The Smiths - Hand In Glove (1983)

The Smiths’ first ever single was a wonderful demonstration of everything the band was about. Doomed love, working-class defiance, jangly guitars and general despair; it’s all right here.

The Dø - Both Ways Open Jaws (2011)

7/10

Does originality really matter so much?

In the current music scene, the quickest way for an artist to get noticed is by bringing something new to the table. It’s pretty much impossible to whip up something completely unheard of, from a musical tabula rasa, but even a new twist on an older idea or an amalgamation of older influences feels fresh.

Lana Del Rey - Born To Die

5/10

I didn't want to like this at all, but...

Even before the release of her debut album, Lana Del Rey had taken a lot of criticism. While it’s probably fair to say that she’s not the most natural of live performers, many of the snipes aimed in her direction haven’t really focused on her music. Which, in fact, isn’t all that bad.

L-Vis 1990 - Neon Dreams (2011)

7/10


Sparkling debut LP which occasionally crosses the line between eclectic and unfocused

L-Vis 1990 certainly doesn’t hold back with his first full-length album. Among the styles which can be seen to influence Neon Dreams are house, electro, ‘90s dance, UK funky and the bass music scene which L-Vis seems to be lumped into right now. So how do these elements combine over a 56-minute record?

Emmy The Great & Tim Wheeler - This Is Christmas (2011)

5/10   

I’ll be honest. When it comes to Christmas music, I’m something of a Scrooge. With this year’s main festive entries coming courtesy of the likes of Bieber and Bublé, can you really blame me?

So I was highly surprised to learn that an artist who I’ve keenly followed over the last few years, Emmy The Great, was releasing a Christmas album with her significant other, Tim Wheeler of Ash. Just to add to the romance, they began work on the album last year while trapped inside by snow, aww... As much as you’d like them to succeed with their first (and surely not last) collaborative effort, it doesn’t exactly scream potential masterpiece.

Kito & Reija - Sweet Talk EP (2011)

7/10  

Aussie duo bring some very palatable dub-pop

The dubstep scene isn’t exactly flush with female producers, but Perth-based Kito created such a stir with her early work that she attracted the attention Skream, signing to his Disfigured Dubz label. She teams up with singer Reija Lee to bring us Sweet Talk, a four-track release with as much emphasis on the sweet-as-sugar vocals as the impact of the bass kick.

Lupe Fiasco - Lasers (2011)

Lupe’s latest offering sees him become his own worst nightmare

Lupe Fiasco has made a name for himself as the alternative voice of modern hip hop. In a genre inherently afflicted with inflated bravado, here was a geeky skater kid from Chicago writing the sort of socially and politically conscious rap which is being pushed further underground. But despite having two successful and acclaimed albums under his belt, Atlantic Records seemed to have felt that they could give a boost to their artist’s sales and radio play.