No tracks on the record could really be said to be ‘stand out’ but they create, on the whole, something that experiments with psych’s current face, paying homage to the ‘far out’ creators who originated it.

Dry The River have here proven that they hold their own distinct niche in our record collections, and are settling in to it nicely.

Joy, recorded with Ty Segall and released last year, was a cocksure, psychedelia-tinged swirl of sex and limbs and thumping rhythms. I Have To Feed Larry’s Hawk exhibits little of this exuberance and is in large part a more gentle work of perspective and introspection, aided by a curatorial production that treats each element of the music, electronic or acoustic, like a moving part of a clockwork diorama, Presley’s breathy vocals condensing on the glass of the bell jar as he watches them all tick and turn.

Standouts like “The Sun Also Rises,” “Car into the Sea” and the title track are also just as groovy as anything from that era, but never does the album sound stuck in it. The Modern Age is a very welcome return.

At the very least, it’s an admirable first step into something far more profound.

For his fifth long player as White Fence, things have remained very much the same musically.

An orchestral score for a remembered expanse, it casts vivid shadows but avoids rigid form.

Where things get truly interesting, though, is watching Joey’s flow adapt to the song.

Yours Conditionally is much more fun when you allow yourself to dive headfirst into its strife and inhale its sarcasm rather than floating along its serene surface.

Silent Earthling is clearly an experiment in how to expand on a sound that is already protean and expansive by nature. It’s a difficult job, and that’s clear from listening to the record, but such is the breathtaking nature of Three Trapped Tigers that it is highly doubtful many will mind.

By virtue of its accessibility, Black Bubblegum presents itself as the most singular album Copeland has produced to date and who knows, maybe some pop bangers will be coming our way after all.

The mystery of Alex Cameron continues to be unsolved, but after Forced Witness, his identity and place in the indie world seems to be much clearer, and at times, all the more impressive.

Sensitive production brings out the best of DeCicca’s imaginative style, with effective touches here and there of gospel choir and a few intelligently-restrained jazz bass rhythms on an album of self-effacing quality.

Spooky Action is as dense and detailed as his former band’s best known work, but song for song he picks one mode and more or less sticks to it, setting up a more reasonable barrier to entry.

Our Nature is a seriously accomplished pop record, and a perfect progression.

Fleeting is, in sum, an art in the sweet and wholesome worship of nature, it's comforting highs and dark, confusing depths encompassing all the brief human relationships it gives birth to and provides a stage for.

The album is so much more than a set of rough drafts of more considered compositions. These 1998 offerings succeed in their own right.

There’s an exuberance to the entire record that feels genuine and fresh, like it was captured unexpectedly.

In a scene over-stuffed with ‘80s-throwback melancholia, it is Byczkowski’s ambition, scope, and keen sense of melodrama that set Something to Lose apart.

Same As You isn’t going to be the most exciting release from Polar Bear you’ll hear, but it is a solid and entirely welcomd release from a band who rarely put a foot wrong.

Unhealthy though it may be, the pain expressed certainly produced a great debut.

For the majority of Woman, Justice are acting out their pop dreams through machinery. Where in the past they’ve allowed to let the equipment do the talking, here, they show that they too are human after all.

The result is a lengthy cinematic suite of songs.... and in the rest; a record’s worth of epic, towering soundscapes built on sturdy prog and indie rock foundations.

Dark elements permeate the menacing corners of Crawling Up The Stairs, and while it may have been a long, grueling journey to get through, it seems that by the end of this bumpy road, Pure X have reached a positive creative terrain that suggests their long climb up the from the bottom was worth all the effort and pain it took to get there.

Though not quite as compositionally adventurous as Shields, these demos and bonus tracks are equally emotionally resonant--it’s an insight into what Shields could have been--and what we might have to look forward to in the future.

Abrasive but not completely inaccessible, it’s The Fall very nearly at their best.

What makes Manipulator one of Segall’s strongest releases to date is less to do with the energy he brings to proceedings, though, and more about just how evident his keenness to experiment is, from start to finish.

The Great Dismal, thankfully, is everything it promised to be – it sounds huge, and it sounds miserable.

The Liverpool five-piece let the album form organically and in doing so have released a sharp, shimmering and versatile album.

Encyclopedia might not be a record to soundtrack cheery bank holiday getaways, but it provides enough counter-attack to its own bleakness that it's not an inherently malicious listen (although it does have its moments).

Innerworld is a bit of a mixed bag, but one that's absolutely worth dipping into--every now and then you'll pull out some real gems.

It’s music that shakes you to your core, and even if you’re left frosty-hearted afterwards, you’ll be under the spell.

On the strength of the songs here and the pitch perfect atmosphere they’ve conjured it would be criminal if we didn’t hear more from them in the future.

$ingle$ 2 acts as a highlights reel for the past five years, and its subtle shifts leave it feeling less like a compilation and more like an album on shuffle.

TRather than being a simple tribute, Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John is a stunning addition to the story of both musicians. Thankfully, there are hundreds of songs left for Hatfield to do on Part II.

By letting their political frustration run away with them, they’ve carved out their own identity and worn it on their sleeves; the results are engrossing.

Most of the tracks come in at under two minutes long; short drafts and ideas stitched together with smoky loops and obscure vocal samples. An atmospheric and pensive sound shrouds the majority of Rainbow Edition - the only thing missing is the underlying grooves that were found on their past releases, leaving some of these beats slightly too industrial and cold.

Someday, Buddy doesn’t shy away from its own big moments, but it does have a way of deflecting attention from them.

This is pop, pure and simple, and taken as such, is a rollicking pleasure.

Painful carries immense weight at all times, distorted or not. Cunningly titled Extra Painful, this reissue marks the 30th Anniversary of the band and offers futher insights into the Painfull sessions with acoutic, instrumental and unreleased gems on offer.

There’s a tightness and economy to the sound that makes the album sound excitingly different.

Before We Forgot How To Dream is subtly uplifting, astute and speaks in the diction of a youth that may be tired of being talked at, rather than to.

Yhe album is as allusive as the rest of Del Rey’s discography; Robert Frost, Sylvia Plath, Slim Aarons and Stephen King are just a few of the notable individuals both subtly and explicitly referenced by the singer.

While there’s no memorable poppy chorus here, or lush, full-band arrangements, or zany quirkiness, Hyperspace is nevertheless totally Beck: an experiment in broadening his own horizons, trying something new, which yet again just so happens to sound quite refreshing. It’s a worthy addition to this musical chameleon’s catalogue.

There is a feeling that at times the record dips into repetition, particularly around the mid-point, though there’s no doubting that Omni’s intricate and deadpan approach is worth a visit for even the most casual of bystanders.

These tracks aren't revolutionary classics on the same level as “Killing in the Name” or “Fight the Power” just yet, but nevertheless, they raise a fist to all those who continue to fight ignorance, hypocrisy, brutality and the elite.

As good as Modern Dancing is, it just doesn’t quite encapsulate the complete experience of TRAAMS.

It’s hard to find fault with an album that feels so consistently representative of the mind that bore it. Francis Trouble is certainly Hammond finding a version of himself that’s pushing toward the future while never losing sight of who he really is.

Run the Jewels not only surmounts Charybdis, but does so head held high, able to be considered--and enjoyed--upon its own merits.

Guy Walks into a Bar… is an album built on disco-dreams and broken hearts and is guaranteed to show you a good time.

All in all, Stage Four is an exercise in catharsis and self examination of what it means to lose someone close to you, but instead of being dragged down into a spiralling bleakness, it's is an album that ultimately feels resolutely life-affirming.

On Mediation of Ecstatic Energy he is able to give that virtuosity a form that makes for a coherent, beautiful album.

Much like an architect, C Duncan is an artist of creative design, and what he's produced is positively palatial.

Smash the System isn’t too forthcoming with answers, but it is a fully engaged conversation with pop’s past and present.

There’s few missteps--a middle section which ventures off discordantly into murkier electronica never quite seems to fit a listen-through. But Wilkinson has once again proved his complete mastery of bottling a certain tone to his music through the right craft of sounds. With Ribbons, he has bottled springtime.

This is the most listener-friendly and accessible that Speedy Ortiz have ever been. But the band hasn’t left behind their heavy grunge sound, despite what many long-time fans will think when they listen to Twerp Verse. They’ve just given their sound a clever makeover, and taken the next step in their evolution as a band by doing so.

It is both brilliant and uneven. It defies expectations without disrupting the status quo.

Ultimately Mulvey’s record is once again intriguing, engaging and diverse. A record that is equally accessible and rewarding on multiple listens, the softer side of pop can take plenty more of Nick Mulvey's music.

Overall, this material is essential listening for hardcore fans of Bob Dylan, recommended listening for fans of Johnny Cash, and somewhat life-affirming for folks who have Nashville Skyline as their favourite ever album. But for everyone else, there is the sense that this material making up its own standalone set shows either a lack of foresight or a thirst for dollars.

With its focus on covering most of the canon and the scintillating pace that it moves at, though, Live in Paris won’t just satiate the fans--it could well provide a new access point to one of the great American rock bands for those yet to be converted.

All in all, Almost Free is a FIDLAR album - brash, unhinged, wild, a tad nonsensical, but most of all, a testament to their nature.

This record represents a bold, imaginative first step for a young band that seems poised to take their sound anywhere.

Edge of The Horizon rarely moves away from the mid-tempo switch which does make you scream out for a euphoric ‘Paper Romance’ or ‘Cards To Your Heart’ moment, so effective on their last album.

At times the songs could do with a bit of pruning, the elongated blues of the closing “Liquid Lady” overstays its welcome somewhat, but Until the Hunter is an immersive and rewarding record that will keep admirers of their other bands happy and shows that side projects can be more than rock star folly.

Generous but gradually revealing.

The magic by which we were all spellbound in those early days remains, now augmented by a newfound range of diverse influences. Rogers writes anthems for the modern age, with all the paradoxical feelings of empowerment, anxiety, heartbreak and growth that that entails.

Singularity may not be a huge departure from the sound that we’ve previously heard from Hopkins, but this record is a masterclass in musical sonics--a reminder that music should be absorbed, not left to simply pass us by.

Something On High could definitely do with just a pinch more of life at times.... But regardless of this, it is still an incredibly powerful debut from Sivu.

In the nebulous field of psychedelia, there’s plentiful room for a band as immediate and audibly exhilarated as Virginia Wing.

At its best the record is a playful, pulse-raising thrill-ride; and you can see that musical dexterity on display here will be staggeringly impressive or bewilderingly inconsistent, depending on your taste. I guess Yesterday Was Forever, but tomorrow is where we’ll see the best from Kate Nash: this feels like the last step before greatness.

Green's lyrics are a 140 character pop song. They are hyper-condensed. This can make them seem lazy and tropey--but she knows what she's doing.

This is a hugely charismatic debut that, above everything else, is just very good fun.

The Things We Do sounds like the product of an alternate reality in which Bruce Springsteen was a teenager in the 2000’s who spent all his time crafting the perfect instant messenger away notifications instead of ruminating on small town America. But Alex and his bandmates pull it off with sheer conviction and force of will.

Rousing, downtempo pop to soothe a troubled soul.

The boisterous new record is filled with plenty of raucous glimpses of what has beat at the unsteady creative heart of this notoriously dubious band for over 15 unpredictable years.

It’s hard-hitting, but behind every tightly honed riff lies a bubbling sense of optimism, and these songs are as resonant as they come.

Life After Youth is proof that the best days needn't necessarily be the early ones, and marks a strong and exciting return for fans and band alike.

[A] frustratingly muted but nevertheless enthralling follow-up.

Alone Aboard the Ark is an album that moves The Leisure Society forwards, outwards, and upwards, as a band that continues to grow into their story.

Communion is brimming with razor-sharp summer pop anthems that succeed in bringing a smile to your face time and time again.

Constantly changing, Mothers is whatever you want to make of it. Presenting a sound that never settles, and will never tire, Swim Deep have at last demonstrated the strength they've always been capable of.

Somewhere Else makes for an invaluable addition to any self-respecting pop-loving household.

They’ve used the time to come to terms with the loss of Cintra and create a sonic identity beyond his input, and it turns out that they didn’t really need him, and, just maybe, he was stalling their progress.

It’s truly a fascinating listen and shows Maus on the cusp of confidently venturing into unknown territory. Even if he isn’t fully there yet, Maus is able to generate enough to show that it’s within his reach.

Themes and aims aside, Sub Verses is simply an example of Akron/Family’s continued good run of form, and undoubted confidence.

Strange Friend is a cosmic krautrock gem, like TV On The Radio raised in the Highlands, bustling with excitement and teaming with a million different ideas, eager to spill them all onto the canvas regardless of the mess it will make. But what a gloriously colourful mess to behold.

It’s a great ending to a great record, one that musically takes Bulat a bit further from the folk comfort zone, but not so far as to lose the essential character of what she is about.

WIMPIII culminates in a kind of languidness which shows that sometimes you have to let the songs lead you, rather than coercing them into something they shouldn’t be. There’s a coherence that exudes from the sparsity in the songs, and they’re never left feeling empty.

This album does do something to placate their critics on this issue. Kind of.

Sitting comfortably alongside high water marks like El Camino, it’s clear on Let’s Rock that the boys’ batteries are fully charged and ready to giddy up and hit the ground running once again.

Standing alone, this a warming set of tastefully executed covers. But see the album in its context and you’ll find its beauty--a record of music repairing a once strained relationship.

James’ stark vocal delivery resonates on both an emotional and socio-political level on Tribute to 2, and, although he's is begging the world to unite and come together--something that, in the current political landscape of 2017, seems damn near impossible--at least music fans from all around the globe can agree on something: James has never sounded so elegant and in control.

Toward the song’s end, “Mad About You” takes a left turn into a blurry coda unlike anything else on Hollow Ground. It is a sign of stronger connections to the present that Clarke can turn to, having proven here beyond a doubt his prowess with the past.

Though it is by no means a flawless album, it is exactly the kind of thing you should be using to set your mind at ease. Fleet Foxes have always been inherently hopeful and thankfully they’ve not lost sight of that, roll on 2021.

The four tracks that make up S are infectious and delivered with a well placed tongue-in-cheek, and each one certainly feels like an exercise in Moss' own musical exploration.

He clearly has a blast doing this, and it shows through in a release like Four Foot Shack.

At best, it suggests that Crystal Castles are entering a more mellow and accessible phase in their career, potentially welcoming new fans, and at worst, it suggests that Crystal Castles have lost the bite that made them so exhilarating in the first place.

This combination of stripped-back lyricism and expansive musicality contributes to the sense of The Ascension as Stevens’ most plainly spiritual record to date.