What’s left is something truly fresh, barely recognisable, a shuddering, bending feast of sound.

There's obviously more to come, but this eagerly awaited debut disc doesn't disappoint.

Dienel and co have surpassed any of their previous efforts, including the incredible debut Phylactery Factory, and the most recent beauty Kairos.

Tweedy keeps up an unobtrusive presence throughout, letting Thompson play to his strengths, and it all results in another reliably consistent album.

It’s the album that New Order fans have been dreaming of for years and it will no doubt be cherished. Even better, you don’t leave this album thinking it’s a good way to go out. For the first time in decades, you leave thinking: what a way to start.

A significant part of The Show’s appeal is down to Horan’s quiet charm – he always sounded far more convincing in his low-key guitar-based tunes than, for example, Liam Payne in his perplexing attempts at club bangers.

Intriguer will have to stand or fall on its own merits. If there is any justice in the world it will be a bestseller.

Strawberry Jam doesn't promise to be something for everyone, but it will certainly please those with an ear for the strange and surreal--even if you will have to sleep with your light on.

An album that laughs at you while pushing you down the stairs, that swaggers right up to the edge of oblivion and does a stupid little dance, that understands the absurdity of it all, but refuses to let that be an excuse for apathy. Who knows why they keep being booked on indie-adjacent bills when they’re one of the most interesting metal bands in the world. This is lovely stuff.

Kinshasa Succursale is bursting with ideas, not all of which hit their mark. It's refreshing however to see an approach to recording and production which doesn't strive for polish and perfection.

Vessels took a bold step in experimenting with their sound and Dilate not only proves it was the right decision, but suggests there is much more to come.

Art Brut have retained their cheeky nature from earlier albums--the riffs and grooves are tight, and the lyrics are clever.

What sets Bleached apart is their palpable energy, consistent catchiness, and the sheer effortlessness of their sound.

The Gates Of Throop And Newport is an emotional work, but it is a collection of songs rich in classy Americana and in affecting melodies. A very impressive second album.

It all adds up to an emotionally gruelling record that’s patently not intended for passive listening. But it’s an album that’s worth steeling oneself for.

After the divisively funky Evil Urges and Z before it (which quizzically drew comparisons to Radiohead, of all bands), Circuital feels somehow both grounded in the soil that spawned it and operatic in scope.

Here Ride aren’t just treading water so much as striking out for the horizon.

Sounding more like Bon Iver than Volcano Choir’s own debut, this offering will surely appease Vernon’s fans most; while it deviates rather sharply from Unmap, there are occasional moments that recall the band in its infancy but it is clear that the four years since the debut arrived have resulted in the band’s evolution--and they are all the better for it.

Ultimately, while not preferable to seeing a live Cooder performance in person, Live In San Francisco is a terrific encapsulation of an unlikely, remarkable career, one that has surprisingly only gotten stronger as Cooder has gotten older.

Callahan emerges from the album with his reputation further enhanced, his artistic trajectory unbroken.

Naysayers may argue that none of the tracks needs to be as long as they are (at 16 minutes and two seconds, We Dream Free is the shortest) but sounds as subtle as these need room to spread out just as a fine wine needs room to breathe.

Emily, Jessica and Camilla have put a new spin on an old formula by reducing their sound to its simplest form--and for the most part it is a success.

Hit Parade provides ample demonstration of her inherent and infectious sense of fun and her propensity for eccentric bops, qualities which have served her well across the decades.

The Like take hooks to the next level by repeating choruses as many times as possible, but the sections are so catchy it's very difficult to get annoyed by the repetitions.

It may not be the good-time party atmosphere that The Hold Steady can provide, but Always Been is probably Craig Finn’s finest solo album to date – it’s almost like a novel crammed into a conventional album.

In The Lookout, Veirs has done what she does best. Instantly recognisable and comforting, she opens her personal world up as safe haven in these strange and noisy times, whilst still keeping you at arm’s length, listening for secrets.

Where Campbell and Lanegan's first album of dusty duets was an unexpected treat, this is less of a surprise but builds on that record's success, exploring the musical chemistry between the two still further.

As it develops, it shows off a new side to them once again, one which wants to make records which draw on their experience rather than trying to do something completely new, and that in itself puts More Light up their with their best.