The album’s first half sees Taye relish the experimental nature that first drew him to the scene, and to its defining Teklife cohort. When it works, it’s weird - but it definitely works. ... The latter half of the record serves a more straightforward (if such a thing is possible) footwork rinse-out. And it sings.

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

It's another touchdown for the guitar heroes, one we suggest cranking up loud and enjoying in the spring sunshine.

Compelling and absorbing, The Take Off is a rich and rewarding record.

An thrilling new chapter for old fans and an engaging entry point for new ones. Just don’t make us wait another four years next time.

‘Prize’ fully submerges the artist into a unique, eccentric, psychedelic style – allowing her to fully embrace various influences and detach her art from confinements that previous albums may have established.

Charli is no doubt an album of too many features and too many parts, but it somehow all fits together in a way that allows her penchant for unconventional songwriting and her ear for an exciting melody to work in concert, creating a project better than most anything she’s done in the past.

It's almost a back to basics approach.

Night Thoughts is far from easy listening, but it's further proof that Suede's renaissance shows no sign of losing momentum.

A world of distortion and contradiction, blood and venom, ‘If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power’ is a singular statement, one of extreme power.

Moving with intention, embracing emotion, it’s often strikingly autobiographical, paired to music that is rich in her melodic gifts, while quietly evolutionary.

‘The WAEVE’ being a unique experience, bathed in a bold richness and brilliantly indulgent productions.

{Awayland} is just brilliant.

There’s gorgeous, candid song-craft at work, ‘C’est La Vie 2’ urging that “they say that love is easy if you let it be”. That self-reflection runs like a golden thread, particularly on the woozy ‘These Rocks.’

Ripe with subtle nuance, Fading Lines is an exquisite debut. Seemingly simple yet running far deeper than cursory listens reveal, it’s a record that sticks with you long after the closing notes of the aptly titled ‘White Fuzz’ fade out.

By the time the record comes to a close, one thing is clear: ‘Traumazine’ is a deeper excavation of who Megan Jovon Ruth Pete is. While the glossy persona of “That Bitch” Megan Thee Stallion is able to roam free, introspective uncertainties linger beneath the surface. ‘Traumazine’ abounds in empowering affirmations but, beneath it all, this is a release that starts to unpack Megan the human.

Yes Lawd! is a feel-good album that isn't afraid to take a step back and reflect. NxWorries brilliantly capture the sense of being carried by the whirlwind of success--disorientated and bewildered but enjoying the ride regardless.

It's as personal an album as he's ever written--more than just an amalgamation of the band's previous work, it is perhaps the purest distillation yet of everything that makes them who and what they are: rewarding, confusing, joyous, heartbreaking, immediate and profound, all in one.

The band clearly dug much deeper and as a result they created bigger sounds than before. It can be seen as the positive impact of a collaboration that has lasted more than twenty-five years – even though drummer Janet Weiss recently decided to leave the band. Maybe the centre really cannot hold.

The beauty of ‘Valentine’ lies in Courtney Marie Andrews’ unique ability to shift between multiple vocal textures. Her aching pain is felt in her vocals and unguarded lyricism, a looseness that gives the album its emotional weight.

By Storm have come up with an engrossing quasi-debut here, one that slots them firmly into the lineage of experimental rap acts of yore (the great, somewhat unsung Dälek deserve to be mentioned again), but also feels wholly modern.

Twelve years after their formation, the East Coast five-piece have created their finest album to date.

Production is loud and punchy and even the quiet bits aren't quiet, which makes all sixteen tracks in one sitting a bit like hard work.

‘Playing Robots’ finds Blake not quite knowing how to juggle all these facets of his personality and throwing them all at the wall. There are flashes of gorgeous phrasing, incredible textures, and welcome experimentation, but the album is also completely all over the place. Still, Blake remains undeniably talented as a singer, songwriter and producer.

Some listeners may find fault in the looseness with which the mix is put together and the unexpected results that the track pairings create (see the transition from the heavy rhythms of ‘Nocturne’ to the Craig David-sounding vocal samples of ‘So It Seems’, or the unashamed ‘70s funk of ‘Vs’), yet it is in these very moments that Snaith’s creative bravery and vision come to the fore, subverting t

The biting nostalgia of middle age runs throughout the lyrics and the band’s desire to produce something akin to ‘Automatic For The People’ is largely fulfilled.

‘Serfs Up!’ is initially impenetrable, but persistence is rewarding as the band sucks you deeper into their tilted netherworld with each listen. It’s by far their most interesting work to date.

Harkening back to the days of ‘Strange House’, but also moving forward, this industrial future for The Horrors is an interesting and welcoming one. It’s just a shame it’s only three tracks long.