Coldplay's electronic excursions may be more cerebral and less embroiled than those of Thom Yorke's continued influence on Radiohead, but their progress is to be applauded, for this is an excellent album with depths unexplainable within this word count.

‘Caos’ is an arresting, if imperfect, scream from the heart.

The Golden Age ultimately comes across as try-hard penthouse party than wild warehouse rave.

Evelyn offers up the wiles and wisdom of a neighbourhood good guy, or more accurately, the distinction of an original Warp beat sage, providing contented listening caught lacing up a shelltoe.

9 Dead Alive demonstrates amazing talent, then--but the ideas and theme, as a whole, are a bit samey.

At times this record appears confused and lackluster but its solid moments show GIRLI’s capability at being a rebellious and riotous pop star--qualities that were so prominent on her early singles.

Devoted followers of Miles Kane and fans of indie music will undoubtedly revel in this fifth offering, undoubtedly finding exhilaration through its live interpretations. But beyond that, it falls short of finding a remarkable status.

With the obvious potential fully realised, 'Improvisations’ could have become an instant cult classic, but in this raw, rushed and unfinished form it is hardly anything more than a collectible item for curious die-hard fans.

Outrage! finds them actually enjoying the process of writing and experimenting with the potent formula they concocted back at the start of the millennium.

Largely shorn of the gloss which took him to stratospheric heights, it’s little more than man and guitar. The results are affecting, but – and this remains Ed Sheeran, after all – not devoid of schmaltz.

It is an interesting concept -that could have become a beacon for the perspectives of (male) feminists in music- that failed because it was executed poorly a few too many times.

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.

With lyrics that can make you laugh out loud and beats that reach the feet, Barnes has managed a careful balance between sheer absurdity and moments of genius.

Literate and honest, it doesn’t always connect, yet with 90 minutes of music to explore it’s a project that demands time and patience to truly absorb.

It doesn’t always succeed, at times feeling too shallow for it to be as impactful as Mendes intended it to be. But when it succeeds, there’s no flaw to be picked out and for that it’s worth a listen.

Outer ventures further into this new realm with an even more polished sound that doesn’t shy away from the cheesier moments. Still, the duo’s effortless delivery of multiple styles wrapped in one tight package remains very compelling.

Beady Eye are at the beginning of their own musical adventure - DG,SS, though hardly full of surprises, is a compelling way to start.

This is principally a marriage of simple, forlorn fretwork and O’s deliciously otherworldly vocals: impossibly, she manages to sound simultaneously seductive and indifferent; emotive yet also strangely detached.

Far from breaking new ground, Through The Green is still standing on top of the hill revelling in the view, yet when you've got this much groove you don't need to prove much.

It's not a difficult or aloof album, but there is a cool precision that feels different to the choppy punkiness of old.

He’s managed to transcend his previous efforts via the scaling up the sonics and simply maintaining the quality of this excellent record.

It’s precisely this collection’s dry, detached, robotic angles that appeal.

It’s a fine collection of intimate, slow-burning, understated songs.

Sadly, this lack of innovation seriously dampens those moments of electronic beauty.

These 11 pieces are grand and ambitious.

A quietly seductive album that's atmospheric, sometimes melancholic, but often beautiful.

This time, reckless abandon is replaced by forced jollity and the vibe turns from head trip to school trip.

They’ve created something quite distinct from their former work. In this regard, Relaxer places them firmly back on track.

At times ‘Kaiser Chiefs’ Easy Eighth Album’ feels uneven and grating. However, the band should be applauded for their risk taking and sonic shift and there’s no doubt that the album performed live will be full of the energy and polish that is synonymous with their shows.

This is an enjoyable blend of ballads (‘58 BPM’), funked-out euphoria and even a satire of dance music pretension (‘Ten Minutes’)

A rejig and a little more fire could have elevated this collection to something that’ll get the heart racing.

His distinctive songwriting style remains, yet it’s the addition of piano, beats, sax and electronic production that gives 'Gratitude' a production sheen most fans may not be expecting. It’s also what lends a progressive edge to the record that takes time to soak in, but ultimately rewards.

The heart of the matter on this record carries so much weight and substance, but it is presented in light playful ways and therein lies its appeal and beauty. It has light and shade.

AIM may be not the magnum opus that Mathangi Arulpragasam is capable of, but the music world would be a good deal less colourful and quirky without her in it.

While one half of Phase sounds complete and polished, the other sounds unfinished, and unsteady. But the songwriting quality of the better cuts and the raw talent that underpins their delivery brings a fire to the record.

Tracks still miss on occasions, and Glover writes with such self-awareness that the listener can regard him as a full-of-himself show-off, someone who believes he deserves musical success just because he’s achieved it in television.

This band has succeeded at writing an exceptional album that’s both intimate and full of pop-hook goodness, all without using over-the-top production techniques.

While Scott might spend the 14 tracks telling us how incoherent he is, Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight is anything but.

At times uneven, the project stands as testament to the unique bond between these two A-list rap talents.

Perhaps surprisingly, Adrian Thaws' Tricky schtick has yet to get old, with the only missteps on this, his ninth, album arriving when he conforms to, rather than resists, convention. Where it's good however, it's superfly.

Spread across 18 tracks, Meek Mill's creative contouring isn't fully consistent, leading to some awkward moments; 'Love Train' and 'Love Money' feel insubstantial, while the mid-section loses its punch.

There simply isn’t much to latch on to here, and certainly nothing to suggest that Still Corners aren’t completely out of ideas.

Overblown yet elegant and intimate, this is a bold undertaking; arcane, abstract, absolutely remarkable.

A surprisingly cerebral triumph.

Although I would not say that this album breaks boundaries or sparks deep emotional response, it is Fivio's formal introduction to the world with a heavy-hitting drill project which will lead the way for future drill projects globally.

Without a doubt, the millennial angst is still there, but his sound has matured and evolved giving a more sophisticated feel. However on occasion, it’s lacking an element of rawness that was historically present in his previous album. You cannot however deny his star quality, his guitar playing prowess and of course his soulful yet gravelly vocals that are both captivating and comforting in equal measure.

Only their most dogged of fans would have expected such brilliance – this lengthy, thrill-a-minute release could well be their finest moment.

It’s a refreshing diversion from yer average psych-noise fare that’ll hopefully be explored further on future offerings.

Despite lending his rich, soulful vocals to an eclectic collection of tracks, including versions of songs originally by Coldplay and Wye Oak, the streamlined, country-tinged production waters the songs down.

San Diego’s Crocodiles have absolutely nailed album number four.

The Irish act’s short, sharp songs are frenetic and faithfully redolent of the staunch ’60s UK R&B boom that bore The Yardbirds and the Stones.

An ostentatiously operatic tour de force.

Useful, thrown-back fun, comfortable off the cutting edge.

Regional Surrealism is an antidote to a busy life, and the arresting portal into a strange man's mind.

No, No, No is as sweet but as filling as an after dinner mint, and sadly it's probably dinner this album should accompany.

Longevity is often characterised by reinvention in music, yet The Ride stalls in its attempted inventiveness, instead finding success in its most pared down and familiar moments.

Human is an impressive, life-affirming record chock-full of hooks and classy, grown-up production. Praise be.

Like following a serial killer's trail of devastation, you're gripped until the end, no matter how grisly the conclusion. Bewitching.

Come Around Sundown is the remarkable product of an ambitious supergroup expanding their horizons, and is absolutely worth persevering with.

In ‘Love Goes’ Sam Smith has produced a flawed but decent return that mirrors the introspection of this strange, difficult year.

Yes, there are 'Did she really do that?' moments... But'MDNA' is mostly filled with moments when listening to Madonna still feels like the most thrilling thing any pop fan could possibly hope to experience.

Ultimately, Graveyard Of Good Times is too much of a mixed bag to be considered a great record.

It hardly moves mountains as a standalone effort, but is moderately impactful and somewhat befitting of its lofty pandemic-era presentation.

On the whole this is clever, electronically-infused rock that showcases Ounsworth’s songwriting chops.

With this project he shows that age is just a number, defying any expectations that have been set by the rap scene.

Hemmed in by their own ambitions, ‘The Battle At Heaven’s Gate’ is an oddly contradictory experience, one that finds Greta Van Fleet truckin’ on up a one way street.

Nearly twenty years on from Suede's debut and he sounds pretty much unchanged.

‘SPARK’ reinvents Whitney as a contemporary syndicate of classic pop and their third album is an impressive, bold and contagious body of work that is more candid, emotional and contemplative than ever before.

Everyone loves to reminisce, and we're suckers for well-crafted songs, but we also need to be challenged a little more than this boys.

Overall 'Dross Glop' may please and frustrate in equal measures.

At its best, The Saga Continues captures some of the old Wu magic but unfortunately these moments are few and far between.

This album demonstrates that the desire disappeared long ago and that they were simply prolonging their career to delay the inevitable. For Hot Hot Heat, the fire has definitely gone out.

The Road is at once the antithesis of quick-fire culture and the very embodiment of it: a mixtape, picking and choosing the best bits and distilling them into one heady brew. Bring on Part III.

While songs 'Bondage Of Fate', 'If You Want It' and 'Sometimes' present a classic vibe, standalone track 'Pulse' is equally akin to the electronic sound of today. Nice touch.

Presenting a portfolio of some of the best ‘rawk’ songs 2017 has to offer, The Amazons have remained consistent and have begun to embed themselves into the rich tapestry of rock ‘n’ roll with a bolshy stadium sound. If it ain’t broke...

More tightly structured and confident than 2011’s ‘Crazy Clown Time in terms of narrative, there’s further clarity in the unmistakable voice, which though heavily filtered feels much closer to his own.

Everything about the record restores the belief that Stereophonics can remain relevant in a world of troubadours and try-hard indie bands.

The punchy ‘Drink N Dance’ utilises ominous 80s synths, while ‘This Sunday’ is potent, and atmospheric. ‘Gracious’ is carefully finessed, more evidence of the duo’s world-building techniques. That said, though, there’s a huge amount here that simply passes you by. ‘Always Be My Fault’ is meandering, lacking structure, while songs like ‘Luv Bad Bitches’ and ‘Mile High Memories’ lack substance.

Aside from spotty traces of Parker’s genius, at no point does the album elicit any passion since there’s really nothing on there that makes you want to own a copy of it on vinyl or witness the tracklist live.

Towards is smart pop that keeps its charm.

There are enough hair-raising moments here to anchor your skin and stop it crawling quite so much.

‘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.

A dizzyingly ferocious support slot on the recent Gold Panda tour proved that London-based producer/remixer Alessio Natalizia's one-time bedroom project is now fully-formed.

Head Carrier is far from triumphant, it’s by no means a failure.

It can be a little too sterile in places but for the most part, Working Girl shows that Little Boots is a canny operator who, now that she's been given the opportunity to do things on her own terms, has finally shown us what all the fuss was about in the first place.

The melodies are subtle, avoiding reaching out to over-commerciality in pursuit of reward. That may be the downfall of course, which would be a travesty, as this is an intellectual and brave progression.

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.

Categorically not your ordinary Christmas album, and one to check out now if you missed it the first time.

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

‘C,XOXO’ isn’t Cabello’s brat moment. A lack of refinement and direction is the burning issue at play here, but she has succeeded in making an inherently fun record.

Despite said retro parallel, White Lies do sound like a band firmly in the present, utilising electronic samples with classic valve-driven guitar chords to accompany the trademark baritone of McVeigh.

Distortland may not see them return to the genius pop level they had up until 2003's ‘Welcome To The Monkey House’. But it is much closer.

Without necessarily reaching an unprecedented level of greatness, the record showcases new strengths, this in turn seems far more fulfilling, and no doubt more believable, for a band who are at this critical stage in their careers.

After such a long break between official studio albums from the annointed one, it's nice to see that he's still shaking things up--not just giving us what we want.

What saves the record from being a lacklustre, sotto-voiced tribute act is that, strikingly, Briana herself is a cookie-cutter Northwest coast hippie.

10 tracks of soul-bearing introspection swathed in layers of rich reverb, icy chill and ephemeral echoes of 30 years of synth pop.

Yes, the production is razor sharp, the beats are skewed and often very loud which makes them feel important, but in reality, it's all a façade; an image.

Whilst the album is overflowing with strong tracks, not all are up to par, with ‘The Night I Kidnapped Remo Drive’ slipping below the bar.