Pale Blue Eyes have clearly worked their socks off, and to produce something that carries integrity in putting to music the nature of reminiscence, all the while working tirelessly to fund it, is commendable. ‘Souvenirs’ is a visceral release of material that bookends the band’s formative chapter, and ushers in the next.

Not terribly experimental then, nor especially genre-hopping, but let's not be sniffy; it's a very likeable cosmic pop record.

A fine piece of work from a criminally-underrated talent.

While it's undoubtedly a solid addition to Sean's catalogue, at the end of I Decided. it's the flows and instrumentals that are left with the listener, having upstaged what Sean is actually trying to say.

‘Electrowavebaby’ is fun but doesn’t seem to add to his sound, while ‘Mr Coola’ feels a little dated. At its best, though, ‘Insano’ can be riveting.

Whilst the Spacebomb country-psych-soul style was an unexpected move away from the pop- infused sounds that lingered in ‘Sweet Disarray’ and ‘Emerging Adulthood’, and not all fans will be best pleased by such a sound progression, the heartfelt and at times pitiful lyrics of his ‘Grand Plan’ is a humbling nod at the inevitability of growing up and branching out.

Fans looking for a haphazard exercise in DIY should revisit the band's earlier effort, but will nonetheless be greatly rewarded by this deftly crafted slacker opus.

Of the two acts, Costello’s pinch of dry spice makes this set more his vehicle to champion, but both show a mutual, practical affinity.

An album free from the shackles of a major label and its consequential rampant commercialism was always going to produce something that didn’t immediately pander to its keg fuelled audience. The surprise is just how well deadmau5 pulls it off.

CULTURE may be limited in its scope, but it delivers in spades everything one might have hoped for from “the Beatles of this generation.”

It might be a lot more po-faced than the insouciant antics of the recent Venetian Snares album (‘Traditional Synthesizer Music’) but it's certainly no less engaging.

Never deviating from course, Sugar At The Gate adds one more stitch to the tightly-wrapped DNA that makes TOPS so immersive and enjoyable, its ten glossy songs bearing all the marks of a band that has taken yet another step toward mastering their craft.

Home walks the fine line between commercial viability and musical integrity with confidence and flair.

For all the PJ Harvey comparisons Calvi will inevitably attract this record is more alternative cabaret than gothic melodrama -- and much better for it.

With a more complex sonic palette than his debut, Mark The Hard Earth contains a number of absolute gems.

IV marks a refinement of the BADBADNOTGOOD sound and as ever is filled to the brim with gorgeous melodies and impressive digressions.

Although SCUM can sometimes feel like the 2017 update of music you’ve enjoyed from the past 20 years, at its best Rat Boy delivers some of the most interesting and exciting moments to come from British music this year.

This is thoughtful music for thoughtful listeners, and it is all the more rewarding for it.

BODEGA’s mantra is “the best critique is self critique” and it is a message that is well conveyed throughout this album.

A project as mystifying at it is engaging.

The record is unmistakably Jónsi, especially with his ‘Hopelandic’ language making several appearances. ‘Shiver’ provides an enjoyable glimpse into Jónsi’s direction, but struggles to balance the tonal dichotomies of abrasive electronic freak-outs and blissful melancholia central to the album’s appeal.

With a hefty 17-track structure, ‘Sugar Honey Iced Tea’ is held together by its towering moments.

While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, ‘Louder, Please’ is a wholly enjoyable record that captures the spirit of the dance floor with unflinching authenticity.

‘Girls – The 2nd Mini Album’ demonstrates an advancement of aespa as artists. It has solidified the group’s creative intentions whilst also illustrating their ability at owning other concepts.

There is so much to unpack here across a myriad of styles from jazz to folk and blues but it all seems to fit the subject at its heart, Dennis Hopper. It may not all work but when it does it is mesmerising.

Rather than escalating, it holds its ground, making it one of Sleaford Mods’ most coherent and controlled releases to date.

Tracks like the Bonobo-esque ‘Green’ are properly lovely, and wholly capture an air of sun-setting, downtempo chill that you’d have to be stony hearted not to enjoy spending time in. If there’s a downside, it’s that a couple of tracks sack off the sense of seductive, textured chill in favour of some prosaic ideas and unfortunate reference points.

Tracks such as ‘Aurelia’ and ‘Feed From The Floor’ harbour familiar macabre theatrics, though this time they feel more matured and far less overwrought than in previous offerings.

Kehlani is most comfortable when she’s her most abrasive and cutting, challenging her counterparts as she glides over Pop & Oak manufactured beats.

Though undoubtedly a beautiful set of tracks, Once Twice Melody suffers from its length – almost eighty-five minutes is hefty for a listen in one sitting – and the occasional clashes in instrumentation and vocals, with sequenced drums and synthesisers taking away from the warmth of Legrand’s voice.

While this is by no means Let’s Eat Grandma’s masterpiece, it’s a welcome development in the journey of an endlessly fascinating band.

Bursting with promise, OK are more than their name suggests.

These are songs for songwriters, beautifully constructed and realised--after a full rotation, it'd be difficult not to fall in love with this album.

By getting back to what he does best, this is a sizeable step in the right direction, with ‘A Modern Day Distraction’ easily his most well-rounded project since his beloved debut.

Each song is different, and the wide-ranging scope is something we haven’t had from a collective since ‘Revenge Of The Dreamers III’ by Dreamville and J.Cole record label last summer.

Over the course of twelve tracks the dual female vocals transport and transcend into beautiful plateaus of heartbreak and hoedowns with a gritty edge unrivalled by their peers.

While this ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ ethos doesn’t always hit, No Sounds Are Out Of Bounds’s jovial attitude towards its own self-existence makes for an endearing listen that’ll no doubt flourish over time.

It’s surprising, but oddly delightful.

Embracing simple yet infectious lyricism, impressive guitars and folksy harmonies, Starkey has created another unadulterated Americana album in ‘Long Long Road’, carving his name deeper into the hall of fame.

‘Actual Life 3’ confidently guides us into an exciting future for UK club culture and encourages us to never forget what we nearly lost.

Fading Love feels like a transitional phase in the producer's journey, an accomplished springboard to launch a more definitive statement of intent next time round.

All Mirrors is a record that is so intuitive and interior, that it feels it could be difficult to penetrate - but it’s one hell of a prize if you give it the chance.

‘I Love You So F***ing Much’ is a bold return from Glass Animals, at times it feels that the concept slightly overpowers the album, but overall it’s a confident and well-crafted album that feels like it could be front and centre of an eclectic sci-fi soundtrack from the eighties.

While not without fault, ultimately ‘Forever’ emerges as a tender salute to Phife Dawg. Six years on, he remains a key aspect of the rap firmament – a light that has not dimmed.

It’s clear Danny is dealing with some demons, but his issues don’t dampen the mood.

The Liverpudlian foursome have by far exceeded expectations with their new, more defined, crisper record.

It must be said that a few of the dance mixes will sound a tad repetitive to modern ears, but what really proves fascinating is the melting pot of influences on display.

Like most King Gizzard records, it runs out of steam in the second half, but when ‘Infest’ rips it rips as hard as some bands who have been making this music for decades. Like the modern thrash revivalists, King Gizzard combine youthful energy with enough of their own inimitable style to make this excursion into the cobwebbed world of thrash fresh and interesting.

With Glorious Foxes has made a pop album that, despite occasionally drifting into melodrama, serves as an enjoyable listen stuffed with genuine pop-gems, sun-baked choruses and enough bite to warrant repeated listens.

Trap Lord is an impressive outing for Ferg and another win for A$AP Mob.

‘Lust For Life, Or: ‘How To Thread The Needle And Come Out The Other Side To Tell The Story’ is infectious, driven by passion and fun, yet built with clear intentions.

Like a virus-ridden PC vainly trying to upload lovelorn messages over dial-up to its neglectful owner, this side-stepping of the usual Hyperdub format is most welcome. We want more.

‘HEROES & VILLAINS’ bursts with ideas, not all of which land. A record that revels in contradictions, it grasps towards the light while framing itself in darkness.

There's no reaching out to new audiences here nor attempts to break ground, just an accessible expression by an artist with the freedom to do just that.

Equal parts entertaining and wide, it finds the rapper coming full circle, only to find himself once more.

At times struggling beneath its own weight, ‘F-1 Trillion’ is a love letter to the genre.

While the sonic compositions across ‘Pain Will Polish Me’ all become familiar, as though riding a common wave, it is Weiss’ storytelling that shines through.

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.

Sacred Paws feel like they have figured out how people listen to music ie. as part of playlists rather than albums, and have set out to write a collection of songs that will fit perfectly into the popular picks in your three minute indie summery vibe playlist, a place where a fair few will nestle in nicely.

Battle-hardened by lengthy tours across the land and beyond, Pale Waves bring that energy into the studio on a crisp, effervescent debut LP.

Despite some angsty missteps, the reverb-soaked ‘Neon Bedroom’ confirms that the band’s talent for transforming the ordinary into the epic remains.

With this seventh album the band have managed to craft a hard hitting and forward thinking record that fuses more traditionalist elements of rock with sounds from genres currently dominating cultural conversation.

It’s immediately likeable, but loses distinctiveness later on.

Green Day have delivered possibly their most immediate album this century and an album that, despite its short length, grows more rewarding with repeat listens.

A beautiful diversion then, rather than an eye-opening reboot or soul-stirring call to arms.

An impressive debut.

Best when he’s corralling others into out-of-their-comfort-zone creativity, it’s the Albarn-sung tracks on the second half of the album where the attention wanders and the album opening Snoop Dogg cameo seems a million miles away. Of course, there’s alot here to take in and maybe it just needs a fair few listens to fully digest it - the sign of any album worth its salt.

Even when she’s not at her best, she displays enough nous and melody to stand head and shoulders above practically all her rivals.

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

A warm, endearing release, Everything Ever Written is a bold and profoundly independent return.

A transitional work that finds the songwriter operating with a subtle sense of evolution, it’s the sound of a supremely gifted young artist finding space to stop, and ask: what not…?

Although the succession of lukewarm tracks early on prevents this from being a flawless debut, Vic Mensa does enough to keep the album an engaging listen even in its misguided moments.

If it feels just a little patchy in places compared to its predecessor, it's hard not to be jerked into life by this band's approach to the dancefloor's dark bidding. Just don't over-think it.

At 13 tracks there is perhaps a little weight that could be shed – at times, ‘Never Let Me Go’ can feel a little indulgent, lacking a certain concise nature, with ‘This Is What You Wanted’ sounding like a flat cousin of Coldplay’s ‘Clocks’. That said, when it hits ‘Never Let Me Go’ is a reminder of how thrilling, and genuinely intoxicating Placebo can be.

The band have managed to capture their live energy with ease here, and in part due to this, and the album's relentless level of glee, it can become a tiring listen. However, one can't help but admire the band's enthusiasm and the gusto in which they've gone for these songs.

It would be wrong to say that this is an enjoyable album, but it is rewarding in its own way.

Thunder Follows the Light is an album that if you take on face value is full of delicate vocals and dreamy melodies, but if you start to dig a bit below its ethereal surface you find something that is incredibly rewarding on repeat listens. This is when the album starts to come into its own and slowly starts to take over your life.

There's still not enough testosterone on display for it to count as one of their very best, but it's not half bad.

Sprawling LA collective Ozomatli return with Fire Away, their fifth full-length to date, and offer another rich dose of positive energy and musical diversity.

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.

Though 'Nowhere Generation' isn’t breaking boundaries, it doesn’t need to. Rise Against have carved out a niche that works for them, and if it aint broke, why fix it?

Crafting a solid set of songs that hold their own among break-out singles is no mean feat, but the Sydney trio have pulled it off--in the main, at least.

While hardly reinventing the wheel with ‘What Do We Do Now,’ J has yet again delivered a set of songs that only an enigma like he could.

Short and to the point, ‘L.A. Times’ is a succinct example of Travis’ musicality. A mixed bag, it’s held together by feverish energy, and some of the band’s mainstays – the emotional curiosity, the willingness to think outside the box, and those empathetic vocals. A real charmer.

Even with its compact 10 tracks, however, not everything here connects. ‘Think U The Shit (Fart)’ is juvenile in a manner she feels beneath her; the way ‘Gimmie A Light’ crunches that Sean Paul sample feels a little naff – at least until the production cranks it up a notch. There’s enough here, however, to display why so much attention is place on her name.

What ‘The Line Is A Curve’ teaches us is that Tempest is still capable of tremendous feats of lyricism and dynamic storytelling; if its inconsistency feels a little frustrating at times, it’s perhaps testament to the flow that bound together previous records with such success.

This is Westside’s last studio album, it seems like he wants to try other avenues and go out on a high, and while it’s not his best work, it’s the defiant idiosyncratic outlook of one of hip-hop’s most iconic upstarts with all the deserved cockiness of someone who never fell off under pressure to cater to a wider audience.

It’s this ability to navigate the humour among heartbreak, that makes Lime Garden so endearing to listen to.

Despite a disappointing and fatigue inducing third act, standout tracks such as ‘Careful’, ‘Big Things’ and ‘Step Ahead’ reveal a level of innovation beyond mere nostalgia.

Tribal chanting and desert parties meet drum machines and electrifying guitar riffs in an album that is consistently inventive, mesmerising and incredibly danceable.

Chugging and thunderous, Stefanski’s debut set as Raffertie is self-assured: an expertly stitched quilt of textures.

some of Doherty’s lyrics are very... peculiar.... But even the weird lyrics merely add charm to this impressive return.

Locating solace in his craft, Gunna pushes himself to the limit on an album that somehow finds focus amid the chaos

Love is where the album falls short of delivering--containing most of the pre-release singles and the mainstream Clean Bandit collaboration ‘Baby’--there are few moments where it feels like the signature Marina. ... The Fear half of the album is riddled with concern and confusion about life itself and the darker emotions that come with it. Opener ‘Believe In Love’ sits near the top of Marina’s most captivating songs.

A sobering state of the world address spoken with street eloquence and education, W.A.R. resumes Pharoahe's talismanic dictation above a packed battalion of guests as a failsafe spectacle.

Much like Philadelphia’s Hop Along the group have managed to infuse occasional explosions of guitar with an emotive heart too often missing from the scene. It’s big, it’s clever, it’s Big Thief.

This, their second has already topped the charts over in the US. Why? Well, it's exuberant, bratty and crushingly relentless.er been so fun.

Overall there is a distinct retro vibe to City Club. Most of the tracks possess a nostalgic groove which wouldn’t render them out of place in an episode of the enigmatic Twin Peaks