The end result is even more unhinged than expected, taking the underground approach of his many side-projects over the years, adding Pantera grooves and staying miles away from anything approaching Down in sound.

With this release, Locrian have created a gorgeous piece of musical architecture and filled it with unquiet ghosts.

On paper, the 32nd edition of the Late Night Tales seems like a wilfully difficult listen, but Röyksopp possess the musical gallantry to have compiled the first indispensable comedown DJ mix.

While Jonson may not take any big swings on Her Blurry Pictures, he does provide enough patient acid flourishes, nimble bass lines and restrained, yet forceful percussion to draw you into his new world view.

With Where Does This Door Go, Hawthorne's falsetto-inflected voice has become more commanding, his production more intriguing and his indie-soul aspirations have morphed into mainstream ambitions.

The result is an LP that manages to look forward while honouring the past simultaneously, which is no mean feat these days.

Joey Bada$$ absolutely deserves his position as one of hip-hop's rising young stars, he just needs to learn how to leave them wanting more.

Jay-Z co-opts and redefines current trends to reassert his ongoing cultural potency.

Although the album doesn't repeat a verse-chorus-verse-chorus-breakdown formula, it also lacks distinct or memorable riffs.

Waverly has a very consistent tenor that makes it a singular achievement, one that both creeps and soothes simultaneously.

Smith Westerns have never sounded so comfortable in their own skin.

This flow is a result of the group's ability to balance technical shredding and melodic atmospheric pieces; it is that sonic harmony that's responsible for the positive vibes resonating from The Migration.

This feeling of something ancient is instilled in The Sun Dogs, which possesses a strangely hard-to-pin-down sense of mysterious nostalgia, demonstrating that the creation of original music has not yet become a foolish ambition.

Fantasy is Lightning Dust's most consistent and cohesive effort to date, and is dreamy enough to live up to its otherworldly title.

The Visitor works as a great example of an artist honing his craft in reverse, expertly inserting his distinctive style into a tried-and-true blueprint.

While Wale remains fairly proficient throughout, that clever, memorable wordplay of old is what's most notably absent from this session, and that's a shame.

While the half-tempo sections and increasingly unique guitar solos differentiate this material from that of the past, Everblack ultimately falls under the shadow of its predecessor.

On Calling from the Stars, Miss Kittin's ambition comes off as both a blessing and hindrance; it's a cycle of ideas that unendingly feel very close to wearing out its welcome.

It only takes a few spins to detach oneself from the hype and respect the admirable groundwork laid down here for future greatness.

You can't fault µ-ZIQ for branching out of the staid EDM clichés that oversaturate the electronic music landscape, but unfortunately, Chewing Corners is a little too disorganised.

In the past, Femi has sounded just as vital and his playing just as powerful, but he's never done it in such radiant tones.

Deceiver of the Gods gives us everything we expect from the band, along with a little old-fashioned metal revitalization.

Tweedy has become a master of subtlety in the studio and the blending of instruments and voices is seamless. Above it all is Staples' unassailable conviction.

Montana's selection of trap beats falls flat. It's the kind of sweatshop beat-making mainstream producers have learned to accept as they cash their cheques.

Clocking in at just over 30 minutes, it doesn't overstay its welcome, but unfortunately it gives up most of its best moments by the halfway point.

The songs on Empire are still short, and while they retain the sunny aesthetic of Explore, they reveal a more motivated and confident Park.

This is easily Austra's most exciting and fully formed piece of work yet.

More Light is not only an all-encompassing trip that shows everything they're capable of, but also the best album they've made since 2000's XTRMNTR.