The result is an album which moves on from ‘Hex Dealer’ but still provides the exhilarating, electrifying, and quite frankly, mindblowing songs the New York-based quartet are so loved for.

A record that feels incredibly refined, ‘JAGUAR’ is an expert piece of R&B engineering, with each individual part interlocking perfectly. It’s a wonderful experience, with Victoria Monét’s stellar artistry balancing the sensuality of sound with a killer lyrical flair that aims straight for the heart.

In short; ‘Rack’ is everything you could want from a new The Jesus Lizard record, with some extra musical chops and lyrical smarts thrown in. This great band might be growing old, but they’ve not lost a speck of their singular crazed brilliance.

In her haste to tell her story, ‘My 21stCentury Blues’ suffers from a frenzied second half that cushions the gut-punch it could have been.

It's unfathomably exciting stuff.

All the changes made to beloved tracks like ‘You Belong With Me’ and ‘Love Story’, simply make them shinier. Throughout the whole album, banjos are crisper, guitars are fuller, drums are heavier, and Taylor’s strong 31-year-old voice leads the music. Clearly taking care to not step over her 19-year-old self, all the changes feel totally natural, like they should’ve been that way to start with.

‘Companion Rises’ is an easy listen and utterly gorgeous with it.

Succinct and ultra-tight, ‘I Told You So’ clocks in at nine tracks, yet its breathless manouevres move from post-bop phrasing through to 80s stadium pop, somehow tying them all together with the effectiveness of their mission. A record that gets under your skin, the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio are well worth tracking down.

A thrilling return, ‘I Don’t Know’ finds bdrmm breaking down the walls around them to claim a space of pure freedom.

‘Wishbone’ stands as a confident pop statement, pairing Gray’s impressive vocal prowess with sleek, polished production.

Driven by crispy drum machines and shimmering synths, Lanza’s second full-length Hyperdub offering is instantly more direct and relatable than its predecessor; cloudy reverb is replaced by sheeny production.

A solid debut then, full of yearning and barstool tales.

It bursts with techno beats that jump wildly from deep and dark to bright and euphoric.

Ultimately, Salad Days is an aural testament to the old adage that there’s a fine line between genius and insanity.

Some of the riffs are quite incredible ('A More Perfect Union'), and the general effect of the whole album is that the listener will want to weep and dance simultaneously. Simply brilliant.

The vocal work throughout is astonishing. .... The Last Dinner Party are a rare and special band, and ‘From The Pyre’ proves it emphatically.

With the success of his previous albums, Apollo could have easily stayed in the mainstream bedroom-pop genre, but the vulnerability and experimentation displayed on this album makes for an impressive, mature step forward in his career.

A brutally funny, scuzzy and lacking-in-seriousness affair, it truly is one of the most entertaining New York guitar albums of modern times.

For TNP converts this will no doubt be regarded as a masterpiece. But for the casual listener, it’s simply another solid 21st century ambient record to help while away the late hours.

Remarkable. ... The 12-track project explores the collapse of a marriage, financial turmoil, anxiety, self-doubt and self-care. A lesser rapper might sink in the mire, but Open Mike has always been dope on the mic, and ‘Anime, Trauma and Divorce’ find him at his best.

If you can cope with the extreme twee, Heartleap is a diamond.

Rammstein have resurrected to bring us their seventh studio album. And boy is it the record we’ve all been waiting for.

‘Broken Hearts Club’ - performed, co-written and co-produced by Syd – feels like definitive moment as the R&B mainstay truly settles into her solo endeavour.

Overall, ‘International’ looks back at the confidence the band has in creating bright catchy pop songs, whilst maintaining that whilst the band may no longer continue, the legacy that they have created remains bright and international.

It’s her vocal prowess that threads together the line-up of producer-du-jour types that feature on For All We Know. That, and the infectious grooves that dominate this album provide endless enjoyment--18 tracks worth, to be precise.

On the strength of this ballsy behemoth of sound, they're easily holding onto that crown while adding yet another shining jewel. 'Hushed And Grim' is a reminder of what makes the band so beloved while boldly stepping into a new chapter. They've never sounded so good.

All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us isn’t a sonic leap into new pastures, rather it’s the sound of a band nailing their sound and operating at the very top of their game. In a genre as crowded as metalcore, Architects have managed to craft a sound that’s instantly and recognisably Architects.

Whilst lyrically, it is a portrayal of insecurity and pain, sonically it is a bright, glistening piece of pop magic that merges the quintessential style seen on The Japanese House’s three EPs with new points of exploration that only increases the excitement around this enigmatic superstar-in-waiting.

The record is vast yet insular, and you cant help but get swept up by the show.

‘Before Love Came To Kill Us’ has a number of strong tracks and is an excellent debut. Jessie Reyez appears to be in total control of this record and shows off her versatility, as well as her rage.

At times challenging, at others familiar and accessible, it demonstrates that 30 years after their debut album, Stereolab continue to surprise and reward, their unabating influence threading through every recess of left-of-centre modern music. Perhaps Stereolabesque is a fair term after all.

The record is the most realised and singularly minded vision yet from the Moor Mother project, a documentation of venomous rage, yes, but also one in search of a means of escape, one found through the redemptive power of community.

The only maturity in their sound is towards a more ambient quarter. Elevator music not quite, but rising out of the background might be an issue.

Fade finds YLT at their most wistfully contemplative; a thought only softened by the paradox that this might just be one of their best yet.

Heavy is the Head absolutely hits it out of the park. It’s the same winning mix of grime bangers and radio friendly singing as last time, but, crucially, it’s better at making sure they work together on the same project. 16 tracks might seem like a lot, but when almost every one is a classic, it’s so hard to care.

Pushing 50 Iron & Wine proves he still has much to say in a hypnotic record full of lush production, highlighting the warmth and timelessness of his vocals. If not one necessarily to win over new fans, this will delight longtime fans who have been along for the ride.

This album is, to be clear, an ambitious, stylish, coherent work of fine art. ‘Tranquility Base…’ grew on me, this may too. But I can’t help but feel that with ‘The Car’, Arctic Monkeys have taken a wrong turn.

It’s reality music, and while obviously tailored around the life and times of Shawn Carter, offers so many narratives that the common man can relate to in astounding measures.

A magnificent aural topography of Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith’s inspired imagination.

From ‘Stuck in the mud’ to ‘What you Reckon’, Digga D is quick and snappy, delivering lyrics that push you to listen again and again. With the confidence that knows he is a star ( he raps ‘I’m as hard as Stromzy and Dave, what a statement to make but I say what I say and I mean it’), Digga D proves he is greater than just another rapper. He is an icon.

‘WeirdOs’ is one of the finest debut albums I’ve heard in a LONG time. It delivers more than the promise of their debut 7” ‘OGO’ and the ‘Slice’ EP suggested. The songs are absolute chonks.

Where other emo bands might dramatise the horrors and wonders of death, American Football evokes its totality as a comfort, an ending whose completeness leaves nothing to fear. In the process, they’ve crafted another work of startling, very human beauty.

There are some real moments of beauty on the record - 'In Blur' aches and sparkles, whilst singles 'Great Mass Of Colour' and 'The Gnashing' showcase a band adept at building beautiful soundscapes even with the guitars turned down - but at a certain point, the album suffers from the lack of depth in Clarke’s vocals, or range in his melodies.

Enchanting and illuminating, ‘everything is alive’ proves that Slowdive’s pulse is still beating strong.

Earl Sweatshirt is telling truths rather than forging fantasy, and Doris is a disturbed and penetrating journey into the mind of the boy that came back from Samoa.

On ‘Fearless Movement’ he’s made something that doesn’t feel overpowering to begin with. Less is definitely more and the songs here pack more of a punch than anything he’s released so far.

[Gibbs] expertly negotiates Madlib’s minefield, forcefully popping words off the producer’s gorgeously mined snares and snatched vocal loops.

‘Ramona Park…’ was a bravura work of therapy, a rap bildungsroman that crafted an entire world. More insular, ‘Dark Times’ is in many ways less accessible; that said, it refuses to let the quality dim, it’s endless stream of ideas enticing and perplexing in equal fashion. In emphatic style, rap’s foremost outlier demands your attention all over again.

The 24 year old wrote, arranged and produced this album all by herself. The work of an immensely talented melodic mastermind, Laetitia Tamko's second album touches on the magical.

‘Cool It Down’ feels defined, succinct in a way that suggests complete confidence – it’s also a weakness. A smidge over 30 minutes, and with only eight songs, it already has you yearning for what might come next.

Clements and Griffiths have sculpted something truly special out of their final time with their friend and, while too late for all of the numerous lists, it deserves to be held up as one of the most affecting and impressive releases of a difficult year.

Romare sets out to bring in elements of his distinct sound from across his career always combining it with something fresh and invigorating. The fact that all of these elements come together into such an approachable and restrained album is quite impressive.

(04:30) Idler is his confident, self-assured follow-up. Sonically, Isaac appears completely comfortable in his slightly more refined new skin.

A testament to vehement artistry, ‘On Sunset’ finds Paul Weller refusing to let his fire dim.

Forceful and atmopsheric, ‘From A King To A God’ punches through the glass ceiling, its purposeful swagger leering out of the speakers. His third full length project in 2020, ‘Conway The Machine has hit escape velocity.

It’s contagious joy to hear players with such abandon and intuition, braiding their lines together.

An excellent debut record, it offers a tantalising glimpe of what lies ahead.

Every track demonstrates a beauty in the everyday; in the mundane; in our reality. And combining such observations with the sweeping sounds of orchestral talent and acoustic guitar, the end result, of the combination of these juxtaposing complex and simple elements, is one that feels familiar.

‘Social Lubrication’ carries all the raw, essential components of what make Dream Wife such a well celebrated act while remaining remarkably self-assured and polished, even if the trio don’t greatly expand on their recognised formula.

With ‘Layover’, V’s intentions were clear. He obviously had a distinct sound that he wanted to stick to, his vision clear inhabiting by his sense of self. The influence of jazz and R&B is evident and the execution is slick.

Overall, ‘ASK THAT GOD’, is a journey in every sense providing enough density and style changes to keep listeners intrigued to the very end.

As a whole, ‘Sogolo’ stands as a less cohesive package than 2023’s ‘Zango’, but it’s a braver, more energetic, and forward-thinking LP.

Having made a transformative 34-minute leap from the hesitant ‘Can I Call You in the Morning?’ to this Girls-meets-Sex and the City big moment, full of energy, self-irony, and hope, The Beaches sound like they’ve finally forgotten their exes ever existed.

Remaining steadfast in their signature sound, Circa Waves released another nine songs which combines with ‘Death & Love pt.1’ to make an 18 track album. Part two’s first single, ‘CherryBomb’ immediately places you into Circa Wave’s soundscape with its relaxed instrumentation, vibrant riffs and catchy choruses.

‘Something To Consume’ is a brilliant debut, ambitious in the best of ways. The Austin outfit possess an unrivaled passion that is genuinely exciting, leaving their listeners eager for more.

It’s as though these songs have that uncanny ability to shut out the outside world and speak to no one but the listener. When you achieve that, you’re usually onto something special.

A straight-talking delight, ‘Gaslighter’ refuses to radically overhaul The Chicks’ sound, and that’s ultimately why it’s so successful. Retaining that fine balance between country and pop, it allows the three-piece space to be true to themselves, ably building on their storied catalogue.

Although the sound of the album is wide-ranging, it holds continuity through its lyrics and general sentiment. K-Pop after all is an inherently genre-blending style of music, so it’s no surprise.

2012 - 2017 is one hour and seven minutes of sample-heavy dance tracks--eleven in total. Those who are deeply inquisitive about music will have a field day on WhoSampled finding vocal stems from David Axelrod, The Delfonics and Kanye West. Those who aren’t interested in that will still find an album which has an instant impact as Jaar substitutes avant-garde dystopian techno with the most off kilter time signatures for something much more predictable.

Art-rap that refuses to be hemmed in, ‘LP!’ excels by tapping in to the rapper’s undoubted verbal virtuosity, while augmenting it with blistering production. Another triumph from one of rap’s true creative visionaries.

The production in songs like ‘Drive’, with its charming bass line, and ‘Silver Jubilee’, with its flirtation with 2016-electropop, are nice surprises, but overall the record can get a little repetitive with its themes and melodies. .... But her comedic and very specific style does shine through either way, and performing these songs for a crowd will probably add to the depth of future projects.

Dan Carey – Speedy Wunderground head honcho and producer of Fontaines D.C. amongst many others – helms the boards for this record, and sonically it feels richer, with more depth than its predecessors. .... That said, some of the cartoonish aspects of Kneecap’s past remain firmly fixed in place.

After the impulsive creativity of Logos, Parallax, by contrast, is a much more refined listen.

Rest assured, his remarkable voice and grasp of melody remain undimmed and while it may not sound exactly as you were expecting, it is a bold, distinctive and genuinely excellent record.

She embraces their words, often of death and reminiscence on youth, as if they’d come from deep within herself. It is, after 38 years, a fine reminder of her vital place in British musical tradition, as the essential elder stateswoman of folk.

This is an album that can make you weepy in the hazy blur of the wee small hours, and euphoric in the fuzzy afternoon sun.

There is a distinctive confidence as Rachel Brown and Nate Amos weave nu-metal backbeat, indie guitar twang, piano motifs and deadpan vocals together.

Rather than risk nestling ever-deeper into their cushy role as purveyors of twee-approved, candied indie-rock, The Radio Dept. have opted for a collection of songs that is as decidedly unapologetic as it is cemented in political sludge.

The group feel more at home with the methodology of early prog or post-punk, with a sense of the abstract rippling beneath those crystalline waves of perfect sound. Shine on, you diamonds.

With tracks produced by Timbaland, Skrillex and DJ Mustard, Carey duly pays homage to the sounds prevalent at different stages of her career whilst remaining fresh and contemporary.

This is an impressive and well-rounded collection of work from the hard-working Australians.

‘Unfollow The Rules’ feels like a gentle stroll through the various stages of Rufus’s career; far from creating the impression of Rufus covering his own back catalogue, the effect is like a timely reminder of everything that’s wonderful about Wainwright.

It may spend a lot of its time reflecting on the past. But as an argument for that now famous district in South Los Angeles and its continued importance and centrality to hip-hop, it’s forceful and convincing, and one that ensures those Hollywood-style ‘COMPTON’ letters will continue to loom large--not just over L.A., but over this genre as a whole.

While it lacks the untethered aggression of past efforts, there’s a mean underbelly to tracks like ‘Beverly’ and ‘Howl’ that makes up for this.

18 thunderous tunes.

At times the production is marred by brevity and unevenness, which can make ‘BUBBA’ sound more like a mixtape in places. Thankfully, these moments are outnumbered by others where Kaytranada is well and truly back on form.

The tough guy act only gets you so far, though. And that is why 'Karma 3' really comes alive when East exposes his character’s soft underbelly. ... Memories tainted by regret and guilt – the flip side of nostalgia – resonate in Motown-style acoustic instrumentation and chunky Golden Era beats combined with a supreme cast of vocalists.

Revealing, emotional, powerful and progressive, ‘Fever Dreams Pts 1-4’ is an impressive and committed body of work.

Fuelled by rapturous and disjointed guitar work and bittersweet lyricism, this record will easily be in the running for one of the best records out of the UK this year.

From the cathartic harmonies of ‘Julia’s War’ to the raw romance of ‘Candle’, there is a gritty optimism charging through the album, hitting you right in the gut and demanding you pull back the veil on past dread and expose a new outlook of forward-thinking hopefulness.

In the wrong hands this kind of indie pop could become trainspotter-ish, or an exercise in technical skills and box-ticking – as it is, ‘Holo Boy’ is a wonderfully enjoyable cycle of straight-down-the-line songwriting.

The album is a bold, idiosyncratic collection of songs crafted under intense time pressure after producer John Congleton insisted that Grant have all of the material ready to go before entering the studio. Such a challenge certainly seems to have focused the mind.

Here everything seems whole and fully realised, the sound of a fleshed out band sure in its own identity rather than the end result of a prolonged mixtape crush.

Devastating, but utterly beautiful.

They're offering something new with 'MUNA' - evolving, inspiring, and taking us along for the [horse] ride.

A beguilingly atmospheric record, this new album from Red River Dialect seems to be in perpetual transition, coming close to but never quite achieving that sense of return.

Worth the wait for fans. The record balances its psychedelia with more mediative moments offering plenty of variety. This record again shows Auerbach’s musical influences and projects beyond The Black Keys.

At just half an hour long, the record skips by in just enough time to take to the dancefloor, take a breath out the side door, and make it back to sweat your stuff to your favourite song.