It has the potential to be an outstanding listen, and it would have been if ‘Other Language’ and ‘In Blur’ had a slightly stronger sense of direction, but Deafheaven has still crafted a record to get lost in. The metal purists crying sellout will sorely be missing out.

This is an album polished enough to see your face in, and yet it’s probably--and this isn’t necessarily a criticism--the most disjointed Holy Fuck album to date.

Tape Two sees them moving further away from a classic De La Soul template into something deeper and darker.

Perhaps album 20 will take them, whatever their name is then, fully back into the light. For now, ORC's darkness suits us fine.

This is a record scored through, unmistakably, with a desire to have some fun.

Although less esoteric than its predecessor ‘Cavalcade’, ‘Hellfire’ is a fiercely experimental record that sees black midi teeter back and forth on a crumbling precipice, halfway between unhinged madness and art rock precision.

With plenty of sweet to balance the sour, this is a record that will resonate with anybody rebuilding themselves in the aftermath of self-doubt, and easily confirms itself as her most honest work yet.

‘The Silver Cord’ is often magnificent and always supremely fun.

Though a round-up such as this technically shines a light on a group of tracks that, at their simplest, weren’t good enough to make it onto a studio album, ‘Little Bastards’ doesn’t feel that way.

The most important aspect of Future Ruins and Swervedriver is it shows that the band still have something to say and prove. They’re in it for the long haul and, hopefully, back for good to document all our future ruins.

Documenting her journey with clarity and confidence, ‘Monthly Friend’ is an accomplished album that shows off Zoe Mead’s command.

If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late is by far Drake’s most dense and complex album.

It’s bruised and brilliant, idiosyncratic and anthemic, sloppy and heartfelt. It’s an album only Modest Mouse could make.

‘SUGAREGG’ is eminently aware of its own fragility under its candy-coated shell, and with it a candid recognition of the fleeting nature of happiness and the work required to hold onto it.

Lantern is this duality between experimental and easily-grasped embodied. Unsurprisingly, it is the more left-field elements to the production that are the most intriguing.

Full marks for exploration, but in this case the simplest tricks work the best.

Much like Lorde’s ‘Pure Heroine’ before it, ‘Cheap Queen’ possesses the perfect amount of devil-may-care attitude to counter the heaviness with which it feels its emotions.

‘Aperture’ stays true to its title, Hannah adjusting her lens with ease and darting nimbly between styles. The album bridges the gap between adolescence and adulthood; Hannah Jadagu jumps high between the two and lands firmly on her feet.

With Koi No Yokan the band have not only delivered on their promises, but exceeded them so, whilst remaining one of the most engaging but remarkable heavy bands of our times.

Each soundbite from Highway Hypnosis is heavy and layered, every track an earworm.

It’s an accomplished rock record that’s a very welcome addition to the band’s enduring history.

’History Books’ is an album that personifies The Gaslight Anthem’s magic all over again.

What begins as a deeply personal commentary eventually evolves into a world-renowned producer taking the attention away from his ability to refine others’ work, alternately placing the spotlight over his own voice, with its startling ability to carry a tale of kindred love, loss and the weight of fame.

Lady Wood isn’t an album made for radio or easy digestion. The hooks are there but, like Tove herself, they aren’t succumbing expectations.

Like Syd Barrett or, more recently, Euros Childs before him, White Fence continues to make the peripheries seem oddly accessible.

The gambles pay off, and all add up to her most accomplished group of songs to date.

On the evidence of To Pimp A Butterfly, Lamar’s work continues to place itself among the best.

I Love You Like My Brother builds all sorts of these clean bridges, and though Alex Lahey’s world springs from small images and clean sentences, it says a lot with very little.

With Sore Dilly Dally prove themselves as a hungry, relentless band ready to make a lasting mark.

Produced by acclaimed synthpoppers Hot Chip, the record creeps and sizzles with their circuit-board infusions to layer an added eeriness upon Ibibio’s Afrofuturist vision.

Sampha’s journey to now has developed a wonderfully versatile artist, and on Process he succeeds in tying these strands of his musicianship together into a record that’s concise and focused.

Despite its flaws ‘Blood Bunny’ does a great job to showcase what this bright young star has to offer.

A luscious album that sees the singer shrug off the pressures of present day virality in favour of creating something much more classic.

‘Razzmatazz’ is fun, flamboyant, and entirely of its time. A record that truly lives up to its name.

Whilst Heems’ verses amble along with wry humour and charmingly lazy wordplay (“Inshallah, mashallah, hopefully no martial law”), Riz MC’s (actor Riz Ahmed) are typified by a razor-sharp flow, as fast as it is furious, and breathlessly references the refugee crisis, Aeneas from The Iliad, Trump and his film career in short order, before throwing down that he “run[s] the city like my name’s Sadiq”.

It’s not a light listen, that’s a given, and Frye’s perplexing outlook on everything is the record’s only consistency over nine tracks. But those open-minded enough to explore Frye’s dystopian world of disgust and despair will find themselves ultimately wearing a shit-eating grin by the time it’s all over.

Lo Moon is a daring and complex debut album scored through with emotional tumult and a nuanced understanding of the groups that have inspired them.

It starts with a slow drip and builds to a raging flood. It’s irresistible and so eloquently convincing that despite their claims of failure, Protomartyr are unstoppable.

‘Growing Up’ they easily cement themselves as far more than a viral moment, pairing political and social charge with a suitably playful charm. Opener ‘Oh!’ delivers a powerhouse homage to the band’s foremothers, highlighting ‘Growing Up’’s clever balance between frivolity, passion and skill.

Even if you weren't a fan of their last couple [of albums], there's definitely going to be something for you here. As soon as the synth kicks in for opener 'The Theory Of Relativity', you know you're in for a treat.

It’s uncompromising yet nonetheless inventive, with eccentric flows and inspired production choices.

FROOT finds her at her most accomplished and intriguing.

Mouse On Mars are returning in triumphant and rapturous fashion, both sealing their reputation as relentless innovators while basking in the glory as beacons of inspiration.

A tour de force of Eagulls' brash and brazen-faced formula, this is a record that’ll be ringing in your ears for days after it’s finished.

It’s the kind of stylistic pick’n’mix Mykki has made their name on: ‘Ketamine’ with Slug Christ nods to the latest iteration of pop-punk; ‘Your Love Was A Gift’ shows a fragility to Dianna Gordon’s vocals amid ghostly production; ‘Trust A Little Bit’ shimmers with a tender nature. And best of all, it works as a whole.

Tell Me If You Like To possesses the same breakneck speed spirit of their first steps. But it’s also a full-bodied beast, the sound of a band racing to the finish line to accept their prize.

What Clams Casino specialises in and what makes this record a success is his ability to seemingly carve beats from ice, so cold is the production. His signature sounds otherworldly, with the breathy synths and crisp bass a soundtrack to some interstellar gang warfare.

The result is that it all, somehow, sounds bizarrely natural. Landing in the unique middle ground between the ’70s warmth of Todd Rundgren (who lends guest vocals as Shane’s dad, of course) and Little Shop Of Horrors, Go To School is a genuine original.

[Missing U's] Thudding kick drum pounds away underneath defiant lyrics of heartache, and it’s as affecting as she’s ever been. It’s the rest of the record, though, that really excels, pointing the way forward for an artist changing her tune.

It is a fine album. Pointed without being preachy, cerebral without being inaccessible and never anything less than thrilling.

For the most part ‘Dance Fever’ is an expert revamp from one of alternative music’s torch-bearing misfits, a welcome shot of fairy-tale hedonism ripe for post-pandemic dancefloor indulgence.

Though a long time coming, it seems that not rushing a follow-up has allowed London Grammar to craft a record that’s hauntingly stark, yet staggeringly beautiful, possessing a rich musicality that even now, is mature beyond the band’s young years.

A truly astonishing, unique and unchallenged sound.

It all works together, amping up the winking, cheeky side of country while also showing CMAT to be an artist enthralled by the genre but not beholden to it.

Ten tracks of orgasm-loving, empowering anthems, that pack a punch musically as well as lyrically, what’s not to love?

Arc sees a stripped-back, 'more accessible' band.

Expanding upon the electronic foundations laid so deftly with EP ‘Hallucinations’, there’s an assuredness to PVRIS’ latest move - especially during the affirming closer ‘Wish You Well’ - that shows off just how much she’s conquered.

The variety of the record is tied together with a strong story-thread that prides itself on being cohesive.

It may seem strange to get so excited about a record of vocal loops, but Barwick continually proves that truism that art isn't about elements but what you make of them--and this latest album is simply sublime.

It’s a characteristic success and a massive delight to the fans that their return as a three-piece yields something as excellent as El Pintor.

With Not Even Happiness she takes the listener on a beautiful, thoughtful journey.

The Weather still has their fundamentals at its core - out-there psych-rock, Nicholas Allbrook’s urgent wails, mind-boggling lyrics that take several listens to comprehend--but it’s given them a polish and an upgrade into something new and improved.

With songs that have long ago morphed into brutal initiations, if you can somehow defend yourself long enough Ho99o9 almost invite you to see their world through their hazed-over eyes. In a shadowy landscape of startling binary logic, it becomes easy to draw the line through through Converge, The Prodigy, Death Grips, Pantera, The Stooges, Danny Brown and DMX if you’re only here with that one goal--to start the fire. Ho99o9’s particular arson is burning bright.

By the closing moments of the eery ‘Monolith’, it all becomes clear: this is love, but through the unmistakable eyes of IDLES.

Gloomy, grey but definitely not dull, The Wytches have cast another stellar spell.

Like a hangover, ‘Roach’ lulls around in this contemplation in the dusky corners of a rough Sunday morning, yet it remains laced with a little intoxication: experimental production hides behind its corners, making ‘Roach’ a little more interesting. And elsewhere there exists moments where sunlight cracks through the drawn curtains.

A delightfully fun record.

It’s all fun without feeling frivolous, packing relatable substance into its genuinely jovial sound.

Suede maintain their magnitude through emotional craft - single ‘15 Again’ is the perfect microcosm of ‘Autofiction’’s ups and downs, its euphoric chorus built around painstaking regret. In essence, ‘Autofiction’ finds Suede still fiercely in motion.

The resultant ‘Tropical Gothclub’ is so polished and pristine that the only pity is that it didn’t come sooner. Given the pantheon of rock stars he’s bolstered over the years, Dean has finally earned a little slice of time in his own limelight.

All three members are now capable of operating on a different standing, and when I See You strikes best, it’s when these level-ups lock limbs.

With ‘Fear Fear’, WMC already have a signature viewpoint all of their own - the fun is in seeing how they continue to play with it.

Goon is gluttonously full of rich sounds, but it’s the running thread that counts: That voice, and its ability to sing about experiences like they’re universal stories, not a means of self-indulgence.

After eleven songs of depth, colour and excitement--songs that grow more vivid with every listen--it’s always a shame to reach the slow decompression of ‘The End, Again’, but as the title suggests, it won’t be the first time, nor the last.

There are nods to The Velvet Underground’s knack for dreamy simplicity (‘Blind’), and times when Viscius peeks into Vivian Girls-adjacent, more garage territory (‘Take That Back’). For the most part, however, ‘Everything’ operates from within the particular fog of grief: fragile, tactile, tender. It’s a frequently gorgeous thing.

Vitriola is a fiercely political record, but one that seldom feels trite; married to the aggressive tone of a band back to make a point, it’s a razor-sharp lament of America in 2018.

It’s Real is at its best when the trio let loose and steam ahead with out-and-out rock and roll; the breathless ‘Cosmic Cave’ and assured strut of ‘Good Times’ suggest that catching Ex Hex on the road this year will be every bit as essential as last time out.

Expect Delays chugs along at a pleasant pace – ‘Bad Year’ is particularly cheerful, considering its title. If there’s a delay to be had, it’s probably the fact that it takes a few listens to warm to the album as a whole.

Flexing their muscles as they stretch their creativity, on Pollinator Blondie might not be testing any limits or redefining any capabilities, but they make thinking inside the box sound pretty damn fun.

While the troubles are integral, ‘Pain Olympics’ also manages to find moments of lightness and creative joy throughout.

In doubling down on her niche - that is, artsy Scandi-indie-pop - ’I’M DOING IT AGAIN BABY!’ is girl in red at her most realised.

This is a landmark album for a previously forgotten musician, an incredibly neat and satisfying collection of songs.

It’s no easy feat for a band to push themselves to the absolute limit, and with every shimmering strum of a guitar and shattering bassline of Sea When Absent, it’s clear ASDIG are giving it their all.

What you’re left with is near 40 minutes of slow and sweaty seduction executed exquisitely by weeping guitar.

Her raspy tones give way to huge notes, effortless in their delivery. No moment feels forced or out of place.

With his debut album, Alfie Templeman has found a means of discovering himself and a means to cope. It makes for something incredibly promising.

On The Book of Traps and Lessons Kate Tempest continues to impress as one of the UK’s most vital voices.

There’s still barely any light allowed in, but Protomartyr’s prowess at channeling darkness into something cathartic has never been stronger.

A record that’s an unapologetic, brilliant melting pot like little else.

One blast of The Physical World and BANG, the doubt is gone.

A joy to listen to, full of crisp production, clear and emotive vocals, and genuine superstar presence - 2021 could well be Griff’s year.

This is pop music at its wittiest and most concise, yet for all its maturity and refinement, it's hard to believe that an album so youthful could be made by a group of forty-somethings.

A record which thrives on evoking feeling and catharsis, while remaining committed to their personal influences, on Doom Days they’ve managed to deftly build a conceptual world not all too different to the one we’re facing right now, and that feels like a triumph in itself.

Five albums in and The Horrors have obviously found a new lease of life. This V is for victorious.

The ideal meeting of brains and brawn over a journey that manages to feel both concise and exploratory.

From micro passages like the 30-second ‘An Audition’ to the 14-minute swell of ambient vocal track ‘A Chorus Of One’, he successfully contrasts optimism and tenderness with hopelessness and terror, with an impressive breadth of emotion being evoked across each track.

For the most part he minimally relies on keys and strings, but the effect creates a much more powerful setting and as a result, it's difficult not to be dragged into it.

Tackling interesting ideas and putting rock through an avant garde filter, Mattiel Brown’s powerful vocals once again impress too on what ultimately feels like a significant step forward.