Even at 16 tracks (including the little spoken word interludes that scatter the album), it never seems too long or self-indulgent.

Gedge and Albini is a match made in heaven, and El Rey is an excellent follow-up to one of their finest works together.

There may not be too many of the pop hooks that Lush were so good at delivering, but this is a more textured, layered sound. Anybody yearning for the glory days of shoegaze will find a lot to enjoy here, and Tripla is the start of an exciting new chapter for one of indie music’s great survivors.

The use of the light, nimble calabash instead of drums helps craft a subtle, hypnotic sound that eschews the rock dynamics recently incorporated by the likes of Tinariwen or Tamikrest. This approach creates music that is somehow simultaneously vibrant and contemplative.

Travelling beyond the accepted norms of the swarm of post punk girl groups operating at the same time, this Technicolor tinged album somehow melds droning krautrock sections and psychedelic experimentalism into its jaunty street hoodlum doo-wop core.

A quiet, easy confidence in their abilities and a collection of productions straddling just about every dance music touch-point from the past 25 years.

The results are not quite Tasty, but they're pretty damn close.

[An] understated but epic album.

Lithics have made what is surely one of the most sincerely bracing albums of the year.

This is an album to sit with, to take in, and to fully appreciate its subtle and quiet beauty. It may not be her commercial breakthrough--someone as esoteric as Pratt could be waiting a while for that--but it’s certainly her best album to date.

Kanye being Kanye, there are occasional moments of quirky craftsmanship scattered around. The mood perks up substantially when the rhythms take centre stage.

There’s a majestic soulfulness here too that makes The Invisible Way one of their strongest, most coherent works.

A big, gorgeous old hug of an album.

His legacy already assured in his field (or fields, perhaps) with no apparent signs of slowing down, this is further evidence of the enduring, glitchy charm of Prefuse 73, and another compelling reason to seek him out.

By the time we reach the end, Doyle has nailed his musical remedy for the pace and relentless demand on the senses this digital life can make. Ironically he does so with a pleasing amount of analogue input, the music spring-like in the upward looking way it saunters down the street.

Despite initial concerns, Moyet’s presence gains stature and confidence as the minutes progresses, with Sigsworth’s production and her vocal eventually working together ever so well.

An invigorating album, then, and one that says a great deal despite being instrumental the whole way through.

It’s just 13 killer tracks hovering around the three and four minute mark originally designed for maximum 12” impact rather than a living room listen. But popping on headphones helps appreciate just how much Boo manages to squeeze into his tracks.

Luck and Strange is an elusive album, gradually revealing its secrets with repeated listens.

A record to cling onto in the darkest of times, until the inevitable light starts to breach through again. Those TV montage soundtrackers may well have just found a new source of music.

For all its flaws--it’s overlong, and sometimes seems too keen to be meta and self-referencing--it’s full of energy and often makes for an exhilarating listen. It may not quite measure up to the heights of 1989, but whether she’s Old Taylor or New Taylor, there’s enough here to demonstrate why she’s still one of pop’s brightest pop stars.

This is one of the most exciting debut albums for sometime.

It's a refined, seasoned effort, alternating between country-tinged folk and leisurely paced rock.

On the surface, The New Eve Is Rising may seem simplistic and derivative. Yet spend some time with it, and its complexity and originality soon surface.

But what comes through now is the strength of the songwriting, and his willingness to try out new things.

Valtari is a complex album and time is required for these songs to become truly effective. Once their beauty becomes apparent however, it becomes clear that Valtari is up there with Sigur Rós' best work.

The results may on occasion be fraught with discomfort, and feel like a caffeine overdose, but in that respect Get To Heaven is an accurate reflection of life today, with its overwhelming tags, mentions, likes, unread messages, stimulants and stress relievers.

If there’s a weakness that prevents this record from reaching the heights of his previous works, it’s that Danny doesn’t always know what to do over these pumping, otherworldly productions (particularly the lesser underscores collaboration Baby) but it’s hugely encouraging to see the rapper engaging with younger generations, sounding lively and charismatic 15 years in.