Opener Fly On Your Wall is oddly reminiscent of the plodding, tense quality of some of John Lennon/ Plastic Ono Band – the bits where Ringo appears to be playing biscuit tins--that is, until Olsen’s soaraway, otherworldly vocals take it somewhere altogether more spectral. Special follows, a languid jam that could have easily slotted on to the last album.

It adds up to White’s most relatable – and accessible – record in some time.

I Know Where Mark Chen Lives and The Opossum, both of which race by in a blur of sawtooth guitars, spring-loaded basslines and earnest vocals. Yet there is dynamic range here, too. [Jan 2026, p.101]

Not Here Not Gone reaffirms Blackwater Holylight's status as metal elites. [Feb 2026, p.101]

The result is a record of many radiant treasures, inviting and rewarding maximum immersion. [Mar 2026, p.105]

Love Is Magic feels like three shredded albums spliced back together. But it’s nutritious, colourful and occasionally funeral-level mournful, an emotional pick’n’mix that, by its very nature, increasingly repays revisits.

While it’s churlish to accuse the young of veering towards the childish, the frustration from some of the outré moments on I, Gemini only comes as a result of the satisfaction derived from the more involved, accomplished half of the record.

COW makes massive gains from having been created quickly, much of the source material being recorded on the road, and the samples and titles provide pleasing echoes of the group’s earlier work. Despite the nostalgia, those samples manage to sound fresher than those of more recent projects.

Wherever you listen, these are some of the loveliest examples of Lytle's wryly empathetic story-songs yet, with widescreen closer Nothin' To Lose teasing at potential future attractions. Long may his wav roll. [Feb 2024, p.101]

Arguably not as good as his main act, it’s still a welcome addition from an otherwise “non-moonlighting” type.

The lyrical dimension jars a bit painfully with the generally highly serviceable blasts of clanging, paint-stripping, mildly experimental, and somewhat extended rock.

A fairly decent substitute for those who can’t snag tickets.

Community and self-realisation win out on Our Girl's sublime second album. [Dec 2024, p.108]

This isn't quite up there with his very best efforts, but it nevertheless includes some typically excellent (and poignant) reflections on human existence. [Apr 2025, p.102]

At every turn, the vocal powerhouse reminds us why her songs have connected on such a large scale. [Dec 2025, p.101]

An endearing compendium of styles, if perhaps lacking any real headline-grabbing tunes. [Feb 2026, p,101]

It's rock in the same way that Springsteen rocks, rollicking and without a preconceived direction. [Aug 2024, p.105]

Other highlights, such as the Ngoni-driven Kenia, the desert blues of Tu Voles and an atmospheric take on Nina Simone’s haunting lament Strange Fruit confirm that she is an artist still very much at the top of her game.

Moore’s followers will glory in the winding passages of guitars scratched, spiked, stroked and droned, now with the added bonus of fuzzy solos from latest axe accomplice James Sedwards.

The bulk of the previously unheard material mainly comprises Prince’s original versions of tunes he gave to other artists. .... D&P showed how Prince could still work his magic while operating in narrower artistic parameters. This wasn’t the grandiose vision of Purple Rain or Sign O’ The Times but rather revealed Prince operating in a new guise, as an artisan who was tuned into the pop and rap zeitgeist.

On (watch my moves), sticking to what he knows is all the fuel Vile needs for lift-off.

A pulsing electro cover of Floyd’s Have A Cigar might be an unexpected (though warming) surprise, but the closing quartet of Shadow Memory, Walk, Myriads and Only Lovers Left Alive sees Foxx and Benge simmering in exquisite fashion.

The first [half] sees Adams’ spectral vocals go up against a furious string section, while the second is reminiscent of Joanna Newsom’s work with Van Dyke Parks. It’s all interesting stuff--albeit with a predilection for the twee--but may be a little much for some listeners to take in one go.

After the more immediate pop-metal of Epicloud and Sky Blue, Transcendence is a spine-tingling return to something more substantial. Also managing to advance the DTP sound, the breadth and quality of the material is simply astonishing.

Lamdin and Fatty have created sympathetic backdrops for the Poets to declaim over: lightly jazz-tinged reggae grooves, dubby production flourishes, spacious arrangements that allow for the Poets’ words to take centre-stage.

The kids aren’t alright as decades get mashed; conspiracy theories and misanthropy, leavened with wit, abound. A fantastic record. You auteur hear this.

The result is an album that feels a long way from the ragged, Replacements-meets-Arcade-Fire alt.rock of The Stage Names or the sleep-deprived folk of Black Sheep Boy. The majority of Away sees Sheff’s winning wordplay married to a skewed take on classic country-rock.

While its beauty may be a bit abstract for some, Mother is intense without being dark or oppressive; timeless, a windswept, life-affirming work that makes more conventional music seem stale and staid by comparison.