Warpaint appear to have found a sonic texture that befits their knack for writing elegant, sinuous songs, so for the most part the album flows perfectly.

Those with a more perky, fast-paced feel like Loosen Up, the lovely We Are Young, You're The Light, Show Me Your Life and the almost singalong album closer Oh No were more successful. Fortunately, these outnumbered the slower tracks; overall Lunglight is an enjoyable release.

There is also swagger to it all that suggests Holub and Led Bib are still, on their fifth album, trying to prove themselves. A little more space would have made for a more fully satisfying listening experience.

The two pianists [Craig Taborn and Matthew Bourne] share a penchant for timing, space and reflection that results in refreshingly honest and original work.

The Shape Of Things is an incredibly assured piece of work, machine like in its execution but revealing a soulful, tender exterior that we do not often see from the former Ultravox man.

Yet even with his occasional indulgences, No Sad Songs is an impressive comeback.

It’s a pleasing touch that, even with a megastar like Buck present, Haines never dilutes his vision – this concluding part of the Haines/Buck trilogy is as satisfyingly off-kilter as its predecessors.

Orbital are right back on form, sounding assured and instinctive, ready to seize the moment once again and take their music to another level.

Mature Themes is simple self-indulgence and that's rarely worth listening to.

When the band take a decent melody and build a whole track around it, the formula is a winning one; what won’t appeal to some though are the occasional meanderings where the spacey blips and bleeps appear to have no meaningful musical direction.

You can’t help but feel that given better production this could well have been the album of the year that some over-enthusiastic sorts claim. One of the surprises of the year, however? Definitely.

Foreverland is a blissful, heartfelt and often very funny paean to love and companionship. Some will no doubt dismiss it as too twee and theatrical for today’s musical landscape, but that is to misunderstand The Divine Comedy.

There’s little time to get bored, and there’s a distinct feeling that too much of this would be overkill. But for half an hour, it’s perfect. It may have had a painful journey with hellish events at every turn but Moveys is, for the most part, heavenly.

It showcases a remarkably assured collection of songs (at times sounding like The Long Blondes do surf-pop--in no way a bad thing) as well as a real depth and maturity to songwriting that dwarfs the offerings of its home-recorded predecessor.

For a debut album, there are precious few mis-steps, apart from perhaps a little too much instrumental noodling. But, aside from that, it is remarkably consistent.

Although this album is at times a difficult listen, you can’t help but admire Busdriver for his innovation and general wackiness.

Peter Broderick has clearly been in some dark places since we last heard from him, but here he is back on track--and for that we are abundantly grateful.

Individ is certainly a challenging listen. The intricacy of the drumming and the choppy vocal style are both compelling components and together represent the key ingredients that will determine a listener’s attention span.

If you're looking to buy this record on the back of Heartbeats you may be disappointed as it bears little resemblance to the Knife's current work.

An album which on occasion fails to inspire ends with a sense of unbridled pleasure.

She may have cut a slightly different path than she hinted at on Dead Flowers, but make no mistake: Caitlin Rose is the best thing to come out of Nashville in a long damn time.

Exotic Creatures of the Deep is a substantial, if inconsistent treat. Even when they're treading water Sparks still cut it better than most bands half their age.

In writing this stunning, emotive album Sarabeth Tucek has not only dealt with her own grief, but will undeniably help others in a similar situation, a perfect way to commemorate her father.

While this means that all is not lost (or perhaps more accurately, saved), it does leave the listener with a sense that he's not sure whether he wants to embrace a new direction or not, resulting in an album that is somewhat disjointed and ultimately unfulfilling.

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

The result is a real evolution for Tunng, producing their most consistent and fully rounded album yet.

There are bound to be some people that just don't get it. For those that do, you are looking at a sure contender for your album of the year.

It’s the sound and pen of an artist who’s grown up in the public eye rewriting--or reaffirming--her identity. But that honesty sometimes comes at a cost. It’s heavy stuff, that at times feels more like an emotional release than an album she wants people to enjoy. Only with the last few tracks does she hark back to the upbeat, summery pop she’s perhaps best known--and loved--for.