The Afrobeats genre has been thriving lately, but Nigeria’s Wizkid may have just delivered the icing on the cake. Striking that perfect balance between laidback and vibrant that I love so much about Afrobeats, Morayo blends traditional elements of the gen…

‘CHROMAKOPIA’ is an eclectic deep-dive into Tyler, The Creator’s psyche, exploring everything from aging, to his relationship with his mother, to white supremacy, to sex via his signature, razor-sharp lyrics and commanding flow. The range of genres and so…

This is Pixie’s eleventh album - an incredible feat in itself, with the band having a second of coming sorts when they reunited in 2020 after 22 years apart. It’s clear to see Pixies have been on quite a journey, though I feel that journey has hit the mid…

My god, Amyl and The Sniffers deliver with this one. There’s plenty of the Aussie rebellion that first demonstrated how they’re keeping modern punk alive - bouncing guitar riffs, groovy bass lines, thunderous percussion and provocative lyrics delivered vi…

The second long-player from Michael Head’s bassist reaches for the stars with a concept album of sorts exploring wide-eyed space exploration via the medium of folk-hop, progressive-psych, and full-bodied melodies. Belle and Sebastian’s Chris Geddes, and a…

The new album from this Welsh powerhouse folk outfit is, sadly, their last, but they’re going out on a real high. The interplay they demonstrate here is truly breathtaking and the twin girl/boy vocals dovetail perfectly with their drive. This is utterly r…

This Turkish singer, songwriter and composer has won a huge audience outside of her home country and with little wonder. She combines traditional Anatolian pop and folk influences with a real sense of grandeur that – even if you can’t understand the lyric…

Keyboard player, composer and producer Jessica Lauren has worked with all manner of legendary names – such as Jean Carne and Tom Browne – but she actually recorded ‘Film’ in 1997. It’s now been remastered and it remains a remarkable listen combining modal…

Durham’s Lowfeye – featuring Carol Nichol and Alan Rowland – wrap all their elements, including indie rock and melodic guitar-pop, into a widescreen aesthetic that is utterly compelling. They also do Lee Hazelwood/Nancy Sinatra like 60s pop (‘Valley Of Th…

This second album from Irish avant-garde punk artist Meryl Streek is a beautiful yet harrowing examination of social inequality in Ireland. It’s filled with politically-charged rage, delivered via the searing passion of Streek’s vocals and his slam poetry…

I was lucky enough to hear some of these songs live when I went to see The Cure two years ago, which gives you an idea of the time and care that has gone into crafting their first release in 16 years. ‘Songs Of a Lost World’ is one of few albums worth suc…

An Unthanks album – featuring classic Christmas and winter songs, as well as a scattering of new compositions – was always going to work and so it does, quite magnificently. They capture the shifting moods of the season including joy, reflectiveness and m…

This explosive new release from Spanish artist Metrika, in collaboration with producer and DJ D.Basto, is all thundering trap beats, distorted vocals and razor-sharp lyrics. The up-and-coming rapper’s take on modern hip-hop is full of bold and unapologeti…

Neo-soul singer Leon Bridges’ has created a musical scrapbook of sorts. With a distinctly 1970s influence running throughout, Bridges pulls from genres such as folk, pop, funk and jazz to create 13 songs that each offer something different. Charged with n…

FINNEAS is most known for being Billie Eilish’s brother, with whom he has frequently written, produced and performed music with, but what you should know him for is his incredible songwriting abilities. ‘For Cryin’ Out Loud’, though less experimental than…

‘Blind Faith’ marks the very welcome return of this Mercury nominated Irish singer/songwriter. Her last album was the very brilliant ‘Bones + Longing’ album of 2014, and her latest is another release designed to get you right there. Featuring tender guita…

North-east band Quarterlight are fronted by Gary Chaplin, who local aficionados will know as he’s a founder member of local punk heroes Penetration. And he – and the fluid collective of musicians who make up the rest of the band – are on sterling form her…

Huge melodies simply teem out of this Teesside fella and on his new album he’s packing plenty. His sophisticated pop songs have a gorgeous 80s vibe (I’m talking the sumptuous end of the 80s – Black, The Kane Gang, Everything But The Girl) and on his lates…

The third album from this Canada-born, London-based singer/songwriter is teeming with good stuff particularly if you’re a fan of louche decadence. Tracks bubble up out of the ether, her dreamy vocals adding to the vibe, in a deft show of insouciance that …

‘Cutouts’ is The Smile’s second album in just nine months, so they’d be perhaps forgiven if it didn’t quite hit the same mark as January’s ‘Wall Of Eyes’, which came out to much critical acclaim. On the contrary, I may even prefer this third release from …

Nina Nesbitt’s fourth album is her best yet, and one of my favourites of the year. It’s a beautiful folk-pop record, with gentle acoustic guitar and piano melodies and light, airy vocals that evoke the ethereal mountain scene on its cover. Inspired by her…

Sunderland’s finest return with a new album and suddenly the winter months don’t seem quite so bleak. It’s a release that is packing delights wherever you look, with those delights slowly revealing themselves to you with each new listen. The band have mas…

This one was a nostalgic listen for me, as Falling In Reverse were one of the bands that caused me to fall in love with rock music back in my early teens. Their first album in seven years, it’s clear to see that the band have used this time to hone their …

‘Short n’ Sweet’ has seen Carpenter rise to astronomical heights seemingly out of nowhere, despite this being her fifth album. She has definitely found her sweet spot as an artist - fun, flirty pop anthems charged with a wicked, at times filthy, sense of …

Little Hag have previously referred to themselves as “bitch rockers”, and this third album of theirs is full of bitch rocker energy in the best kind of way. Bold and unflinching, the lyrics cover uncomfortable, taboo subjects unapologetically - including …

UNIT 8 are a fabulous band from Alnwick/Cullercoats who have a very easy on the ear classic rock sound that is given extra oomph by some excellent progressive stylings. This – their second album – has all the melodic nous of Michael Head’s outfits (includ…

This north-east duo conjure up a rare kind of alchemy as they skip gleefully between trip-hop and dream-pop. Sam Nixx takes most of the vocal duties (she nails everything thrown at her here) and Conrad McQueen provides that all-important and enticing latt…

The first album from this Mercury Prize-nominated singer-songwriter in ten year has certainly been worth the wait. Featuring vocals that veer between sturdy and lean-in-close, and a mesh of beguiling sonics – taking in enchanting guitar picking, other-wor…

I’ve long loved this Manchester band. Led by the fab Heather Baron-Gracie, they’ve always looked like dodgy goths, but they make fab indie-dream-pop. Their latest album – let’s call it their fourth – is their best yet. They’ve amped up those glorious and …

Durham’s Tim Head IS Faithful Johannes and he paints the most wonderful pictures with his languid raps. His third album – in which he teams up with producer Neocia – sees him tackling childhood and parenting (among other stuff) in his own inimitable style…

This is the third solo album from this Swedish singer and multi-instrumentalist and it’s a real beguiling delight. Its eight tracks – apparently an ode to Mariam’s respect and devotion to air, breath and space – conjure up rhythmic enchantments featuring …

This is Norwegian-American artist Okay Kaya’s sixth album in six years, so it’s safe to say she’s been busy since she first broke onto the bedroom pop scene. If that isn’t already impressive enough, ‘Oh My God - That’s So Me’ is entirely self-composed, an…

If you’re unfamiliar with Foster The People, you will at least know them for their breakout hit ‘Pumped Up Kicks’, but I highly recommend you get to know them beyond this. This fourth album (their first since 2017) indeed invokes a Paradise State of Mind,…

Martha Hill has cemented her reputation as one of the finest artists working in the north-east today with this, her superb debut album. Her pointed and often bruised lyrical concerns – that take in many different kinds of loss and longing – are sung above…

Fontaines D.C.’s fourth studio album, Romance, released in 2024, marks a new chapter in their discography. The band built anticipation for the album with singles like Starburster, Favourite, Here’s The Thing, and In The Modern World, raising expectations …

After the huge success of 2020’s ‘Dreamland’, Glass Animals had a lot of hype to live up to with this fourth album. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t measure up. There are plenty of interesting sounds and influences to be found here - a bit of electronica he…

beabadoobee’s latest release is a perfect study of the growth of an artist. The Filipino-born, London-raised artist has always clung to her 90s grunge influences, and they continue to peek through her new music, but ‘This Is How Tomorrow Moves’ makes it c…

Orville Peck always stands out for me among the host of country stars currently taking the world by storm (and not just because of his iconic masks). Stampede is a collection of duets that spans a variety of genres and includes an impressive roster of col…

The debut album from this French born London-based singer-songwriter and producer is just gorgeous. He cut his teeth playing with the groovy instrumental quartet YUUF but here he’s embracing balmy soft-rock and a sunny retro sound that delivers in spades.…

The musical project of producer, singer and artist Robert Alfons, the latest from TR/ST takes synth-pop on a journey through various shades of a scuzzy psychodrama. From chrome-plated, neon-drenched trawls through LA at 3AM, to the darkest backrooms of th…

Born in LA but now based in Scotland, Alas de Liona hovered onto radars when she crowd-funded her debut album in 2017. It was a release that merged folk with synths and was packed with great tunes. And her melodic talents are in full effect on this follow…

London-based Los Bitchos make the kind of music that’ll make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and go “Woo! Woo! Woo!” Their second album is a knickerbocker glory of a release that takes in funk, disco, Latin and Turkish rhythms, and then blends…

Groundbird is North Shields’ singer/songwriter Richard O’Brien – together here with producer Martin Francis Trollope and multi-instrumentalist Mateus Borges – and their debut album is a lo-fi delight. Much of its charm comes from O’Brien’s arresting lyric…

This album – well, six-track EP – is a quite glorious collaboration between two of the region’s finest electronic acts. It features two tracks culled from Tunnel Club’s and Summer Night Air’s most recent albums; two new tracks; and two remixes/re-interpre…

This powerful second album from Millie Manders and the Shutup actually made me feel very nostalgic, as the band’s sound is reminiscent of the 2000s punk that personally had me in a chokehold in my formative years. It’s all thundering guitar riffs and driv…

This is SOFT PLAY’s first album since they changed their name from Slaves, and it’s glaring proof that they have gone anything but soft. HEAVY JELLY is a 30 minute white knuckle ride through 11 extremely strong tracks - you’ll find no skips on this one. I…

Sam Grant (Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs) has collaborated with a whole bunch of amazing artists including Rozi Plain, Voka Gentle and Newcastle’s own Me Lost Me and Ceitidh Mac for his second album under the Rubber Oh moniker. And – what do yo…

Clairo’s third album, Charm, is a soulful exploration of desire and nostalgia, wrapped in smooth vocals and groovy beats, with jazzy undertones and a clear R&B influence. The instrumentation on Charm is beautiful with a flute, clarinet and saxophone feat…

Eminem is a timeless artist whose hits continue to be played even by generations too young to remember the height of his success. These hits, however, seem to be restricted to his pre-2013 catalogue, with his more recent releases unfortunately being forge…

BERWYN is still a fairly fresh face on the UK music scene, which makes his latest release even more impressive than it already is. Combining a modern, unique take on R&B music with lyrics that turn the harsh truth of moving to London from Trinidad into vi…

Disclosure: Cigarettes After Sex are in fact my favourite band. Perhaps this makes my review biased, but – honestly! – this is fab. X’s is brimming with the kind of decadent romance you’d expect from an album inspired by classic, sensual cinema (frontman …

This north-east trio – featuring former Angelic Upstarts guitarist Newts Newton, Northumbrian psych rock bassist Si Cadelik, and Shaun ‘Nasty’ Richardson (of post hardcore band Crane) – bash out the kind of wired punk/post-punk/etc that feels like a cross…

This Middlesbrough outfit make, primarily, instrumental stuff, and the first album of this double set sees them exploring the life of 19th century clairvoyant Helene Smith. If your “TOO NICHE!” alarm is flashing like billy-oh then fear not, because this r…

Born in Ashington and raised in Burnopfield, this folk artist bagged our Album of the Month slot for his ‘This November Guest’ album back in 2019. And, pleased to report, his second long-player is every bit its equal. It’s a release steeped in the Norther…