Jungle have largely played it safe here; the feelgood alt-funk of ‘Heavy, California’ could sit seamlessly alongside anything from their debut, while the ominous nocturnal strut of single ‘Happy Man’ is just ‘Busy Earnin” Mk II.

While not wholly consistent, Teleman’s third LP contains some of their best work yet.

Mothers have taken their tactics of constant instrumental juxtapositions into another realm, somehow finding a middle ground between the pleasant and the discordant, where Mothers have comfortably found their niche--it’s not always uplifting, but it consistently delivers.

Language could afford to lose a few numbers--particularly the low-energy likes of ‘Body’ and ‘Girlfriend’--but there’s more than enough evidence here that MNEK is a potent force in his own right.

This is an offshoot of Waxahatchee that may fail to bring in fans anew, but offers plenty for those wanting a return to Katie Crutchfield’s more acoustic roots.

This album only re-affirms his unique and inimitable talent.

hile ‘Back in Brazil’ is a tad baffling, ‘Caesar Rock’ doesn’t quite hit the right notes, and ‘People Want Peace’ feels a tad trite, even from one of the (probable) pioneers of the peace hand signal. Still, it’s hard to leave Egypt Station without a grin.

The result is that it all, somehow, sounds bizarrely natural. Landing in the unique middle ground between the ’70s warmth of Todd Rundgren (who lends guest vocals as Shane’s dad, of course) and Little Shop Of Horrors, Go To School is a genuine original.

While Dance on the Blacktop won’t mean everything to everyone, its considered construction, intriguing philosophising and plain old barbed-wire hooks mean it’s certain to mean everything to someone.

An album, according to Dev, about “black depression, black existence and the ongoing anxieties of queer / people of colour”, Negro Swan is a record that radiates these tensions; subtle and amorphous, it’s not the most immediate listen, but it’s undoubtedly one with real weight.

Depth is assured by some strong variations to the established formula.

It’s a heftier beast that still reaches all-guns-blazing crescendos like it’s no biggie, but for the most part is slower, louder, and easier to lose oneself in than its rapid-fire younger brother, resounding proof that Spring King are still on an upward trajectory with no signs of slowing.

A record both charming and bold, the dichotomy of upbeat indie-pop and brutally honest lyricism only adds to its appeal.

There’s plenty to discover here on a diverse record that takes a lot of interesting turns, and while there are some unsuccessful moments, there’s also plenty for indie-pop fans to get their teeth stuck into.

With its high concepts and bold instrumentals the album feels a little heavy at times, but you really can’t fault its ambition.

With just about enough sonic variation to keep things interesting, there’s a more pristine, altogether more polished feel to this collection of tracks no doubt the result of an artist who’s getting closer to refining their craft.

When so much of what Juanita had written for Until the Lights Fade clearly involves a folk-rock flavour, it’s a shame it wasn’t fleshed out accordingly.

Across its 40-odd minutes, Joy As An Act of Resistance makes you want to laugh and cry and roar into the wind and cradle your nearest and dearest. It is a beautiful slice of humanity delivered by a group of men whose vulnerability and heart has become a guiding light in the fog for an increasing community of fans who don’t just want, but need this.

Honne’s crystalline, Mura Masa-esque beats will see them through--though only as easy-listening, nothing more.

Invitation to Her’s is an occasionally jarring listen, thanks to its stylistic restlessness, but there’s enough substance behind the silliness to leave you feeling they’re following through on their early prom

Performance doesn’t necessarily take White Denim in a drastically different direction, but it captures so many of the different sides of the band’s multi-faceted sound that it feels expansive and wholesome.

‘Stay In Touch’ is a hip-shaking highlight, and the one true surprise here, but largely Marauder simply sees Interpol proving their worth once again, and their prowess for creating bleak, blackened indie rock that’s full of feeling.

Trevor Powers has crafted an album full of malice and aggression that it lives up to its title, but it is peppered with themes of hope and optimism.

The Coral may have been at this game for nigh-on two decades but there’s scarcely a moment here that seems tired or phoned-in. Instead, the Wirral lads have added another fascinating work to their canon.

By keeping enough of the old--and allowing themselves the space to go a little heart-on-sleeve--their tales of 2010s disillusionment are a resounding success.

Singles ‘Level’ and ‘Being Around’ are given a new lick of paint, while newies ‘I Wish It Was Sunday - an invigorating thrash defined by screeching guitar solos - and closer ‘Boring’--a live favourite that sounds even more intense on record--show that Our Girl can more than hold their own across a full-length. It’s what’ll come next that we’re most excited about though.

Thank You for Today marks the stirring opening of a new chapter in this band’s already storied history.

The events of two years ago might have left Cullen dejected, but he’s managed to spin beauty out of those bad times.

As a self-contained piece, just furthers her ability to create immersive worlds to fall into.

Named after a match-winning wrestling move, Coup De Grace isn’t quite going to do that, but it’ll get Miles through to the next round

Far from a disaster, Ben Khan’s long-awaited debut is a necessary one, feeling like a cleansing of the palate.

Taken on its own merit Rituals is a bright and bombastic record that harbours a darker underbelly. ... And though there’s a chance it will alienate a small portion of established fanbase, it will certainly earn the band more than it loses.

Julia’s vocals are still the centre-piece here but they take a more playful turn and, at nine songs long, the record serves as a short but promising introduction to a band still in their relative infancy.

A brilliant and unexpected ride from start to finish.

A decidedly more organic record; buoyant and witty, and notably shy of meandering eight-minute odysseys.

An overwhelmingly intimate record that makes you wonder just what Years & Years could be capable of next.

Streamlined and minimal but bursting with intelligence, humour and ideas, BODEGA are the real deal.

Deafheaven finally look comfortable in their many different skins, their opposing worlds gliding together seamlessly, able to change between brutally heavy and light as air in seconds.

Measured and calm where ‘I, Gemini’ was erratic, and packing some of the strongest pop punches we’ve heard in yonks, Let’s Eat Grandma look like they could go anywhere from here.

High as Hope is an album that takes solace in those closest to her, works to right previous wrongs, and sees her come out the other side a whole lot stronger.

On Bad Witch, Trent Reznor has curated a feeling, an atmosphere, an idea.

If Humanz was a reaction about a world that seemed to be heading to hell, then The Now Now is a more spaced-out affair, stripped of its star-studded collaborations and bathed in the apparent apathy of the modern age.

The songs themselves are invariably linked through a series of euphoric crossovers and trippy interludes that create a strong sense of life within the music.

Granted, his sixth effort is as bonkers and creative as ever, but it could be that less really is more.

It’s punk music with the intelligence of wizened old jazz musicians, and as a chronicle of the band’s hardships, it’s a much-welcome return.

She conveys a depth of emotional exploration in her lyrics that goes beyond even her previous work and sets Petal up as an affecting songwriter.

There’s still barely any light allowed in, but Protomartyr’s prowess at channeling darkness into something cathartic has never been stronger.

The frustration comes from Stains on Silence's propensity for a feeling little bit too rough around the edges, unfinished almost, despite it’s reworking.

It’s not just its hooks sunny disposition that makes Bay Dream the album it is, however. From start to finish, this is one of the finest examples of punk rock songwriting we’ve seen in 2018 so far from a band whose momentum off the back of last album ‘Peach’ should only increase in velocity off the back of this

If there’s anything to criticise Hope Downs for, it’s its risk-averse approach, and tendency to become a one-dimensional listen, but as a debut record, it presents a band that know exactly what they’re doing, and proceed to do it very well indeed.

Melody’s weird medley may not be as accessible as her debut, but it’s a work of art that deserves to be beheld for its impressive and unique innovation.

Sugar & Spice cements her as the modern day successor to dream pop titans Cocteau Twins from the get-go.

The title of serpentwithfeet’s debut full-length soil is perhaps literal then: a return to his roots and a celebration of finally having found his feet.

The singer-songwriter continues along that trajectory with her most cohesive, accomplished and undeniably catchy collection of songs to date.

Enduringly addictive and devoid of arty pretentiousness, MIEN is evidently an album made by true connoisseurs of psychedelic music both old and new. Like-minded audiophiles will find plenty to cheer about across these ten tracks.

1, 2, Kung Fu! is a fun, beautiful, and accomplished reminder of the joy of discovery. It’s the kind of record that encourages you to keep a close ear to its many layers, peeling each one back to reveal a Krautrock pulse here, a soul groove there.

Totalling eight songs and clocking in at just over 30 minutes, Two Parts Together feels surprisingly well-rounded and complete, with strange journeys taking place within each track, and enough crunch to keep things exciting right up to its thundering climax.

Bad Contestant is a stunning debut with two very opposing personalities.

There’s a diversity of stylistic approach and yet a singularity of vision that few artists are able to combine so early on.

It’s a record in its creator’s image; curious, insightful, eclectic and - most of all--good fun, against the odds.

There’s a further sense of spiriting when harps show up on the tracks ‘Limbs’ and ‘Take Him In’, and ultimately this album succeeds as an ominous exercise in atmosphere.

This is clearly an album of personal and musical growth for Lykke Li--it’ll be interesting to see where she goes next.

She’s not quite there yet, but after a wobble that could have sunk lesser personalities, she’s found a sound that feels authentic again. And that’ll do for now.

The record is peppered with slower solo tracks, but it’s the crunchy, full band material that really points the way forward, adding another name to the growing list of songwriters that are giving indie-rock a new, more relatable voice.

His third album is an engrossing, deeply atmospheric trip, helmed by seven-minute monster ‘A Boat To An Island On The Wall’, that serves as a repositioning as well as a new highlight.

With each track melting into each other, LUMP feels like a self-contained trip, giving no hints as to the future of the project outside this release, but holding plenty of wonder inside.

It’s smart and knowing, flitting between perspectives with ease. Barely a year after his last, Josh Tillman makes this shit look easy.

Celebratory, rich and more confident than ever before, they’re yet again the finest versions of themselves.

Fans of ‘Complete Surrender’’s sonic diversity, too, might find ‘Now That I’m a River’ similarly one-note to ‘One Day All of This Won’t Matter Any More’. It’s a better record, though, primarily because Charles sounds genuinely refreshed.

Stepping away from her bandmates, LoveLaws is an even more personal exploration of TT’s affective talents.

Tell Me How You Really Feel is a more mature record, and lyrically the most direct and honest Courtney has been to date.

La Luz play with an enchanting sensitivity. If only their raw knack for rhythm and harmony were left untouched by unnecessarily glossy production.

Cosmic Wink is largely free from inhibition though, documenting the big changes in life over beautiful, sweeping folk. While the album doesn’t hold all the answers, it’s still sure enough in its message to connect and remind you of the important things.

Seven albums in, and with a formula that’s kept its core elements largely the same, it’s largely Beach House by-numbers, but the pair have a gravitational pull that looks like it will never run dry.

It’s all executed with the same kind of effortless charm that’s characterised Malkmus’ entire career.

Daniel’s latest project is easily his most mature work. It might also be his best.

‘You Don’t Walk Away From Love’ is an iconic stomp, ‘Silverlined’ is custom-made for arms-around-shoulders festival singalongs, holding court with the best of the foursome’s anthems, while ‘Magnificent’ showcases Harry’s duality perfectly: at one moment, he’s both primed to take on the world, and doubting his every step.

As far as debuts go, the Sydney trio have made a solid first step here. They’ve got half the job worked out in spades. Now, they just need to work on making it memorable.

If straying always leads to things as great as this, Iceage should continue veering from the path.

While he proves in spades that he’s not merely a throwback artist who has to rely on nostalgia, the mishmash of sounds coming from the album does feel a little muddled at times.

As a trip of just over an hour, Singularity is varied and consistently compelling.

Gaz’s third solo offering continues to find him moving into his next phase with real class.

As on her previous albums, what makes Eleanor’s songwriting feel magical are the stories she tells and the tiny details she drops in.

An album that only even begins to click after about the tenth listen, Arctic Monkeys’ sixth is the kind of eyebrow-raising curveball that could still yet lead to brilliance.

The overbearing problem with Isaac Gracie is just how Isaac Gracie-centric it is.

While it can be an emotionally turbulent listen that continually returns to the fracturing of the self and the breaking apart from others, this is also an album that is deeply arresting and vital, a reminder that these ruptures are a part of the rocky terrain of life.

Bringing together two parallel creative paths, the result is an irresistible tautness that shapes their entire first full-length, angular lines competing with Trilling’s diary scribble writing; her vulnerable admissions bolstered by a serious punch.

There are some meandering points on Caer, but Lewis Jr.’s sobering narrative on piano finale ‘Runaway’ ends things on a poignant high-note.

Megaplex is a bright and breezy romp that’s impossible not to smile and tap along to. And even when the breezy nature of some tracks is taken so far as to on the ephemeral, you can almost guarantee that what follows will pack enough of a punch so as to make up for it.

The result is a sharpening of Speedy Ortiz’s axe to grind. Succinct, wry, and in tune with its context, there’s plenty to unpick, here.

Taking stock of the dizzying array of touchstones on this record, this also the sound of an auteur hellbent on short circuiting all convention. ... Dirty Computer might just be the record that finally elevates her to pop’s highest echelons

The beauty in Drinks is that there’s nothing else too close to their sound. With moments of sheer chaotic genius married with brilliant songwriting, Hippo Lite offers something new on every listen.

It doesn’t always quite hit those high notes, but the pair have set out to create a sometimes elusive feeling of connection. Its sheer scope alone means there’s likely to be something here that will undoubtedly resonate.

While not all-out riotous slacker-pop, he incorporates particles of honky-tonk rock, wry witticism in an admittedly more muted and seasoned, but still measured, present-day evolution of King Tuff.

Even though the likes of ‘Dylan And Caitlin’ (a duet with The Anchoress on Dylan Thomas and wife Caitlin Macnamara’s tempestuous marriage) or the poignant nostalgia of ‘In Eternity’--seemingly a sentimental ode to former bandmate Richey Edwards--are thematically complex, they’re coated in unabashedly big hooks. It’s a classic Manics trick and one that still works; across 12 tracks though, you do start to crave the spray-painted antagonists of old to pop up every now and then.

Offering up another soundtrack for the disenfranchised and downtrodden, Sister Cities is a renewed example of just how powerful and poignant The Wonder Years can be.

While ‘Painted Shut’ saw Hop Along forcefully establish themselves as a band to be reckoned with, LP3 shows they’re just as enticing and attention-grabbing when practicing restraint

It was already clear from his near-decade of huge DJ sets around the world, but this album cements Daniel Avery as one of the best.