The curiously evocative and often soaring vocal of original ‘modern woman’, Sophie Harris, there may be a slight hint of knowingly tapping into the full breadth of their creative gamut across the record, but in delivery it suggests more a case of never wanting to tie themselves – or the album as a whole – down.

Whatever your view on their schtick, the songs will win you over in the end.

‘Peaches!’ feels like a welcome return home for The Black Keys, a recapturing of sorts of their early energy.

Just like a big night out, or indeed its afters, the record is dizzying but flies by too fast and leaves you wanting just a tiny bit more to savour.

An album that’s unlikely to make too much of a dent on the band’s epic career this far, ‘Your Favourite Toy’ is a lot of fun all the same.

Hyperactive electro-punk that effortlessly marries visceral fun with often experimental chaos, ‘Theft World’ sees its creators take some audacious swings and land an endless barrage of colourful, unique and exhilarating blows.

The result is a beautiful album that offers out tantalising strands, begging to be put together. It may be an impossible task, but it’s one to revel in nonetheless.

The Los Angeles natives are more cautious in their ecstasy, in equal parts as celebratory, uplifting and outright horny as they are aware and angry, yet as affirmed on the brilliantly rousing ‘So What’, there’s more than enough love to go around.

The lushest, most fleshed-out Cola record so far.

Four albums in, imperfect as it is, American Football can still build atmospheres like few others.

For the most part, ‘The World Is Not Good Enough’ is, yes, as wholly pleasant as its colourful, cute-adjacent cover would suggest.

This isn’t them superficially cashing in on a new generation’s fascination with ‘indie sleaze’; it’s the sound of songwriting duo Emily Haines and Jimmy Shaw bridging the gap between who they were then and who they are now. Sonically, they do that by leaning into the fundamentals.

To deem ‘Forever Ends Someday’ a grower might be a little disingenuous, as if there’s nothing to grab onto on first listen. But be sure, once immersed in its many hooks, they’ll be difficult to shake off.

It’s a record that leaves the kind of impression more associated with acts with far lengthier histories; second records are usually places where acts attempt to showcase their breadth, to be seen to expand on or rebel against their past selves, not double-down with quite this much confidence and depth.

Jessie continues her journey to becoming a modern, soul-pop legend with a set of songs so palpably feel-good that it’s impossible not to start shoulder-shimmying at any given moment.

Doubling down on Lime Garden’s refreshingly unpretentious sound, ‘Maybe Not Tonight’ is a new indie disco essential.

There is no reinvention of the wheel here from Tigers Jaw, but when they do heart-on-sleeve emo this convincingly, that doesn’t matter.

A resplendent wonder that’s also a showcase of excellent songwriting.

Crucially, this project feels born from a pure place of fandom and community; much greater than the sum of its parts, it’s a meeting of minds that definitely feels worth the wait.

It’s at once a fever dream and a museum of Cameron’s dreams, desires, and influences - a postmodern kaleidoscope, if there ever was one.

Taking learnings from her heavyweight counterparts, ‘To Love Somebody’ and ‘White Noise’ pair her bittersweet melodies with driving pop, while the beautiful ‘Blue Dream’ pulls the likes of Gracie Abrams or Taylor further into their vulnerability.

It’s an album that feels lived in, drawing listeners into its world while leaving room for their own experiences to settle between the lines. In the tension between euphoria and comedown, connection and isolation, Arlo Parks delivers her most vividly realised and affecting body of work to date.

A swift album that’ll prove difficult to grow tired of.

‘Creature of Habit’ has some great moments, but they’re moments which suggest yet-still-untapped potential.

While the inspirations are obvious, ‘Ricochet’ isn’t simply a cobbled together pastiche; those inspirations are greater than the sum of their parts, and often complemented by big string arrangements for a lush and expansive soundscape.

It’s huge, expansive, bonkers and brilliant. It’s RAYE at her very core, and it’s fantastic.

Returns to the Max Martin collaborative bangers that first turned the world onto Robyn. That pop brilliance runs through ‘Dopamine’, the driving beat of ‘Talk To Me’, and the rousing chorus of ‘Into The Sun’.

As the soundtrack to a night in a sweaty underground club, ‘Crystalpunk’ stands tall - all the more for its thematic emotional heft. A daring - if, at times, a little overdone - and ambitious statement.

As a collection, ‘GOLDSTAR’ is the type of first impression that may well leave one slightly lost, a little confused, and with their head certainly spinning, but after it all anyone who meets them will be damn happy they did.

Not perfect, then, but further evidence that their upwards climb remains a steady one.

Tempering the unfettered experimentation of their last outing, 2022’s ‘Tableau’ (where tracks clocked in anywhere between 50 seconds and eight minutes), ‘Only You Left’ does indeed emerge as a more structured project, roughly bound by a central polarity of “wood versus metal”.

A record that couldn’t be more consistently him. It paints this, his seventh studio album, as a compendium of his best parts, and perhaps his first to truly do so.

‘Book of Churches’ is a debut effort rich with promise.

Here, Kim Gordon effectively reflects the absurdity of the times, without claiming to offer a solution.

The project’s peaks tend to dominate the landscape, yet for something that sits somewhere between music’s most illustrious meet-up and a bona fide 2020s Hall of Fame, there truly is something here for everyone.

An excellent record that is at points raw but more often joyful, but is also proof of the importance of taking time out.

By balancing the mastery of her nostalgic sound with universally relatable lyrics, Mitski turns the unlikely into generational truths.

It adds up to a gorgeous album that overflows with easy-going energy.

A real insight into Nicky Palermo’s mind, ‘A Short History of Decay’ is one of Nothing’s most inward-looking releases to date.

Indian instrumentation adds a new tool to Damon’s sonic arsenal. In the wrong hands, the results could be gimmicky but here the Gorillaz formula never waivers. .... The decision to mine the Eastern take on death - a much more optimistic alternative to our Western one - frequently yields joyful results.

On her seventh studio album, the Canadian musician spreads her brash and ultra-horny sentiment across another collection of vibrant, high-energy bangers.

Although the execution of ‘Masquerade’ sometimes feels uneven, there is plenty to be excited about. Whether Cardinals become the next big band to come out of Ireland, only time will tell, but as of now, they’re certainly making a strong case for it.

His most cohesive work to date, finding parity in both its nostalgia and its modernity, and yes, through its forward-thinking and innovative collaborators. It’s a dance-pop album in parts, and a creative powerhouse in others.

Nostalgic and brimming with pop gems - but mostly, a lot of fun.

It’s not necessarily one to be filed alongside ‘Parklife’ or ‘Definitely Maybe, but there’s a distinct whiff of the era’s wistfulness across ‘Human’ and ‘Spies’ - plus a cheeky repeated “hello” in ‘Pretty Face’ that’s surely a nod to the Oasis track of the same name.

‘Empty Hands’ feels defiant in its ambition but never disingenuous or forced. An album unafraid to continue reaching towards the huge spaces not often reserved for this genre.

Scattered takes of pop, gruff-punk and sun-kissed melodies underpin these tales of despondency to cement a whole new style for a band near two decades in, a sound that Joyce Manor have yet to have presented but one that fits them perfectly, and a masterful progression of all that has come before.

While at points lingering a little too long, ‘When A Flower Doesn’t Grow’ is a solid outing overall, able to pack a striking punch alongside its messages of genuine substance.

A huge step forward musically, as it would appear to be personally.

Dan is increasingly using Daphni as a tool with which to broaden the horizons of his own understanding of dance music; to simply to take it at face value, though, it might already be the most relentlessly feel-good album of 2026.

‘EXPO’ is not quite Charlie Brooker in song, but it’s not too far off. Fully immersive but a little disquieting.

At a time when country-tinged indie rock is by no means in short supply in America - Wednesday, Waxahatchee and MJ Lenderman all spring to mind - Ratboys have earned their seat at the top table.

‘URGH’ sees Mandy, Indiana once again defy any pigeonholing, demonstrating an unabashed growth that still stays true to its insurgent roots.

‘So Much Country’ is a confirmation that just two EPs in, Westside Cowboy are already confident about where they’re heading.

(Almost) never not accomplished, albeit - as a whole - a little confusing, this second time around.

On the whole, his grief and the chaos that ensued (much of which was channelled into the infamous hedonism of his formative band) is transformed into something altogether more cathartic and inspiring. Sonically, too, it’s a record that continues to surprise.

‘CONFLICT DLC’ is not a reinvention - more a purification of the brutal beauty of the HEALTH live show.

If not already a fan, what would one get out of ‘The Demise of Planet X’ that doesn’t already feature in their back catalogue, beside a few more timely references? Much like the state of the country they wax lyrical about, Sleaford Mods are stuck in a rut.

The record - which benefits from an open-minded choice of producer in Chairlift’s Patrick Wimberly - concludes with the soaring ‘Brothers Won’t Break’, a heart-warming reaffirmation of the Jarman union - and a roar of assurance to the Cribs faithful that they remain one of the most irrepressibly vital bands in Britain.

For some, the poise and polish of ‘Quicksand Heart’ may be cause for slight lament - the unabashed weirdness of Let’s Eat Grandma was central to their offbeat charm, after all. But as an exercise in self-actualisation, Jenny On Holiday’s solo debut is indeed a revitalising break.

It’s not a record likely to shift anyone’s needle on Dry Cleaning, but for those on the fonder side, it’s a whole new set of treats to explore.

He thrives in this intersection of extremes: there are moments of overwhelming emotional release, such as the swell and drop of ‘Tie Your Hair Up’, but there are also glimmers of delicacy.

Overall, ‘Unclouded’ is a further incantation of psych-pop goodness.

Ever cathartic, this third full-length from Will Westerman is an elegant, mood-filled wonder from the off.

‘LUX’ may have only just come out, but, years down the line, it might be no exaggeration to describe it as a turning point in pop music.

A fierce, fearless debut.

If ‘The Parlour’ is anything to go by, Picture Parlour’s eventual breakthrough into the mainstream feels inevitable.

Where her debut ‘Not Your Muse’ saw her solidify her status as a truly modern voice within jazz and soul, ‘Woman Of Faces’ transports her to somewhere entirely otherworldly.

It’s really mature songwriting, and makes for a lovely, reflective listen.

Across its 13 tracks, there’s a chemistry that can come only via years of experience and companionship, and the result is an album that feels at once nostalgic and enchanting.

It all goes to confirm that Dave has grown from hot young talent to a true master storyteller.

Avery has, somehow, made his most accessible and most idiosyncratic record to date, all at once.

It’s a mixed bag.

Perhaps most thrilling is when those two sides merge, as they do on the epic, stylistically fluid ‘The End’, which runs nearly nine minutes and confirms - as does ‘Stardust’ as a whole - that his ambition remains undimmed as he opens this new chapter.

‘COSPLAY’ lands as simultaneously their broadest and best album to date - unpredictable, unnerving and all-encompassing.

Breathtaking and heartbreaking in so many different ways, ‘West End Girl’ may have begun by telling the tale of one of her life’s most bitter chapters, but now it’s become one of her most triumphant.

If her 2008 debut ‘Lungs’ was the deep breath of plunging into the depths, ‘Everybody Scream’ is the resounding, cathartic exhalation of finally reaching the surface once more.

On ‘FEVEREATEN’, Witch Fever are relentless in their pursuit of textural and sonic intricacies, dancing through eerie, Midsommar-esque soundscapes to vividly paint their sonic vision.


There’s a skill in using tropes without falling into cliche, and across ‘Sanguivore II…’ Creeper seem to have mastered it. Over the top guitar solos, metallic breakdowns and final-third key changes; it’s a record that if isn’t quite tongue-in-cheek (and one wonders if the “some nights are as cold as ice…” line in ‘MISTRESS OF DEATH’ is indeed that) is tongue-cheek adjacent, the band’s commitment to the bit enviable.

An album that’s brimming with solid songwriting and expansive production, there’s an enormity to this second outing - even at its most brooding - that makes for a compelling, colossally dynamic pop record.

‘DANDELION’ is pleasant if forgettable among the maelstrom elsewhere, and the sadness of ‘SOMEWHERE’ threatens to sink into lethargy, but overall, third time is largely lucky for Just Mustard.


An utterly evocative, disarming full-length that’ll haunt listeners long after its reached its conclusion.

The hard-fought glimmers of hope in the pain (“I guess I’ll stay,” he concludes, breaking into tears) prove the very point of the record, in its openness as brutally difficult as it is cathartic.

Cut with the wonky, off-kilter darkness of standout tracks such as ‘Polaris’ and siren-like synth whirrs of the title track too, the new record slots neatly into the expansive Dewaele puzzle; a vibrantly textured, shapeshifting, and inquisitively diverse return.

All in all, The Last Dinner Party have done it again - ‘From The Pyre’ is set to be on repeat well into the new year.


This is an album that bulldozes through irony in service of sincere, meaningful eccentricity.


With ‘Worldwide’, Snõõper continue to capture their bizarro universe, at the core of which is the same erratic intensity that many fell in love with two years ago.


Possesses a lyrical tone that tilts from confident to uncertain, and nostalgic to forward-looking, with immaculate precision.

A record that perfectly shows her growth as an artist - and a collaborator - ‘Belong’ proves to be more than worth the wait.


Rocket wear their influences firmly on their sleeve and there are moments, particularly during the album’s back half, where the sheer poise and polish of the songs can have them veering dangerously close to being one-note; happily, the title track, with its noisy crescendo, rounds things off stylishly. There is much promise here.


Throughout the album, hidden instrumental flourishes surface with repeat plays, though some stay too buried. Elsewhere, the decadent production swallows her breathy voice (‘The Answer’, ‘Hold Fire’).

This fourth album is undoubtedly a return to something: full of raw, barely restrained bite, it’s as if they’ve taken all the sparky, unself-conscious vigour of their 2018 debut and, in their relative maturity, learned to wield it even more potently. Ever the rabble-rousing ringleader, Charlie Steen is on vintage lyrical form.

It paints a picture of a leading songwriter with even more to come, one that can piece together exceptional art from personal turbulence and insecurity, effortlessly reaffirming her position at the top of UK pop… if we can even call it that.

We may have seen Taylor on far better songwriting form than with ‘The Life Of A Showgirl’, but perhaps now, more than ever, she is making music for herself over anyone else.

Gone is some of the clinical coldness of their early work; instead, there’s a warm, embracing quality to their fully formed, imaginary universe where vulnerability and hope collide.

It’s comprehensive in its variations of electronica, dance, Scandi-pop and R&B, creating a colourful body of work. Its forward-thinking, lush alive-ness cements Zara as a largely-overlooked genre VIP.

Knowing one’s self-worth. ‘The Art Of Loving’ is all of these lessons; from the need for independence (‘Man I Need’) to the art of letting go (‘Let Alone The One You Love’), Olivia manages to convey all wisely, without becoming preachy.

The anger remains palpable, the lyrics ever relatable, and ‘All That Is Over’ injects enough ingenuity to keep Sprints right at the top of the class.