On her debut album, horsegiirL well and truly demonstrates her 'organic intelligence'. The most impressive thing about NATURE IS HEALING is its exhibition of the Berlin producer's ability to combine distinct artistic identity with experimentation that delves into a multitude of genres, styles and influences, making for a thrilling journey which is thoroughly electronic but simultaneously earthly

Somehow, Big Thief managed to craft an album of twenty songs that doesn't feel bloated or overstay its welcome. 'Dragon New Warm Mountain' will soothe and comfort you one minute, and tear your heart into pieces the next, making it one of the only records of the decade so far that can be truthfully classed as timeless

MUNA have steadily gained a reputation for perfect indie-pop, but 'Dancing On The Wall' is their first album containing a few duds. Its title track, and fellow single 'So What', rank amongst the best songs in the genre released so far this year, being imbued with feeling while managing to remain somewhat palatable and radio-friendly. Songs like 'Wannabeher', however, border on unlistenable, and bring the album down significantly as a result

Kacey heard the name Ella Langley for the first time and rushed to the studio to put a stop to her. She's succeeded, too: this is the kind of artistry that the 'Choosin Texas' hitmaker could never replicate, truly authentic country music with a distinct Musgraves spin and the perfect combination of wit and sincere intelligence. Some songs here call back to 'Same Trailer, Different Park', while others reach the heights of 'Deeper Well' and even 'Golden ... read more

You know it's bad when your nepo daughter is making better music than you

Kehlani's self-titled album is bloated and hosts an overwhelming number of features, but there's gems to be found amongst its tracklist. 'Lights On' came as a nice surprise, and 'Cruise Control' is quintessential summery R&B. This might not be her masterpiece, but there's potential here if she can 'Unlearn' her collaborative tendencies

This singlehandedly killed the dancefloor

'Cruel World' lives up to the promise of its singles, and while the album does start to tail off as it approaches its end, its final songs are beautiful, contemplative ballads

'THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE' isn't just an album, it's a story. RAYE takes her listeners through a year's worth of seasons, arriving at 'Happier Times Ahead' with a little help from the voices of her family and legends such as Hans Zimmer and Al Green. The feature list here in itself acts as a testament to her current standing in the music industry: RAYE is awe-inspiring, and can draw together names that other artists could only dream of collaborating with. ... read more

When Melanie Martinez announced that her fourth studio album would consist of eighteen tracks, her fanbase rejoiced. However, in reality it's difficult for a record of that length to avoid becoming bloating, and unfortunately 'HADES' has not overcome that. There's some brilliant songs here, but also some of her worst: Martinez comments on the current state of the world, examining beauty standards, religion and politics, but her valid points and visible talent are undermined ... read more

The day on which this compilation was released is particularly poignant: just a few hours ago, the US government announced that they had been granted permission to use UK bases for a surge of attacks against Iran. This comes after the night countries such as Azerbaijan began evacuating diplomats, and after the night locals in Tehran described as the worst thus far. The world is in a sorry state right now, and that's even without mentioning Gaza, Sudan, Yemen and Ukraine. In 2026, there are ... read more

'The Melodic Blue' is already a modern classic, yet despite the five-year wait for a follow-up, 'Ca$ino' is simply okay. Hykeem Carter seems to have attempted a replication of the success his cousin experienced in delving into west coast hip-hop nostalgia, but ultimately this is a switch that has not paid off. 'Ca$ino' is an enjoyable record, yes, but a disappointment nonetheless

This is a record that starts off on a bad foot, but gets more interesting as it progresses. If the first half of 'Dreamer+' was filled with the same sonic textures and experimentation as its second, it would be able to fully make its claim as one of the best alt-pop albums of recent times

The best songs here sound like Ariana Grande rejects - and that says a lot

Most of the actual musical performances here are enjoyable and at times impressive, but unfortunately Escape Room is hindered by its many unnecessary interludes, some of which seem to function solely to boast of Teyana Taylor's famous connections

On their third record, Dry Cleaning have proven that they're anything but mundane, no matter what their topics of choice may suggest. Though it's no 'New Long Leg', 'Secret Love' is a step up from 'Stumpwork', and with the help of undoubtable genius Cate Le Bon the South London band have presented the first truly great album of 2026

Name-dropping, misfired cultural references and a reliance on strangely placed samples characterise 'Gangsta Grillz', a mixtape which well and truly overstays its welcome despite some highlights. If this is just the trailer, The Game can keep the movie

I wonder what Ethel Cain thinks of this

5SOS return with a disappointing sixth album that doesn't match any of their earlier material in quality, and becomes especially disappointing considering the band's members have managed to hold their own on recent solo efforts. 'NOT OK' is one of the highlights here, but even that becomes cringeworthy and is musically a failed rip-off of Damon Albarn's Gorillaz

Courting's Audiotree Live session is a strange case. While the raw energy of some of their most invigorating cuts remains firmly intact, the band's ability for musical intricacy and experimentation is noticeably underplayed. Sean Murphy O'Neill's voice displays no emotion or inflection for the first two songs here, meaning that 'Popshop!' and 'Pause at You' come as a welcome reprieve. Though this EP does have its merits, overall it is a poor stand-in for ... read more