There’s an unpredictable feeling to the way a lot of the songs unfurl and from a purely musical standpoint, they’ve never sounded more confident or finely tuned as a unit.

There’s a stunning candour to the lyrics, though it gets a little stodgy in the mid-section and, at 80+ minutes, is a little more verbiage than the typical album. Yet we’re dealing with an untypical songwriter, and the last two tracks are among the best he’s ever written.

These sounds are heavier and Miller flows naturally in this element.

There are times when the producers’ imaginations seem to be tearing at the seams a little, pulling as they are in so many different directions at once. But these are minor critiques in an album which does so much so successfully, and whose ambitions soar so high above so many of its influences, that it more than makes up for the four-year wait.

Almost every track on ‘Magdalene’ is built upwards from a simple piano line, hammering home the impression of someone delicately yet decisively knitting themselves back together after coming undone.

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.

‘Live at Montreux Jazz Festival 2023’ might not appeal to many non-fans of this shirtless icon, but what it does provide is proof that you can A) Still sound ridiculously vital and feral in your 70s and B) that one James Newell Osterberg Jr. aka Iggy Pop was bringing his a-game right till the end. Look no further if you’re looking for a slab of good old-fashioned, authority-hating, boredom-detesting noise to start your 2025.

Starmaker is a joy from start to finish. Together, each song on this debut album supports Honey Harper’s ambition to bring his cosmic country into a wider setting and he does it with currency and aesthetics.

Pleasingly self-referential, ‘Household Name’ is a joyous selection, a record that melds together its alt-rock influences to locate a distinctive voice, pitting intricate instrumentation against some killer pop hooks. Looks like we may just have found our summer soundtrack.

The disorientating utopian ride you take when listening to this album in full will no doubt bring you glee, and maybe some weird dreams if you think about being a prawn too much.

He seems to explore his craft, experimenting with electronic instruments throughout each track, yet stays close to home.

‘C O S M’ is the first dramatic reduction in pace, but proves to be only temporary respite, as the album’s second half builds to a glorious finale. Hopkins remains in ascension, and no one is on his level right now.

It probably won’t satisfy those who still yearn for a return to their ‘90s alt-rock beginnings but it’s a good starting point for newcomers. For the rest of us though, what this all amounts to, in the end, is another fantastic Radiohead album.

The concept of ‘Cottilions’ definitely deserves some applause. It’s a big, brave project for anyone to take on, and rather than disappoint or fail, it impresses, and in some places, it shines.

Having listened from beginning to end scores of times, it always retains its singular charm.

Without it being a slight on Wood’s performance, it also adds to a beneficiary mix of vocal viewpoints, aimed at tightening the Orchestra’s hold over main stages and secret, more intimate tents out back.

Dutch Interior’s new album lives up to the hype that surrounds them in a wonderful blend of country, folk, grunge and so much more. It’s hard to categorise them but there is a thrill in seeing such an ambitious debut that lands its audacious swings.

Another ambitious statement from a band that has made a habit of reinventing themselves at every stage, while still, somehow, sounding uniquely like Liars.

Bolt on an undeniably zealous execution, a set of simple yet well-written songs, add an element of confident adventure via some experimentation and diversity and the rebirth of indie may just have found its leading protagonists.

‘Live Laugh Live’ is a rap Escher diagram, a Greek maze with MC as Minotaur; it extends Earl’s world, and invites you forward with every step.

A truly stylish but somewhat overly long affair.

Radwan Ghazi Mounmeh and his cohorts have managed to make a record which communicates across the bounds of culture and time.

Collaborations with vocalists Serpentwithfeet, Elise Serenelle and India Carney bring elevated moments to an album of ambient piano which will have you drifting in thought.

Breathless and perplexed with ears ringing, the live trip of ‘Rare, Forever’ will be a must witness.

Djo triumphs in an accomplished attempt at a third album which spares no songs in getting to the crux of the matter.

An exhilarating and ambitious collection, it should bring Field Music a deservedly larger audience at last.

An enormous leap forward, Freedom finds Amen Dunes grappling with his abilities, with the passing of the time; a superb record, it’s one that deserves the widest possible audience.

‘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.