Mew have always been unpredictable, and with +- they prove, once again, that it’s all for the best.

Painting a tranquil image of friendship and family, at times bordering on escapist, Black Belt Eagle Scout finds both the tenderness in companionship and its fragility.

Aat large, the album is a quiet predator.

This is not a perfectly crafted album; instead, it’s an incredibly human one.

The quartet may have bucked expectations here, but in venturing into the shadows, they’ve made their boldest move yet.

One Breath is a beautiful, atmospheric triumph.

Moments like the stripped-back vulnerability of ‘Dust’ and the lyrical mirroring of ‘The Lovers’ show Deptford Goth at his minimal best.

He still remains guided by the same restless and creatively unburdened spirit that has defined TV on the Radio. However, it is evident that ‘Thee Black Boltz’ is Tunde Adebimpe’s storm to weather, his vision unfiltered with a clarity that makes the collection strikingly his own.

The music never explodes into complete madness, but rather bubbles along slowly, suggesting that the violence is mere moments away. ... Horror fans take note. This is how you create terror.

Not an easy listen - as one might expect - but definitely a rich, rewarding one.

‘star-crossed’ mirrors the pain of a breakup, from turbulence through heartbreak to hope and self-acceptance. It’s here where she fully embraces Nashville storytelling. Far from spinning distant, third-person tales, each track feels incredibly personal.

An album that continues the quartet’s knack for pairing potent socio-political commentary with delicious pop nous.

Frank’s rich sense of storytelling is still here, it’s just fragmented. But once Blonde’s ambiguity begins to piece together, it becomes something remarkable.

The record finds a way of making her atypical pop sit comfortably in the mainstream, offering something genuinely new. Coming a long way since sitting adjacent to Pharrell in the studio at NYU, Maggie Rogers has certainly found her own voice.

Anxiety might still be rooted in Ought’s foundations, but by looking beyond it the four-piece have made their richest, greatest work yet.

While there may be signs of holding back, ‘People Who Aren’t There Anymore’ still carries more than its fair share of upbeat anthems. This album isn’t much different, but why the band would ever change is a question that doesn’t need asking.

Cynicism at the door, ‘Doggerel’ is an enjoyable – and exciting – listen.

With The Story So Far continuing to write unapologetic good time bangers, pop punk is very much alive.

With an utterly flawless, heart-twisting vocal throughout, America spins tales of sorrow and betrayal and turns them into something exquisite.

Deerhunter have often dealt in lofty, intense blows, but on album eight, they provide a breezy distraction from the chaos outside, and it’s most welcome.

In fully embracing theatrics, their new wave leanings, and the unquestionable punk legacy, the band have landed on a sound both contemporary and unmistakably theirs.

This is 2020 in pained, reverb dripping sound waves. This is the isolation. This is the pandemic. This is everything. The doom may have arrived, but at least Protomartyr are back in our lives.

The Vaccines still know how to write a direct hit--‘Handsome’, with it’s opening “oh God oh God oh God” panic attack, is still an indie-tastic thrash--but they’ve got other gears too.

Side projects come and go, but it’s obvious that Les Sins is going to be around for some time.

Something is like a grand, multi-branched, ageing tree of 80s synth-pop, encompassing every variance of style and genre and recreating each classic movement with honour and aplomb.

Embracing her musical kindred spirits, ‘Makes Me Sick…’ isn’t just a rehash of her idols, it’s a natural successor.

Julia Holter always stood out as a left-field crafter of melody; this album establishes her as a unique lyric voice, too.

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