It’s a towering achievement, building on what has come before while expanding it in astonishing ways. This is undoubtedly one of the best albums of the year.

Love From London is by no means an Earth-shaking or life-changing record, but its virtues are plentiful, and so well balanced that its title is by equal measures sarcastic and sincere.

Eerie, melancholy and yet strangely soothing, The Deserters is an album to treasure, whatever the season.

Sudden Elevation is yet another solid display of Arnalds’ talents and is arguably the LP that most newcomers to the singer-songwriter should arrive at first.

They are truly captivating when they take the best of their talents and translate them as they feel and, frankly, it matters little whether the product bears sonic points of reference to others or not.

A very odd and somewhat unpredictable partnership, but one that is pleasantly surprising in its own way.

Overdriven, overblown and utterly exciting, it might be nothing new, but it’s a thunderous reminder as to why rock is so enduring.

there are occasions on Girl Talk when we get glimpses of what another, better Kate Nash indie rock album would have sounded like.... Unfortunately, moments such as these are the exception, not the rule, on Girl Talk.

On Hymnal, Benoît Pioulard has succeeded in creating something rich and rewarding.

Not without fault, the album is a solid, cohesive work--and sign of The Cave Singers’ electrifying potential.

While Ashin is clearly a major talent, he just needs to dial it down from time to time if he’s to deliver a wholly satisfying record.

A missed opportunity, then, but also perhaps the beginnings of a creative resurgence.

As an album, it doesn’t break any new ground--it doesn’t try to. What it does do though is sweep itself up in a groundswell of beautiful, heart-tugging nostalgia so strong it’s as if 2003 lies just beyond the window again, shimmering in the haze of the morning dew.

The record is overweight with memorable tunes, epic and intimate at the same time.

The album’s initial momentum is not quite there by the three quarter distance, but Woman is an album that more than merits time.

This is an album that demands attention. An album that is experiential--at once lo-fi and richly textured--where the listener is a fly on the wall, mesmerised by minor-chord introspections that come in waves – some lap gently; others overwhelm.

Exai shows they still occupy a special position in the current generation of forward-thinkers, producing music that couldn’t have been made at any other time other than now, unostentatiously trailblazing a path for others to follow in.

The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories) is certainly an intense listen, but it is ultimately a rewarding one, despite its ability to frustrate or confound.

The album does not quite have the same frisson of avant weirdness that the best Sonic Youth records have, but there is more than enough quality here to once again establish the eternally youthful Thurston Moore as one of alternative rock’s most vital voices.

Nevertheless, like British Sea Power have recently done with Man of Aran and From the Land to the Sea Beyond, Mogwai have again produced a soundtrack that stands up as an album in its own right.

It’s true that General Dome won’t be for everyone, but Dyer and Sanchez have certainly assembled an interesting creation.

No Compass Will Find Home is yet another curious listen from Merz.

There are plenty of great moments, but at times, it is almost too experimental.

It’s a beautifully produced album with a consistent sound which they can finally call shot gun on.

It’s a strong start to the record, which becomes even stronger when Wandering Eye is taken into consideration.

All things considered, Hamilton needs to focus less on blending parts together, and more on growing his own food from scratch.

Those who were endeared by Rose’s debut may be surprised, hopefully pleasantly, by the change in tone and attitude shown on The Stand-In. Nevertheless, it is a delightful record.

While Palma Violets have certainly got talent, their debut falls just short of the expectations that’s been ladled on it.