Unfortunately, this experimental EP is Simz' first miss. It may be more immediate and spontaneous than her well-crafted full-length LPs, yet one of the best songs of the 7, 'SOS', barely even features her vocals, while others such as 'Fever' and 'Torch' are noticeably undercooked and even painstaking

Throughout 'VULTURES 1', Ty Dolla $ign proves his inherent mediocrity, while Ye proves that he can say so much with such little meaning. Filled to the brim with uncomfortable pop culture references, making reference to Taylor Swift yet again, and giving a whole song to Chris Brown: this is all distasteful, and its author needs to be taken away from the spotlight for a good long while

It's no 'Boy In Da Corner', and it may not boast the hits spawned by 'Tongue N' Cheek' and 'The Fifth', but what Dizzee's latest effort does possess is energy: any claims that the London MC has dried up are disproven across 16 lively, dynamic tracks

Bloated, arrogant, and overall deplorable, Luciano's 'Seductive' is an hour and 14 minutes worth of torture. Features from Aitch, Nemzzz, BIA and Stefflon Don amongst others could not save this atrocity even during the songs they appear on - this is definitely an album that won't be revisited. Oh, and nobody needs two intros

It inevitably will be accused of being 'Out of step with the current pop landscape', yet Zara Larsson's 'VENUS' is undoubtedly fun and escapist. Songs such as 'Ammunition' demonstrate a certain innovation, adopting influences both electronic and classical: DIY may brand it as 'a slight hodgepodge of genres', but at least it isn't bland

Aside from the singles, Declan Mckenna's 'What Happened to the Beach?' seems like a massive step down. Early cuts 'WOBBLE' and 'I Write The News' aim for discordant but land on unkempt, and although salvation arrives with 'The Phantom Buzz', overall the album fails to leave an impression akin to that of his previous efforts

Bringing various influences with her and drawing influences from genres such as pop, rock and electronic, the North East's own L Devine presents a promising debut laced with contemporary social observation. 'Worship', in particular, is a highlight, laced with individual experience, introspection and off-kilter vocals possessing the power to truly enrapture

Jamie Webster, despite being Liverpool's beloved hometown hero, really doesn't have much going for him. His vocals, lyricism and instrumentals are all bland, boring and undercooked: there's nothing at all special to be pulled out from this album. Opening tracks 'Better Day' and 'Voice Of The Voiceless' are genuinely unlistenable, and it's a shame that Scotland's rising star Brooke Combe was brought into something so utterly tedious as the former of the two. 'Lovers In The Supermarket' displays ... read more

Admittedly, most of these songs meld into one: Rhys exhibits very little sonic dynamism. However, 'Sadness Sets Me Free' as a whole is cohesive, comforting and pleasing to listen to. Overall, then, while this may not be a groundbreaking LP, it does demonstrate genuine talent and quality, and is satisfying as a result

Unfortunately for Cole Bennett, All really Is Yellow with this record: listening feels like being in a car, getting ready to go, but never actually setting off. Perhaps its the sheer number of high-profile features, which is clearly the album's selling point, that ultimately stagnates it: most are underwhelming, and some unbearable

If this is indeed the sound of London, I for one will be staying far far away. There are too many mismatched samples, dissatisfying drops and poor re-makes of classic songs for this album to be tasteful, despite some songs that are bearable

'Snowflake Suzie' is certainly the centrepiece of this EP: here, Etta Marcus has crafted something close to flawless. The other 8 tracks demonstrate impressive skill and great potential, too; if Etta continues on the same path then she may well be on her way to stardom

The fact that Tom Odell is most well-known for his mega-hit 'Another Love' is genuinely a tragedy; his past three records, this included, have all proven that he is the master of melancholy. 'Black Friday' sees the Sussex singer-songwriter reach a new height, navigating new sonic territory and pulling it off exceptionally well to provide his listeners with a record that is simultaneously intimate and expansive. This is truly a great LP, and those who shun Odell are simply missing out

Junodream deserve all the recognition they can get. For a debut album, 'Pools of Colour' demonstrates the kind of mastery one would expect from a far more established, experienced band: its structure is flawless, with opener 'Fever Dream' perfectly setting the scene and closer 'The Oranges' providing an apt finale. Though the South London group come armed with only 10 songs, this is enough for anyone to see that they are here to stay, and may well become a huge name amongst the indie-shoegaze ... read more

The Smile's 'Wall of Eyes' is a minefield of different sounds and textures, woven seamlessly together and proving the legendary status of both Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood. 'Teleharmonic' comes as an early highlight, transcending music itself to almost embody a spiritual experience: it's certainly like nothing else that will be released this year. While not every song on this record lives up to the hype surrounding it, it would be false to claim that The Smile do not provide, innovate and ... read more

There may be nothing here as groundbreaking as last year's 'Guitar Music', but Courting's second LP is just as sonically rich, ambitious and fulfilling

BUNT., throughout 'Levi Don't Do It', seems to fit perfectly into the 2020s trend of emotionally sensitive electronic music, popularised by the likes of Fred again.. and marked by repetitive lyrics accompanied with contemplative voice-notes. However, this trend has become so quickly oversaturated that projects such as this fail to have much of an impact: 'Moment' in particular, would not sound out of place as a deep cut in the 'Actual Life' series. Saying that, BUNT. has produced, here, 8 ... read more

EKKSTACY's previous material has been bland, unoriginal and uninspired, reaching viral popularity by being entirely derivative and bouncing off 'sad boy' trends. This LP, however, displays a new side to the Canadian artist: a side which exhibits better instrumentation, less apathetic vocals, and wider subject material. As a self-titled record, it does indeed reveal the best of EKKSTACY, finally demonstrating how he can rise above low expectations

It may be laced throughout with pop-punk cliché, but Neck Deep's self-titled album is a near-perfect example of a quintessential record within the genre. Reigning over their scene since 2012's 'Rain In July', the Wrexham quintet prove that they can remain at the top, providing listeners with 10 thrilling, irresistible and angsty tracks

At its best, Green Day's 'Saviors' is a reminder of the pop-punk group's greatness on 'American Idiot': politically charged, boisterous and self-assured. On the other hand, however, the record borders on unlistenable at its worst, with strange mixing choices and uncomfortable pop culture references amongst stale tracks that never quite find themselves, nor manage to make a statement at all. Overall, the question of ageing gracefully is left unanswered, as it seems that the California trio are ... read more