Contrasting extremes on emotionally literate, indie rock evocations. [Mar 2022, p.90]

The albums most evoked are the mid'90s brace, Charade and Misère. The Monochrome Set remain unmistakeably themselves. [Apr 2022, p.82]

The Mysterines' raw, gothic debut crawls under the listener's skin, thanks to singer Lia Metcalfe's impressive vocal range. [Apr 2022, p.88]

Much of Everything Was Beautiful has a vital, thundering pulse. ... Utterly beautiful, as advertised. [Mar 2022, p.80]

He's embraced a lush, harmony-drenched sound akin to late-period Fleetwood Mac or even the outer reaches of yacht rock. Yet, it's underpinned by biting, literate lyrics and mostly crestfallen characters. [Apr 2022, p.83]

Under Hval's microscope, the seemingly straightforward is anything but. [Apr 2022, p.83]

The songs have a sort of likeable innocence; humanistic and quirky. ... Nothing not to like here. [Apr 2022, p.84]

Five minutes in her personal company would likely be exhausting, but for this album's duration her brain salad music is fantastical. [Apr 2022, p.82]

Thirty-five albums in, incredibly, GBV are still scaling new heights. [Apr 2022, p.80]

[Still Life] finally moves her on from being just "one to watch" to the woman of the moment. [Apr 2022, p.81]

Achieves optimum velocity from the off, and barely settles for less than a vigorous simmer throughout. [Apr 2022, p.85]

A companion piece, maybe, but these songs can stand alone. [Apr 2022, p.84]

After nine songs averaging under four minutes, Moore closes with The Realization, 10 minutes of converging light and dark, and one of the finest piece of music that he has put his name to. [Apr 2022, p.84]

Merrick's smoke-ring vocals rarely become agitated; the lyrics are unforced, unadorned, conversational to the point of artlessness. ... Yet there is tension here, lurking in the disconnect between Merrick's nonchalant vocals and the simmering volatility of the music. [Apr 2022, p.82]

It's unashamedly nostalgic, but her voice remains pure and true. [Apr 2022, p.84]

Stark, resolute songs. [Apr 2022, p.85]

Boasts duets between Esperanza Spalding ab=nd Q-Tip, Musiq Soulchild and posdnuos and a deep-voiced rap from Meshell Ndegeocello that perfectly marries H.E.R.'s downcast balladeering. Much of the rest, however, is little more than showy, slick and generic R&B, with Glasper becoming virtually untraceable. [Apr 2022, p.89]

Though the percussive, struck guitar strings interlude Zilch is perhaps an inquiry too far, caroline's flair for conjuring the liminal space between sleep and wakefulness frequently enchants. [Apr 2022, p.89]

One or two numbers have too many twiddles; but then there's the waltz-like Are You In Love?, no longer a teen crush but adult, gently humorous and intoxicating. [Mar 2022, p.85]

The record's well-meaning earnestness is a little overwhelming, but it's the stuffed-crust arrangements that really grate, everything happening at once, and often for too long. [Apr 2022, p.81]

Packed with urgency, edge and scope, it's light years ahead of the competition. [Apr 2022, p.89]

The album's 12 intimate essays, described as "elegies as much as songs," feel like ghostly, poignant testaments to our times. [Mar 2022, p.86]

The result is Proustian, the 18 tracks an overwhelming rush of joy. [Apr 2022, p.82]

While tracks like The Whirl, Receiver, Sensory Street and Human are among Marr's most impressive, Fever Dream is too long, uniform and persistent to enjoy in one sitting. Perhaps best, then, to take your time and discover its sparkling delirium in its 4 x 12-inch singles form. [Apr 2022, p.81]

For all Wild Loneliness's concerns about our ailing world, it's unmistakably a tonic. It's also a life-affirming thank-you note for what we have left. [Apr 2022, p.87]

Trentemøller deftness in balancing light and shade and a multi-layered approach are key to its allure. [Mar 2022, p.87]

Ocean Child achieves its aim - emphasising the vibrant depth of Yoko Ono's (approximately) infinite universe. [Apr 2022, p.83]

The more chances Tears For Fears take, the more they thrive, and they take chances here: seems like a new album was a good idea after all. [Apr 2022, p.88]