Everybody Down brings to life a plotline that’ll be more fully explored in Tempest’s debut novel, published by Bloomsbury later this year. It’s hard to imagine it being more gripping than this, though.

His sound is furious, muscular and relentless - not to mention camp, dangerous and slightly insane.

A Canadian producer who manages to strike a balance between the sturdy emotiveness of pop and the shimmering beguilement of ambience.

Few More Days To Go seldom offers easy listening or conforms to expectations--but it's easy to tell what Damon and others see in them, and you can expect to hear more from Fufanu.

Despite bringing in all these names to make it an event album, The Blueprint 3 delivers because of hefty beats and quality rapsmanship, nothing else.

The 21-year-old might be trying to shake off any unwieldy labels from critics this time around, but he’s doing so in electric, entertaining and thought-provoking form. Climb aboard McKenna’s space shuttle, and let him transport you to a place where dancing and getting deep are equally encouraged.

Toliver adds a new flavour to his popular sound here, and while the result is a less cohesive record than ‘Heaven Or Hell’, the result is a similarly cosy sonic comfort blanket.

As an instrumental score, fans may miss the clever kitchen sink turns of phrase that have populated Field Music lyrics since 2005’s self-titled debut, but Music For Drifters breaks down the band’s distinctive sound to its raw DNA.

It is all-consuming and consistently impressive from the off.

Although ‘ANTIDAWN’ isn’t by any means an easy listen or an EP made for casual ears, the level of intricate detail and world-building achieved proves that, more than a decade since his arrival, nobody does immersive electronica quite like Burial.

The album Daft Punk should have made. [7 May 2005, p.66]

The new EP by maximalist electronica savant Chris Clark covers yet more new ground while retaining his indelible touch of genius.

‘Ö’ is fast-acting and short-lived, and there is a temptation to wonder how well, in the long-term, it will hold up to repeat listens. To dwell on that, though, would be to misunderstand an album that is about feeling, rather than thinking.

There’s no sense of bet-hedging in its lengthy runtime and no real filler. It’s the sound of an artist in his imperial phase doing as he pleases without needing to try too hard: not just a low-key flex, but a richly entertaining listen.

‘Revelación’ retains the confidence that shone through on her last record.

She’s reminded us exactly why she’s important: she’s a hyper-intuitive artist with a mongrel sensibility who bows to no one.

Every single song breaks new ground for Morris – even the simple title track, which admittedly could have been found down the back of Chris Martin’s sofa.

Cease To Begin is the second album by this trio from the foothills of the Appalachian mountains and, with angel-voiced lead singer Ben Bridwell at the fore, it's a delightfully soothing record.

The journey home for the pair has been perilous, but that mix of rage and hope is potent. They see a better community on the horizon, but know that they must be a part of its foundations – ‘Regresa’ is a magnificent rumination on those complex emotions.

Enter deal-breaking title-track ‘Hold Time’, which is (and let’s not understate things here) a career-defining ballad even on its own, masterfully striking “You were beyond comprehension tonight/But I understood...”

As ’80s revivalism hits its self-fellating peak, it’s a pleasure to hear an album that knows escapism isn’t dressing up like a fucking unicorn--it’s shutting your eyes and screaming until your throat burns.

Clocking in at a chiselled 28 minutes, ‘Don’t Tap The Glass’ is primarily anchored by disco-flavoured raps and Kangol-clad ’80s hip-hop. ‘Stop Playing With Me’ digs up, dusts off and digitises some Whodini and Run DMC-style drums to great effect

‘Every Loser’ is a present-day primal punk resurrection from the only musician qualified to make one.

Right from the silly, scary opener ‘RRRR’, it’s daft, hypnotic, erotic, evil and unhinged all at once.

Battered and brutalised, Twin Atlantic’s intrinsic pop nous gains depth and credibility on ‘Overthinking’, ‘Missing Link’, ‘The Chaser’ and highlight ‘Ex El’ and a pop epic like ‘Whispers’ becomes a brooding masterpiece that makes Biffy’s ‘Mountains’ look like Peter Gabriel’s ‘Solsbury Hill’.

Woptober II is much more intimate. ... A lot has changed since it was last open season on Gucci Mane. The optimism and positivity on this album is infectious, even when he’s reminded of the darker times.

As inviting and accessible as anything released this year. [2 Apr 2005, p.50]

The Fall are actually at their most settled, stable and plain rocking in years. [1 Oct 2005, p.47]

It feels as if Tomora’s true potential will truly reveal itself on future records after finding their energy as a live act. Still for now, ‘Come Closer’ is a debut worth dancing about: exceptional, beautiful and shit tonnes of fun.

At times the album that little bit too airy. As skilful as Ashworth is in crafting delicately spun melody--the jangling harmonies of ‘Morning Comes’, or the gentle lull of ‘At Hollywood’--her full force and potential truly reveals itself when the shadows burst out and take over, dragging her shoegazey soundscapes to the edge of the void.

The album is best listened to in full, with the cinematic orchestral passages linking the songs together and acting as a respite between each of the break-neck pop bangers.

He may have started out as the quintessential angry young man, but he’s become a textbook study in growing old gracefully--by doggedly refusing to stay set in his ways, Paul Weller keeps finding new ones to surprise us.

Refusing to conform to trends, Water From Your Eyes continue to push themselves to new experimental heights.

On ‘Finally Over It’, the final instalment in the series, Walker feels unshackled for the first time, no longer haunted by her public break-ups.

An elongated, yet joyous return from J Hus. Splintering the sonics between drill, dancehall, Afrobeat and hip-hop, he allows himself to explore more musical terrain than ever before, while the rapper channels his lyrical potency, struggles and romantic pursuits into one unified portrait.

He's nothing if not versatile. [16 Sep 2006, p.37]

Ultimately, ‘Tension’ plays like a fun, flirty night out with an old friend who isn’t the kind to burden you with her problems. Whether you’ve known Minogue for a lifetime – or just since ‘Padam Padam’ – you’ll want to lace up your dancing shoes and join the party.

This resulting debut is a masterpiece of desert blues; blending American guitar licks with Malian groove.

Occasionally, Geography grows monotonous, but derivative it is definitely not. There’s something undeniably unique about the tone of Tom’s voice--precise yet effortless--and his guitar skills are prodigious.

The duo use fun to become fearless, combating fear with every ounce of inner strength they can find. Pageant is the sound of a band truly hitting their stride.

‘More’ is everything you’d want a Pulp album to be, made richer from some lived experience.

On A Mission is hands-down pop debut of the year, marking the arrival of a completely credible, fresh-faced, mischievous talent to draw the proverbial moustaches on pop's gallery of gurning grotesques.

It’s a satisfying ride. This smooth and consistent journey through nostalgia and the energy of new ideas means that ‘Profound Mysteries’ parts one and two stand up as latter-day career triumphs for Röyksopp.

His new album is a triumph of agitated beats, jazzy keyboards and slurred rap.

Heartfelt, human electronica that pulses with a folksy emotion thanks to Meath’s beautifully warm vocals, the duo’s debut LP is a summer essential.

The whole feel of the album is fun, shackle-free, uninhibited, but still masterfully crafted. In fact, by opening themselves up Biffy Clyro have captured the spirit of a brand-new band again.

Manifest! is back-loaded with the big hitters, so you need faith and tenacity to find the gems.

20 tracks long, ‘Couldn’t Wait To Tell You’ is sleeker than the artist’s previous releases, but just as challenging and expectation-defying.

It all adds up to an album that holds your full attention even if it isn’t Cyrus’s boldest or most visionary. ‘Endless Summer Vacation’ certainly feels like an accurate reflection of who she is as an artist – and a person – in 2023.

Sorry’s mystique has never been greater, and they’ve never been more intriguing.

An onslaught of varied and marvellously good tunes presented in an unexpectedly inventive way. [18 Sep 2004, p.65]

I Disagree is her most accomplished record, full of daring theatre and snarling forward motion. While all our favourite rock bands are going pop, Poppy is unapologetically embracing her desire to go heavy. It might be inspired by the bands she grew up listening to, but there’s not a moment on ‘I Disagree’ that feels like a throwback.

With ‘Smiling With No Teeth’, Genesis Owusu has delivered a riveting album that underscores the power of self-knowledge, perspective and art – one that should be cranked loud.

Hozier’s vocal abilities are on full display across ‘Unreal Unearth,’ but much like the album’s instrumentals, it’s his understanding of when to give more understated performances, as on gentle ‘I, Carrion (Icarian)’ or to go full-force, like on the end of pared-back ‘Unknown/Nth’, that make the songs triumph.

Serpentwithfeet’s warmest album yet, ‘DEACON’ is like a kind of blossoming – the result of meticulously excavating through heartbreak, and hitting on the joy waiting beneath.

Bits of it rule.

There are no meaty rockers like ‘Inhaler’ or ‘What Went Down’, or slow and sprawling mini epics like ‘Spanish Sahara’, ‘Late Night’ or ‘Neptune’, but we need something else right now. ... Foals are still peaking.

Though ‘Special’ clocks in at a brisk 35 minutes, it succeeds in capturing all facets of Lizzo’s megawatt personality.

Ultimately Hadreas has, with this album, proven his own hypothesis: you don’t necessarily have to blow things up to move forward.

Following on from his eclectic debut, ‘USEE4YOURSELF’ finally etches IDK’s place in rap.

While ‘Music Of The Spheres’ feels like quintessential Coldplay, there are some more surprising moments buried in its tracklist.

This record comes to cement her place. With it, marks the next chapter in Dean’s career, one as a popstar risen.

A joyous slice of orchestral prozac.

Miley Cyrus And Her Dead Petz is surely the weirdest album made by a massive pop star in recent memory, but more impressively, it's also an essential listen.

[A] collection of well-crafted bangers, most of which are begging to be blasted out of a subwoofer as debauchery rages.

Cuba is just another tool for Mala, an outlet for his name-making style, which remains instantly recognisable and consistently listenable throughout.

Absolutely stunning. [4 Feb 2006, p.29]

With ‘Topical Dancer’, they have created an album that works just as well as the soundtrack to a killer house party as it does a necessary act of rebellion against the negative forces in our society.

The music that Ghost make over twelve tracks, more than ever before, is a truly delicious pop-rock proposition.

It is a serious album for serious rock fans, even though taking anything seriously isn’t exactly Andy Falkous, Jack Egglestone, Jimmy Watkins and Julia Ruzicka’s strong point.

It’s easy to confuse simplicity with triteness, but the pair have a knack for magnetic and clearly considered ditties.

The sheer scale, pop-pomp and balls on show here render their survival an absolute victory. Resistance may be futile, but the Manics continue to advance.

Hopeless Fountain Kingdom might be defiantly ambitious, but it’s surprisingly cohesive.

The Ghost Inside’s self-titled, fifth album is a towering statement of positivity, transforming pain into catharsis, determination and hope.

‘Open Up Your Head’ is an accomplished debut that takes Sea Girls’ brand of indie-rock on countless new adventures, and leaves plenty of doors ajar for further exploration for a genre in dire need of a kick up the backside.

The swagger is really what drives that point home. Casual, not-bothered insouciance drips from Go Tell Fire To The Mountain.

Considering it was made during a time when we couldn’t go anywhere, this album is at worst a fittingly scenic trip through the places that inspired it, and at best a fresh new sonic chapter for Albarn and a wonderful way for you to leave all the nonsense behind; blissfully reminded that there’s a beautiful world out there.

The Blackest Beautiful is a strong, focused record from beginning to end.

Fans of Maltese’s typically lucid approach may find this impressionism frustrating, but it gradually builds an effective picture of fear. Here, his sense of scale is more nuanced and outward-facing than ever before, and in turn, Maltese’s writing will continue to become all the more captivating for it.

Tracks on here like ‘Fine’ and the aforementioned ‘Racist, Sexist Boy’ are vital, powerful bursts of punk fury. Yet when they let their pop music imaginations run free it’s equally impressive, with tracks like ‘Growing Up’, ‘Talking To Myself’ and ‘Magic’ showcasing a gift for catchy, singalong choruses.

It’s well executed, quite odd, highly original and full of promise--exactly what you want from a debut album.

An urgent, free-wheeling bundle of fun, You Can’t Steal My Joy is a debut that adds joy to new wave.

The band have responded with their most stylistically hatstand-but-indisputably-best songs yet.

He's turned in an electronic album that’s full of character without resorting to robot costumes or Pharrell bloody Williams.

A charged effort with dynamic results, ‘Karma 3’ may not be as flawless a spectacle as ‘Survival’, but it’s not all that far off. And it’s definitely the best entry in the ‘Karma’ series. East remains consistent, unapologetically flying the flag for New York hip-hop.

Colourful and unconventional throughout, Knockin’ Boots keeps Julio Bashmore’s reputation for bangers firmly intact.

As intelligent, bittersweet, angular stuff, whether it’s alt.rock, guitar-pop, or even emo is immaterial. Labels be damned - just call it great music.

An essential Mogwai purchase. [26 Feb 2005, p.66]

It is raw, emotionally stirring, and the best album you’ll hear this year, by a mile.

Growing up is hard but Bully make it sound exhilarating.

Together, EL VY create an enthralling musical space where Matt Berninger can explore the idea of being Matt Berninger.

Get marooned with them, while you still can.

‘Sketchy’ takes the best, feral pulses from tUnE-yArDs’ DIY material and the richest sounds of later records in its doubling down on societal crises. If Garbus was worried about finding inspiration, she needn’t have been.

'Idealism' is dusted with the kind of metallic house glitter caking LCD's 'Sound Of Silver', and, just as promisingly, the title track could have been carved from Daft Punk before they decided they were human after all.

Mastodon have written the most personal album of their career, and in doing so perhaps their most pertinent too.

Fantastic songs that are easy to embrace and return to.

They get the sentiment of a thousand anguished FT editorials across in a mere 30 minutes.

Whereas Mogwai’s more recent work threatens to make a formula familiar, Fuck Buttons’ fizzling DIY laboratory still has the invention and ingenuity to surprise.