be a good thing.

The second album from this mysterious French/Finnish indie-folk duo is every bit as eclectic and unexpected as the first.

An intriguing if not fully formed experiment, ‘Fear Of The Dawn’ is a defiantly un-Jack White statement, transgressing his role as a traditionalist in favour of something less logical. Packed with nervous energy, its haphazard dash to the finish line is nothing if not fascinating.

What it lacks in ambition, it more than makes up for in songwriting.

A fine line between unpredictable flair and china shop bull.

The withdrawals into ambient cusps test something of a pleasure-pain theory, and to Shed's credit the bombshells rarely follow the same pattern - a four-by-four here, a hop and skip there, seeing him scooping up arenas with a tremendously powerful iron fist.

What might be the most understated and confident album of the summer.

One for the long drive ahead as you watch the white lines get consumed by the night.

With only a few elements, Kowton crafts expansive, diverse compositions that, while still being functional, take the idea of the dance floor in novel directions.

Between Waves is an album created by a man who knows what he’s doing; and that’s the problem. He could create satisfactory albums till the end of days, but he’ll need to rip up the rulebook if he’s to grab people’s attention in this fickle age.

A record that raises as many smiles as it does questions, The Courtneys channel more wit, fun, humour, and intelligence into The Courtneys II than most bands manage in their entire discography. Go seek it out.

Krept and Konan end up sounding like features on their own songs.

Diverse talents are woven together with ease by a man with an encyclopaedic knowledge of how music can affect us. The end result is something truly special.

It seems The Aces have achieved their goal however, to escape the indie clichés attached to pop bands using guitars, and have created a fully-fledged pop scorcher.

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

‘What You Gonna Do When The Grid Goes Down?’ isn’t without its flaws. Sitting very much in their own lane, the group prefer to finesse – rather than overhaul – their sound, and as a result it can sometimes veer into the predictable. That said, Public Enemy never once let the energy drop, their raw sense of purpose intact.

Frothy, neon-soaked entertainment, ‘Future Past’ – when it works – is a blast of ridiculous 80s themed fun.

Overall ‘Barn’ is a solid Young and Crazy Horse album. The songs a layered with all that good stuff you want a Crazy Horse album to have. Crunching guitars. Laconic acoustic numbers. Mournful harmonicas. Catchy choruses and a sense of urgency. While this isn’t a classic Neil Young and Crazy Horse album it’s pretty close.

The combination of having finely crafted compositions and a relatable, poetic voice is effective.

A body of work dotted with pop anthems tied together by poetic, angsty lyricism.

All in all, ‘Henry St.’ is the type of cozy album you’d stick on your record player on a rainy Sunday and is a strong comeback from The Tallest Man On Earth indeed.

Future Islands’ fans will find plenty to love with this album, with some of the songs here already instant favourites and others feeling like some of the best, most fully realised of their career thus far.

It is a coming-of-age record that evidences Abbie’s musical and personal growth and announces her as one of the country’s most exciting new indie pop songwriters.

Recorded across Paris and London, the blend of cultures bleeds into the debut’s roots, lacing bilingual lines with effortless Parisian confidence and the harder-edged energy of London’s clubbing scene.

‘Masquerade’ is a compelling, richly textured and beautifully crafted record that lands with real urgency and vitality.

At their best though, Junip’s exotic folk gems have a slow-burning charm and are an impressive step forward from Gonzalez’s easy listening cover versions.

In ‘Honora’, Flea has found a way to redefine his humble musical roots, far from a vanity project, it’s a deeply considered, richly textured body of work.

[A] remarkably consistent debut.

The album as a whole is smooth, straightforward, and well-ordered, and bears lyrics that are an ode to both Goswell’s and Clarke’s musical genius.

With the cool-o-meter currently set at all things synthy and coldwave-y, Austra look set for big things.

The Gothic undertones of the previous two albums have been slightly toned down, but not that much, and this time they also manage to rock out with some more bluesy and electric tracks.

Experimental production combines with soulful pop here, as we see Jordan Rakei is at his brightest and boldest.

In short, though this is a completely new face to Goat, a deeper, richer exploration of their abilities, it’s not a complete departure.

Dodge and Burn is a sassy ball of madness coming at your ears at 120mph and, while it might not be the most together record these peeps have recorded, it succeeds due to its pure will to do so.

Celebratory to the bone, the tenth Foo Fighters recording adventure is a bit like finding yourself on the best rollercoaster ride in town on a hot summer day, joyously terrifying in places, it ends well. Quite frankly, at this point in time, there is a strong need to connect with moments of such enjoyable intensity.

Lee ... continues his proclivity for sonic innovation with a plethora of funky grooves and drum lines - with no loops in earshot. AM's psychedelic guitar licks, basslines and vocals underpin an overriding '60s vibe.

If ‘Sistrionix’ was Deap Vally as a brooding teenager, Femejism is the more grown up and wiser young adult. Strong and independent, it has just realised that it doesn’t need to impress you, regardless of the immaculate construction that can’t help but bowl you over.

At this stage Warpaint still have their boots in two camps: the icy cool of their indie heritage and the open-hearted joy of the kind of music they clearly want to make. As the album progresses the vibrancy that decorates its first half starts to brown.

Delicately beautiful, this is a real trip.

It has moments of great assurance, where drums, strings, and vocals are heavily foregrounded, making it perhaps the most solid or opaque soundscape of the band’s entire career. ... And whilst it is doubtless an exciting prospect to finally hear the work in full and professionally produced, the elusive nature of this work has now dissipated.

It didn’t matter where it was, this writer and many other listeners have been able to get away from their troubles, even if just for a moment, and take a moment to breathe, and listen to this beautiful album.

Refined, and dangerously decadent.

Teeth Dreams is the New Yorkers’ burliest record to date, less feel-good and chorus-driven than previous efforts, but there’s still much to love

[Patience] boasts several colourless, uninspired tracks.

The LA foursome’s second LP, Warpaint, is as devastatingly brooding as ever.

Far from an ill-advised sideways movement for its maker, from production to rhymes, Rap Album One finds a well-deserved home within Stones Throw’s prestigious catalogue.

Unfortunately, with much of the record polished to a dull gleam, there’s little else that succeeds in rising above a pleasant but otherwise unremarkable album.

[Wonky has] not improved on any of their previous work. They are merely chasing the shadows cast from their own trademarked head torches.

A bit of editing and self-control, and this could have been one of the albums of the year.

Foreverland embraces the clichés and largely follows a formula. Certain subject matter and song titles perpetuate a particular illusion and the middle of the road radio play has trickled in according to plan.

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.

The rollercoaster ride of his delivery makes it an enjoyable experience rather than a textbook headache.

Despite the more upbeat sound to 'Bite Mark' TRAAMS ensure they still pack enough punch to really sink their teeth into their slightly frenzied and disheveled (but completely hooked) listeners.

This record sounds like every catchy guitar song you've ever heard.

The major success of ‘The Dream of Delphi’ lies in how Khan communicates with her daughter, which can resonate with many people.

Sometimes its hard to separate the art from the artist, but Lily Allen has once again drawn upon brutally honest and painfully raw experiences from her own personal life to create an all-encompassing and emotive sonic journey that keeps your finger firmly on the repeat button. Absolutely nothing to be ashamed of here.

Despite the continuing theme the mixtape is no way disappoints, exuding a level of excitement and appreciation of a body of work that Erykah display’s both through music and her own style.

It’s truly miraculous that this experience formed in just eight days of work, and the engrossing journey passes by just as fast - if you survived the voyage, you’ll be pressing repeat immediately.

Parastrophics is mischievous and atomised techno pop for listeners who think they've heard it all.

The Hundred In Hands manage to create mesmeric tracks of monolithic noise and danceable beat.

Her new music sounds way more nuanced, as if Margaret has learned to work on another level of detail and to find deeper meaning in small, insignificant words. This brings her vocal comeback closer to the approach of another maestro of layered lyrics and sonics – Phoebe Bridgers.

‘Prestige’ is an album guaranteed to soundtrack some upcoming sunny days, imbued with fun and genuine passion in equal measure.

The Foo Fighters return in defiant fashion with an album that refuses to let up from start to finish.

Some good, many passable, a few questionable, to say the least. There's plenty here to pick out and enjoy, and that's all that will matter when the single songs are playing in your pocket, but after all the gems the label has given us over the years, 4AD deserved something better.

She imparts yearning with such controlled restraint and lightness of touch it’s sublime.

Arrowing down to depths that the naked ear cannot make out, Phon.O can lift you.

Marrying a bewildering array of influences, Shaker Notes presents a probing, unified voice on what could well be White’s finest album to date.

Though it might be lacking in the amount of quintessential indie floorfillers that we’ve come accustomed to with Peace, Kindness Is The New Rock And Roll shows progression.

Folk textures such as these can sometimes fail to stand out, but Williamson’s powerful vocals practically beg for attention. Either way, even if the idea of country influences doesn’t sound the most appealing, there’s something so alluring about Williamson’s serene tunes that it’s a worthwhile and lush listening experience.

Touches of R&B, the nostalgic beats and the impeccable harmonies that the four produce offer comfort with their familiarity and still manage to feel progressive with the 2020 take on these classic elements of an iconic music era. ... Near perfect pop production.

‘The Alchemist’s Euphoria’ is arguably one of the most daring, cohesive bodies of work that Kasabian have rendered to date; it demonstrates that when it comes to evolving, all it takes is courage, innovation and a dose of pure alchemy.

Bold, confessional and full of vulnerability, the Liverpudlian quartet serve up poetry amidst the pain with a stellar offering of euphoric resilience.

There is plenty to admire in the sound and structure, sounding far from a copy of the members’ previous groups. Each member is afforded opportunities to shine, it will be fascinating to see the longer-term trajectory of the project.

More an album that demands repeated listens, at times creates confusion, and juts from one influence to the next. Tatum’s record collection is clearly solid, and now he can again add one of his own to it.

Bombay Bicycle Club’s time away has propelled the band to a new plane of compelling sophistication, where musically and thematically they have evolved to create a beautifully profound and stunning soundscape full of promise and self-examination.

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.

A fine balance has been struck--along with no little gold.

While it has fewer standout moments than Squeeze and self-titled debut SASAMI, there are still moments of beauty.

The group stated they wanted to get back to basics and make a ‘good time record’, they’ve easily succeed, but Stiff also offers a band who continue to push their influences and have gigantic amount of energy left in the tank.

Valtari is glistening, subliminal and sounds as if it's balanced on a falling raindrop.

Overall, a pleasantly harmless album with some clear highlights. However, it will be interesting to see how the US singer varies her work as she begins her solo career.

The band's insistence on shouty, over-the-top moments like 'Pacific Time' or 'Mr. Wrong' still grates, but this is offset by the likes of 'City Storms', 'Summer Of Chances' and 'Different Angles', which possess some of the most urgent pop hooks and catchy anthemic choruses The Cribs have ever delivered.

Without a doubt, ‘Only The Strong Survive’ exemplifies Springsteen’s unfaltering commitment to top-notch musicianship and production.

Not an essential listen, perhaps, but one that will fascinate and intrigue fans.

The end result is immensely listenable, and so goddamn fun.

In short, it’s a low-key gem.

At the heart of this record overriding percussive elements claw their way to the forefront and this matched with Ditto’s smooth but commanding voice is a winning formula.

A more immersive, majestic and ultimately engaging release than album one.

Clocking in at 56 minutes, Primitives doesn’t overstay its welcome by overreaching yet it shows that Bayonne has more tricks up his sleeve, which he should easily be able to demonstrate in his live shows.

Across its 10 tracks, the album focuses more on the complete experience than unexpected instances of sidestepping intrigue.

Everyone will have their own favourites. It’s just a blessing that picking one will prove so difficult.

The album perhaps sags a little in towards the later stages--weighed down by the claustrophobic washes of sound. But as a whole, it compliments the rest of their back catalogue well.

The spark of unpredictability that defined his previous records is sadly lacking.

Herring’s blessed baritone vocals teamed with their trademark bittersweet synth and hefty baselines will continue to make for decent, honest albums for as long as the four-piece please, but the introduction of a faster, lighter tempo in tracks like ‘The Painter’ and ‘Hit The Coast’ could mark the beginning of a much-needed dive into uncharted musical waters.

It’s a staunchly creative gesture, defying the pressure of the outside world for a project which thrives on internal desires, and the power of autobiography at any cost.

‘2000’ is a distinctly Joey Bada$$ project, although it doesn’t necessarily tread entirely new conceptual grounds, the spaces it does occupy are well thought out and exceptional for a reason. This album is another brilliant example of why Joey Bada$$ is such a powerhouse in hip-hop.