An uplifting album with a distant and ever present sadness culminates on a high note, and then right before you know it, you’ll start it all over again.

A fantastic example of world-building, Maria Somerville has create something unique and truly forward-thinking; a cryptic, ghostly song cycle, ‘Luster’ will undoubtedly rank as one of 2025’s most significant releases.

‘Amelia’ is this a towering work of artistic endeavour and creative genius which comfortably ranks as one of Anderson’s most definitive statements yet.

‘Perverts’ is not an easy album to listen to by any definition – but that never takes away from how exceptional it is.

‘Young Shakespeare’ is a fascinating artifact. Before ‘Sugar Mountain’ he says he’s 25 years old. Imaging being 25 and knowing you have another album, pretty much, ready to go and teasing audiences with snippets from it? It really does boggle the mind. The album is another flawless release which sees Young digging through his live recordings and releasing albums of interest.

{Awayland} is just brilliant.

A dazzling display of technical and emotional virtuosity, ‘Busy Guy’ is an incredible experience, a work of true intimacy from a songwriter whose return is long overdue. Magical.

While DRIFT’s production values remain solid, a few tracks would have needed more time to be fleshed out. ... Even then, you can trust Underworld to play to their strengths. ... By taking all these ideas and running with them, Underworld has rushed in where most artists fear to tread.

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

A work of quite singular intensity, it leaves a lasting impact.

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.

The album is intense, emotional, energetic. It feels beautiful to be invited into Harle’s world and the way his mind works.

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.

Without doubt, this is one of the folk albums of the year.

Devastating, but utterly beautiful.

'Superache' is a definitive evolution for Gray. A matured turn since his debut 'Kid Krow', 'Superache' continues to exemplify Gray's flair for pop bops, but with ripened introspection.

The North Borders is a triumph--each listen is a revelation; seemingly it’s a breadth of work that marks a new, exciting era of electronic music.

To Be Kind is altogether more colourful, an expansive record--fleshier, bloodier and lusciously psychedelic.... Near perfection.

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.

This is Hopkins’ strongest album to date. It is also his bravest. Which is saying something indeed.

An excellent return.

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.

Put aside your cynicism, and dial into the fireworks: ‘Wet Leg’ is an exceptional debut album.

‘Hit Parade’ is as colourful and playful as Róisín Murphy herself. Truly a contender for album of the year, Murphy has created an album of true musical depth that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

A genuine thrill from an artist who could rest on her nostalgia laurels, Kylie is back for her well-deserved crown.

The album is Kelly Moran’s finest work to date and really shows why she is in a league of her own. She is moving in her own field.

Where three years of agonised, vice-grip creation and destruction preceded Grizzly Bear’s 2012’s multi-dimensional effort ‘Shields’, the five years of space following has worked in their favour--leading to the conception of a creature that breathes confidently with a heavy sense of hyper-ambition in Painted Ruins.

As an album, though still swinging from one place to another with glee, The Underside Of Power feels important, and very, very serious, as a body of work. It is one of the year’s very best albums, and sets out Algiers as one of the decade’s very best bands.