ILLENIUM's self-titled album starts on a decent note with 'Starfall', but only goes downhill from there as the Denver-based producer does what he supposedly does best: taking the weirdest, most washed-up or unheard-of lineup of contributors you wouldn't even be able to pick from a hat, and placing their voices on top of derivative, unvaried EDM beats

Aside from the highlight 'Miracle Man', Bebe's self-titled album is just as bland and boring as expected: even a Dolly Parton feature couldn't save this dreary mess

Stonebwoy's '5th Dimension' is, perhaps, his most noteworthy. Boasting 17 impressive tracks, one with a feature from Stormzy, the Ghanian dancehall superstar cements just how worthy of that title he is

On 'Rave & Roses', the Nigerian star establishes himself amongst the biggest names in Afrobeat music, bringing a sense of innovation along with him. Most of the songs demonstrate the prodigy at his most invigorated and enlivened, combining energy with impeccable vocals and infectious beats. While it remains interesting and refuses to lean into dullness despite its hour-long runtime, the album does have its drawbacks: minus ten points for a Chris Brown collab when no artist should be doing ... read more

Throughout his latest mixtape, Jim Legxacy uses the power of sampling almost as a paintbrush. While in some cases this may cause a project to become over-produced and overbearing, here there is no evidence of that as the producer, rapper and singer manages to weave said samples into a collection which remains cohesive. This is innovative, fresh, original and inspiring, leaving doubts about whether anyone like Jim Legxacy will ever come again

As someone who was completely uninspired by this album's singles, I was pleasantly surprised despite low expectations when sitting down to listen to it as a whole. Freya Ridings has an undeniably impressive voice, and she puts it to good use on the majority of tracks

In recent years, Labrinth has been defined by his work on the Euphoria soundtracks, but here he breaks away from that with a solo album matching the quality he puts into the HBO series. Although he enlists the help of A-list friends such as Zendaya and Billie Eilish, Labrinth refuses to be overshadowed by these contributions: by the end of the album, it is evident that his own vocals and his own production are the elements that stand out most

In the follow-up to 2020's stellar 'What's Your Pleasure', Jessie Ware continues to develop her infectious, retro brand of disco-fuelled dance-pop to form an album which lives up to its title. Jessie herself certainly seems to feel good, but at times her attempts at perfection feel faux and over-produced

This seems to be an EP of two opposites: the highlights, which establish the New York singer-songwriter as music's latest LGBTQ+ trailblazer, and the rest, which is dull and makes the middle songs tedious and monotonous. While Kevin Atwater accurately and sensitively expresses experiences of growing up gay, and the challenges and yearning this comes with, at times his narratives fall flat

While Indigo de Souza's lyrics may, at times, be basic and plainly predictable, 'All of This Will End' assuages this throughout with its truly exceptional instrumentals. This might not be album of the year, or even of the month, but in sincerity, it is a satisfying listen and it's this that truly matters

The National are the best they have ever been on ‘First Two Pages of Frankenstein’. While high-profile contributors such as Phoebe Bridgers and Sufjan Stevens are only present at the side, providing backing vocals, this allows Matt Berninger’s haunting vocals and intensely introspective lyricism to be highlighted even more. With no flaws from start to finish, the Brooklyn-based group have certainly cemented themselves as the masters of alternative music; they have created a ... read more

It’s undeniable that this album will get a lot of hate, albeit undeservingly and purely because it’s been made by Jack Harlow. On ‘Jackman’, the Louisville rapper leans away from radio-friendly choruses and high-profile features to instead demonstrate aspects of versatility that are perhaps absent from earlier work, constructing a project which is only flawed in its short length. Although he continues the ostentatious bragging found on ‘Come Home The Kids Miss ... read more

Throughout 'The Ascension', Stevens constructs a collection characterised by beauty, and is a masterful listen displaying all the qualities that have caused the indie world to revere him. However, this release also displays substantial development and difference to previous albums which have arguably become classics, although this only further illustrates the reasons why this deserves to become a classic in itself amongst the singer-songwriter's vast discography

Scruff of the Neck solidify their reign over upcoming music through KIDS, who establish their presence with their debut EP

For a LAB records signee, Rory James seems uninspiringly bland

As soon as Proph's voice comes in on opener 'Far From Home', it's clear to see that he has immense potential. What is even more impressive is that the South London prodigy is known to self-produce his work, yet this project sounds cohesive enough to seem as if it has a wider team of contributors behind it

Unfortunately, this collection of dreary dullness fails to distinguish itself in an already over-saturated market of diluted Olivia Rodrigo tributes. While songs such as 'Beneath Your Jeans' hold merit in their statements, and Hannah Grae evidently possesses a fair amount of vocal talent, overall this is not put to good use and her project functions as little more than a diminished, mitigated attempt to create 2023's 'SOUR'

Most reviews describe Songer as 'versatile' and praise his lyricism, which seems hard to justify when his latest effort includes a statement that 'girls just wanna have fun, I must be fun bro'. While this album has its highlights, including standout track 'That's Money' and a feature from major UK grime player D Double E, these are few and far between in the first half, ending up lost within a whole lot of trite. Saying this, Songer exhibits a significant improvement in the second half of ... read more

The first two tracks are genuinely unlistenable, but on the third she surprisingly manages to redeem herself

From its beginning, Girlhood's 'The Lowdown' is a healthy dose of fun, hope and beauty. Some songs may melt into a mediocrity which causes them to become forgettable, yet other tracks best demonstrating the collective's strengths far outweigh and overshadow these