FEVER RAY (London Troxy, 20/03/18)

Karin Dreijer may have built a reputation as an unknowable ice-queen, but tonight's show, reflecting her embrace of queer polyamory, is at turns intense, raunchy, dynamic and political- and most of all, a hell of a lot of fun. Plus, that bit where everyone bellowed *that* line from "To The Moon And Back" in unison was hilarious.

ANNA VON HAUSSWOLFF (London Dome, 12/03/18)

There's acts that sound like the Apocalypse, and then there's Anna Von Hausswolff. Having shifted gothwards from Kate Bush to "Dark Elf Sigur Ros", her set was so relentlessly intense, it may well have distorted space-time.

THE HOLD STEADY (London Electric Ballroom, 09/03/18)

A raucous, exultant and extremely sweaty set of almost Springsteenian proportions, the Hold Steady no longer have anything left to prove, except that they're still the best goddamn bar-band in the whole damn world.

SUPERORGANISM (London Oval Space, 08/03/18)

The East London-based collective are essentially MGMT/Architecture In Helsinki for the Snapchat generation, but their ramshackle, technicolour aesthetic (both visually and aurally) proves a winning, winsome prospect.

GWENNO (London Rough Trade East, 05/03/18)

What better way to spend St Piran's Day by singing along to a Cornish-language indie-pop ditty about cheese, and the acquisition thereof? Gwenno's melding of traditional Celtic tongues with 21st century synths may sound gimmicky on paper, but it's all pretty "bryntin" as she might say.

AURORA (London Hoxton Hall, 27/02/18)

Thing I love most about Norway's most exciting export is that her elvish eccentricity isn't an act- in between soaring gothic balladry, she holds court about her constantly runny nose, or reveals a vein of unexpectedly dark humour. Of course, her electifying stage presence and stunning talent contributes to the charm somewhat, especially on triumphant set closer "Conqueror".

FRANZ FERDINAND (London Brixton Academy, 24/02/18)

The Mid-Noughties British indie-rock scene is often (and fairly) remembered as the musical equivalent of a Smirnoff Ice, but I still have a lot of time for the angular riffs and synchronised starjumps of Franz Ferdinard, whose first album tracks sound as fresh as they ever did.

SON LUX (London Scala, 20/02/18)

Subtle, sensuous and sophisticated, Son Lux are one of the most technically dazzling live acts of our generation, and although I've seen the band on even more formidable form, tonight still regularly sent shivers down our collective spines.

THE GO! TEAM (London Electric Ballroom, 15/02/18)

The Go! Team's kaleidoscopic, "kids-TV-show-through-a-vintage-filter" schtick could well have gone stale a long time ago, but the effervescent glee that permeates every part of the enterprise is simply impossible to resist. Wonderful.

JEN CLOHER (London Dome, 13/02/18)

Courtney Barnett's other half may not quite rival her for lo-fi wryness, but Jen Cloher's no-nonsense alt-rock balladry stands tall on its own charismatic merits.

THIS IS NOT THIS HEAT (London Cafe Oto, 10/02/18)

Review: HERE

EZRA FURMAN (London Lexington, 07/02/18)

Retro-revivalism is out, socially-charged alt-rock concerning fugitive angels is in - but regardless of the tenor of his current mode of being, Ezra Furman remains one of the most incisive, dynamic and downright superb singer-songwriters of our era.

MICHAEL ROTHER (London Jazz Cafe, 06/02/18)

Mesmerising motorik soundscapes from the Krautrock veteran, whose enchanting guitar tones stave off monotony far longer than science should allow.

LIIMA (London Oslo, 02/02/18)

Not sure I'll ever love neo-Efterklang quite as much as the ethereal original, but the joy Casper, Rasmus and Mads bring to a room by their mere presence is a remarkable and beautiful thing.

OUMOU SANGARE (London Roundhouse, 31/01/18)

Review: HERE

AK/DK (London Birthdays, 24/01/18)

Holy Fuck's nerdy transatlantic cousins. Synths and drums and a whole load of awesome.

NERVOUS CONDITIONS (London Old Blue Last, 23/01/18)

For a brief, beautiful moment, Nervous Conditions were the most exciting band in the UK- a seething maelstrom of avant-garde influences exuding wide-eyed menace underpinned with inexorable grooves. Then it turned out their lead singer was a wrong 'un and they (rightly) disbanded. At least we had this show as a testament to what might have been...

MYRKUR (London St John On Bethnal Green, 22/01/18)

A beguiling evening of traditional Nordic folk from black metal artiste Amalie Bruun, who implausibly managed to entice three hundred neckbeards into a House of God.

STARCRAWLER (London Omeara, 18/01/18)

A "subtle" start to the 2018 gig schedule courtesy of the Elton John-endorsed psych rockers, whose flailing guitars, fake blood and flamboyant stage presence were more over-the-top than the Battle of the Somme.