This masterpiece isn’t dulling any time soon. Working on the premise that they were Generation X’s own Velvet Underground, this is their ‘White Light/White Heat’, and one of the most important rock records of all time.

Fiona Apple on a career of highs might just have produced her finest work yet. An album that we will surely look to as a cultural text, with its cutting commentary of contemporary culture and its feminist narratives.

Hopefully we won’t have long to wait for the next instalment but before that let’s just bask in the beauty of this beautiful album.

Ghosteen is not a blissful or comfortable album, but it is a hopeful one. The gaping wound of ‘Skeleton Tree’ is scarring over as Cave pulls away from the past’s savage undertow, content in the knowledge that peace will come. It’s a paean to how all things bright and beautiful can be thrown into blinding relief once you’ve known real darkness, another open letter straight from artist to audience that cuts right to the core of what means to have loved, lost and loved again.

This latest 4-CD/5-LP boxset is a treasure trove for both hardcore fans and music buffs in general. The first thing your hard-earned money gets you is a beautifully crisp 2021 remaster of the original album, every solo, and cymbal crash, never sounding so unspoiled. Being a deluxe album set, you've naturally got the kind of material that only a lunatic would revisit regularly.

The oft-explored worldwide sensualist feels newly alive here, ‘Fountain Baby’ a prime exemplar of mind-expanding afro-pop alchemy that revivifies the weary spirit.

DAMN. does at times feel contradictory and the ideas he’s transmitting at times don’t feel fully formed, but this is where its genius lies. Kendrick offers a true snapshot of the eternal debates that we host inside our heads, and there is immense bravery and artistry in his depiction.

An artist haunted by the prospect of his passing while still facing down new challenges, Bob Dylan remains above all else a student of America.

Despite the elongated nature of its creation, Black Messiah is a fluid, confidently cool piece.... A real showcase of his incredible talent.

There’s obviously going to be more in here for die-hard devotees than the passing generalist, and the sheer size of the release makes it far from the ideal jumping off point for a newcomer. However, it is an undertaking of rare unfiltered insight that allows those willing to stay the course to get under the skin of a true genius in a way that, had the 1990s gone a different way, may never have been possible.

This impressive collection is a touching tribute to Petty’s enduring legacy and demonstrates his candour, artistry, and emotive storytelling. This is a real must have for any Tom Petty fan and paints an even more colourful picture of what has always been a masterpiece as well as unveiling an exciting treasure trove of musical gems which will inevitably become long-lasting Petty classics.

Boasting 17-tracks and a full hour of music, ‘DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS’ is a love letter to his heritage that boasts some of Bad Bunny’s most definitive moments.

On her sixth studio album, Charli XCX comfortably reaches into the extremes of her catalogue thus far, presenting one of her most subversive and conceptual bodies of work to date.

Compiled by Nick Cave and founding member Mick Harvey, the three-disc editions offer 45 tracks to explore the thrilling journey of one of the planet’s most uncompromising and enigmatic groups. All your standards are here.

A bold first full album from a trio whose ambitions are clearly only getting bigger.

His strongest album to date, and one of grime’s true classics – even if there is a not-very-good Ed Sheeran feature slapped in the middle of it.

There is just Nick Cave, stripped to the bone and robbed of a future. It’s impossible to turn away.

Remastered and supplemented it has received a contemporary injection and doesn't feel out of place in today's scene with that Mould influence shining through.

‘Lux’ is endearingly insistent on taking you away from the lethargy of modern life and transporting you to a surround sound, meta-textual dimension. It’s hard-won, but oh so worth it.

This is not just West's best album, it's a keen contender for the most ambitious LP in hip-hop history. West side story!

Refusing to surrender the emotional core of his songwriting against the dazzling array of studio fireworks, this is Dijon at his strongest – an artist stretching his discipline into evocative new shapes.

It isn’t entirely comprehensive, lacking the fabled Witmark demos (which have already been collated in the Bootleg Series). What ‘Through The Open Window, 1956-1963’ supplies, though, is wonderful curatorial nous, one that gives it a palpable narrative thrust. You’re pulled through time to the streets of New York in the early 60s, and behind each door lies tantalising secrets.

‘MOTOMAMI’ blows away the lingering strictures of lockdown, and finds a true modern icon bathing in personal freedoms.

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.

It’s a phenomenal record, undoubtedly one of the finest to be released this year – in its mood, kineticism, and an adorned darkness, ‘Untitled (Rise)’ captures something truly remarkable about this chaotic era.

Room 25 packs gorgeous punch after punch, not a second wasted.

[Loveless] not only stands the test of time, but transcends it. Songs like 'When You Sleep' sound as inventive now and would outshine much of the crop of young pretenders... Remains an archetypal classic.

What’s remarkable about this seven track mixtape is the sheer consistency of pop ideas on offer.

With ‘Songs Of A Lost World,’ The Cure has not only produced something worth the wait but added another classic to their already sterling catalogue. This is a late-career gem from one of the world’s most idiosyncratic acts.

‘Don’t Look Down’ is a bold, bruised, and beautifully messy project. It captures an artist still climbing, but refusing to ignore the vertigo.

Overall, ‘Supernova’ is exactly what it says on the tin - a bright burst of energy that will leave you awe-struck.

Self-acceptance is a major theme of this bold album and her complicated emotions can be felt by listeners in this stand-out album from Self Esteem.

Lemonade is Beyoncé at her most benevolent, and her most unadulterated. Treating her blackness not as an affliction but a celebratory beacon, Lemonade is a long overdue, cathartic retribution.

Overall, the ensemble sound incredibly close to the freewheeling jams fans are accustomed to; in short, they meet the sky-high potential teased on their first record.

A record everyone with half an experimental ear should experience, even if they run from it, screaming.

Throughout this record, the sense of adventure and excitement is palpable – this is a band at the peak of their powers, having fun creating; it’s hard not to get caught up in such a truly unique and thrilling journey through the cosmos. If death metal hasn’t yet had its breakthrough critical moment, this might well be it.

Turnstile are flexing some of their heaviest hooks yet - gliding us across nonchalant bops and hellish riffs, the Maryland five-piece have yet again come out with a bang.

Dove Ellis’ debut translates his quietly magnetic presence into something much larger, one that barely scratches the surface of what he’s capable of. We’re just at the start.

He draws on the many splintered facets of UK rap – and other sonic traits besides – while somehow transcending them. Literate, wise, and emotionally devastating, ‘We’re All Alone In This Together’ places Dave at the absolute pinnacle of British music.

First spewed forth in 1973 this blend of Iggy's guttural moanings and James Williamson's precise spiky guitars is rightly regarded as one of the most seminal, ferocious, uncompromising, crude, sleazy, nihilistic rock albums of all time.

A glittering glam-pop bounty of androgynous pop bots, dock prostitutes, Depression-era outlaws, cowboys and nun-baiting schoolgirls, GYBR remains a vital and versatile vision of brilliance that deserves to be heard.

Titanic Rising harnesses convention and refashions it into something singular. At once a document of this “wild time to be alive” and an escape from it, it’s often remarkably good.

This is a record that, fittingly, rewards the repeat listener as its impact evolves.

Constructed amid the dystopia of 2020, ‘CARNAGE’ instead stands as something unique, the sound of two vastly experienced musicians removing themselves from expectations, and constructing something both beautiful and visceral, tender and blood-thirsty, wholly terrifying and completely absorbing.

Channel Orange demands to be listened to in a single sitting.

The closing run of tracks on the album are some of the most musically interesting she has released to date.

Disjointed? Slightly. But who cares. He’s conjured something mischievous and joyful. A record that feels like it’s been beamed in from a distant star, sounding something like a near and possible future.

As ‘Red (Taylor’s Version)’ shows, this is an exercise in catharsis. Leafing back through the storybook of our own formative years, we feel it all.

This project combines many styles Hayley has touched on whether that might be with Paramore or independently, but her distinctive lyricism ties them all together into a discovery of self. [Review is based on the 17-track release]

It’s an exercise in catharsis, providing an accurate snapshot into the minds and mentality of the band certainly, but also the general public of the last year and a half.

As both a treatise and a sonic testament, ‘COWBOY CARTER’ is its own triumph; unmoored in form, space and time, it’s the work of a preternatural talent painstakingly poring over every word, stratified vocal, sample and stylistic flourish.

The only tiny criticism is that once or twice Heartworms’ palette ventures a little too close to retro eighties post-punk worship; see the guitars and drum machines of ‘Celebrate’ as an example. But other than that minor quibble, this is a seriously strong debut from an artist in total command of her craft, one that’s all the more impressive for so elegantly incorporating eccentric, sometimes abrasive ideas into its unabashedly pop vision.

If ‘RENAISSANCE’ doesn’t convince you that a star with nothing to prove continues to produce sprawling bodies of work that are editorially precise, prismatic and rhythmically audacious, nothing will.

A hugely impressive, frequently stunning return, ‘Black Rainbows’ ranks as one of the year’s most imposing comebacks.

This newly three dimensional Little Simz--vulnerable and reflective, while spiky and hard--has produced a crafted project, and it’s one of her best to date.

Definitely not a reinvention, it plays to the band’s strengths while amplifying new qualities, a record as bruising as it is subtle. Working to their own passions and desires, ‘Blue Weekend’ places Wolf Alice beyond the reach of their peers.

Olivia Rodrigo has created another fun, varied and mature studio album, which perfectly contributes to her wider attempt to preserve her experiences as a teenager within her music.

Musically, the pop-punk sound has been largely abandoned (save for, perhaps, recent single 'I Don't Like Who I Was Then') in favour of something more forceful and nuanced.

Despite the addition of new blood like Anderson .Paak on ‘Movin Backwards’ and Kendrick on ‘Conrad Tokyo’, the overall production, overseen by master cutter Ali Shaeed Muhammed, is unfiltered, choppy and distinctly reminiscent of the original Tribe sound.

Imposing on first listen, ‘From The Private Collection Of Saba And No ID’ is packed with detail. Both artists have stratospherically high standards, leaving some to wonder how this would work – reaching to perfection, Saba and No ID have conjured something magical.

This is an album about growth, however messy and non-linear it may be.

You don't even need to know about the box-set's extras: if teenage angst is the root of rock and roll, then 'Quadrophenia' is its definitive statement.

It's heavy, but so very beautiful.

It is a genuine classic album. ... Lal Waterson was a hugely significant and individual songwriter, and her spirit--alongside Mike’s energy, his unique, rasping voice and his own songwriting--plus the time capsule who’s-who of a support cast from the British folk scene of the early 1970’s--make this curious work of art individual, heartfelt and fun.

It immediately stakes its claim as the rock album of 2015.

‘Punisher’ is an immense album tackling the ugly and absurd sides to life with beauty, humour and self-awareness. It’s a unique reporting style and a key statement.

Overall, ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’ is excellent. The praise the original album received for its composition, songwriting and overall curation is still absolutely worthy, and will hopefully serve as a reminder of how and why Taylor Swift became one of the greatest solo artists of her generation. The tracks from the vault are exquisite and make strong additions to the album as a whole, and it would be surprising if these songs didn’t become immediate chart successes given their likeability and quality.

Deftly striking a balance between brutal and graceful, it’s a welcome reminder that Deftones are still more than capable of delivering the goods while showing us something new and vital.

Stunning debut mixtape ‘Send Them To Coventry’. The 15-track project is a musical kaleidoscope, fusing elements of afro-swing, dancehall, grime, and rap. Sonically, it speaks to the fluidity of Black sounds.

As with most of Numero's releases to date, there are moments of gold in amongst plenty of enjoyably period music and it's best consumed in one, immersive and overwhelming sitting, accompanying book to hand.

‘The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We’ is Mitski at her most emotionally raw.

Through channeling their frustration into their craft, Boston Manor have not only made their finest album to date, they’ve lent a voice to the disaffected youth of modern Britain at a time when that is sorely needed.

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

A sonic patchwork of disparate influences over a nucleus of Black London musicality, and imbuing each thread with an undeniable protagonist energy.

As a whole, this ambitious compendium of some of George Harrison’s finest tracks are ideal for fans discovering the magic of ‘Living In The Material World’ for the first time, or indeed for those wishing to revisit it.

‘Glory’ stands as testimony to the ongoing creative confidence of Perfume Genius, and the towering intentionality that streams through his work. With nothing left to prove, he’s redoubled his efforts, and added another Everest to his catalogue.

Holy Hell succeeds in pushing Architects’ sound further than ever before. The grooves dig deeper, while the instrumentation is techier.

A gorgeous example of her beautifully sombre world-building, ‘Here In The Pitch’ is another remarkable example of Jessica Pratt’s unique artistry.

A final project that is both delicate and explosive. Whether curating the voices of those around him, serving as the production-backbone of a track, or cultivating and polishing his own voice, Lil Silva delivers.

‘Iechyd Da’ is a forward-moving record rooted in love and loss, marking a significant chapter in the musician and producer’s career.

It’s not as shiny as ‘Nevermind’, nor as raucous as ‘Bleach’; it’s not as sensibly realised as it would have been has DGC had entirely their own way, but nor does it completely kick against Cobain and company’s prior achievements.

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.

The career-spanning retrospective Alone and Unreal: The Best of the Clientele serves as a potent reminder of just how discreetly revelatory the group's primary method of operation has always been.

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.

A muted gem, Joanne Robertson’s restraint sees ‘Blurrr’ reach fresh heights.

An emotionally ambitious 20-track built on pain, vulnerability and self-identity.

After the delicate beauty of previous albums, this is the sound of an artist unleashed.

It’s a beautifully assembled package. ... Funny then that this collection should contain so much life, from an album restored to splendour, to a night of joyful inebriation and creativity with a showbiz pal, to a ferocious performance in front of adoring fans. ...‘Dead Man’s Pop’ is the perfect tribute.

It’s a Greatest Hits album, not a B-Sides & Rarities collection. What it is is a relatively complete encapsulation (RIP ‘The Air Near My Fingers’) of everything that made people fall in love with this noisy drum and bass duo in the first place.

The devil’s in the detail, and it makes for a brilliant record.

Run The Jewels has again pushed rap away from regular rhythms and rhymes and into territories that they’re still calculating the dimensions of. May they never reach the sum of such remarkable parts and continue to exclusively Run Them Jewels fast.

Melancholy remains the primary colour in Robyn’s work, though it continues to sparkle.

With Eternity, In Your Arms, Creeper have torn up their own sonic rulebook, giving them licence to roam musically wherever they please. It’s a fresh page in a new story for a band who are really just getting started.

Michael Kiwanuka has undoubtedly created a timeless album, one made with impressive confidence.

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.

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

Emotion and passion are apparent in every word, key and chord throughout this project, boldly asserting Jamila’s second offering as a brilliant new addition to her own legacy, rather than a mere follow up to 2016’s ‘HEAVN’.

It’s a perverse and challenging listen that makes very few compromises. But the album is also both intensely lyrical and supremely musical--and it plays out in a way that is designed to be perversely uncomfortable for the ears.