Though it can eventually make for numerous and intricate readings both technically and conceptually, it's the album's undeniable quality that emerges as solid and everlasting, embodying a timelessness very rarely found.

At times, the staggering length may make the album seem a little more "good night" than "good morning", but GO:OD AM is a place where quality and quantity coincide.

It might not have the same explosive nature as Bones but what it does have are some pop juggernauts.

In keeping it short and sour, the normally too giving Sleigh Bells have finally done it: left us wanting.

Flashy records are always exciting, but the merits of a solidly constructed and alluringly dreamy album like Life of Pause should never be underestimated.

Quite simply, Sound & Color isn't an album to Tidal or play off've some 'device', it's one to sit down and listen to in its entirety before happily handing down through the ages like a sweaty bag of Werther's.

Life isn't exactly a concept album about becoming a parent, but it's clear just how much the experience has changed Friel, as it captures all of the excitement of first time discoveries and all of the possibilities that lie ahead, which in turn makes the music feel like his most innovative and playful yet.

Unlike its predecessor, the new album is expressed with a confident ease rather than pent up frustration.

Sirens runs swimmingly from track to track, and it’s ideal to consume it without a tracklist; listening as its samples, beats, and voices travel without a map or a compass. It’s clear Jaar wanted to do something similar to what the average listener considers to be an “album”, but making a strong case for his intentions takes patience. Contrary to pop music and accessibility at large, it works well in his favor.

[An] electronic gem.

Smith's observations are insightful, full of emotional depth, but never overly complex. It's that combination that has always made them so appealing, and it also makes this their strongest release since Antenna to the Afterworld.

CHAI may be a fledgling band, but on PINK, they’re already shockingly sure of their sound and what they want to accomplish with it. It doesn’t hurt that they kick ass at it.

For the time being their concoctions remain a successful blend of sardonic and mystical, and will most likely win them a stream of new fans.

If All I Was Was Black is often times both troubling and soothing.

She not only tells a story, she takes it a step further, peeling back the façade and interacting with the truths that haunt us all in those late night hours. And it is that bravery that truly propels Tourist in This Town.

Remind Me Tomorrow, then, isn’t only a return to her calling, but a grand surprise. Sharon Van Etten has finally, truly, embraced just how appealing her unique voice can be.

Xenoula is a funky, fresh and downright fun album that comprises many palette-expanding songs for anyone with pop proclivities.

Love Hates What You Become is an endearing album that earnestly cares about our generation and is admirable because of it.

The blend of psychedelic, stoner riffs and driving percussion on tracks like 'Towers Sent Her to Sheets of Sound' sits comfortably alongside the quiet waltz of 'Necronomicon' and exhibits just how exciting, thrilling and moving rock can be.

Arc Iris is a breezy, clever and flirtatious debut solo album which immediately puts Jocie Adams's former output firmly behind her, and should find her a devoted and expectant audience.

While some may still find Fanfarlo's sound too inoffensive to get its hooks in under their skin, Let's Go Extinct is an undeniably ambitious, energetic and bombastic effort.

Overall Hot Thoughts doubles down on what we already knew: that Spoon are a band always looking to push themselves, a fact that seems to be getting more acute with each passing album, and it should be celebrated.

Its an album free of ego: the mirror isn't directed towards its creator, but clearly rather towards his hope that we will catch some glimpse of ourselves in its murky, softly swirling depths.

For those of us all too invested in the constant slew of bigger, louder, more flashy presentations every week, it's a true pleasure to get lost in such a graceful, deceptively simple world. Open is a true treat.

It’s A Myth an easily enjoyable release that doesn’t waste any of its brief and surprising burst.

It must be frustrating for Steadman and his fellow Bicycle Clubbers to be unable to shake off the mainstream's lager-stained memories of their debut, but you get the sense that So Long, See You Tomorrow is an appreciative, if somewhat firm, farewell aimed in their direction.

Ghosts Of Then And Now is a rich and dynamic listen, threaded with a strong sense of purpose that's wonderfully engaging.

Sometimes a couple words like "damn good" can suffice and with BRONCHO's Double Vanity, a better description likely couldn't be found.

This is a scribble to go up on the fridge alongside other much-loved items, even if those items are photographs which remind you what real life looks like. Stick a magnet on it. It's done.

I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside is an exceptionally realised and meaningful work from an artist looking well beyond turn up culture in the pursuit of something deeper and longer lasting.

No dead sharks here, then; just the sound of a once-cult band confounding their perceived limitations and joining the top tier of Britain's pop purveyors in the process.

Many of the tracks vary to such a degree that those not acquainted with Olsen would be forgiven for thinking they were not by the same artist, yet to those who appreciate her work, the artist’s strong narrative ties the collection together.

Due to its immense diversity in terms of approach and styles, the rarities CD is a brilliant way of letting us into the multiplicity of colours and shapes that is Air's music.

As a whole, Gulp’s new long player is a very pleasant experience from start to finish, and reminds you that Gruff Rhys is not the only member of SFA to have played a major part in delivering so many classics over the last near-three decades.

Although Lotta Sea Lice didn’t exactly live up to it’s potential and hype, the end result is still something to be reckoned with; a fascinating and balanced attempt at perfecting the concept of the collaboration album.

Low just put out their best album in a decade, and For Good seems to be following the same path.

More often than not, his debut is one that gives any room a light up disco floor, makes any moment a reason to escape to the Ibiza nightclub in your mind.

There's always a sense of worry that once a band loses its chaotic edge, its youthful exuberance, it takes a step back, but this isn't quite the case with Foals on What Went Down.

Young Billie Marten is proving that, even at the age of 17, she is charting territories and making music that will only aid her growth.

This is indeed an astonishing and absolutely infectious debut album: the urgency that each and every track is communicated with makes even the smallest detail surface as necessary and never misplaced.

Black Belt Eagle Scout has crafted an album to play any naysayer: At the Party with My Brown Friends will make a fan out of anyone.

There's a strong sense that Our Love is an important step in the evolution of Caribou. Whatever the formula is, it's working.

Refreshing indeed is the lack of a vindictive or grieved air, Shaddad instead largely keeping a sadly level head, pitying the person she had to grow beyond without being insulting.

For many decades the duo’s music has dwelled but thrived within the public consciousness, and even though No Geography looks backward at their heyday, it simultaneously looks forward further than most electronic artists today.

A captivating and downright fun little album, but it does feel just like a little side project--some friends just having a mess around--than a proper juicy album.

While Raw Silk Uncut Wood may alienate some in its distinctness from her back catalogue it finds a firm place in her ever-growing oeuvre.

The shiny production helps to carve a gigantic wad out of what is already a pretty full live sound, with crunchy guitars and some impressively Animal-esque drumming from Ivan Luketina-Johnston.

With Double Negative, Low maintain all fronts of their fanbase. All the elements of the bands chilling atmospheres are there.

It’s an album that shows the past and the future of this artist, and it’s one that seems to have boundaries well beyond the usual fare that we hear from PC Music.

Ultimately, Book of Life feels like a confident step forward for Fujita. It opens up his compositions to new sounds without sacrificing the core of what made his earlier records such an intriguing listen.

Encompassing everything from the smallest quibbles of youthful existence to the largest problems facing the world today--all delivered in a slightly cartoony, extremely bombastic and hugely enjoyable package.

Not outstaying its welcome (a common problem for samplers that peddle transcendent music which can occasionally feel like it is treading water), there is a good diversity of experiments, albeit largely backed by familiar themes.

How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful is an arena-ready and festival-ready record that, in true Florence and the Machine fashion, is packed to the brim with alarmingly catchy hooks and astounding vocal theatrics from its vocalist.

Fantasy Empire is the sound of a band modifying their sound rather than totally changing direction and whilst their spontaneity may have been tempered by their new ways of recording, their intensity and creativity remains very much intact.

It's consistent, thrilling and boasts high replay value.

Mering wrings out so much emotion from her voice that these songs burst with human vitality--and that is the main thing to take away from here.

Stubborn Persistent Illusions, is excellent in a different way. Gone are the rustic looking, red wine-tasting moments of their 00s output. This is music for nature.

Fated draws you in, and encapsulates a range of euphoric sounds, leaving you much lighter on the other side.

Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith looks at life and sees the endless possibility. It’s a sweet thought, and a compelling journey.

Michael is everything one would expect from Les Sins' highly anticipated debut and more.

With Careful, they are no longer the best-kept secret among the dingier crowds, but their music, passion and on-going commitment have placed them close to a league of their own, hopefully lasting throughout the years to come.

How and where Halloween ranks in his long catalog as a composer is up to Carpenter fanatics to decide, but for my money, it proves itself just to be just as consistent and wildly inventive as anything else he has done, painting with broad strokes and bringing to life its surroundings.

There’s no denying how incredibly dark and ominous Rundle’s latest comes across, but as she slowly unearths hope, On Dark Horses offers a powerful reminder to take back control of your life, even when its crippling grasp clenches with fatal intent.

Overall Slowdive is a strong return for this now-much-loved band. They’ve delivered on all the levels that fans would have desired: beauty, atmosphere, emotion and grandiosity.

If you want a nocturnal classic packed to the brim with contemporary disco genius, this is the record you need to buy.

Rarely has an emcee arrived to the hip-hop scene in such a controlled and specific manner. Perico sounds better with each release, building off of his past flaws, topping whatever he had in mind only months prior.

Take this record as your starting point and move forward.

PROTO is already one-of-a-kind, but there are times when Herndon could’ve stood to push the envelope just a bit more, instead of giving lovely but somewhat slight and redundant moments like ‘Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt’ or the ‘Live Training’ interludes. But she’s in a class of her own when it comes to this sort of electronic pioneering.

This music has an antique heart and, instead of having lots of modern crap plastered on top of it, it has been lovingly restored.

The result is a thrilling trip into a time and a place where nothing is really quite as it seems and the glamorous mask is slipping away.

Dime Trap is very much alive, and having entered his elder statesmen phase with, frankly, astounding grace, T.I. looks to remain present for quite a while.

Sometimes challenging, other times comforting, Inventions encourage you to step inside the imagination portal and dream.

Atomos is a very powerful work and one which could well bring modern classical music to the attention of people with only a passing interest in it, in much the same way as Philip Glass and Steve Reich have done.

Migos see no need for a limit to the fun, and invite you in with familiarity, guiding you right into the consistency that follows throughout the album.

Daughter--and Tonra in particular--have elegantly lowered their defences with Not to Disappear. Emotional literacy and gripping theatricality lie behind the wall.

All in all, Everything’s Fine lays bold claim to being one of the most unique rap albums in recent memory. It cuts through the repetitive commercialism of the modern experience with dryly comedic lyrics over a vast collection of beats influenced by decades of hip-hop, r’n’b and jazz.

Produced by Vu herself and boasting a lush and warm sound, it sets itself apart by striving to be something more ambitious and it shows in every little detail be it the sudden burst of bright brass soaring through breezy guitars on the gorgeous sway of '426' or the shimmering chords of 'Crying on the Subway'.

Jason Pierce and co. have earned a victory lap. Thankfully, rather than gallivanting about the record, the band are still very much engaged, crafting what can feel like a Greatest Hits of all original material.

The power of Bradley's voice comes not just from the lyrics, but the fact that you can feel the truth of every moment he sings about.

Take Chet's out of context and they might feel as if there were no common theme, but place them side-by-side and you'll find the tracks forming a complete and comprehensive whole--a release that is dynamic, mature, and impressive in all areas.

Not only does Orbit not overstay its welcome, it leaves you wanting more.

Music For People in Trouble led Sundfør away from euphoria but, in its own way, also gave her the tools to find herself again in music. Ultimately this directed her down path, through singing in the purest of forms and composing, to finding tenderness in love and matters of the heart.

Valet's third LP is proof that hazy guitars and dream-pop vocals aren't just for smoke-filled basements. When done right, anyone can take the journey and float with the music rather than get buried inside.

SOHN doesn’t drown on Rennen, nor does he tread water, sticking within the confines of the music he’s already created. Rennen is SOHN diving into new creative depths, and triumphing.

July is infectious. It translates well to many ears.

You can hear the band's fearlessness in every fun-soaked note on Where We Were Together.

Two is Owls taking on their unfinished business; the sound of a band whose dynamic can stand the test of time and still sound as fresh as ever.

They felt that they had run their course and wished to bow out on a high note. They have done exactly that.

She has sharpened her writing to a fine point that pulls from life experience, unbridled emotion, theatricality and a sense of humour. Murphy has her own style, but more crucially, she has her own substance.

Look Up Sharp is a defiant, singularly challenging work, and it infinitely rewards those bold enough to venture into its maw more than once.

Easy Pain is absolutely colossal.

Things may have to dismantle a bit after Fever's stunning mastery of the current setlist, but fans will always have it to look back on the energetic high point of the band's time with its current lineup.

As jagged and dark as Dead might appear, there's a real celebratory feel to this album and that's down to some fantastic influences.

This is a cosmopolitan voyage throughout markedly different places and eras, humbling touching a variety of more or less exotic influences without merely appropriating them--showcasing their uncanniest beauty with the highest respect instead.

Siesta may be a celebration, but it keeps it low key. You’ll find yourself refreshed, minus the clean up. It’s a salve for a tiring year.

Spelling continuously reinvents herself and her sound. What at first listen may turn many off bears repeated listening, through the often terrifying kaleidoscope of sound is a melodic pop centre.

WIFE marries the intensity and raw energy of Kelly's background in metal with the subtler inflections of electronica and aquatic pop fluidity; in doing so, he forges an intense album, well worth getting sucked into.

Even at five tracks, Heterocetera is a strong, visceral electronic record that maintains its ambition and intensity from beginning to end.