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’.

It’s to Weller’s credit that these more plaintive and introspective tracks sit so smoothly aside ‘Fat Pop’’s more playful experiments. It means that for the second time in less than a year he’s released a record that can sit safely among the best of his long career.

This formulaic approach lacks surprise – once you’re a few tracks in, you’ve heard it all. It might not be a total hot Gizz summer, but at least we’ve got a few extra bangers to bask in.

On their 10th album, The Chemical Brothers remain the best in the business.

‘Venom’ is a consistent album that builds on last year’s teaser project ‘EXPLICIT: The MiXXXtape’, but this time with a significantly raw feel.

Akpro’s debut is a dark, winding ode to the UK capital, grounded in his own experiences and expressed with a subtle mystery. This sense of nuance – often missing so early in an artist’s journey – makes for one absolutely captivating listen.

The results are varied, but this is just one frame of a much bigger picture of Jin’s solo career – one where he will undoubtedly continue to grow and prosper the more he leans into what suits him best.

What WIXIW's working process has given them instead is yet another way to find the manifold, melancholy and menacing nature of Liars.

‘Raw Honey’ has the air of a great lost album from the ‘70s, with lush instrumentation that falls between Crosby Stills & Nash and The Eagles, yet also boasts the crisp production of a modern-day studio.

From the get go, Bdrmm delight in defying expectation. .... What’s so compelling about the record is the urgency of Smith’s writing this time round.

This is more entirely predictably absurd bludgeoning death metal silliness from the kings of its kind.

By spotlighting upcoming artists alongside established names, 100 Gecs give an IRL boost to their ever-expanding community of internet collaborators on ‘1000 Gecs & the Tree of Clues’ while providing an exhilarating snapshot of pop’s alternative future.

Black Midi will almost definitely never make easily digestible or understandable music – they’re probably as excited and confused about where they’re heading next as we are – but to focus on the finer points and try to make sense of it would be to miss the overall point of the band. Simply going down the rabbit hole with these deeply weird, brilliant musicians will never be less than exhilarating.

This is big, epic, widescreen music, albeit wonderfully understated. [5 Mar 2005, p.51]

A rhinestone-tipped treat. [22 Oct 2005, p.41]

Here is a winsome, lady-driven response to the wood-chopping likes of Midlake, Fleet Foxes and My Morning Jacket that remains refreshingly sweet.

That troubled kid [Mike Hadreas] never went away. It's just that this time, he's more concerned with reaching towards the light.

You certainly won't hear much else at the moment as inventive as this.

The trio have discovered a few new sonic tricks, but it's the celestial duel-vocals of Parker and Sparhawk which continue to ensure that Low always reach such beautiful highs.

Largely flirting with conformity from a distance, Gore really comes into its own in the latter half, when Deftones open the silo doors on their buried missiles of epic melody.

Positively overflowing with magnificent oddities. [1 Jul 2006, p.36]

Less, in this case, is definitely more: The Beyond is his best work to date.

War & Leisure lacks the obvious identity that has marked out Miguel’s previous three albums, but that’s no fault. By comparison, this is 
a compelling collection of poptastic R&B tracks made to soundtrack your night out.

‘The Gods We Can Touch’ is loaded with AURORA’s idiosyncratic quirks and enchanting notions, but it’s never purely a slave to whimsy. Now’s the time to give in to AURORA.

This is a reunited band making music to rival their very best. There’s airmiles aplenty in these Essex Dogs yet.

Distance Inbetween is a cohesive, imaginative psych-rock record that grows with every listen. Welcome back, boys.

With his finest tracks lasso'd together, you can notice the immaculate progression of James Murphy.

It is, however, undoubtedly a collection of many good songs. From start to finish, it’s a relentlessly difficult listen, and one that suffers from little in the way of dynamics or variety of tone.