'Love & Life' suggests "the queen of hip-hop soul" is truly now at the top of her game.

Orbital have once again managed to make an album that's precisely what you'd expect from them, while being neither dull nor predictable.

What makes these songs really special is their ability to maintain a pop coherency, whilst being genuinely quirky and experimental.

Admittedly, this is bedroom indie, but it's bedroom indie with strong production and songs that are always self-deprecating enough to not be self-pitying.

This is a strange, disturbing, unsettling, compelling album.

By agreeing instead to compromise he's actually found both the quality and integrity he so desires and an album of songs which by anyone's definition sounds like a return to form.

Despite its essentially downbeat lyrical thrust, 'Us' has joy written all over it and repeat-play etched into its grooves.

The songs might be helmed by waves of guitar fuzz (their self-styled 'loose wool' sound) and dissonance, but the gentle orchestration provided by long-time collaborator Padma Newsome and the defiantly tough, robotic drumming of Bryan Devendorf give these songs a warm, phosphorescent glow.

This is not the work of a band prepared to make a song and dance to keep everyone interested, but one happy to build something good from not a lot and hope you like it.

This yet again reveals PJ Harvey to be one of the UK's greatest contemporary songwriters.

This is 'All Killer No Filler' with bells on and 'Does This Look Infected?' will rightly have the Blink 'boys' quaking in their trainers.

She's softened the edges just enough for you to find a way in and it pretty much liberates the whole record. The transformation overall is nothing short of terrific.

Gallows are the sound of this country's rising fury. And people in power need to listen, because if it spills over, there'll be trouble.

As much U2, New Order and Jan Hammer as they are The Field, Harmonia and Black Dice, ultimately F*ck Buttons are in a league of their own--and with Tarot Sport, they just bettered themselves.

It's big, it's shiny, it's unashamedly happy and we wouldn't want it any other way.

The best approach here is to set aside genre delineations (who needs 'em?) and simply surrender.

Overall, the effect is post-punk Cure with swathes of Ride in heady moments and, as overblown and unlistenable as these amassed elements might sound in your head, it's actually fantastic.

"Guero" proves that the old, post-modern magic still works.

Minor gripes aside, however, Jose Gonzalez has crafted a fine album of rare beauty that seamlessly blends righteous indignation with delicate musical panache; a tough balancing act, to be sure, but one that negates the need of a safety net.

It is an important leap forward for one of the few American metal bands left who care about the form's emotional evolution.

Obviously nobody would pay attention to her smart lyrics if the music didn't compete, but, largely, it does.

Panda Bear has created one of the most unusual and beautifully strange statements of the avant-garde.

With this ramshackle spread of spiked beats and filthy-fingered funk he's produced easily his best work.... An intoxicating, headstorming brew of desire and despair 'Bow Down To The Exit Sign' is the first great album of the millennium.

Heartfelt, honest and compelling, "Cassadaga" is garnished with melodies so lush that Bright Eyes' ascent to the next level of recognition is absolutely assured.

Few debuts are as intriguingly addictive, physically compelling or effortlessly hip as this.

Every genre needs its defining record, its high watermark, and this 66-minute tantrum is nu-metal's gift to history. A classic, terrifyingly.

Another riotously entertaining record.

This debut sets the newcomers head and shoulders above the neo-Britpop pack.