With their latest album 'Cult Classics', the London dance duo combat the encroaching darkness of British winter, opting to provide energy, euphoria, and pure, well, joy, reminiscent of festival seasons gone by. Highlights including 'I Did You Wrong' harness the undeniable power of the sample, while tracks such as 'Head To The Sky' and 'Make Some Noise For Yourself' incorporate elements of timeless house music, culminating in a project which exudes elation

Jockstrap's 'I<3QTINVU' is so much more than a remix album, providing a brilliant companion to 2022's critically acclaimed, Mercury-Prize-nominated 'I Love You Jennifer B'. What's particularly outstanding about Taylor Skye's reworks is that they flip the original tracks on their heads, yet also manage to retain their originality, as well as elements that keep them recognisable. As IAN STARR proclaims on 'Red Eye' (a very loose remix of Jennifer B opener 'Neon' which sees Skye and Ellery ... read more

Unfortunately for the West London prodigy, this LP is nowhere near as good as his previous EP. 'It's a Lundun Thing' may be lighting up dancefloors down south, but as a northerner, it sounds banal. 'Go' and 'Walk Away' are both purely annoying; DETO BLACK's voice strikes similarities to nails on a chalkboard. There are highlights, though: 'I Know' and 'Superstylin', a remix of the Groove Armada hit, are infectious, flawlessly showcasing p-rallel's DJ skills which are, at times, masterful. ... read more

After the excellence of 2022's 'WASTELAND', 2023's 'Larger Than Life' pales in comparison, seeming weak, dull and uninspired. Though Faiyaz enlists A-listers such as Missy Elliott and A$AP Rocky to aid him, this LP turns out to be slow, banal, and purely forgettable, and while there are glimmers of hope in cuts such as 'Forever Yours' which demonstrates the smooth, solid R&B Brent is renowned for, overall most tracks here are mediocre and easy to move past. Additionally, the 'Big Mad Skit' ... read more

FIZZ are here, seemingly, to prove that not all music needs to be serious. While this is entirely true, the supergroup's debut album often comes out sounding like the soundtrack from the latest TROLLS film as a consequence. Opener 'A New Phase Awaits You' tries, and fails, to construct a world filled with fun, while single 'High In Brighton' similarly disappoints, bringing nothing but cringe-worthy lyrics and almost unlistenable instrumentals. This may have been expected from an artist like ... read more

Though it may not be quite as gooda as 2022's brilliant 'Rave N Roses', here Rema cements his place as the prince of Afrobeats despite many of the 5 tracks sounding like album cuts. However, this is absolved by 'Trouble Maker' and 'DND', in particular, which are both songs that see the Benin City prodigy cementing his place as the prince of Afrobeats, exhibiting truly Divine talent and transcending the hype originated by his viral mega-hit 'Calm Down'

Although it lacks the experimentation of their recent work, Sundara Karma's 'Better Luck Next Time' is a high-quality, joyous, entertaining indie album. While it would be easy to say that the Reading band are unashamedly attempting to cater to the bucket hat, dark fruits, festival audience, tracks such as opener 'Baby Blue' boast an incredible energy which mirrors the excitement of early hits and therefore prevents the album from leaning into banality

I'm not normally one to write a personal, self-centred, biased review, but this album means so much to me that it can't be avoided. I'd imagine everyone here has their formative album: the one that made them realise just how magical music can be, and just how much they love it. For me personally, 1989 was that album. It came at a perfect time in my youth, when everything was beginning to change and I started to feel like a real human being, rather than just a child. Now, the re-recordings are ... read more

With a voice this strong, it's surprising that Twinnie remains relatively unknown. Tracks on this EP such as 'Lonely Long' perfectly demonstrate her immense talent, and although her lyrics and thematic preferences may lean into country cliches at times, her vocals are captivating enough for a listener to move past this

Great messages, poor executions

While it may not be the return to greatness it was billed as, blink-182's 'ONE MORE TIME...' is at least acceptable. Though its lead single 'EDGING' is genuinely terrible, tracks such as 'DANCE WITH ME' call back to the child-like triviality, joviality and intensity that the California trio originally became renowned for. The album may be over-produced, under-mixed and reliant on nostalgia, but it's fun, and that matters a lot with a band like blink

On his sophomore album, and his first in 6 years, Sampha Sisay cements himself as a once-in-a-generation artist. Over a blend of genre-defying neo-soul, the South London innovator explores love, loss and spirituality, crafting an introspective yet sensitive project that is, in one word, gorgeous, and deserves all the praise it gets

A terrible album; a perfect way to ruin a wonderful legacy. Despite the onslaught of rave reviews from publications blinded by nostalgia, the tracks here boast very little merit. Instead, they are bland, dull, and lack the strength of early material - a graceful retirement is long overdue, and perhaps now unattainable, for Mick Jagger and co

Politically and religiously charged, NSG's 'AREA BOYZ' is their first great triumph. Known for their blend of UK hip-hop laced with Afrobeats influences, the East London collective have made their name in the charts with hits such as 'Options' and 'OT Bop', yet this LP exceeds anything they have done before, presenting an unstoppable group who are certainly at their height. Fellow UK titans Aitch, Tion Wayne and Nines all aid them in this, alongside prolific producer JAE5, though it is ... read more

Slightly bloated, but acceptable nevertheless, Gucci Mane's 'Breath of Fresh Air' just about manages to reach its height by its end. Begrudgingly, it must be admitted that DaBaby's feature provides a highlight, while J Cole also exceeds expectations

Although after five tracks Malan can begin to seem a little too inoffensive, overall this is a very impressive debut EP, boasting varied jazz influences across its many highlights

MEDUZA are popular, and have become the highest-streamed Italian artist in history, for one reason: repetition. The majority of the tracks on this album, which seems to have been a long time in the making, are either recycled chart hits from across the years, or are dreary and bring nothing new to the table. Aside from the contributions of Becky Hill and Hozier, who both deliver impeccable performances on 'Lose Control' and 'Tell It To My Heart' respectively, there are very few highlights to be ... read more

Despite being one of the most influential voices in British music, The Streets' Mike Skinner has been seemingly unable to aptly continue a legacy of hits. 'The Darker The Shadow The Brighter The Light' is, at its best, dull, and at its worst is almost unlistenable. Initial single 'Troubled Waters' sounded promising, but overall it would be best if this album could be forgotten

While CMAT's 2022 debut 'If My Wife New I'd Be Dead' flowed impeccably, 2023's 'CrazyMad, For Me', coming just over a year and a half later, plays out like a collection of CMAT songs and noticeably lacks cohesion at times as a result. However, these CMAT songs are undeniably very good CMAT songs - 'Rent', in particular, is an extraordinary track, providing one of many highlights across a pleasing, if clunky, album which explores relationships and self-identity with a personal touch that ... read more

'Paint My Bedroom Black' is near-perfect. With relatable, heart-wrenching lyrics and a voice like silk, Holly Humberstone is bound to become one of the prevailing voices of this generation, embodying everything that is required to become an alt-pop star. Tracks such as 'Flatlining' also exhibit impressive sonic exploration, and even innovation, that has not been seen from the Grantham small-town hero before. If Holly continues to develop her ability, which she almost certainly will, she has the ... read more