Despite its brevity Anoyo contains some of the most straightforwardly beautiful music Hecker has made in some time, and makes for a strong companion and continuation to the themes and sonic developments made on Konoyo.

It’s great, difficult, enjoyable, rewarding, prescient--a notable work of art. It wouldn’t be surprising if the years to come recognise it as such.

His vocal runs and melodies at times provide an almost soul feel--everything is smooth with very few edges, however there’s still enough raw elements to sustain your interest.

Drastic Measures is a firm step up from Primitives, and an album that continues to demonstrate the development of Sellers’ effervescent sonic world.

It takes courage to remain open, and Big Thief lead us gently from the beaten path and into the wilderness with U.F.O.F. There are lessons to be learned underwater, in the cold and among the shadows.

A record dense with anxieties it may be but Lowly have improved on their debut with a more consistent and varied record that never loses sight of the band's capacity for sheer beauty.

Tying everything together is the mood of the whole piece--it’s a pastel kaleidoscope, summery and light on its feet throughout. But broadly, you can hive off Koenig’s songwriting predispositions into one of two categories--60s-indebted pop, and R'n'B-inflected experimentalism.

Aartfully collected set of recordings, one that never ceases to make you shift your weight, either into comfort or something more unsettled.

Stripped of the band’s famed essence, the agitated pop of yore is foregone in favour of something that sounds formulaic and uninspired. ... The results are something akin to a terrifying amalgamation of Muse and Duran Duran.

Designer is a record entirely in the image of its creator--Harding remains as lyrically oblique as ever, and the idiosyncrasies in her voice remain her calling card--and yet one that strongly recalls Julia Holter’s Have You in My Wilderness or Angel Olsen’s Burn Your Fire for No Witness in how calmly it oozes confidence.

It’s a record about moving forward, appreciating "tiny triumphs" and staying open. It may also be Finn's most timely release to date.

In the End exemplifies the defiance that The Cranberries, and O’Riordan herself have shown throughout their career. Defiance of the status quo, defiance of violence, and ultimately defiance of death. It’s unmissable, unquestionable and unforgettable.

From voices in prayer to the jaunty organ and guitar pedal abuse of Congratulations, this is a record that rarely falls short of a creative arrangement but ultimately the gospel of Morby is one for the devotees not the unbelievers.

Three albums in, they’ve attained a mastery of their craft that’s a joy to behold.

A collection of authentic songs about self-discovery and understanding.

The band’s continuing experimentation with studio personnel, producers, influences, and ranges of emotion should be applauded. But a little more grit in the riffs would be nice.

Everything about Dogrel feels big, intense, bold.

The further away Hansard gets from his roots, the closer he is to home.

Here, there are some of the sweetest songs Jurado has ever recorded.

As they’ve progressed through their career, that quality undoubtedly still remains, but their sound has morphed into something much grander and ambitious than a previous dose of radio rock.

Complex and vibrant, What a Boost is an invigorating and engaging ride.

If The Dream Is Over put PUP on the map, Morbid Stuff might just see them conquer it.

Every song here is expertly assembled, with the threat that they may crack and falter at any moment, but the band's unity holds everything together in a very pleasing manner. If there's any justice in the world, Love Keeps Kicking will be the record that sends Martha into the big leagues that they are surely destined to enter.

Interview Music contains a sense of maturity and introspection, infusing the record with a quality that can only come from artists with a defined sense of who they are at their core.

On The Seduction of Kansas they thrillingly disrobe of any of the negative connotations that might, usually wrongly, come along with that phrase “political punks”; namely extreme directness and a sense of lacking musicality, as the band explores new identities both narratively and stylistically.

Harnessing a very earthy and elemental attitude and sound, ANCESTOR BOY is often powerful and overflowing with sound but never feels overwhelming as it is consistently surprising and deeply engaging. It's difficult not to dive head first into Lafawndah’s musical vision.

Mise En Abyme is a lot to unravel, but that disentanglement is its own reward. Cousin has plundered his experiences to create a yearning LP that nevertheless feels welcoming (and, more importantly, honest) every step of the way.

Deforming Lobes sees Ty Segall infallibly cement himself as a tyrant of stoner rock: it excites in its furious passion.