A nine-track opus of gorgeous musical exploration on their own terms.

This might not be as an essential album, but it’s one that definitely requires your respect and an hour of your life.

‘Tableau’ sees the The Orielles venture into the unknown, with the sole ambition of testing their limits (or lack thereof). They succeed, resurfacing with new vision, and setting an example of what can occur when artists have the opportunity to revel in full, untethered, boundless creativity.

Arriving at 14 tracks spread over an hour, it would be remiss to mention that ‘Stung!’ might be a little on the long side (at least, at first), certainly their longest yet anyway. But with music this exhilarating, Pond’s buzz eventually lands a memorable sting.

With ‘In Times New Roman…’ Homme and co. have crafted a darkly seductive return, an intoxicating psychedelic record that drips with equal parts malice and renewal. It’s good to have them back.

It’s refreshing to hear something different and altogether more interesting from a slighter older but no less exciting name.

‘Wicked City’ is just a tiny slice of what’s to come, leaving a super sweet taste in our mouths.

Imperfect, but still as absolutely bloody essential as the best of Fugazi always was.

The cartoon-ish vocals are still there, but Iglooghost isn’t trying to show off, or impress us, with his skills. Instead, he has created his most inventive, personal, and tender album to date.

All dark atmospherics and empty space, Jaar’s spectral production for collaborative project Darkside creates the void where rhythm, and seemingly time, are allowed to infinitely float on.

Framed by ‘THE LIGHT’, the record is cohesive, punchy, and succinct.

The LP is consistently engaging: a solid rock 'n' roll album crafted by a bunch of talented musicians finding their feet--and sounding like they're having a damn good time in the process.

The songs are well written with glorious instrumentation. Hansard is the owner of, well, a decent pair of pipes and whether he’s singing, crooning, bellowing or whispering you feel the emotion in this voice. The downside to the album is, well, we’ve heard it all before. There isn’t anything new here.

A radiant, uplifting and spiritual album that feels like home. .... This is an album that does not ask to be understood – it asks to be felt.

Three decades after forming, hitting the reset button has unleashed this iconic duo afresh, demonstrating an insatiable ability to forge the perfect dance track, whatever the era. Go get your rave on.

This is the strongest project Drake since 2013’s ‘Nothing Was The Same’, and one that owes itself to sounds across the globe.

It sometimes feels a bit too quick, with most of its tracks coming in at or around three minutes in length. Overall though, hardly anything is forced and it all feels well presented and devilishly melodic.

Swanlights is less straightforward than his other records and more operatic. It's still astonishingly beautiful.

On Your Own Love Again is a timeless record by a remarkable talent only just starting to show what she can do.

She may not take life too seriously, but when it comes to making divine music, Beth means business.

All performed with good, non-satirical heart.

Unsettling, certainly, on more than a few occasions. But wonderful is the descriptor that sticks after so many listens to this entirely enveloping LP.

While that album was littered with features, seeing artists put fresh spins on their classic material, this project is completely stripped down in comparison with the sole features being from Lil Tjay and Mansa respectively.

Intensely relaxing, wonderfully addictive, and ultra-mellow, ‘Moredechai’ is this summer’s sunset record.

Wilson has a fantastic ear for the unexpected. Similarly, the timbre of ‘Mountains’ sees Wilson’s vocal blend like a true instrument. A woman strong in her practise, with little room for improvement. 'ALPHA' is Charlotte Day Wilson in 360.

He also writes with a newfound lens, new experience, with his fascination of the space between cities coming through in technicolour on this record. The also never-ending sonic exploration is continually excellent, ‘Space Heavy’ being just as eclectic as it is cohesive.

A bold and confident return.

‘The Price Of Progress’ is a perfectly functional Hold Steady record, no more and no less.