Shot through with warm hooks, it's a worthy retooling of old synth styles.

The comparatively featureless pessimism on the rest of the album makes for an oppressive and often dull listen. It’s a shame, because underneath it all, Lord Huron are making lusher and more varied sounds than ever.

Unless you're a fan, the title says it all.

‘Laughing Gas’ is a lush paean to ‘80s precision pop, all snaking funk basslines, synth claps and reverb-addled drums.

It might not leave you feeling as euphoric as what’s come before, but its lingering sensation is a testament to the power of Antonoff’s immersive songwriting.

Even if they're a hard band to fall in love with, this record is ridiculously easy to admire.

Nothing new, then, but the Jaxx's sound returns re-energised. Call it the Disclosure effect.

What could be mistaken for something approaching a masterpiece reveals itself as far more hollow.

'Myths Of The Near Future' is charged with the same spirit which fuelled legendary rave pranksters The KLF's period of pop subversion.

The Temper Trap relocated to london in May of this year in a bid to woo the uk: this is not a bad calling card at all.

‘I’m Doing It Again Baby!’ is a fine album; it’s fun and sweet, if a little bland. It’s a pristine pop record that takes few risks and leaves little room for error – though it might be more interesting if it did.

While there are a couple of tracks here that are close to filler, Delphic have proved that they are adept at This Kind Of Thing, which is cause for celebration alone.

It’s all accomplished and well-produced--as an introduction to these sounds, it’s absolutely on the money--but perhaps too scattershot to really gel.

Newcomers might just wonder why these old dudes are ripping off Bloc Party.

Spring King are at their restless best when Musa--who sometimes vomits on and just-offstage from exhaustion--sounds uncomfortable.

They may be revisiting the fossilised concept of boredom, but they're bringing an original perspective.

Music to stick pins in voodoo dolls of the popular kids by.

There are a couple of duds, (‘Book Of Love’, ‘Please Say No’), but, as forlorn closer ‘You Were Right’ ably demonstrates, few bands do heartache with as much majesty.

Despite questionable lyrics, it's a much more cohesive album. [8 Jul 2006, p.41]

Like Missy Elliott, the Beasties are reimagining hip-hop--what it was, what it is, what it can be. [12 Jun 2004, p.47]

In making a record with such universal themes of love and hate, and sounding so pissed off in the process, Brody has inadvertently made herself the most important new rock star in the world.

Crystalline, slick and glistening, this feels like the last piece of a puzzle slotting into place, the tying off of any loose ends. It’s the sound of a band operating firmly, and finally, in their comfort zone.

You get the overarching sense that they are more than a little bored with the current musical landscape and want to inject it with their own restless brand of creativity. If this is art rock, then the Shears brothers have crafted a pretty damn impressive collage.

Maya Hawke might not be preparing to go back to school, as the character at the heart of this record would be but, if she were, ‘Moss’ would guarantee her top grades.

At its best, the record builds on some of the weirder elements in Hot Chip, but at its worst spirals into self-indulgence.

Familiar ground, but consider this the sound of modern masters honing their craft.

It's the less controlled, less sleek excursions that are more exciting.

It’s still clear that The Voyeurs aren’t reinventing the wheel. But they’ve greased it with enough fun that it scarcely matters.