Doris isn't the classic many anticipated, but it is a strong, uncompromised debut from a very talented young rapper. For now, that's enough.

The theme of being a descendent in a musical sense is extended to Rashad's familial reality on Cilvia Demo, delivering some of the EP's strongest moments.

Fans of Animal Collective, Avey Tare and the psychedelic sound they are so strongly identified with will find much to enjoy here. On the other hand, Avey Tare cannot be said to be pushing boundaries or taking many risks here, other than on final track "HORS_," which shows hints of newer experiments into electronic music that could be developed further in the future.

Though he tackles politics ("White Man's World," "Hope the High Road"), mental health ("Anxiety" and "Chaos and Clothes") and other highly present concerns, the overall effect is slightly more timely than timeless. Perhaps it's unfair, though, to hold Isbell to his own lofty standards. Compared to those of his contemporaries, these songs are still miles ahead.

Gibbs' genuine reflections on being broke, losing the girl or simply growing up help to break things up a bit and add a welcomed bit of realness where both humour and originality are somewhat absent.

An incredibly concise and cohesive project, Dark Times clocks in at an airtight 35 minutes across its 13 tracks.

They're the kind of songs you pull out once a month as reassurance that the mundanity of normal life can be beautiful, and/or we are all in this together. That's true today and it will be true tomorrow.

It's good both for bobbing heads and bopping feet — both for being alone-alone, and alone-around-others, too.

There's rebirth in the swirl of destruction, but these days the Yeah Yeah Yeahs seem more interested in the stories that start after the cataclysm, where purple fireweed bursts from scorched hillsides and glass shards are rounded by the tides.

All of Something is a unique fusion of sounds that cements Sports' songwriting as a compelling mix of impressive and inventive.

All doom fans should check out this album; those who aren't yet Inter Arma converts will more than likely be swayed by the cohesive chaos and neurotic introspection that define this album.

Part Two is a serpentine tour of disco, psych-rock, folk and funk, with a touch of house and a generous glaze of unabashed love. It's Romare at his finest so far, and whets the appetite for whatever honeyed treasures Part Three might hold.

Listening to Conway's latest is hearing the sound of an underground king ascend to the status of the esteemed guest artists he attracts.

In its entirety, the collaborative effort is compelling; Plastic Bouquet is the furthest thing from a plastic collection.

Guided by tiered mixes and honest lyricism, POSTDATA has, for all intents and purposes, succeeded in transporting any inclined ear to a place filled with imagination and whimsy. While it may occasionally wander in finicky obscurity, it nevertheless oozes character and individuality.

Tagaq's talent as a throat singer and capacity to weave meaning through chaos is as breathtaking as ever. That said, Tongues demonstrates that her musical toolkit is only growing with the refinement of her message.

If 2023's Blame My Ex was the Beaches testing out new dimensions of their sound, they've honed it on No Hard Feelings, cementing themselves as a band that's earned a place in the public consciousness internationally, possibly for years to come.

The Chicks have always had strong backbones, and Gaslighter shows that their conviction hasn't faded in their time away – if anything, they've only become more indignant, more willing to explore, more ready to speak. It's an inspiring, swift-footed return.

The group made a conscious decision to experiment and give more of themselves rather than a rinse and repeat of what's worked before. 7 smartly makes the decision to focus on exactly what makes BTS special: its members.

Though highly unlikely to unseat Hometowns or Departing as fan favourites, The Wild follows in the footsteps of the band's previous album, Mended with Gold, as a very strong album that doesn't yet hold the same sentimental value as their earlier material.

The singer elicited production help from Noah Georgeson ( Joanna Newsom, Devendra Banhart), a smart decision, given the subtle yet always effective sonic touches here. The result is a stunning work that will draw you back to repeated, if oft intense, listening.

There is also a vibrato-drenched version of "Moon River" that seems more of an afterthought than a statement, but even that hangs in the air quite well. There is some pretty astonishing virtuosity as well as clear thought, and that's what sets this record and Orcutt apart from the excesses of technique. The man makes music as well as notes.

Ghostly, graceful and deceptively deep, Goodnight Summerland establishes Deland's concise power as a songwriter. As her artistry continues to evolve, it's clear that there's more than one way for her to tell her trademark stories of the infinite worlds within our own.

The irony of Kneecap's urgent political potency is that FENIAN is fun as hell.

The sense of velocity and flight, paired with Meiburg's dramatic vocals, delivered with Bowie-like flair here, making Jet Plane and Oxbow a natural progression for Shearwater, and a nice departure from their typical offerings.

Lodestar is true to Collins' roots.

While the Antlers may struggle to escape the shadow of Hospice's success, they have undoubtedly succeeded in making another spectacular, cohesive record.

For this seventh album in just under a decade, the duo continue their upward trajectory, finding new and casually complex ways of expressing their musical minds.