As pretty as much of the album is, it can lack the immediacy to really grab the listener and pull them into a different world.

Refreshing indeed is the lack of a vindictive or grieved air, Shaddad instead largely keeping a sadly level head, pitying the person she had to grow beyond without being insulting.

There are a few isolated moments of satisfaction, like the ‘Freres Jacques’-esque guitar melody on ‘Welcome to My Planet’ and the accordion leading into the discombobulating melody on ‘Queen of Koalas,’ but there isn’t a single track that comes together as a complete idea nor is there a single moment where it sounds like Xiu Xiu and Larsen are on the same page.

Dummy Boy would be better if it was worse. 6ix9ine doesn’t show any sign of knowing how to write a complete song, let alone curate a whole album. But he’s also too unimaginative to write anything so jaw-droppingly awful that it needs to be heard to be believed.

There’s simply no encountering something as powerful, as primal, as Senyawa without scarring. This is their turf, and only they know the rules. Sujud is an experience. Be safe, everyone.

Every inflection, every word, even nearly every concept feels lifted from rap’s reigning King’s playbook. It’s a haphazard mixture of TDE’s figurehead circa Section.80, with a big heap of Good Kid and a smattering of To Pimp a Butterfly, just for good measure. ... DiCaprio 2 is a heavy helping of technicality, signifying absolutely nothing.

Your more serious fans and completists will probably find something like this a welcome addition to their collection. Despite it not offering many revelations or surprises, The Bela Session still serves a fun little snapshot of what was soon to be one of the more creative and influential 80s post-punk bands in their infancy.

A snappy, hilarious, disturbing, damnably catchy, but most importantly, complete showcase for one of the most exciting young musicians to emerge--in any genre--for some time.

Though Some Rap Songs may come across as a collection of underdeveloped vignettes of previously covered subject matter, further and deeper listening showcases an economical poet at his most striking self.

Siblings is not an easy listen, but it is a fantastically varied one. Self is at his most compelling when he is contrasting anarchic beats and chopped up vocals with more standard pop composition. It may take me another few dozen listens to fully understand the structure of Colin Self’s new album. That can only be to his credit.

Overall, this is an album with fleeting moments of joy, but these are not sustained.

A perplexingly bloated, often aimless album is both a head-scratcher and a true waste of potential.

Joseph’s songwriting is descriptive and its simplicity is one of the most fascinating aspects of her artistry. She does not only sing her dark hues, but she also wants us to listen as if we were reading pages of her diary.

This is a good collection of songs which progresses the narrative of the band and it deserves your attention, but I suspect these tracks work best in a live setting where they would be allowed to elevate above the often overly precise production on the album.

The complexity of the songs means there is plenty to enjoy upon repeat listening, although some tracks do feel under-developed. There is no denying that Walker is talented, but five albums in, we’re still waiting for the flawless masterpiece we hope he’s capable of.

Much like its cover art, Cocoon Crush can be recognized as something familiar, but you’re unlikely to be able to glean just what that is. It lies, distant and in waiting, ready to challenge you, with Objekt ever-seeking to open, both for his listeners and himself, new possibilities.

A Brief Inquiry is a record of substance that manages to both poke fun at and be a product of its time. The 1975 might be white-boys with guitars, but they're so much more than that.

The main problem with Shiny is that half of its tracklisting is dedicated to mid-tempo rockers that are only fractionally better than 'Knights of Malta.’ ... With some more time and care, ‘Silvery Sometimes’ could have been an unimpeachable addition to the Pumpkins canon. As it stands, it suffers the fate of being packaged in what will likely go down as one of the worst albums in the band’s discography.

Everything on Eden more or less works, though it’s a definite step down from Ephorize.

It's lovely to hear an album that ostensibly requires so few ingredients to paint such a rich emotional landscape.

It's equally beautiful and heartbreaking, a kind of gentle sadness pulsing through it. Anne doesn't dwell in sadness though, instead, it presents a touching and honest glimpse of some of the more unfair struggles we often face that leaves us searching for hope and, more importantly, answers, but it does so in a tasteful and dignified way.

This One’s for the Dancer & This One’s for the Dancer’s Bouquet will take you to the end of the world, and back, and keeping your head nodding to a gentle groove throughout. It just might be a feat worthy of Greek myth.

It’s hard to work out whether this is an album, an EP or a playlist, and at 22 minutes long it’s difficult to feel fully satisfied and does leave you wanting more.

Queen of Golden Dogs is a bold and original statement that collides together emotions, textures and beats to gloriously dissonant effect. It’s also Vessel's best album to date.

It is like Prince meets The Allman Brothers Band, on an approximate dosage of 40–50ug of acid. ... And that makes it a certified...

The Gothenburg four-piece now release their enigmatic four track EP Lover Chanting, adding to a catalogue of playful and body-moving tracks from the past decade.

Dose Your Dreams creates a vividly realised world I love to visit. Once I press play, I feel compelled to see it through to the end. Other listeners will tackle it in chunks.

Negative Capability is sure to stand the test of time, much like its creator. Marianne Faithfull has delivered a searing late career masterstroke, as vital as any in her storied career.