Despite the occasional lapse into MOR sludge, this is mostly the sound of a band back on form.

The magic of this album is its transient nature.

Unlike other overhyped albums that have achieved similar fame, Making Mirrors is the real deal.

There's just enough promise here to show that there is indeed talent beyond all the hype.

Strange Weekend merits return visits, and it rewards close listening.

An unfettered sonic experiment from a commercially unconcerned duo, Clay Class, whilst often pushing itself successfully into unexplored melodic territory, feels unfinished, difficult and hesitant.

And They Turned... is at times confusing, frightening, and strangely beautiful.

The Hangman Tree is certainly a decent sapling with plenty to like, but the love or loathe vocals mingle with the predominantly wonky atmosphere to prevent this from being a mighty oak.

With little in the way of instrumentation and production tricks there's a rich atmosphere of intimacy running through the album and it's difficult not to take a shine to this no-nonsense approach.

Dominant Legs' debut album really is an album of two halves. After the strong opening, Invitation dwindles towards a less convincing conclusion.

With simple, delicate moments of memorable poignancy such as Banjo or Amen, he has now made a late masterpiece.

It is not very often that an artist comes along that is so strikingly unique and hugely talented and with Yours Truly, Cellophane Nose Beth Jeans Houghton has made a beguilingly lovely debut album that shows immense promise.

Attack On Memory is a short, sharp shock to breathe life into the currently rather lifeless genre of indie-rock.

It's far from perfect, but Dear Reader's Idealistic Animals is undoubtedly a bold second album, with the almost cathartic outpouring from MacNeil giving it an unnerving and eerie beauty.

Although not earth shattering, it's all of a high standard with no real nadirs.

It consolidates what's gone before comprehensively, and occasionally points towards where the band might be headed.

Overall, though, The Stars Are Indifferent is a quick listen, filled with nice hooks and effortless melody.

Whilst it might not always be a pleasurable listen, there's something visceral and exciting about this music.

However, dark and compelling though MU.ZZ.LE undoubtedly is, there is the niggling sense that this greater focus and narrow tempo range doesn't really suit Gonjasufi.

A beautiful album that proves that sometimes more is more.

There are moments of beauty here that others will struggle to touch this year.

There are occasional moments of brilliance to be found of Flash Flood, often within the carefully crafted melodies of Enter Shikari's choruses, but all too often their lyrical angles and their almost pathological need to force genres together make for an uneven album.

If anyone was intrigued but underwhelmed by Chairlift's debut then they will find much to be impressed with on a second album that is focused, coherent and, more importantly, absolutely chock full of excellent pop songs.

The 2 Bears possess charm aplenty in their music making, and with its sheer love of light comic touches, Be Strong is certainly not short on that.

It shouldn't work at all, but the overall product--while a bit uneven--is something to celebrate.

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

The heart-thumping energy of their first records is not in evidence, and Given To The Wild feels like a wasted opportunity.

They appear to have hit the ground running, and have kickstarted their year delivering a cocksure record which welcomes repeated listens.