Live, Little Dragon are weapons-grade ace. Now they’ve finally got an album to match.

Zaba is blessed with musical facets that will blind you with their splendour.

Much like Villagers’ previous releases, the overriding feeling is of well-crafted, thoughtfully structured songs. The intimacy created by O’Brien’s delicate voice is as ever enhanced by beautifully chosen tonal colours.

Listening to ‘No Gods No Masters’ feels like listening to Garbage again for the very first time, which is a terrifically thrilling prospect.

Everything feels so much more alive, everything so much more stark; Longstreth seems to have emerged from a year-long slumber, and there is no more sleeping in sight.

A peerless left-field masterpiece.

While ‘Leaving for Japan’ is a beautiful, delicate song with something of the Twin Peaks theme, ‘Don’t Follow Me’ and ‘Push On’ show, dal Forno is just as adept at creating drama from sparsely layered atmospherics and a forceful beat.

This fascinating collection of spirited hooks, and deeply heartfelt lyricism, cleverly blends high-tech energetic synths, quick wit, and trippy guitars into something you weren’t quite expecting. Arguably, the result is a much bolder record than his last solo debut ‘Twenty Twenty’.

This latest offering is a finessed folk-rock record to bring a little taste of long summer evening drives to the glacial January gloom.

The songs are a little more distinctive, and they’re crafted a little better.

All the songs are of a similar tempo, tone, and theme. There is little to distinguish them – a bit more diversity wouldn’t have gone amiss. Saying that ‘World Of Hassle’ is pretty fun and has some killer melodies.

Everybody Down might have created a new genre: the album noir.

For all their feel-good, boppy charm, The Orielles have created a truly intelligent indie-pop album with Silver Dollar Moment.

The debut album from London’s Cheatahs is an exercise in introspective, eclectic art-rock.

They have created their most youthful album yet; a vibrant record which paints a picture of the near future so vivid it seems convincingly real.

‘Long White Dress’ and ‘Singles Bar’, subject matter made clear from the off, are highlights; the former is mellow and wistful, with a delightfully lilting chorus, while the latter radiates the fatigued disenchantment of somebody lacking motivation in the unfulfilled pursuit of love.

An exhilarating and ambitious collection, it should bring Field Music a deservedly larger audience at last.

A strong, self-assured debut offering, 'TOY' represents a band who are capable of channelling multiple identities without losing sight of their own.

There are times where the album is inconsistent; the beats aren't as addictive on 'Rhythm Is All You Can Dance'. The album is at its strongest when it bravely introduces seemingly incompatible music styles to each other.

This is hardly music to quicken the pulse and there’s no escaping the sense of sameyness over the album’s 40 minutes.

Despite the vast flavours Bibio is presenting throughout this record, so much of the quality production is slighted by tracing the same predictable frequencies and manoeuvres as so many servile songwriters leagues below have made prospering careers out of.

While not without fault, ultimately ‘Forever’ emerges as a tender salute to Phife Dawg. Six years on, he remains a key aspect of the rap firmament – a light that has not dimmed.

With Little Dark Age, the group have perfected the balancing act between the two, and have delivered a project that should please fans on both sides.

Tthe songwriting is strong without being spectacular, and John Congleton’s production offers clarity but is somewhat lacking in edge.

Even as the production’s impact dips in the midst of playtime, when the final note of ‘The Seed’ plays what’s left in one’s memory is only the good, and for that Aurora’s latest album succeeds.

Sonic Citadel towers over its surroundings as one of the best albums of Lightning Bolt’s career to date.

Family life and a well-earned break have given this one-time Gothfather new tricks that pure despair could never provide.

Studio gloss and sanitised drums too often leave things sounding a little safe.