‘Blindness’ revolutionises The Murder Capital’s sound once more and this prioritisation of urgency and energy brings an infectious listen.

On ‘Jupiter’, Nao has bottled liberation and turned it into a rich tapestry of sound, a sonic explosion of curiosity and play.

Fender lyrically distances himself from his first-hand experiences on ‘People Watching’, adding a new dimension to his already accomplished repertoire. Still, this album is a quintessential Sam Fender experience – a heartfelt, homegrown immersion of the mundane and extraordinary people and places this dweller was lucky enough to know.

Not only does it showcase her ability to blend introspective vulnerability with infectious pop sensibilities, but it also finds McRae discovering the sound she’s most confident in, leaving everyone wondering where she will take it next.

John Glacier had often considered herself as ‘particular’, and someone who knew exactly what she wanted, and with her latest body of work, the artist is moving forward in this exceptional journey taking her to exactly where her mind has manifested itself to.

The only ‘new’ song is ‘It Might Have Been’. Here Young really leans into country vibes. Slow strumming. Lilting, falsetto vocals with a fiddle solo to boot. It’s one of the standout moments on the album and to finally hear the original version, after all these years, is a blast. All of the songs are slightly different to their original versions.

Fusing fragility with fierceness, ‘Polari’ is a confident debut offering from Olly and is an expressive and euphoric collection of floor-filling, punchy tracks that oozes confidence, colour and charm.

An album of rare patience and empathy, ‘End Of The Middle’ doesn’t ever allow itself to descend into forthright commentary. Instead, it presents its scenes to you, inviting you in, and allowing you the time to reflect on the quiet luxury of finding such comfort a drag, in turn asking you to consider the fates of those who would find such a life an aspirational relief from the breadline.

On first listen, ‘$ome $sexy $ongs 4 U’ isn’t terrible, but it equally isn’t a vintage release for either artist. PartyNextDoor has undoubtedly released stronger material, and the pair’s regular duets have reached loftier peaks than these.

‘Automatic’ is emotionally-charged and is full of introspection, intelligent songwriting and despite touching on themes like loss and blurred reality is still poetically beautiful as it always is with the Lumineers.

It’s a welcome return from the marquee indie act, who thread moments of humour, aspiration and joy across the album’s twelve tracks. Their sound is coated in a new varnish which leaves the listener feeling as rejuvenated as the band.

Antonoff, enhances his co-collaborator’s foundations here: take the humming on ‘Sober’ which comes accompanied with subtle, minimal keys – the perfect backdrop to Bartees’ candid songwriting.

There is plenty to admire in the sound and structure, sounding far from a copy of the members’ previous groups. Each member is afforded opportunities to shine, it will be fascinating to see the longer-term trajectory of the project.

Freed from expectation, they can gleefully channel the melodic sheen of the Eighties without veering into needy bombast. There seems to be some tension at the heart of the band’s dynamic right now, but it has inspired a meticulous, strident and euphoric sounding record.

On 2021’s ‘K(n)ow Them, K(now) Us’ and 2022 follow-up ‘Ibeji’, there were glimmers but on ‘On a Modern Genius (Vol. 1)’ there’s no denying his talent. Everything is bigger, tighter, looser and just in your face. Roll on ‘Vol. 2’.

Catchier, more stirring than ever, Inhaler have done it again. Only this time they achieve with a new-found trust in their guts, it makes this work stronger. A magnificent move forward.

Recorded across Paris and London, the blend of cultures bleeds into the debut’s roots, lacing bilingual lines with effortless Parisian confidence and the harder-edged energy of London’s clubbing scene.

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.

Unlike a time-worn relic that loses its lustre, ‘BLACK’!ANTIQUE’ is a curio of mind-melting hip-hop that becomes more corporeal, revealing its magic with every listen.

Bold, confessional and full of vulnerability, the Liverpudlian quartet serve up poetry amidst the pain with a stellar offering of euphoric resilience.

Leaving behind krautrock and other prog influences, along with most of their post-Brexit new wave tricks, they have begun their journey toward a cohort of self-assured artists—ones who, thanks to their more expansive vision, no longer have to copy the paintings of great masters.

‘Violet’ is a bold and ambitious leap forward, but it definitely works in the band’s favour.

It’s a heady dose of spiritual funk that leans into the free expression of jazz. It’s an album that kicks hard from the off. .... Closing with the emphatic ‘Carry The Word’, you’re left feeling how defiantly modern, and devoutly unclassifiable Cymande’s music remains.

Through their ability to find beauty in adversity, Maribou State have created an album that stands as a beacon of resilience and artistry. ‘Hallucinating Love’ is a powerful contender for Album of the Year – a body of work that radiates a perspective on life we too often overlook.

A riveting, vastly effective display of his generational talents, The Weeknd uses this broad canvas to assert the multi-faceted aspects of his pop genius. Unafraid to plumb the depths of his emotions, there are also straight-forwardly fun, explicitly pop moments. For all its undoubted complexity, it’s also an incredibly open record.

Here, he isn’t playing a role – it’s fun, vibrant, and deeply trippy songwriting, well worthy of praise on its own lofty terms.

On this their second album they have created a sonic world that is heavy with atmosphere, tension and gothic drama. The anxiety of the guitars and basslines are a thread throughout ‘Never Exhale’ and yet alongwith the striking percussion it all hangs together as a most glorious whole which will envelope the listener and weave its spell.

A record that feels both eclectic and uniquely defined, ‘WHAM’ packs huge amount of detail into its 15-track, 41-minute run. The neo-hallucinogenic production flourishes of ‘Free Promo’ show his studio control, but the roll call of features – GloRilla, Rod Wave, an electric Travis Scott – illustrate the respect Lil Baby is afforded by his peers.