Ultimately, Darkstar's maturation from dubstep's next big things into modern pop classicists continues to intrigue.

Although as tuneful as ever, tracks like 'Alice The Goon' and 'Peace And Love' reflect these tumultuous political times with a new and surprisingly vicious sonic edge that even they probably didn't think they could muster. [25 Mar 2006, p.37]

No prizes for guessing who's been reading Guy Debord then, but it's these touches as well as his reverb-laden sound that makes him vaguely modern, unlike some folk artists who'd be happier pretending the 20th century never even happened.

He may have softened his edge, upped the production and pulled in the stars, but The Weeknd remains an outsider.

Although less vitriolic than 2006's "Nux Vomica," his third album still throbs with delicious melodrama and anguished assertions.

The Child Of Lov may have started off as a shadowy enigma, but now is when Cole Williams lays his cards on the table. Turns out he was hiding a royal flush.

Best enjoyed off your face at a festival and forgotten about the next day.

Some listeners may not warm to Lo’s persona, but her songwriting skills are difficult to fault (she’s also co-written hits for Ellie Goulding and Girls Aloud on the side). Aided by collaborators including Lorde producer Joel Little and Max Martin’s protégé Ilya Salmanzadeh, she keeps the hooks coming throughout.

Its DOOM quota is surprisingly small. ... But is the record good? Unquestionably. Is it fun? Very.

Moral of the story: don't listen to this while operating heavy machinery or people will die.

Far lighter than their grungey 2013 debut, 'Antipodes', it's pitched between the blissed-out guitar of Splashh and the idiosyncratic pop approach of fellow Kiwi, Unknown Mortal Orchestra.

Sutherland’s taken dancehall to the American mainstream, but, with Forever, he also transports us to a better world--where positivity reigns.

Gang Gang Dance’s sixth album, just like their previous work, emphasises how there’s a vast world beyond our closest surroundings.

At once experimental and familiar enough to keep his stunning second act on course, ‘C’mon You Know’ finds Liam Gallagher having his cake and eating it – and there’s plenty to go round at this party.

It's relentless, occasionally breathless but always absorbing. [4 Sep 2004, p.73]

The tracks have separate names but they're really just one whole impressive piece, about as far from Sheeran as you can get.

If these pals enjoy bugging out to clusters of dizzying breakbeats and/or swooning, sad house chords, so much the better.

It's clever, brave and seamless enough to become a classic.

The Pirate's Gospel is a campfire folk gem perfect for the summer festivals.

They may be strutting right down the middle of the road, but they look pretty damn cool doing it. The Soft Pack make being A-OK into something to be proud of.

The result is an eccentric grab-bag of styles and influences, with enough harps on it to keep Joanna Newsom fans happy, and even a retro 4/4 beat dancing in on the aptly named ‘Disco Compilation’.

II is the noise of all their Christmases turning up at once.

He ought to save the apologies and descend into full-on self-loathing mode more often.

‘Written And Directed’ is a thrilling step up from a band quietly coming into their own.

FLOHIO’s willingness to embrace a number of genres and sounds in her music — from 2000s grime to house music — can only be a positive thing, and ‘Out Of Heart’, a body of work that does show promise, serves up a refreshing take on modern-day rap. There’s still room for improvement, though.

The wonder of 'Stars...' is how magnificently alive all this suburban angst sounds.

This is the most engaging record Green has released since 2010’s ‘Black Sands’ – it is light, airy and remarkably well pieced together.

The album peaks quite early – perhaps with a few tweaks to the tracklist, the new stars of YSL could have had a little more time to shine.

Given the period of separation we’ve had from them, it feels a little phoned-in in places and lacking cohesiveness.

‘Quarter Life Crisis’ moves between moods that translate to bright, Day Glo colours (‘Kid Genius’) or dark goth accents (‘Die Alone’). But the former can often turn grating.

This is instead a solid collection of outtakes, rather than a full display of their songwriting muscle.

Growing up is hard but Bully make it sound exhilarating.

Eminem's urgent radio hit 'Lose Yourself', you already know. It's excellent.... The two other new Eminem tracks '8 Mile' and 'Rabbit Run' are on the money, too, the latter being the shortest, shoutiest thing he's ever done. Elsewhere, things get more patchy.

If there's a lesson to be learned from 'Making Dens', it's that there's nothing to be feared from pushing the pop envelope that little bit further.

It’s a shame, then, that instead of a sequence of whip-smart sonatas ruminating on the Scandinavian psyche, all that dribbles out is a pedestrian stream of the same old bubble-bath beats.

Following the birth of her first child, the underappreciated Laura Veirs recorded an album of mostly traditional folk songs for children, which has charm far beyond the nursery.

Their sound, which paved the way for the likes of Bloc Party, is still pretty timeless.

Quilt really shine when Anna Fox Rochinski, Shane Butler and John Andrews harmonise impeccably over the spooky melodies of 'Saturday Bride' and 'Secondary Swan'.

Though often overpowering and, by the end of the record, a little wearing, this palette provides a consistent buoyancy and energy – and there are plenty of times when The Maytals turn it to their advantage.

His sleaziness is hilarious. [30 Oct 2004, p.65]

Overall Trouble bristles with the freedom of early Breeders or Throwing Muses.

There’s more space and sophistication to The Spark than we’ve seen from Shikari before.

McCartney’s always been about inclusivity and openness, but this latest glimpse into his life feels like a particularly enlightening one.

Molina's retro-countrified songs of American redemption are not academic and studied, but human. [28 May 2005, p.64]

Thankfully, closer ‘Goodbye Blue Sky’ is a sumptuous country swoon capable of wiping clean the record’s hoarier moments, and we end embedded once more in LaMontagne’s misty mystique.

Like cold, clean water, Austra’s Future Politics washes clear the mental muck, leaving you feeling alive again.

The result is excellence as usual, with DOOM rumbling along between sinister and silly while JJ slings in off-kilter operatics.

They get the sentiment of a thousand anguished FT editorials across in a mere 30 minutes.

There's little, if any, regard for structure or convention, meaning that Mole City could be five tracks long or 50 and still happily exist in a brilliantly idiosyncratic bubble all of its own.

Nothing else on Confident is quite as much fun [as Cool For The Summer], but Lovato's intensity never wavers as the album alternates between trap-influenced midtempo tracks like the Iggy Azalea-assisted 'Kingdom Come' and bombastic power ballads that show off her mighty vocals.

From the mesmerising opener ‘Try Me’ to ‘Little Things’, a nod to UK funky that has potential to rival ‘On My Mind’ for her biggest dancefloor heater, ‘Falling or Flying’ reveals itself much like Solange’s 2019 album ‘When I Get Home’: an uncompromising and arresting treasure of a record.

The concept is pleasant at first, but pretty soon the repetitive nature of each soundscape--clipped beats, soft Catalan/Castellano vocals and the odd bash, pluck, bird-call and random tinkle--starts to make NME jittery.

It would seem from the evidence presented here that [King Of Leon] are intent on rebuilding themselves from scratch, drawing on whatever wild and wonderful influences they've tripped over in their race to live five lifetimes in every day. [30 Oct 2004, p.63]

Far goes some distance to halt a slide into mere radio-friendly pleasantness, though.

Don’t come to Modern Ruin looking to be cheered up then, but if it’s catharsis you’re after, there’s nothing more fitting.

The line between self-aware irony and tragically conforming to type is thin, though, her knowing winks getting stuck in a tangle of false eyelashes, and ultimately undermining what had the potential to be a powerful artistic statement.

A Canadian producer who manages to strike a balance between the sturdy emotiveness of pop and the shimmering beguilement of ambience.

It's Guided By Voices' finest work since 2001's 'Isolation Drills'

Only when Leithauser relaxes the template does he start to cock it up.

A brutal and beauteous slither from the grave.

DaBaby has emotionally matured over the last six months, a fact that is reflected in his lyrics. Even if he has the superfluous style of the old DaBaby, there’s greater depth here than there was before.

A monster of a record. [4 Mar 2006, p.31]

Discipline plummets you into the band’s shadowy world but remains loveable--like a brighter, warmer Savages.

It’s as nasty a little thing as it sounds, yet, for all the ugliness that spills out of Eagulls, they’re never anything less than vital; these are anthems for a doomed youth determined to kick against the pricks rather than mope forlornly and fruitlessly.

It is raw, emotionally stirring, and the best album you’ll hear this year, by a mile.

‘Pick Up The Phone’ and ‘Hi How Are You’ are amusing bursts of irritation, but ‘I Can’t Stand To Stand Beside You’ and ‘What’s In It For Me’ stand out, lost classics that could have snuck on to The Who’s ‘Live At Leeds’ (well, almost).

History has rarely been so engaging.

They swiftly slump back into portentous jams made for mourning failed crops, made worse by the ye olde farmhand Yoda-isms of Eric Pulido.

A dreamy debut that’ll get under your skin and into your head.

SCUM, then, is more revolt than revolution. But there’s undoubtedly talent here--and there’s every chance Cardy, not T, will be the touchpoint 10 years from now.

False Priest is also Of Montreal's first and only adventure in hi-fi, a co-production job with Kanye West consort Jon Brion.

Stuffed with fizzing hooks and brilliantly frank lyrics, Almost Free could be FIDLAR’s best record yet. A blistering collection of eclectic tunes threaded together by punks’ fearless riffs and unguarded admissions, which add even more weight to their sound, it’s a reminder of how much we’ve missed them. Welcome back, lads.

As airbrushed as an Athena poster, 'Alphabetical' is nonetheless an emotional experience. [19 Jun 2004, p.57]

'Let It Come Down' is another towering achievement - both musically and emotionally.... This is music as it's meant to be: raw, colossal and awe-inspiring. No wonder everything else just pales in comparison.

Most of the scattershot pastiches hit their targets.

IX sees the Texans at their most focused and thrilling.

Like all covers albums, the temptation to dig out the originals is not far away, but there’s enough electricity pulsing around these versions to not only justify a charitable contribution but also make it a worthy addition to your record collection.

Destined for the 'obscure, kinda interesting' slot come end-of-year list time.

‘Jesus Is Born’ serves as a gateway into gospel and a fittingly festive listen for this time of year. Praise be.

Part of what makes Leave Me Alone such a blast is the impression it gives of Hinds as a tight-knit girl gang, on and off record.

Twin drummers Matthew Clark and Jamie Levinson are oustanding, but it’s Patterson who’s the real star – an all-American frontman whose honey-coated voice is practically begging for adoration.

Gruff's skills as a songwriter married up with his gentle, accommodating tones can, at their best, elicit the fuzzy feeling one gets listening to a Burt Bacharach classic, but this falls short of such lofty comparisons.

Downsides? There really aren’t any. Mount has done it again. He could write music about the impact of Brexit on the UK’s trade with China and make it sound amazing.

Encore essentially mingles mellowed ska and reggae with funk disco, Latin hints and spoken-word pieces.

This is UK bass music at its best.

Harcourt... has done the unthinkable: fallen in love with a laydee and made his "happy" album. Luckily for us, it's the best of his career. [11 Sep 2004, p.55]

Each track on their fourth boasting a captivating blend of experimentalism and depth.

Musically it's the cream of nostalgic pop, and the lyrics exhibit a wafty elan; but in purely conceptual terms, Cults is too busy flying on clouds of giddy adolescent wonder to plunder the depths of its pretensions with conviction.

Tiptoeing through the dark fairytale forests of ‘Sleep Paralysis’ can be fun, but this is so woozy-sounding it should come with a warning not to operate heavy machinery while listening.

This is a rare and wonderful joy: a live album that even non-obsessives should embrace. [12 Nov 2005, p.45

It’s their finest collection of songs to date.

A majority of the songs on ‘Love Sux’ clock in at under three minutes, giving the record a fiery sense of purpose. From the fraught emotion behind the vulnerable, delicate ballad ‘Dare To Love Me’ to the snarling guitars of ‘Déjà Vu’, every moment on the album is deliberately melodramatic.

Ineffectual hippy grumblings that will make you want to sleep. [4 Jun 2005, p.58]

A good debut, if strangely restrained. [2 Apr 2005, p.50]

It’s still a lot like getting hammered in the skull for an hour, but Wrath allows enough range between the power-chug of ‘Grace’ and the forbidding rumblings of ‘Reclamation’ to lift them a long way out of the pits of hell.

It’s a shame the editing isn’t as tight all the way through, but these grooves sure are deep.

Highlight ‘Swamp And Bay’ offers a rare hook-laden respite with a country-ish radio jangle and scuzz-rock climax, but everything stays consistently true to the core of the record: a very human and honest partnership, in a universe all of their own.

The album was recorded in close friend Ben Kramer's house in leafy Massachusetts and is plush with piano, trumpet (from Will Miller of fellow Chicagoans Whitney) and a more mature take on their Rolling Stones obsession. The five-piece have added consideration and restraint to their usual wheezing approach.