The album does well as a high-octane rock record, so much so it makes you wonder why some tracks feel ever so slightly diluted.

MAYHEM is more like an inspired album rather than one that inspires, and where Gaga usually flips the game on its head, she’s stuck to the rules this time. LG7 feels like it’s come and gone, and where we’re usually saying ‘wow she’s amazing’, it’s more like a resounding ‘wasn’t that nice’ – not bad, not life changing, but a record I’ll be playing for a while I’m sure.

Drive to Goldenhammer sees the quartet plant strong roots and demonstrates that their combination of talent, originality, and introspection has the potential to journey anywhere they wish.

Textured, emotionally rich, and transportive, it’s a soothing balm for uncertain times. If you’re looking for an opportunity to get away from the noise, you could do a lot worse than Panda Bear’s latest escape into the ethereal.

There is a poetry to the mundanity that serves as Dawson’s subject matter, which he draws out in its best moments. At others, however, his writing gets mired in merely setting down dutifully that which lies before us.

This is a collection both provocative and vigorous, covered in a sleek wrapper that hides the introspective side lurking beneath. So Close To What is hit after hit – it’s her most convincing argument of superstardom yet.

His third outing feels more introspective, without losing any of that gargantuan shine or him feeling like a stranger.

The album captures the band at their most independent, revelling in high-energy performances while embracing a broad eclecticism.

The product of constant playing and musical experimentation between tour duties, Armageddon In A Summer Dress marks the point where the nominally folkie Ward goes electric. The effect is frequently electrifying.

Horsegirl’s songwriting isn’t distinct enough to imply any hidden tension though, and back to back sweetness becomes a little sickly. It’s no surprise that the best songs here are the meaner ones.

The album does peter out somewhat. “Smugglers” is a languid rockier offering that only picks up in the last cacophonous couple of minutes and the final song, and album title track, “Glutton For Punishment” is a sweeter sounding, ironic take on maybe attracting the barrage of chaos life can bring. But when viewed in its entirety the album feels like a momentous leap.

Strange’s open attitude towards collaboration benefits his music while he maintains a unique sound, an amalgamation of clear references into an entirely new shape. Horror seems to ask the listener to face themselves in the way Strange has on this record, and not everyone will be ready.

Ultimately, Everyone Says Hi is the sound of a multi-platinum songwriter with a fresh fire under him – someone who has turned the page yet can’t help but pack these tunes with the kind of melodic heft that lands them squarely on your repeat playlist.

Not all of it works. .... But the ease the band have in each other’s presence is infectious. Balbi’s propulsive drumming drives the record but never overpoweringly so. Letting those atmospheric synths have their moment in the spotlight, or allowing Hoff’s agile basslines to bring their own mood.

It builds dread with slight but sudden stabs, scrapes, and bubbling bass, and rarely gives you the pleasure of a cathartic release. It’s a long way from the funky chaos of “Houseplants”, and it’s all the more interesting for it.

It’s a celebration of what Maribou State does best: creating music that feels timeless and deeply personal. And while we might continue to wait for the moment when they push their boundaries and fully realize their potential, this journey toward that horizon is just as compelling.

Executed with palpable warmth and affection for the musical heritage that hovers behind these songs, what could have been an unconvincingly superficial genre exercise emerges as another winningly inviting Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy album.

It definitely helps that You and I are Earth sparkles with Savage’s most direct, open and unabashedly beautiful music to date.

For all its fury and fragmentation, Never Exhale is remarkably cohesive, a testament to DITZ’s ability to harness chaos into something purposeful.

They sometimes leave an uncatered desire for more lyrical depth. In several cases, however, the electrifying music makes up for what’s unfulfilled.

With Love You All Over Again, Tunng reassert their distinct MO while experimenting with their sonic and lyrical reach. Hooky melodies, layered textures, quirkily poetic lyricism. Romanticism meets meta-modernism.

The constant more-is-more approach is no doubt a blast for the pickers in the studio, and it’ll probably sound cool live, but on the record, there’s an airlessness to it all. This isn’t always the case - the classy “String Theory” stands out for its delicate instrumentation built around subtle lap steel and sturdy stand up bass. This does however serve to bring Starr’s vocals to the fore.

Just as Cruickshank has put her body and soul into the writing of her debut, the boys’ production perfectly complements its dynamics and sentiment.

Balloonerism is an emotive and plaintive testament to Miller’s lasting legacy and firmly establishes the profound impact he’s had on shaping rap.

Humanhood spotlights a restless artist as she strives to reconcile minimalism and maximalism, all the while addressing the mysteries of self, other, and the world.

Whereas White Denim’s output has occasionally in the past brought to mind a musical polymath trying on different outfits to see which one will fit, 12 feels like White Denim’s most direct, emotionally honest and cohesive (not to mention unabashedly catchy) album.

It’s music made by a human being, intended for human beings, about losing one’s humanity in order to transcend it. By nature, that makes it immensely incomprehensible, scary and challenging, even difficult to get through for the uninitiated. But if you meet Anhedönia's creation on her terms, ready to plunge into the depths and emerge semi-alive, Perverts will open up to you – at least, it did for me.

The album often also throws song structures open to unexpected twists and diversions: more than half the tracks on The Neon Gate unfurl at their own sweet pace over six minutes or more. The results can be revelatory