Although the musical advance Beady Eye have made in BE does not extend to the clumsy lyrics, Liam shows he is not just a balls-out bawler and the band sound sharp.

Its aching honesty and immaculate balance prevents About Farewell from being just another break-up record, as Diane presents something to us lyrically raw but unafraid to sport obviously produced yet sentimentally appropriate musical flourishes, from strings to harmonizing female choruses, when the time comes.

What may at first come across as a bottled up effort does in fact reveal astounding complexity on repeated listening.

It’s different enough from its predecessor to show marked progress, but with all the original essentials present and correct. The bar was set high; All Pigs Must Die have set it higher still.

An engaging and rather captivating record.

There are certainly moments that feel like filler, but there’s much to like about Ghost Outfit. I Want You To Destroy Me is not life-changing or revelatory but it is a solid offering and occasionally provides the odd knockout blow of a song.

So, very strange but oddly compelling--rather like Mr Haines himself.

The Inheritors is a rich and vivid work that is as mysterious as it is compelling.

There are possibilities of ideas, tunes and textures yearning to communicate here, but the paper-thin construction doesn’t stand up to much scrutiny. Yet ultimately, experimenting with instrumentation and the pair’s (albeit limited) vocals do occasionally make for a pleasant, if not completely engaging, listen.

As with many debuts, AlunaGeorge’s album has remarkable highs but is tempered by a few weaker moments.

Both Roedelius and Schneider have developed their own language and way to communicate with each other through sound. It’s this symbiotic and serene balance that makes listening to Tiden a largely enriching experience.

Love Your Dum And Mad is certainly not an easy listen and demands close attention. But give yourself over to the close, fascinating world Shah inhabits and you will be utterly enthralled.

Strangely, this record might be the first grower they’ve ever made, sacrificing some immediacy for subtlety and, presumably, greater endurance.

While Any Port In A Storm is unlikely to make a superstar out of Dermody, it definitely feels like the arrival of a new cult hero.

Slow Focus is unmistakably Fuck Buttons, the logical continuation of the music produced by a duo who never strive to do something expected.

The Argument is a highly laudable effort--literary heads will enjoy its attempt at condensing the complexities of the epic poem, while many will take pleasure in the story Man’s downfall sounding so varied and tuneful.

Overall, Bugbears is an album that reveals something new on repeat listens.

There’s too much spirit in this cocktail for the mixer to spoil it.

At only 31 minutes long, there is absolute bewilderment at how varied the output on Stills can be; it’s an exhausting listen in general.

A thoroughly decent album from start to finish.

The Orb’s lazy beats count too much on Perry’s meaningless, abstract ruminations, or Perryisms, to add some sort of absurdist (anti-) meaning to a (mostly) boring collection of songs.

Although there are plenty of adrenaline-infusing moments on Jungle Revolution, Congo Natty fails to keep up the momentum throughout

Me Moan is a flawed work, but even those who decide it’s not for them are likely to concede that no one else quite sounds like Gibson right now. With genuine originality at a premium these days, that’s to be wholeheartedly applauded.

In Perfect View, Lust For Youth have immersed fuzzed-up ’80s synthpop in an unnerving ambience, infused the whole thing with shades of house and come up with an album that’s a challenge, but a completely mesmerising one.

It’s a consistent and, at times, deeply thoughtful record that is pleasantly familiar while offering occasional surprises. This easily stands up with the better end of Pollard’s work.

On Magna Carta... Holy Grail, Jay comes off as even more pretentious than Kanye.

A strange end possibly, but The Dusted Sessions seeks to encapsulate the essence of the vast landscapes the band experienced and does so quite incredibly.

Electric finds Pet Shop Boys more daring and accomplished than most pop stars half their age.