With a new sharpness, Hazel English has delved into a sophistication that dynamically blends her previous music to create an oscillation of hard and soft that exudes in her tonality.

While that album was littered with features, seeing artists put fresh spins on their classic material, this project is completely stripped down in comparison with the sole features being from Lil Tjay and Mansa respectively.

With their modest personas and its subtle production, it could be easy to disregard dvsn’s third record as more of the same, but repeat listens reveal a warm and unpretentious record, from an act confidently starting to evolve.

Unlike the release of his second studio album, KIRK released last year, a major fraction of 'Blame It On Baby' lacks effort and even originality.

Fiona Apple on a career of highs might just have produced her finest work yet. An album that we will surely look to as a cultural text, with its cutting commentary of contemporary culture and its feminist narratives.

It’s when EOB dares to experiment that 'Earth' really lifts off. The erratic, rumbling distortion of 'Mass' is as eerie as the thought of space itself, where his sounds tell a greater story than words ever could.

‘The Don Of Diamond Dreams’ is a glorious album that yields more and more with each listen. And listen you need to, because if you don’t you might miss something.

Enter Shikari have the tools and drive to create something potentially mind-blowing, it’s just that they fell well short of the mark on this occasion.

Raw artistry paired with rich heritage makes for a magnificent, spine-tingling first album for Rina Sawayama.

Anna Burch fills ‘If You’re Dreaming’ with deft allusions, enhancing her voice with jazz-tinged chords, soft rock blemishes, and singer-songwriter tropes. It’s all handled with her customary grace, however, resulting in a subtle record that gently overwhelms.

There is no doubting the power Roddick and James are wielding on ‘Womb’. The talent of Purity Ring as songwriters, instrumentalists and visionaries is clear to see – it will be interesting to see where the band can take their sound in years to come.

‘Song For Our Daughter’ is a powerful and resounding success, and re-affirms Marling’s position as one of our most important feminist songwriters.

CALM is a refreshing evolution from the days of their self-titled debut. Their latest effort is by no means perfect, but the album is a testament to their growth.

Sonically ‘The Loves Of Your Life’ is a Wurlitzer whirlwind of nostalgia, however the glimpsed memories that lie at its heart are so charmingly dazzled to life - they are testament to the humanist eye of a songwriter as vividly inspired as he has ever been.

Nova Twins’ sound remains 100% homegrown British beefiness. There are many people out there from across the rap-rock spectrum who will despise this album (for reasons both fair and foul), but there are many more who will appreciate the lack of compromise in this rollicking call to arms.

The three work well as a collective: Chip provides the cut-throat and fresh bars, Adz comes with the melody and Skepta is free to experiment throughout. The beats stand up too, consonantly switching patterns and breaks and bringing the best out of each artist.

Beneath its whimsical summery palette, lurks a repetitive sound that dulls the vibrant texture the lineup promises. In short, it’s an album that’s halfway there.

It’s so heart-rending you could keep yourself wrapped inside its comfort for hours and not come out. To all those troubled minds and torn hearts clinging to the past, this is utterly heavenly.

It’s an album embracing difference, accepting highs and lows: just what we need right now.

‘A Written Testimony’ is a biblical album for biblical times, with enough human flaws to make it imperfect.

‘Saint Cloud’ is the refreshed, reformed and matured Waxahatchee – and it’s glorious.

‘Before Love Came To Kill Us’ has a number of strong tracks and is an excellent debut. Jessie Reyez appears to be in total control of this record and shows off her versatility, as well as her rage.

An authentic and contemporary guitar sound, ‘925’ is a snappy and raw blend that bounces the listener into the more unexpected edges of the imagination.

Porridge Radio have not only written the album of their careers but possibly of the year too. Their new project ‘Every Bad’ is full of the catchy songs that are overflowing with lo-fi ramshackle post-punk guitars and uplifting vocals.

Overall, aside from a lack of sonic variety from song to song, ‘Velvet’ is a strong showcase of a soundscape that is – pun intended – smooth as velvet.

Production-wise especially, this is The Weeknd’s strongest project yet, and deserves all the recognition.

‘Future Nostalgia’ is an empowering, dynamic pop cavort from start to finish. Dua’s compelling vocals, hooks and beats are a force to be reckoned with, daring you not to boogie around your bedroom.

‘High Risk Behaviour’ clocks in at under half an hour which is a good job considering The Chats only have one trick, but strewth they do that trick well.