With synths that convey the techno side behind Scuba's music, Rose allows the songs to flow within each other by way of carefully-placed transitions. There's a strong ear for melody and a terrific depiction of the sunny summer month.

This is the stuff of Hollywood film soundtracks, and Gahan's robust baritone is a perfect fit for the proceedings.

This synth pop rhythm and blues album is nothing out of the ordinary. I do believe, however, that there are some clever twists throughout the album but unfortunately it all becomes a bit repetitive both musically and lyrically.

Whilst there are a few archetypal GBV misfires inside Class Clown Spots A UFO – brought about by scattershot recording fidelity and a small imbalance in the quantity over quality ratio – overall it is still a solidly-carved collection.

This summer, don't just think about going surfing, listen to Strange Heaven instead.

Here We Go Magic certainly sound fantastically magical on A Different Ship. It's a definitive kind of feel and one that deserves proper recognition; they've delivered a remarkable album.

Although The Lost Tape might lack some consistency in places and the live material might have been better served on a separate collection, overall this is a richly rewarding treasure trove for the ever increasing number of Can fanatics across the globe to hunt down immediately and devour.

From track to track, there is a progression that not only befits their name but their musical endeavors.

It's not so much "old sad bastard music," as Barry described it--more like charmingly puerile lullabies.

Malcolm Middleton's position as Scotland's premier musical prankster is more or less entirely cemented by the time the final notes of Human Don't Be Angry fade off into the ironically romanticised Caledonian sunset of Malcolm Middleton's wryly expressed musical imagination.

Although Violens is a bit remarkable for capturing such a specific sound ...its scope is a bit limited. The trio utilizes the same tones and mostly the same approaches throughout, resulting in only the smallest level of uniqueness for each track.

The Bravest Man in the Universe doesn't need much of a buffer as it quietly approaches its essence with backing tracks, loops, bouts of acoustic guitar and piano all holistically orbiting around the central component of the album, Womack's unblemished vocals.

A refreshingly new take on classic indie guitar rock.

Fields sounds commandingly assured with songs that ache and bristle with lush convictions.

Though true that the album lacks the fervent surge of nearly every other Sigur Rós record, it's far from a snoozer. The conspicuous beauty and flummoxing eccentricity of the past haven't gone anywhere – they've just had their edges softened.

Ultimately, Tarot Classics is a fun and welcome addition to any existing Surfer Blood fan's catalogue, even if it is unlikely to win over any new fans.

The depth of Sioux's technical skill is palpable and worth the listen.

An intoxicating brand of synth-pop that's slicker than a Gordon Gekko coif.

America Give Up is a fantastically-promising debut album full of charm and potential. So, until the Strokes release their next masterpiece or pack it in altogether, enjoy this bunch of upbeat, tousle-haired tunes.

While there's certainly something to be said for BestCoast's paeans to the utopian side of life near the Pacific, the subtle shifts in Cosentino's songwriting are best experienced when the rays of sunshine are muted.

Neck of the Woods may not be album of the year material, but it's the best album in this band's catalog by a long shot.

Surely the best album (so far) of 2012.

There's a strong sense of pop hooks all over and with a rock vibe that is both heavily-induced and rendered, Segall and Presley have delivered a terrific debut.

Orcas, stays in the same zone [gauzy ambient folk], but edges closer to the sublime and harrowing atmospheres more associated with Irisarri.

Bloom is as fetching a record as any in Beach House's growing canon of work.

Absolutely stunning... One HUGE startling success.

With amps that are allowed to breathe with static and reverb, drums that clatter against a harsh delivery and with vocals that are unhinged and undeterred, the 'raw' adjective is a fitting superlative.

The way the EP grows from song to song--with a seamless flow inherently added midway through creation--Silent Hour/Golden Mile never ceases to impress.