Audioxide

Blake’s vocals are, predictably, beautiful; Blake’s production is, predictably, meticulous; and it’s all, predictably, quite predictable.

The record transcends hip-hop, a buttery fusion of rap, soul, synth-pop, jazz, and a whole lot more. There’s even a reggae section that hits the spot.

Ellie Rowsell’s drift between spoken-word musings and operatic soarings is alive and well, and the band as a whole is as simpatico as ever - if not moreso.

Squid take characteristics from krautrock, dub, funk, and jazz to form a sound that is remarkably coherent and wholly distinct. It’s chaotic, but it works.

Drawing from a melting pot of influences, Parks delivers ice cool nonchalance and honest intimacy in a debut record as exciting as it is impressive.

After six long, resolutely joyless years we passed another album review milestone. To celebrate here’s a look at some sweet, sweet data.

The record listens like an all-night jam at an impossibly cool bohemian gettogether. It’s funky, relaxed, audacious, exhausting... but above all, it’s brilliant.

Along with a supremely confident and symbiotic backing band, Neil Young imbues each track with this and easygoing courageousness. A true classic.

The record lacks hooks and memorable moments. Although this is La Havas' most cohesive album to date, it may also be her most forgettable.

Parachutes is nice-feeling music written by nice-seeming blokes. As is the case with all things Coldplay, it’s easy to mock, but it’s easy to like as well.

The album makes for hypnotic listening, bobbling along like a well-mannered German robot. All these years later it still sounds like the future.

Despite extended musical passages and eccentric lyrics, The Sophtware Slump is remarkably accessible. It's pop music for art students.

Solo material from a band as prolific as Radiohead can go one of two ways. Here it leaves the impression the band is greater than the sum of its parts.

With Harvey it feels like you’ve stumbled across the ad hoc performance of a travelling mystic. It’s black magic with a smile.

Pretty much everything about Unknown Pleasures was, and continues to be, a total triumph in cathartic misery. It’s a true classic.

Throughout much of its run-time, There is No Year seems content revelling in its own (admittedly awe-inspiring) ambience.

The end of the 2010s is upon us, which means we are bound by obscure 16th century law to rank our favourite albums of the decade.

ANIMA has the Yorke's classic oddball jumpiness, but there are some really fluid sounds at play too. Does the album delight? No, but it does satisfy.

LP5 seems comfortable not pushing any boundaries. Tracks unravel steadily, with heavy attention shown towards atmosphere and production.

Foals’ experimentation with synths and funky instrumentals is bold, often promising, but the pieces never quite fall together.

Reviews make a lot more sense when they can be put into context. After passing 150 albums reviewed we thought it was high time to look at the statistics.

Pulp nail the pop/rock formula to near perfection. The themes aren’t necessarily cheerful, yet the album sounds like a celebration from beginning to end.

Inconsistent, but there's a lot to dig. The songwriting is hard to knock, and Damon Albarn leads the pack well with his social satires and cutting commentary.

The record isn’t a masterclass, but there are still enough dashes of genius and genuine fun to make it one of the strongest releases of the year.

While the riffs and breakdowns are charging, raucous, and spine-tingling, the range of influences can often be distracting. There's no clear vision.

Dylan Seeger is a musician and designer living in New York, as is tradition. We talk Claye, the pressures of recording solo, and (sound) circumcision.

Freedom’s Goblin is a victim of its own ambition, and of Segall’s protean talent. A lot of ground is covered, but the album’s identity never quite clicks into place.

Visions of a Life is a triumph of contemporary British rock. The riffs roar and the melodies soar, with the band playing beautifully to Ellie Rowsell’s strengths.

Deerhoof cram dozens of ideas into a 40-minute album, which is not only technically impressive, but thoroughly amusing. This is a defiant and joyous listen.

“This is like a classy Disney tune” – André and Fred listen to Lorde

Be it anxious art-rock, spasmodic electronica, or jazz-tinged soundscapes, Thom & Co. have you covered. Here are Radiohead's albums ranked worst-to-best.

Albums what we liked in 2016.

Real friends, true love, and mushroom clouds.

Metallica roll back the years with a tight, rollicking ride, wiping the smug looks off our faces in the process.

Let's face it, Halloween playlists can be awful. Here lies an alternative lineup of frightening songs. More treats than tricks, we promise.

Tension lingers in every song. The record is defined by its desolate atmosphere, underlined by instrumentals featuring elements of ambient and drone music.

Discovery is a classic dance albums despite its age and the progression we’ve seen in the genre since. Listening remains a pleasure, flaws and all.

Instinctive, messy, and rambling, with shimmers of the divine. Electric Ladyland speaks in a kind of rock and roll tongues, with Jimi Hendrix front and centre.

This was 50 minutes of anti-climax. Interesting instrumentals are peppered throughout, but they mostly fail to evolve from the opening moments of each track.

To brand this a landmark of the '90s is a disservice to its quality. OK Computer is as relevant now as ever, both culturally and sonically.

There’s very little on These People to inspire much interest. Even die-hard fans will struggle to hear Richard Ashcroft at his best.

A daunting experience that revels in its sorrow. Radiohead have produced better records, but never before has their desolation sounded so gorgeous.

“Burn the Witch” is a fine song; a satisfying introduction to a new Radiohead era that will naturally leave fans wanting more.

Without sacrificing the brutality fans have come to expect from Deftones, Gore strikes a delightful balance. Perhaps the band's most accessible record to date.

The Eraser is a wonderful listen that comes with some baggage. If you’re able to handle its intensity, it’s actually a very beautiful record.

From the vinyl flip to the neverending streaming, unique expressions await those willing to immerse themselves in the media formats of their time

This is the first Radiohead track to drop in years, and it serves far more than its original (intended) purpose as a Bond song.

A model of casual listening. It bustles along quite happily, from section to section, from track to track, and then it's over and you don't regret having listened to it.