It’s studied, sure--these guys are superbly technically proficient--but never is the fun obscured by fretwork pyrotechnics.

The band's strengths are here in abundance, but they are reimagined, twisted into new shapes and given a visceral intensity that is utterly irresistible.

Boxcutter flirts competently with funky house ('Zabriskie Disco'), UKG ('Moon Pupils') and even mid-'80s funk ('TV Troubles'), all showcasing his deft and malleable production styles.

This mature, experienced point of view on the nation’s favorite pastime is bound to rock clubs this summer.

Live in London see as duo with chemistry stronger than ever. Let's just hope their busy schedules make room for the long-rumoured movie. If their past work is anything to go on, it will be gold.

By tweaking the American seasoning in their long-simmering stew of English folk, Smoke Fairies have finally delivered on their early promise to create an album you can truly get lost in.

Held together by a singular sense of purpose, ‘The Feminine Divine’ is at times daring, at others anthemic. Both puzzling and entrancing, it refuses to be hemmed in by past success, reaching out instead for new challenges.

Ritual Union is the rich vindication of Little Dragon's slow burning upturn.

There’s a vision and attention to detail here that’s led to an decidedly individual record that, like a new love, shares a little more with you whenever you spend some time together.

The music has stark contrasts that work well to portray the emotions of singer Jim James.

Multi-Love undoubtedly reveals Unknown Mortal Orchestra's willingness to reinvent and innovate, yet it's still beset by some of the difficulties that have featured in their previous work.

For all its touching and personal lyrical matter, Next Thing undoubtedly boasts improved production and more developed song-structures, as well as a more fluid use of warm synths and punchy snare drums.

This album is a rich Norwegian delight.

As a whole, Breaks & Bone is a little samey, but as a showcase of one of Glasgow’s finest musicians, it’s a gem.

His music marries complexity with club-ready thump, resulting in a dystopian dancehall of morbid booty shaking.

Ride seem to be embrace and move past their illustrious past, resulting in one of the most finessed, intriguing albums of their career to date.

The beautiful performances captured here, touching on all five studio albums, are more than enough of a reason to seek this out.

A rewarding evolution for the band.

‘Silence Is Loud’ is unafraid to look beyond this hyper-focussed lens. As such, you’ll encounter jazz and neo-soul vibes, alongside bass-bin rattlers galore.

Chugging and thunderous, Stefanski’s debut set as Raffertie is self-assured: an expertly stitched quilt of textures.

This teaser [is] no doubt just the beginning of a new strain of avant-footwork coming our way in 2016.

The most impressive thing about In League With Dragons is that it’s the 17th Mountain Goats album, and Darnielle shows no signs of running on empty. This is an album that should excite existing fans of the band. ... It also works well as a gateway for new fans as the songs are catchy, the music is well balanced and when the band hit that sweet groove its glorious.

This isn’t download territory--it’s a journey, and if you buy a ticket, you have to put the time in to get to the destination. But what a destination.

The “highs” are as potent and heady as ever but ultimately, they’re ephemeral.

The amount of moments of contemplation away from the mosh pit benefits the listenability of the album, though its overall sequencing is blotchy and still more like a mixtape.

It carries a deeply insidious atmosphere, never revealing what is coming round the corner before exploding into either a flurry of motion or into a whispering, ephemeral moment.

Best when he’s corralling others into out-of-their-comfort-zone creativity, it’s the Albarn-sung tracks on the second half of the album where the attention wanders and the album opening Snoop Dogg cameo seems a million miles away. Of course, there’s alot here to take in and maybe it just needs a fair few listens to fully digest it - the sign of any album worth its salt.

I Don’t Run advances Hinds’ endearing charm and esprit de corps, which in turn makes this another totally enjoyable listen.