Sound Check - Best Albums May

The albums we can’t stop talking about in April

With summer release season beginning to ramp up, May delivered one of the toughest Sound Checks of the year so far. Separating the top four proved almost impossible, with each of them deserving a place at the summit for different reasons. In the end, the rankings came down to little more than what I found myself returning to most over the past month. From politically charged Irish hip-hop to nostalgic garage rock and gothic murder ballads, there was no shortage of variety.

1. Kneecap – FENIAN

I couldn't escape the draw of this album all month. Going into the final rankings I genuinely had four records competing for the top spot, but I didn't fully commit to FENIAN finishing first until I walked into my aunt's house at the weekend and heard it blasting through the speakers, I realised that if Irish political rap can span this far it must be truly special.

FENIAN feels like Kneecap's most complete record to date. The group somehow manage to capture all the chaos, energy and frustration of the last year and package it into a record that never loses sight of being incredible. One minute they're delivering rave-ready bangers that hit with the intensity of Justice, the next they're leading politically charged rallying cries without missing a beat. The production is phenomenal throughout and the lyrics remain as sharp and quotable as ever. It's bold, angry, funny and manages to highlight their recent infamy without overdoing it

2. Iceage – For Love of Grace & the Hereafter

I'll admit it, I'd never listened to Iceage before their publicist put this record in front of me. A few listens later and I was completely hooked.

The Danish band's latest effort feels like a rawer, more approachable take on garage rock and roll. There's a nostalgia running through the album that immediately grabbed me, particularly on tracks like Star and No Fear. Despite the rough edges, everything feels purposeful and genuine. It's the kind of record that makes you want to go back and dig through an artist's entire catalogue, which is usually the highest compliment I can give.

3. Luvcat – Lovebites

Luvcat's Lovebites is a short but beautifully cohesive collection of gothic murder ballads, packed with romance, drama and dark humour. Across just four tracks she continues building one of the most distinctive worlds in alternative music right now. Check out our full review for more.

Genesis Owusu is incredibly unlucky to miss out on the top three this month. Redstar Wu & the Worldwide Scourge is a wildly creative record that bounces effortlessly between hip-hop, funk, punk and dance music without ever feeling disjointed. It's one of the most original releases of the year so far and captures a carefree energy that is super compelling. Best track is the charging and amped up “STAMPEDE”.

Basement's long-awaited return WIRED sits somewhere between comeback record and reinvention. The band haven't completely abandoned the grungy, emotionally charged sound that made them favourites in the first place, but there's a confidence and maturity here that stops it feeling like a nostalgia exercise. It doesn't quite reach the heights of their best work, but after eight years away it's an impressive return that rewards repeat listens.

aespa's LEMONADE surprised me the most. I expected another fairly standard K-pop release, but instead found a mature and confidently written pop record that occasionally feels closer to Beyoncé than many of its contemporaries. The All-American Rejects returned with Sandbox, delivering one of the most fun albums of the month. The opening stretch is packed with upbeat, catchy pop-punk that feels tailor-made for summer house parties, even if the record loses a little momentum in its second half. American Football's LP4 will undoubtedly find plenty of fans, but the band's trademark slow-burning emo sound simply didn't connect with me. The songwriting is thoughtful and well-crafted, but I found myself struggling to stay engaged throughout. Finally, Drake's ICEMAN rounds out the list. It's not a terrible record but its certainly not worth much time compared to the quality elsewhere this month, which makes its chart success all the more baffling.

Check in on our rolling top 50 album list to see where these shake out compared to the last 12 months of releases.