It owes more to Timbaland or Mount Kimbie than the current mainstream, but this is the point – Vagabon makes this music sound so intuitive that it could well be the next big thing.

While Fidlar’s debut does have a tendency to wonder towards the mindless end of the spectrum, their eponymous album, for the most part, is actually quite accomplished.

When you think of Islam's best music, you think of his talent for direct communication, often with just a guitar to help him out--and those are the moments where Roadsinger comes alive.

There may not quite be enough highlights to keep you clicking repeat indefinitely but, for a first glimpse of a new band that’s certainly got plenty of tongues wagging, Until The Tide Creeps In isn’t a bad outing at all.

Remember that We Have Sound was an impressive debut, but it wasn't quite the flawless diamond of popular memory. So it is with Leisure Seizure.

As far as third albums go, this is definitely more of an Ultra Mono than a Skinty Fia – a consolidation of their position rather than a leap at greatness.

An album that finds Nesbitt in the midst of personal and artistic self-discovery. She’s almost there, just a few more seasons.

All considered, Minotaur is thoroughly pretty and easy to appreciate on a compositional level; the usual blend of modern-era indie pop with iconic '60s sensibilities. But it's like that particular horse has been beaten past recognition, rendering Minotaur a little too safe for its own good.

As debuts go, it’s not on the same level as their mates Wolf Alice, but it is a compelling listen and a worthy addition to any burgeoning music library.

It’s considerably better than it has any right to be, made up of a surprisingly satisfying mix of bright modern pop, standard club bangers and Billie Eilish-esque miserablism.

Encores is a clear illustration of Nils Frahm’s ability to work both in small and large structures, with plaintive piano nuggets and broad electronic canvases enjoying their proximity.

The streaming era may have killed mixtape culture, but it’s best to come into Magic 2 expecting a more casual affair – Nas is mostly just flexing, surveying his legacy while adding to it.

Hunx And His Punx are happily basic, and that has resulted in a half-hour of impeccable golden-age pop, but there's certainly no great cosmic significance here. Yet it's still easy to get excited about a half-hour of impeccable golden-age pop, and in that mindset it's well worth a few spins.

This album could easily be written off as being derivative and stale, but when you spend more than 30 seconds thinking about it, you realise just how rare and unique this sound actually is in 2018.

Liberty, her seventh album, feels like the record she’s been desperate to make for some time.

It may not rock your world but, against all the odds, The Conversation presents a Texas which you can imagine falling a little bit in love with.

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.

Amongst the buzzing guitars however it is possible to detect small signs of improvement and fine-tuning, whilst it also boasts a greater melodic strength than its predecessor.

The Tipping Point manages to straddle the band’s past (the very early days aside) and stride on into present times, and that in itself should be enough to please more than one generation of Tears For Fears fans.

Overall, this is an album full of promise, poise and brio.

Hurry Up, We're Dreaming may have its flaws, but minor niggles aside it is a testament to the fine songwriting skill of Gonzalez.

The key to enjoying this album lies, ironically, in forgetting that the Pumpkins ever existed. Remove the past and the baggage, and take it for what it is; a pretty decent rock album.

It sees Vernon moving things on a touch, artistically, while still retaining much of what made his debut such a delight to so many.

For the most part however, this is a focused and enjoyable stomp.

Overall Dark Rainbow is a significant improvement on their last album, but doesn’t quite hit the heights they’ve previously shown themselves to be capable of.

It's never devoid of expression of interest, and has a colour and charm you'll struggle to find on the airwaves these days. Most of all, it's fun. Pure and simple.

It’s almost inevitable that an urban record made by an American rock classicist--especially one who moved to New York as a teenager like Morby did--will evoke Lou Reed. ... Shooting for a rawer, more stripped-back sound has left certain songs on City Music feeling under-powered and –developed, however.

Despite a tendency to drift into generic country-rock filler territory at times (the Noah Cyrus-guesting How Far Will We Take It, and Ever You’re Gone being particularly guilty of this), Stampede is more effortlessly entertaining fare from the man in the mask.