Elbow

You can pretty much say anything in a Mancunian accent and still sound ridiculously relaxed. Whether trapped in a well or angrily protesting a crossbow injury the likelihood is that you’ll sound like you’re reclining on a lush Caribbean beach. The bluesy ‘Grounds For Divorce’ is an absolute thunderous monster of a track with a riff the size of the Grand Canyon and synths so chunky we’re not sure if we’re listening to them or wading through them. The serene vocals float effortlessly alongside creating an effect that is simultaneously stadium-filling and gloriously understated. Exceptional.

Rebecca Robinson