Once again I am moved with the delicate care Gia Margaret approaches her art with, something of a prayer and an anthem to the sovereignty of unraveling, longing and finding.

Shorn of its visuals, ‘Shadow Kingdom’ remains a fascinating listen. .... Facing down his past, he comes close to eclipsing it, and offers magnificent proof of his continued vitality as a performing artist.

With its heady hooks and exuberant riffs, ‘But Here We Are’ is ambitious, poignant, and vivid in equal measure. The emotive and raw sonics are painful but positive at the same time and we as listeners feel every note, line and beat throughout this ten track album which ranks as one of the best Foo Fighters albums in their history.

A collection that is deeply reverential to the Americanised folk music form, and which also gratefully repays the debt that Rufus Wainwright owes it.

Surefooted, revelatory, well-rounded and emotionally deep, ‘Council Skies’ cements his reputation as one of the best songwriters the UK has ever produced.

With 21 tracks on display, Lil Durk clearly has a lot to unload. He’s justified in utilising this length – he’s got a great deal to process, after all – but there are aspects that could be edited.

The record could almost be split in half as it takes a rockier tone in the first tracks, which is gradually reduced to captivating stripped back endings. A true musical journey indeed.

As a rapper, woods has gone from strength to strength, his armoury fortified. It’s been a joy to witness. Where hooks were once short phrases bellowed on repeat, now he toys with the capabilities of his voice.

Far from dipping into past glories, the Mael brothers continue their storied run on a stylish, impactful record that illuminates their continued engagement with the wonder of the pop song.

bar italia unravels the sprawling and playful, yet concerted, development of their sound. Largely abandoning the sketchy, diaristic transitions and abrupt ends so characteristic of their previous sound—and World Music acts, generally—’Tracey Denim’ progresses with relative sonic coherence.

Some moments are impressive, like the eight-minute epic of a title track ‘Take Me Back To Eden’, which sprawls and writhes between textures and knows just when to spotlight frontman Vessel’s holy outpourings. ... But the issue is, this opus comes over an hour into the album, and follows a number of lengthy tracks that seem to be trying to do the same thing, but less successfully.

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.

It’s surprising, but oddly delightful.

Plays it safe, doubling down on the formula that made his debut so beloved by fans, while making only subtle changes.

Often moving, and never dull, ‘Secret Measure’ is a softly thrilling return, assured in its place in the world.

This is a body of work which highlights his famed vocals, feels perfectly produced and guides listeners through the hazy uncertainty of love and loss whilst still offering something fresh and clean.

Though ‘Everything Harmony’ may be a pastiche, the band carried it past the point of mere replica and into its own identity. It’s resonant in modern times; a dreamlike escape from the electronic clamour and constant buzz that can drain one’s spirit.

Brilliant – if overdue – debut album. ... Welcome to Alison Goldfrapp’s paradisiacal, tempting, thrilling vision of the sublime.

‘Good Lies’ displays the strength of brotherhood, solidifying their position within the scene by cherishing childhood’s sweetness.

‘Hard Cold Fire’ represents a much wanted return from the band that seem more unstoppable than ever, and quite rightly so.

SBTRKT’s signature sound, which defies genre boundaries and pushes the boundaries of popular music, continues to shine on ‘The Rat Road’.

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.

A project that stands on its own, a work of engaging individuality, ‘Jackman.’ is his best, most in-depth album yet. Literate, experimental, and emphatically rebellious, it’s the sound of Jack Harlow operating on his own glorious terms.

‘Driving Just to Drive’ drives safely. Perhaps too safely. We may yearn for Maltese to put his foot down, but it could be argued there is solace in safety. Not everything has to be hell for leather.

This notable departure from the dancefloor not only brings fans of her previous music and live sets along for the ride, but also wholeheartedly welcomes those who might never have set foot in the club.

Tiny Ruins’ effortlessly stunning lyricism and creative cohesiveness mean that ‘Ceremony’ does in fact hit the mark from start to finish.

Finessed and unified, ‘Enigmatic Society’ is magnificent, a micro-masterpiece that refuses to be pigeonholed. Free-thinking yet direct, it’s a salute to collaborative art, and the geniuses behind it.

A carefully sculpted project, a level of fluidity and richness stitched together with the highest calibre of performance, production and songwriting. Like Frankenstein and his monster, the commitment to the design and blueprint of this record is incredible; every minute detail, sound, glitch, has been selected with the utmost care by The National.

This record sees Ware set herself free of any inhibitions and demand her listeners to follow suit. Ware’s vocals show the breadth and strength of their ability; dancing across ranges and depth, from delicate, whispered notes to soaring falsetto.

It all combines to create a record that asserts Horn as an incredible and innovative talent both within the folds of folk and also at the forefront of the genre.

There are some very distinct new heights on ‘Variables’. ... ‘Variables’ gently pushes Alfa Mist in a newer direction, there are glimpses of his usual evocative and bassy tones, but overall the project is almost absent of his vocal presence. This comes across as a very considered move, however, indicative of a need to show rather than tell this time.

The future, past and present is Enter Shikari’s, restructuring the sheer meaning of creativity with another commanding album.

One of the best albums Everything But The Girl have put their name against. A rich, atmospheric song cycle, it has the emotional heft of The Blue Nile and the production nous of Massive Attack. In the end, it could only be Everything But The Girl.

‘Drunk On A Flight’ strikes the perfect balance between up-beat, angsty pop and more contemplative jazz ballads. It marks a distinctive shift in Eloise’s songwriting, simultaneously maintaining the timeless charm of her early music that made her so popular, whilst constructing an ode to classic pop.

Yazmin Lacey’s curatorial skill sits alongside her painterly-like vocals, resulting in a bold, and emphatic album project.

Not only is ‘I Came From Love’ the best album that Okumu has released but it’s one of the finest albums of the year so far.

The group’s third album in three years, they never once let standards slip. All in all, the aptly titled ‘Glorious Game’ is a punchy LP with considerable replay value.

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.

There are no bounds. ‘Exotico’ let’s go of control, so remarkable things can happen. It’s the closest Temples have been to releasing a masterpiece, and that’s saying something.

The result is a solid, if overly safe album that avoids some of the pitfalls of the past but fails to ignite the heart.

This is an album that strips Rae Sremmurd down to their bare essence. Removing any excess, it allows their contradictions to come to the fore, with sometimes fascinating yet always gripping results.

‘Higher Than Heaven’ is a pitch perfect return. Following her excellent 00s channelling Calvin Harris link-up ‘Miracle’, Ellie Goulding is on her best form since those epochal blog era bops in the 2010s… and we are here for it.

Finding magic in the mire ‘Rat Saw God’ is an emphatic, uplifting reminder of the privilege of being alive.

A conceptual album which feels honest and authentic, ‘Drop Cherries’ showcases the best of her musical ability while being lyrically complex – it’s another strong record for Billie Marten to add to her repertoire.

Sabrina has created a bold body of work, exciting and unfiltered, as she navigates the highs and lows of her life up to this point.

The album does a good job of rekindling the connection with our younger, hopeful selves.

She has developed her own world over the last few years, this record feeling like the grand opening; the musical renegade uses this sonic landscape to release feelings of sorrow and doubt and anger, culminating in a truly vivid and innovative record.

The lyricism is what makes the album escalate from good to great.

‘Praise…’ feels like a completed maze, a finite and full creation, and cements Tumor as an extraordinary explorer.

An urgency and classic rock vibe, noticeably missing from recent atmospheric releases, is back in full swing here, and it works to their advantage.

‘Being’ is the most enjoyable album Maal has released to date.

It’s a functional entry in Chlöe’s already-impressive pantheon of works. Here’s hoping this release frees her up to lean more zealously into her production quirks when the next solo experiment beckons.

‘The Price Of Progress’ is a perfectly functional Hold Steady record, no more and no less.

Opening your debut LP with its three least engaging tracks is a bold move that almost capsizes the whole project. ... Fortunately, bar a scattering of clunky lines (“I don’t want to die / That’s a lie”), the rest of ‘the record’ manages to successfully scale the vertiginous heights set by the eight solo albums preceding it.

This is an easy album to lose yourself in, but a difficult project to truly grasp. 19 songs, almost a full hour of music, a glimpse into a psyche that is frequently dominated by darkness; ‘Since I Have A Lover’ is 6LACK’s crowning statement.

A nerve-jangling experience, it could well rank as their masterpiece.

An album that leaves you in a different environment than where you entered it, ‘YIAN’ will surely rank as one of 2023’s most impressive British debuts.

Fans of Depeche Mode can be happy to receive the band’s best offering of this century (though don’t get it twisted, ‘Playing The Angel’ is still a great record) but it’s unlikely they’ll change the minds of non-listeners, as foolish as such people are. The same ground is tread here, just in new shoes.

‘So Much (For) Stardust’s main takeaway is that the five-year wait was more than worth it and Fall Out Boy are finally back, bigger and better than ever.

The record swells and retreats at will as the group flex their musical dexterity.

Amid the glitz, the hype, the online intrusion, Don Toliver still locates a space to call his own – and that’s what makes ‘Love Sick’ so thrilling.

Framed by twin poles of classicism and experimentation, ‘Did you know…’ never truly succumbs to either. An often-unsettling river of song, it finds Lana Del Rey discussing uncomfortable truths, while denying the use of easy answers. What she chooses to reveal is profound, occasionally disquieting, and never dull.

Cinematic splashes with honest lyricism feature in the twelve-track production and there is one thing this writer can tell about ‘A Fistful Of Peaches. It’s all about escaping the war in the mind, something that helps make Black Honey a band to admire.

As a double album, ‘V’ is a hefty commitment and is therefore unlikely to win many new fans for Unknown Mortal Orchestra, but it’s a coherent and mature piece of work which will be worth the wait for this well-established act.

It’s a touching journey reflecting on how the four boys changed into men and changed the world through the power of music at the same time.

‘10,000 gecs’ is a sub-thirty-minute blast of the duo at their best, creating some truly bonkers music and refusing to ever conform.

After listening to ‘The Future Is Your Past’, and last year’s ‘Fire Doesn’t Grow on Trees’ they feel like the start of a golden age of The Brian Jonestown Massacre.

While it may not be the East Atlanta rapper’s best, it still stands as a solid successor to ‘EA Monster’.

Courtesy of the blandly produced, overly-compressed vocal deliveries and guitar riffs from Jonas Brothers’ producer John Fields, the act all too easily fall into the inevitable trap of highly-structured song progressions backed by half-baked guitar solos on ‘Same Language’ and underwhelming chorus chants on ‘Kool’.

This release feels like she is fully embodying her own skin – this is a release that aims for timelessness in its own right, allowing the true, unfiltered Miley Cyrus to step into the sunlight.

Lyrically, the album represents one of Shana Cleveland’s most daring and open song cycles.

Instinctual, acerbic and erudite, ‘UK GRIM’ is stark and enthralling all in one.

This is a thoughtful and sensitively crafted project showcasing an awe-inspiring collection of carefully-crafted tracks. It is a touching tribute to this special musical partnership and demonstrates their musicality, artistry, and emotive storytelling.

On ‘Ignore Grief’ they’ve done it again as the album is the most powerful and uncompromising album they’ve ever released. It’s also one of their most playable. This is down to the dense music. Every time you listen you hear something new that gives the song a different context. This is the mark of a, and I use this word properly, class.

‘Red Moon In Venus’ solidifies Kali Uchis’ appeal as both a fringe artist leaning fully into her idiosyncrasies, and a crossover one executing universal easy-listening with élan.

A bold attempt to embrace his contradictions, this is a project held together by the brutal strength of slowthai’s performances.

On ‘Brothers And Sisters’ he sounds like he feels comfortable being in his skin and writing uplifting music that doesn’t have a massive political message, though one is there. It doesn’t have a massively personal message, though it is there. Instead, he’s written an album for everyone.

A powerfully affecting song cycle, ‘On Grace & Dignity’ peels back preconceptions, stabbing straight for the raw nerve.

At once a joyous, celebratory ode to motherhood, elsewhere finding quiet liberation and acceptance during life’s darkest moments, it’s clear, Meg Remy has delivered her most hopeful album yet.

Adam Lambert doesn’t do subtle, he is theatrical through and through – and we are here for it. The gravitas towards all things dramatic is ever present throughout his latest offering ‘High Drama’ – an album of bold reimagined tracks personally curated by the singer himself.

Across its 12 tracks, ‘Good Riddance’, is a deeply confessional offering, with decadent melodies and production that platform her distinctive vocal.

The songwriting is strong, representing Selway’s best – and must sustained – burst of solo work yet. His innate musicality shines through, and there’s an endearing honesty to the lyrics that filters across the music itself.

‘How To Replace It’ finds dEUS facing up to their past and refusing to be hemmed in by it. At times daring, at others direct, this feels like the work of a band with nothing to prove.

Individually the songs are great, vibrant and bouncy. However, together it can get a bit too draining. Now, I’m not saying that this much pop is a bad thing – the album is a delight to listen to, but there is a lack of variation in both sound and texture as it’s all so IN-YR-FACE.

‘Possession Island’ aside, this is an energetic, upbeat, genre-expansive collection that ranks alongside Gorillaz’ best work.

The result is an album soaked in nostalgia and melancholy but retains the razor-sharp edge that make shame so brilliant.

‘The Land, The Water, The Sky’ is an album to savour, to go back to again and again to either get a greater understanding of what she is imparting and to find a new melody you missed the last time.

A helter skelter 11 track run-through, ‘Cuts & Bruises’ retains everything that made INHALER’s debt so effective while adding some excellent new elements.

The album seamlessly transitions through genres of music that will be influencing the next decade of sound. To achieve such fluidity is unbelievable, and Skrillex continues to be the Godfather of EDM.

Avey Tare’s new album ‘7s’ sits in the shadow of ‘Time Skiffs’, but it contains a curious character of its own. Featuring – naturally enough – seven tracks, it both nods to some of the conduits of Animal Collective’s work, while also injecting something different.

With ‘Land of Sleeper’ Pigx7 have managed to sharpen their uncompromising combo of Sabbath-esque riffs and experimental leanings into their most easily digestible – and perhaps best – album yet.

Orbital’s revised sound sees them cement themselves at the forefront of electronic music.

Caroline Polachek has set a serious precedent for any pop releases that follow it this year. She is an artist completely in her own lane, refusing to conform, every moment on this record a vicissitude. Her commitment to her craft is undeniable, her talent indisputable.

‘GRRR Live!’ has further cemented The Rolling Stones’ reputation as one of the best live acts of all times as well as being one of the most memorable shows in the band’s history.

‘Truth Decay’ is a mixtape You Me At Six have lovingly burned and placed into our open palms. It’s got tracks you’ll love, some you won’t, but there’s an undeniable charm throughout.

‘This Stupid World’ is another wonderful instalment in their extensive catalogue.

Don’t listen to ‘Raven’ expecting immediacy. Instead see ‘Raven’ as a point of discovery, fostering dialogue on and beyond the dancefloor; an open expanse and a surround sound experience for the marginalised seeking thrills beyond the white gaze.

Something about the songwriting on ‘This Is Why’ are undeniably the most something, Williams both elegant and sandpaper-coarse, depending on what is called for.