Even if you don’t buy the concept though, that hardly matters – this is a startling record that, even at its considerable length, never collapses under the weight of its own ambition. It also serves to formally introduce Lava La Rue as one of the country’s most foremost talents.

What a shame, then, that The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grace) is such a regression in aesthetic, subject matter and quality, full of shock-value material that sounds painfully forced in 2024.

Like its predecessor, Kiasmos II could be unkindly described as background coffee table music, as it is predominantly quiet and unobtrusive. But while fireworks are few and far between, those who immerse themselves fully in the sonic experience will find it utterly enchanting.

Who Am I is an engaging and emotionally intense debut, which works well as a showcase for this multi-talented young artist.

While there may be nothing to touch Goddard’s finest solo moment (that would be the sky-scraping collaboration with Valentina, Gabriel) or most of Hot Chip’s immense back catalogue, Harmonics is still a distinctive, often exhilarating, record from Goddard and his host of friends.

Overall, it’s hard not to admire a band who, a generation on from their heyday, continue to craft their undemanding but eminently listenable songs with passion and charm.

While it may not break any new ground, there’s an oddly addictive ingredient to the Cigarettes After Sex formula, which this album has in spades.

My Light, My Destroyer feels like a light slowly coming into focus after a dark period, and, in no small way, seems like Cassandra Jenkins’ masterpiece.

Unprecedented Sh!t is the sound of an artist with plenty of fire in her belly and with much still to say.

There’s a lot to love about The Art Of The Lie, but it also feels a bit like hard work at times: the pair of songs that close the album, Laura Lou and Zeitgeist are both heavy on the vocoder which you feel you’ve heard far too much of over the past hour.

While Meighan’s Liam Gallagher-like machismo may not have been to everyone’s taste, his vocals undoubtedly had much more presence than Pizzorno’s rather bland voice, which does little more than carry the songs on Happenings along, and is indicative of a broader lack of musical personality combined with a lack of truly memorable songs.

If C,XOXO’s creative team (El Guincho, Jasper Harris et al) intended to trigger a resurgence of popularity for the former Fifth Harmony member then they have singularly failed, but they’ve certainly helped Cabello stand out in the crowd of female popstars releasing albums this year.

It’s one of those albums where favourite tracks keep changing and new things to enjoy are found upon each listen. In short, this is life-improving, morale-restoring music from three artists operating at the peak of their powers.

[Take Care is] a darkly funny and thought provoking song on which to end on, and a prime example of the diversity and humour that makes this quite possibly the best Madeleine Peyroux record in twenty years.

The album is a triumph and a testament to the enduring creativity of Warren Ellis, Mick Turner, and Jim White. This is a truly wonderful album from masters of their craft. Enjoy it loud, and often.

While the later tracks on Songwriter do start to feel slightly samey and Cash by numbers, they remain highly listenable, with impeccable performances from the band throughout. The arrangements and production merge seamlessly with the original demos, proving how intimately the key players knew Cash and his music, with the man himself in fine voice, sounding simultaneously both sonorously world weary and vibrantly fresh.

The Mysterines are clearly one of the best bands we have to offer here in the UK, and they make a great point of proving themselves time and again across this wonderful, strange album. .... Superb.

Easily her best since Made Of Bricks, and it’s a beautifully satisfying conclusion to what has been, by all accounts, a turbulent few years.

There’s no wallowing in self pity on Proxy Music. Instead it serves as a celebration of one of folk’s most talented figures, and it’s great to hear that Linda Thompson has found her voice again, with a little help from her friends.

Hopefully, Sam Morton won’t just be a one-off collaboration, as chemistry like this is rare to find: a second instalment would be most welcome.

One of the Decemberists’ finest albums. Even at this stage of their career, where they can comfortably be described as veterans, Colin Meloy and company still have the power to enchant and inspire – As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again, indeed.

This is a superb album, and a slightly better one than Mercy, which says a lot, but whether it joins the pantheon of Cale’s most legendary records remains to be seen. One would certainly hope so.

There’s no doubt that tracks like Full Back and Sweet Moon make for nice background music, but after 60 minutes of songs that sound pretty similar, they seem a bit inessential.

Sometimes, it doesn’t quite hit the mark – the finger-picked acoustics of Preaching To The Choir becomes a bit of a dirge, while Clean feels like it’s about to explode into something epic, but never quite does. Yet the closing The Wind makes for a lovely end to the album (with Butler on surprisingly gruff vocals) and, at only nine tracks long, it never particularly outstays its welcome. It’s also a handy reminder that one of rock’s finest collaborators has a pretty strong voice of his own, too.

It’s that eclectic and restless nature that makes I Hear You one of those rare dance albums that sounds equally at home in the living room or in a club. Expect Peggy Gou to be the soundtrack to all the hottest barbecues and beach parties this summer.

While not quite up to the standard of his finest solo works like 1991’s Rumor And Sigh, Ship to Shore is nevertheless a remarkably fresh and vital sounding record, with Thompson’s rich baritone voice undimmed by the years and a clutch of excellent songs, mostly characterised by his familiar themes of vulnerability, disappointment and loss.

Brat is a paean to dance culture and Charli’s own history and influences. But most importantly, it’s probably this complex artist’s most honest and direct work to date.

With Below The Waste, Goat Girl proves they can keep their high standards while trying out new things, and actually manage to pull them off.

Overall, The Border is an exquisite collection of tracks that not only emphasises Nelson’s artistic longevity (he’s 91) but also demonstrates his enduring ability to craft or convey profound and relatable narratives through song.

From the opening crunch of Two For His Heels to the closing majestic sway of ‘Tis Night, it adds up to his best album since Standing At The Sky’s Edge. Those who have just discovered Hawley through the musical will be delighted, as will his legion of long-standing fans – this familiar mix of Sheffield steel and sentimentality still runs deep.

There probably won’t be too much on Gravity Stairs to attract any new fans to Crowded House, but after 40 years that’s probably the last thing they’re bothered about. Their heyday in the ’90s may be behind them, but this is a welcome reminder that the Finn family are still going strong.

The Dream Of Delphi is another starkly beautiful missive from one of our most consistent artists.

There’s certainly nothing as immediately compelling as his collaboration with Fiona Apple, Left Handed Kisses. However, if you’re in the mood for a Sunday morning coffee and contemplation session, this is a perfect soundtrack.

Although a tad overlong and samey after 15 tracks, occasionally drifting into wine bar background music territory, there are some immediate standouts on Room Under The Stairs.

Detractors might make the same comments they make about all heritage rock acts – the music is made obsolete by previous, better albums that they might not have liked in the first place – but they really can't say that Blue Electric Light isn't a considered, cohesive work.

Hit Me Hard And Soft might be the very best pop album released so far in 2024, and it’s certainly one of the most enjoyable.

Occasionally sections of Ten Fold feel too effortless, such as the off-beat delivery of carl thomas sliding down the wall, but generally the affect works as a stream-of-consciousness-style insight into Bey’s attitude and thoughts.

Some people may find the pace of Bow To Love a bit too pedestrian, but most of the time, Campbell’s music feels like a soothing balm for a troubled world.

It may not be as, well, iconic as Portishead’s Dummy, but there are moments on Lives Outgrown that certainly stand shoulder to shoulder with Beth Gibbons’ glory days.

The album is DJ-friendly, resulting in several lengthy tracks, and while this is no bad thing in itself some of these are also rather uninspired.

Wonderfully morose lyrics (and funny!), a pitch-perfect retro sound design that alternates between deadly serious and utterly comical, and a cohesive vision that represents the very best of their craft. Lovely stuff.

If you’re coming to Kings Of Leon expecting something experimental or anything really out of the ordinary, you’re a bit of a numpty (see also: Interpol, The Killers, &c.). But come to Can We Please Have Fun with an open mind and an open heart and you’ll find it’s more than worth a shot.

That Golden Time is undeniably a slow-burner of an album, and like much of Villagers’ previous output, it’s more than likely that a few repeat plays will pay dividends.

Deeper in the tracklist more variety emerges, featuring emotions and sounds that most listeners will have never heard from Dua.

It’s very far from cosy easy listening, and it’s certainly a record you have to be in the right mood to fully appreciate. Yet as an entry point into the bewitching, disquieting world of Keeley Forsyth, The Hollow is pretty special.

There’s blissful harmonies, jangly guitars and choruses that bury inside your head – and yes, while it’s not the most original sound, it’s a gloriously well put together record.

This is a fantastic album. It may be the best of an already-excellent run of albums produced by – and it really does bear repeating – the greatest rock band in the world.

When it’s on form, Reasonable Woman is proof that Sia can still hit those high marks like she’s always been able to. The trouble is that there’s just not enough of those high points on this record.

It’s an album that reveals its charms slowly.

Sega’s production is consistently impressive, whether it’s the seasick bass on Elk Skin’s glitchy hook, True’s baroque chord sequence or the pumping trancey arrangement of Dirt. He is a better producer than a songwriter however, and some of the less musically eventful .tracks test the patience.

The lyrics speak tellingly of life experience, but the tunes don’t quite have the pizzazz to match the singing voice. Yet their turn towards the dancefloor is expertly marshalled by Rodgers, whose production tweaks are always tasteful – and this return bodes well in the long run. If they can just add the winsome melodies, The Zutons will be right back up where they deserve to be.

Hyperdrama is a well thought through album, bringing a real shot of adrenalin in its outer sections. The suspicion may be that Justice have applied just a bit too much studio gloss to the end product, but that should see it work brilliantly in the live environment. One thing is for certain – Justice are more than happy to take the French dance music mantle and run with it. Two decades in, their beats are as strong as ever.

One of the best Pet Shop Boys albums in years.

Even when it doesn’t quite hit the mark, they still sound like no other band out there. They remain a curiously compelling act to listen to, who play by thier own rules – chaos remains their lifeblood, for good and for bad.

Whether the stylistic digressions work for you or not is immaterial really, because they’re impressive no matter what your expectations were.

As good as her earlier folk-rock songs were, this new direction is one that suits Rose extremely well.

The songs themselves range from the good (the surprisingly energetic I Can Do It With A Broken Heart, throwback ballad But Daddy I Love Him, the extra textures of the Florence + The Machine duet, Florida!!!) to the somewhat samey but still enjoyable (So Long, London; the title track; Fresh Out the Slammer), to the unnecessary retreads (Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?, The Alchemy), to the truly rotten (Down Bad – which can’t manage to disguise its hollowness with truly beautiful textures, and I Can Fix Him).

A Certain Ratio’s 2024 model is a lean, mean, fighting machine that delivers one of their very finest albums to date – and for a band who have been in existence for more than 45 years, that really is saying something.

Best of all, it’s an album that cuts all the fat – it’s just 11 tracks long and there’s barely anything that feels like filler. Even the more generic sounding rockers like Waiting For Stevie and Running have a palpable energy about them that will no doubt make them firm favourites on the band’s upcoming stadium tour.

It may last just 25 minutes, but One Million Love Songs doesn’t feel half-sketched or incomplete. On the contrary, once it’s finished, you’ll just want to go straight back to the beginning to wallow in this strange, otherworldly gem of a record.

As it’s a debut, she’s still developing her sound, but all indications are that this is a start of a long and successful journey for Nia Archives.

Yummy adds itself to the James canon as an album both for fans and newcomers, a triumph over prejudice and anxiety. Everyone is welcome here.

While Surrender was an album that immediately hit you, Don’t Forget Me takes a bit longer to work its magic. That does, though, bode well to her longevity as an artist. These songs have a timeless feel to them, and seem like ones we’ll be listening to for quite some time to come.

It’s a debut album full of confidence, heart and ambition, with songs that sound both instantly familiar and also like nothing you’ve ever heard before.

While there's no arguments with the quality of the craft on display, over the course of a 12 track album, you may find yourself nodding off sometimes. Yet there's still a warm glow to this album, and anyone who's missed the sound of Knopfler expertly working the fretboard, will find much to love on it.

Mostly, Love In Constant Spectacles is one of Weaver’s most successful albums – it may not have the instant ‘wow factor’ of The Silver Globe or the nods to the dancefloor that her last album Flock had, but these are some beautifully intricate, thoughtful songs that deserve all of your attention.

This record has been a long time coming, as Fabiana first appeared as one to watch in 2017, but with her development as a singer, songwriter and producer it’s surely been worth the wait.

Feels like a jolt to the nervous system in the best possible way. As a soundtrack to the weird times we all find ourselves in, and a potent call to action, it doesn’t get much better than this.

The yearning title track brings to a close an album that is quite probably Harcourt’s best since Here Be Monsters.

In many ways The Sunset Violent feels like the completion of a journey: Mount Kimbie have become a very different act with a sound palette that isn’t beholden to any one genre, and on track after track they prove themselves to be masters of their own style.

A La Sala succeeds in the way that a good AC/DC album does: more of the same, done well.

After just a few listens, it cements itself as the best Vampire Weekend album to date and, much like the New York City to which much of this album is an ode to, there are layers and layers to this record which are a delight to unpack and discover.

There are still a few forgettable plodders on All Quiet – the likes of Baron’s Claw and Be Young seem to be a bit phoned in. Yet while the fire of 20 years ago is inevitably never going to be reignited, this new version of The Libertines seems to be settling quite nicely into a once unimaginable middle age.

Interplay is a consistently fine piece of work, and even though it is a shade too long it has a strong claim to being Ride’s best album since they reformed. Given the quality of the music since that second coming, we can go all out and say they are one of the finest guitar bands in the country right now.

While it’s impossible to fault Cowboy Carter’s ambition, it’s sometimes a bit too sprawling for its own good. Eighty minutes is a long runtime for an album, and some tracks inevitably sag a bit, especially in the middle section.

On first listen it feels understated, the low-slung rhythms an easy listen with many melodic and textural high points. Yet as you spend more time with them the frank admissions of the band take on a reassuring quality, sharing our own highs and lows with everyday life and offering a calmly assertive way of dealing with them.

There’s nothing essentially wrong with Evolution, but it just sounds like it’s mostly been written on auto-pilot. It’s always nice to have a musician of Crow’s calibre still active, but Evolution feels more like an inessential addition to her canon, rather than the glorious comeback it was no doubt intended to be.

As the mainstream of club music continues to seek out bigger and more energetic sounds, Logic1000’s relatively mellow approach is intriguing, and Mother certainly shows potential – it just needs some fine-tuning to become the full package.

It’s a remarkable, joyous and life-affirming record, a testament to remaining musically open-minded and progressive, and very much confirms O’Hagan’s under-appreciated genius.

An album which sounds like the beginning of a new chapter for the duo.

Big Anonymous is a deliberately paced album that some may find a bit too bleak to visit often. It’s beautifully crafted, as you’d expect from Sarah Assbring, but at times that darkness can become a bit all-consuming. If you’re in the right frame of mind though, El Perro Del Mar’s world is one that’s well worth stepping into.

It’s certainly a confident step-up from Garageband Superstar and if more of Hibberd’s musical personality is allowed to shine through next time around, she could produce an even better album.

It’s their best album in years – maybe since The Seldom Seen Kid – and one of those records that will throw up new little surprises on each listen many months from now. Not only one of our most consistent bands, but also one of our most surprising – the national treasure status is well earned.

Tiger Blood is the sound of an artist improving on her already high standards.

Bright Future consolidates the view that Lenker is now one of the most distinctive and powerful voices of her generation and these new songs will only deepen the intensity with which her music is received.

By the time we reach closing track Who Brings Me the journey through the cloudscape is complete, sealing an experience that is equal parts head and heart music. It’s an absorbing, cohesive listen that casts fresh light on familiar structures and melds them into new and appealing shapes.

The album does seem to tail off a bit towards the end – as nice as Light It Up and Tough are, they both seem disappointingly sedate ways to bring the album to a close compared to the succession of instantly engaging anthems that preceded them. Other than that, though, there’s enough evidence on Real Love that the fire that inspired Gossip is still burning as bright as ever.

Songdreaming is a big musical event. It is a great place to start if you are less familiar with folk music, opening its arms to ambient and electronic influences while simultaneously celebrating traditional instruments and old melodic forms. It is also a great place to visit if you’ve lived with these forms of music for decades.

While it inevitably doesn’t have the shattering impact of Psychocandy, it does confirm their unlikely status as elder statesmen that a whole new generation can look up to.

While there are no big surprises on Rockmaker, most of the tracks on the album are as instantly addictive as in their heyday.

Deeper Well is an album to wallow in, one for those rainy days inside where you just want to sit and find comfort in music. For anybody undergoing some large life changes, this is an album that will be able to gently guide you through those times.

It’s another long album – if there’s one conclusion to be drawn from this record, it’s that Justin Timberlake desperately needs an editor – but it’s a return to the slinky RnB pop that made his name. The problem is that there’s not much of the sparkle that was evident about 20 years ago.

eternal sunshine also represents a triumphant return to form, sophisticated pop music complementing her distinctive voice beautifully.

While it doesn’t quite have the instantly addictive quality that Pupul’s work with Charlotte Adigéry does, this is still a rich, multi-layered work that serves as both a fine tribute to Pupul’s mother and a compelling journey of grief, loss and the effects of ancestry.

It’s a brilliant record, even without the weight of history behind it, and a classic, true heavy metal album from the same band that practically invented much of the genre. Essential for fans of any of the forms of metal. Obviously.

This is an astonishing album.

If Antonoff can add more of his own personality into songs as beautifully crafted and well produced as these, they could unleash something special.

Sadly, too much of the Easy Eighth Album sounds a bit hollow and empty, the sound of a band wanting to move on, but without the energy to properly capture the old glory days.