Destroyer: Dan’s Boogie review – darkness haunts a gorgeous ruined palace of a record

Frightening fates await the protagonists of Dan Bejar’s 14th album, but the mercurial Canadian’s perspective and lavish instrumentation are a reminder of beauty’s potential

Lucy Dacus: Forever Is a Feeling review – Boygenius singer turns timidly tasteful

The Virginia songwriter gets lost in understatement on a loved-up album about her relationship with bandmate Julien Baker, shrouding sharp lyrics in shy melodies

Throwing Muses: Moonlight Concessions review – as ever, Kristin Hersh is astonishing

For their 11th album in a nearly 40-year career, the alt-rockers switch focus to acoustic guitars and cello – but their tumultuous tales are still charged with elemental power

Ichiko Aoba: Luminescent Creatures review – nurturing music for bleak times

The cult Japanese singer-songwriter’s new album, inspired by the Ryukyu islands, is like a powerfully soothing sound bath

Bartees Strange: Horror review – frustratingly timid genre-mashing experiment

With producer-to-the-stars Jack Antonoff on board, the anarchic American rocker offers glimpses of inspiration but fails to follow through

Horsegirl: Phonetics On and On review – a minimalist indiepop masterpiece

With Cate Le Bon as producer, the Chicago indie trio’s second album is a quantum leap, full of poignant restraint and lyrical clarity

Hamish Hawk review – Jarvis Cocker-esque Scot shows why he’s at the edge of the big time

Also channelling Elvis and Scott Walker, the charismatic singer’s character softens as he moves from bold songs from latest album A Firmer Hand to older tracks

Biig Piig: 11:11 review – long-awaited debut hovers on the edge of clubland

Switching between English and Spanish vocals, Irish singer-songwriter Jess Smyth’s genre-hopping set feels most at home in the quieter moments

The Brian Jonestown Massacre review – psych-rock survivors play it safe

Anton Newcombe and co rummage through the rock history books, but lack the danger and unpredictability their reputation was built on

Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy: The Purple Bird review – Will Oldham goes country, but darkly

Recorded in Nashville, the American outlier’s latest is concerned with the state of the nation and more, though there’s mischief in there too

Sharon Van Etten and the Attachment Theory album review – going goth to confront our grim world

Fronting a brand new band, the singer-songwriter dives into the dark side, with confusion and foreboding creeping through 80s moods, big choruses and fine melodies

Mogwai: The Bad Fire review – noise stalwarts’ journey into hell is unexpectedly heavenly

(Rock Action)While old-school fans may lament their softening, the Glasgow band swap rage for refuge as they face personal strife – and their 30th anniversary

Lambrini Girls: Who Let the Dogs Out review – stomps straight to the top of British punk’s table

Championed by Iggy Pop and riot grrrl royalty, the Brighton duo pile on the jagged riffs, scabrous humour and swearing for their politically charged debut

Franz Ferdinand: The Human Fear review – stiffness sets in on stodgy sixth

Alex Kapranos and co are finally acting their age, but have lost their cool in the process

Lauren Mayberry: Vicious Creature review – a solo statement of intent

The Chvrches singer’s debut album skips from punk to pop, wilfully unbothered about current notions of cool