All of this makes Metallic Spheres warm and fluffy, nowhere near as cold as its name suggests, but ultimately it's worth little more than a warm smile, bringing together the favourite comedown musician of the late '80s/early '90s with the stoners' favourite of the decade before, but not really doing anything with the opportunity.

Despite the immediacy and urgency of its public genesis, Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes is probably the least immediate album Yorke has been involved with to date. Like Kid A before it, it may turn out to be one of his most enduring.

Reservoir is a neat, considered, and polished piece of work that is unrelenting in its charm.

The Jezabels take you through a range, giving you a story rather than simply one snapshot.

Her ability to micromanage is clearly great. It’s not the most unique take on folk, but it is rife with charm; her intimate, sympathetic sounds soothe the most restless minds.

It’s another enjoyable album from a band quietly proving to be one of the more consistent groups around.

All but a handful of the tracks on Disc-Overy are quite ruined by this appalling Black Eyed Peas gloss.

Lust Lust Lust is a record that explains why sometimes guitars need to be turned up to their max and faced into amps, and why humans need to get down and dirty.

Picture You succeeds in combining influences from a variety of genres to make an end result that’s lush and timeless.

False Idols confidently returns to a simpler, yet contemporary version of Tricky’s working formula.

It goes beyond technically supreme homages into the realms of risk-taking and unpredictability. The vibe is nevertheless still every bit as cool, relaxed and controlled as might be expected from Elling. Not everything pays off, but Elling is branching out in courageous style.

Lights is at times let down by this lack of variation.

Vek finishes the album by challenging whoever will listen. It’s a challenge worth taking on.

Heyoon is an often confusing collection that depicts a mad mind, but one that at times offers enough intrigue to warrant attention.

It’s smoothly produced by veteran producer Tony Hoffer, and each track has a radio-friendly sheen to it and a catchy chorus. Which is all very nice, but it’s disappointing news for those of us who prefer Tunstall at her more experimental.

Whilst there are a host of influences and references at work, Astor’s delivery and way with a lyric mean that he’s bending those influences to his will.

If Night Work set out to remind listeners what they loved about Scissor Sisters in the first place, it succeeds. If it had a couple more absolute killer songs then it would be an unqualified triumph but, as it stands, Night Work will do more than nicely.

It is a testament to Eminem’s enduring talent that the album never feels laboured or even slightly dated. Instead, it is a perfect reflection of the world of Marshall Mathers in 2013.

It may be lacking in genuine standout moments--the infectious choruses from tracks like Come Save Me, Man I Need and Uncertainty are noticeably absent--but as an overall listening experience, it is a fascinating journey.

Slight dips aside, Imitations could never be described as pale.

The potential is clearly there; The Naked And Famous just need to trim away some of the fat.

All of this is packaged up in black and white watercolours commissioned for the album and lyrics booklet from Antony Gormley. The music is just as beautiful.

There are plenty of great moments, but at times, it is almost too experimental.

The Academy Award is a rather too languid ballad that seems to slow down the flow of the album, and closing track Slow Don’t Kill Me Now makes for a weirdly unremarkable and flat end to the record. Overall though, it’s a joy to hear the band sound inspired again, and it’s good to see that, after all these years, Franz Ferdinand are still a force to be reckoned with.

It is a surprisingly refreshing listen.

Forever is a decent offering from a young band still developing their music and songwriting capabilities.

It’s light, supple and tender, full of balladry and spacey (almost psychedelic) arrangements that seek to soothe and soften your mood rather than make you want to breathe fire (as their early work was wont to do). Unfortunately, it also challenges Indie Cindy for the unfortunate title of ‘most inconsistent Pixies album’ – it is, however, better than that record.

Whilst it's unlikely to win over many new fans, it will certainly keep those who have been with the band so far content.