When all is said and done, Ask That God is the Empire Of The Sun album you would want to hear at this point. It is Nick Littlemore and Luke Steele finding their familiar chemistry, doing what they do best, and providing sun kissed pop that we can sing and dance to, pure escapism when we need it most.

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.