Atomos is an outstanding, thoughtful piece of work which should see their reputation rise to a new high.

ts concise nature, glossy finish and sense of clarity (something that even extends to the band photography) suggest that, as strange as it might seem, this is not a return to Sunn O)))’s metal roots, but is instead, for all intents and purposes, their pop album.

Best of all, it’s an album that cuts all the fat – it’s just 11 tracks long and there’s barely anything that feels like filler. Even the more generic sounding rockers like Waiting For Stevie and Running have a palpable energy about them that will no doubt make them firm favourites on the band’s upcoming stadium tour.

Most of the time, it's run-of-the mill soft rock.

Paradise is the sound of a more mature and confident Slow Club, but without losing that adorable edge that's so vital to them. Start clearing some space at the top of those 'Best of 2011' lists, for this is sure to figure.

The simple fact about Death Grips is they will divide audiences. Some will take to their hardcore pandering. Others will scuttle back to their FM radio stations.

Girl Friday are quite clearly on their own path, and all the better for it.

This is a band that don't sound like anything else around at the moment, who aren't afraid to experiment with hip-busting funk, rock and power pop all jumping into bed together.

Are they a country band playing alt.rock or an alt.rock band playing country? These questions are pointless. They are simply and sublimely Lambchop, and we are lucky to have them.

Heartache has inspired countless songs and albums over the years and if nothing else Old Flowers shows how humans will continue to turn to music for comfort in times of sadness for many years to come. These songs have clearly provided solace to Andrews and it’s likely they’ll do the same for others in similar need.

A beautiful album that proves that sometimes more is more.

It's a rare thing to find an album that is a real, unexpected pleasure to listen to all the way through.

Jamie T bares his soul on Carry On The Grudge to the point that, by the end, it’s almost impossible not to love him for it.

Maya Shenfeld’s towering achievement is to craft a highly effective polemical record with no words, the music saying all that needs to be said: throw in imaginative sound design and a deft approach to pacing and the result is an out-and-out triumph.

Overall though, this is another wondrous album from a band at the height of their considerable powers.

Comparisons with his subsequent work are inevitable and this feels like a disappointment when put alongside the more accessible likes of Donuts.

Shepherd’s work may be hyperactive at times, and is a dizzying listen when the chord progressions and rhythmic flights of fancy become congested, but it is an exhilarating ride that proves every bit as enticing as its cover.

While not every song is as successful--Mrs Lincoln… doesn’t make quite enough of a very old joke (compared to, say, …Beethoven’s How Do I Get to Carnegie Hall?), and A Little Bit Like Fun is a little bit slight--these are trifles; Hippopotamus is a big, joyous beast of an album.

Ultraviolet could have had a little more variety in its seven tracks, but it remains an impressive outing by this multi-talented new artist.

All in, Tall Tales captures these two veterans in great form, locking into a sound that plays to their strengths while differing from anything they’ve done before – moody, enveloping, surreal in effect, but emotionally potent.

Undaunted by the pressures they continue to face, Virginia Wing present a disarming form of resistance to life’s troubles.

It's a superb comeback, and one of the best albums of the year.

In revealing some of their insecurities, Hot Chip have reminded both themselves and us of their importance and relevance, and have made a record of both sense and sensibility.

Throughout Your Queen Is A Reptile, thundering drum solos and rapid tempos are tempered by Caribbean beats and carefully constrained composition. The result is an highly listenable album with an audibly beating heart, which deserves to be played so loudly that the neighbours complain.

This isn’t their strongest album – that’s a dead heat between Sehnsucht and Mutter – but it’s at least as good as the three albums preceding it, and that means it’s a very good album indeed. ... This is also – you’ll see – an endlessly replayable album.

It’s by no means flawless, with tracks such as Going Nowhere and There She Is too earnest for their own good, while his political comments are not hugely controversial – which is hardly surprising considering he was burned for his views on socialism back in 2012. Despite this, however, the record is refreshingly honest and delivers a timeless message with passion and plenty of anthemic hooks.

It's tuneful, well-written and beautifully played, and throughout there's no getting away from a Coldplay-esque earnestness.

Logos doesn't displace Microcastle as Cox's masterwork to date. But it's an intriguing, often beautiful addition to a rapidly expanding body of work that has seemingly boundless potential.