To some Goldheart Assembly will stand as a fine example of musical romance, but others might not enjoy the beta endearment that washes over the record, and find it dry, maybe even a little dull.

There’s still a little greenness here and there – the Royal Blood-esque ‘Summer Of The Shark’ lacks a little individuality, for example – but in the position that DITZ have put themselves in, there are a lot of places for them to push the boat.

While his lyricism is filled with youthful nostalgia, his sound here is more mature than ever. Introducing an auto harp, his soundscapes are filled with a toned-down joie de vivre which makes the album stand out with its lucid simplicity.

Complex, and replete with glitches, slow beats and breakdowns, In A Dim Light is as captivating as 'Condors', yet with an evident sense of renewed direction and focused calm and quietude.

This is as tropical and kaleidoscopic as Friendly Fires have ever been. It’s akin to gobbling an entire pack of Fruit Pastilles; colourful, maybe a little sickly, but you sure as hell want to experience it again.

While ‘Reflection Of Youth’ delved into intimate soul searching and destructive introspection, ‘Speak’ casts a macroscopic lens on the human experience, delicately documenting Anna’s rising confidence and newfound acceptance in her sense of self.

It’s more confident, a little sexier. It also finds the outfit playing mostly the same old tricks as last time, for mixed results.

It’s not all change though, there is still a sense of continuity.

It’s very much designed in their own image - as debuts go, this is an impressive mission statement.

yeule’s willingness to play with sonic landscape and sci-fi dystopia means their version of emo is more infectiously haunting than the blueprint.

For an album winding in length, it doesn’t outstay its welcome; if the jump to a major means more lovingly fashioned breeziness like this, then so much the better.

A laid-back, well-considered and joyous effort to swing you through the summer months.

‘SongBook’ is a debut that suggests The Lazy Eyes have the guile to forge their own roads in a genre not currently experiencing a dearth of talent.

John Cale's latest is a visceral, thrilling ride, capable of soundtracking any seedy disco on the outskirts of Nookie Wood.

Broadcast's soundtrack for Berberian Sound Studio is a triumph not just because it is inescapably aware of itself as a soundtrack but also serves as a fitting epitaph for the band's singularity and vision throughout their all-too-brief career.

Most definitely one of the best albums of the year so far.

>> is not a pleasurable listen and it is not an easy listen, but it is an incredible one.

Freedom of Speech is clearly political, standing up to hardships of the modern world, tackling issues in a very mature way with intelligent and insightful lyrics.

Ultimately there are no tracks that really stand out any more than the crowd, which is what bars this record from higher marks; but then, there are no bad tracks either, and the whole package is very listenable.

In places, they can be a little too on-the-nose - ‘Till We Meet Again’, for instance, literally has some Lynchian ‘ethereal whooshing’ whistling away in the background for much of it, at least before a freewheeling guitar solo salvages proceedings - but ‘The Last Exit’ is largely worthy of the cultural touchpoints it so proudly nods to.

Another smartly-crafted step forward.

The result is an accomplished debut that's a welcome--though not essential--addition to a growing number of lo-fi pop bands.

This isn’t necessarily one to win The Vaccines a new generation, but for those already won over, it’ll prove worth the listen.

A little change of pace and a tad more sonic variety admittedly wouldn’t have gone amiss, but nevertheless, ‘…Frankenstein’ is a solid addition to The National’s canon.

Though not a flawless effort, musically speaking, this band’s baby teeth are not far off falling out.

It's sometimes a difficult listen, there's a lack of lucidity and guile that at times leaves the less striking tracks to come across rather samey.

The song structures are comparatively comprehensible, and ultimately, the whole process would be somewhat superfluous if the duo weren’t capable of creating something worthwhile to sonically experience.

The Seduction of Kansas is another evocative and considered album, the band reiterating their ability to present topics with tremendous clarity and depth. Which, given the complexity of their themes, is exactly what most of us are crying out for.

It’s reassuring to note that, now five albums in, Tunng continue to distill and refine their sound, honing their craft to create their most accomplished album yet.

It’s taken him the best part of 20 years, but with ‘Traditional Techniques’ Stephen Malkmus has finally come up with the blueprint for slacker escape.

The fearful funk of inc. isn't just summarised as another outlet for meditative reflection--every song on this record showcases unbeatable quirk-pop perfection.

As the album progresses onto its second disc, it becomes even more spaced out and diverse. At times, the attempts to combine more abstract and challenging sounds fail to hold your attention. However, when this works well, as on the excellent ‘Sideways Glance', it’s a joy.

If ‘DISCO’ might not be the most progressive or groundbreaking album of the year, it’s certainly up there as one of the most charming.

There’s a slight dipping point of ‘Away We Go’ and ‘Iron Fist’, and this album doesn’t stand up quite as well as either of the ‘Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star’ epics, but nonetheless this is a thoroughly thrilling entry in to Coheed and Cambria’s rich canon.

Crusher has a way of alternating organically between pop songs and darker stuff without sounding inconsistent.

Much like their previous releases, Run Around the Sun is a collection of delightful, sunshine-soaked fuzz-pop.

This album is dizzyingly uplifting, as camp as a weekend at Butlins and effortlessly iridescent.

In a sense it presents itself as an evolutionary rather than revolutionary development, in this case one which takes its predecessor's penchant for the instant and injects an enormous dose of FM-friendly American power-pop from days of yore into the mix.

The album is most interesting when it eschews from the guidelines.

All in all, a confident second album that showcases why Shura should be on everyone’s radar.

If we're honest, it doesn't start well, 'Be My Girl' is easily one of the worst tracks on here. But things do pick up.

Uncomplicated, joyful stuff.

The impatient will find ‘Once Twice Melody’ a tad wishy-washy, but for those who persevere there’s still a lot going on beneath the waves.

Exploring further realms--both musically and lyrically--with familiar hands, heads and hearts, this is an album, and a band, ready to give survival a go.

Newer fans might not be totally impressed here but existing ones yearning for Harris’ observations should be satisfied otherwise.

Definitely an acquired taste for those who Grizzly Bear’s less immediate side already ticks multiple boxes, but for those it’s surely a win.

Kiwanuka's approach may be old fashioned but his is a sound full of warmth and subtlety.

If you enjoy music that’s fun and rousing and are curious about other musical traditions--even if they are all jumbled up together--then Pura Vida Conspiracy makes for a joyful, life-affirming experience.

‘Second Nature’ hits the mark when it comes to dancing, although taking the time to embrace those quieter moments can often be some of the best, too.

The results are surprisingly cohesive; Sky Larkin could often be boisterous to the point of verging on bombast, but this is a record that speaks to growing measure and maturity.

At times, you yearn for a little more grit among all the blissed-out euphoria, but ultimately the hooks are big enough to sink in and take hold.

There’s no upturning of the band’s musical blueprint, but their social conscience has earned them a third act, with ‘Nature Always Wins’ a potent way to open it.

There are a number of genuinely interesting pieces here that make this a very worthwhile addition to Bjork's discography.

Striking the right balance between slick and energetic, if a fuzzy but fun album’s what you’re after right now, look no further.

Frontwoman Lili Trifilio describes ‘Honeymoon’ as an ode to spontaneity, and it’s in certain abundance on an album that finds the Chicagoan outfit entering a state of pent-up rapture. The band roam without a care, sporadic laid-back moments gelled with raucous vitality - a sensitive chemistry which Beach Bunny absolutely nail.

It’s obvious they’re well-practiced at the craft, conjuring up 35 minutes of their trademark melancholy. It’s also an album of firsts for them - newly added keyboard player Marta Cikojevic adds a vital new layer. This in turn frees up vocalist Jane Penny to add a couple of flute solos on the record, which is a pleasant surprise. In fact, it’s the broadness of flavour on the album that is its main strength.

There is one very commendable thing about 'No Gods' that cannot be said of many of the revival bands of the moment though – Sharks seem almost entirely free from pretension; for that reason alone the album will garner respect and stand the test of time with punk fans.

Land Of CanAan's mix of warmth and sorrow sees Marques Toliver finally create an accomplished and whimsical sound that we only had glimpses of in other artists’ work.

'I Was A Cat From A Book' is a good album with top-class musicianship and production, that deserves your ear at least once even if folk is not your thing.

Amongst all that haze, it's clear that Krell has produced another gorgeous record that is incredibly open about love and loss.

While there could be a little more individuality on show to elevate Claud to their contemporaries’ level, ‘Super Monster’ shows promise of a burgeoning artist finding their own voice.

Not everything about ‘BUMMER’ is fully perfected just yet, but there’s plenty to feel upbeat about.

R. Cole Furlow has managed to piece together a jigsaw of DIY recording methods, thrashy punk, grungy distorted noise and glowing synths to brilliant effect.

For creating something as fresh and strong as this at album number eight, Portugal. The Man deserve to be applauded.

They’ve managed to balance brutality with a controlled ambience that takes nothing away from their distinctive character.

As a whole, this ambitious project can be an oblique listen but Acaster’s enthusiastic delight in experimental, underground music is on full display.

An elegiac, introverted release that feels more like a late-career meditation than the victory lap for "NFR!".

Notably looser is ‘Oblivion Overture’s classical, Fantasia-esque take on earlier track ‘Oblivion’, while ‘Morning Of My Life’ finds a softer side to Flemmons’s nasal vocals, accompanied by little more than soft plucks of guitar. When combined though, these opposing elements transform Jackal into a distinctly outright collection of songs.