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Review: Andre 3000s 87-minute flute epic makes it onto a double CD courtesy of Sony. One of the most intriguing, enveloping and therapeutic LPs of 2023, New Blue Sun sees the Outkast veteran drop the mic in favour of myriad flutes, both digital and acoustic, creating a loose, patient album which sounds somewhat like the lovechild of Jon Hassell and Ras G. The whimsically named tracks unfold in a languid dream sequence, feeling improvised but focused, sparse yet dense, and deeply emotive throughout. 3000's far-from-virtuosic flute performances add to the charm and unpredictability of the album, and ensure that the overwhelmingly gentle music doesn't veer too far into vapid new-agery. One for yer pensive off-days!

Review: After an extended hiatus of nigh-on five years, Vampire Weekend has finally got around to recording a new album. Only their third studio set in total, Only God Was Above Us sees the trio muse on the weight of history - their own as much as anything else - while fretting about what lies ahead for the human race. Musically, much of what's on offer is densely layered and impressively loud, with loads of intricate musical detail (check the jazz horns and mad stereo panning of 'Classical' and the string-laden, White Album-era Beatles nostalgia of 'Capricorn') working in unison with their attractive, harmonic, saucer-eyed vocals. It's a bit of a triumph all told and one that proves that there's plenty of life yet in Vampire Weekend.

Review: Birmingham metal behemoths Judas Priest make their illustrious return on LP number 19; Invincible Shield. Serving as follow up to 2018's frenetic yet direct Firepower, the material this time around promises to hark back to the more loose, proggy edges of classic 70s cuts such as 'Sinner', whilst simultaneously eschewing the more grandiose experimentation found on the likes of 2008's symphonic Nostradamus. In essence, it's a victory lap of almost every sonic avenue the band have torn through during their multiple decades long tenure and although plagued by pandemic-related delays which then morphed into touring/scheduling conflicts, the six-year wait has been beyond worth it. Riffs = Check. Leather = Check. Rob Halford's sky-piercing vocals = Double Check.

Review: Having previously successfully turned her hand to house and disco - many of our top pop performers have always been shapeshifting musical magpies (hello Madonna) - Beyonce Knowles Carter has now delved into the world of country music. No doubt you'll be bored of the endless discourse around Cowboy Carter, but that doesn't stop it from being a genuinely good album - a brilliant fusion of neo-soul, r&b and, yes, country music instrumentation that wisely leaves Beyonce's incredible voice front and centre. There are some genuinely notable covers - see her takes on the Beatles 'Blackbird' and Dolly Parton's 'Jolene' (featuring an introduction from her Dollyness) stand out - but the most striking songs are by and large her own work. For proof, see 'American Requiem', 'Most Wanted' (with Miley Cyrus), 'Sweet Honey Buckin' (with Shaboozy) and 'Tyrant'.

Review: There's been rather a lot of noise about Jaguar II, Victoria Monet's much-delayed full-length follow up to 2021's Jaguar mini-album. The hype is, in many ways, understandable - it did recently scoop the 'Best R&B Album' award at the GRAMMYs. More importantly, it's also very good, with the decorated songwriter-turned-pop star confidently serving up retro-futurist gems who's punchy 21st century r&b beats come cloaked in musical motifs that frequently offer nods to black American music of the 1970s, 80s and early 90s. The plentiful highlights include Lucky Daye hook-up 'Smoke', the dancehall-fired excellence of 'Party Girls' (featuring Buju Banton), the Fugees-esque beauty of 'How Does It Make You Feel', and the glossy disco-soul dreaminess of 'Hollywood', where her young daughter Hazel and Earth, Wind and Fire both play starring roles.

Review: Fresh from high-profile collaborative sets with Metro Boomin (2020's Savage Mode) and Drake (2022's Her Loss), 21 Savage has finally delivered a new solo set for the first time in six years. We say solo set; as is the way with blockbuster hip-hop and r&b albums, the set contains a strong cast list - Metro Boomin, Doja Cat, Travis Scott and Young Blud included - while thematically it offers insight into the UK-born, Atlanta-based MC's journey across the pond and eventual rise to stardom. His rhymes are more honest and "real" than ever before, while the luxurious and expansive musical backdrops combine punchy trap beats with carefully selected samples, sweeping orchestration, and the kind of big-studio production associated with rap and r&b's most high-profile artists.