Pussy Riot: CYKA review – debut album from iconic Russian agitators is let down by blunt-force EDM

On a disappointing record helmed by co-founder Nadya Tolokonnikova, corny guitars and generically moody synths undermine the activist group’s political acuity

Drake: Iceman / Maid of Honour / Habibti review – ​triple-album comeback is a boring, bloated disaster

It’s possible that the world’s biggest rapper is using this epic content drop to get out of his record deal, but aside from some bright spots on Iceman, should the public really be subjected to it?

Olof Dreijer: Loud Bloom review – the Knife star’s debut solo album is a garden of earthly delights

On a floral-themed LP, squiggling melodies and quizzical distortion banish the winter gloom Dreijer brought to the Knife and his tracks with Fever Ray

Kneecap: Fenian review – their new album is terrific, triumphant yet tortured

With strong words for Keir Starmer, the Irish rave-rap trio remain unbowed by the controversy around them – and yet this is a more ruminative record than you might expect

Serokolo 7: Maramfa Musick Pro review – South Africa’s latest club export is a relentless adrenaline shot

Reinvigorating the South African mapanta subgenre, producer Serokolo 7 blends folk vocal melodies with seething 180bpm rhythms, creating a barrage of sound

Jessie Ware: Superbloom review – Table Manners host dishes up more disco – but where are the bangers?

The podcaster’s third sequin-festooned album in a row is her most retro, with its slightly cringe moments balanced by unerring quality control and opulent arrangements

Fcukers: Ö review – hyped Harry Styles-supporting NYC hedonists have the hooks to merit the hoopla

The duo’s snotty nonchalance may capture the post-Brat zeitgeist, but their true appeal lies in a talent for turning vintage dance influences into pointed modern pop

Raye: This Music May Contain Hope review – a wildly ambitious epic of unbridled self-expression

Almost overstuffed with musical ideas, the singer’s second studio album can be self-indulgent and messy, but it’s a heartfelt and exuberant grand statement from an artist determined to go her own way

Golden Plains 2026 review – Basement Jaxx turn a regional farm into a surreal and heaving club

With standout sets from Cut Copy, Marlon Williams and Water From Your Eyes, the cult favourite Victorian music festival has become the hottest ticket in town

Grace Jones review – chaos, nudity and endless costume changes: the disco legend’s show has it all

The 77-year-old is one of our greatest living performers, doing sit-ups, hula-hooping and even flashing the audience – but her rich voice is the true revelation

Raye review – dazzling display of range from old-school Vegas to Euro-dance

Switching from noirish drama to funk stomps, neo-soul to showgirl glamour, this is a big, bold show from a singer who has entered her ‘dramatic era’

Fred Again review – guest-heavy homecoming for the golden boy of UK dance is an eclectic triumph

Following a six-night stint in NYC, Fred Gibson returns to London for a brilliant, five-hour melange of his own tracks and wildly energising guest-star mini-sets

Harry Styles: Aperture review – a joyous, quietly radical track made for hugging strangers on a dancefloor

Styles is wonderfully loose and unhurried on the lead single to his new album, taking a bold path away from the rest of today’s mainstream pop

Jamiroquai review – hat-sporting acid jazz superstars are slick but lack substance

The novelty headgear tally is high and frontman Jay Kay is in impressive voice – but strong material is smothered by polished playing and flashy production

End of the Road review – from industrial rackets to pristine folk, festivals don’t get more varied or vital

Full of warmth despite the rain, highs include Mexico City experimentalists Titanic and Vermont songwriter Lily Seabird’s gorgeously open-hearted voice