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REVIEWS MUSIC

Didirri Caught in the Act

Hozier Unreal Unearth A perfect mixture of yearning

FEATURE ARTIST

Stirring, sweeping, and offering a stunning display of Didirri's vocal talent, Caught in the Act lays bare what we have always known: Didirri is a singularly rare and gently marvellous Australian talent. Caught in the Act is reminiscent of Boy and Bear, constantly driving for the that perfect harmony just on the horizon. This is a record for early mornings spent watching the cotton candy light of the hot sun creeping over the hill. Wondrous, soft, and perpetually idyllic, Didirri is at his best here, smoothly welcoming you into the embrace of his love-struck lullabies. (Liberation) Jacqui Picone

soliloquies of love, complex loss, and surprising interjections of funk, Hozier continues to stomp on our hearts while daring us to dance. Across the Irish artist's new album, protracted pianos ebb and flow between his remarkable vocals, which while beautiful, are also singularly and peculiarly haunting. Hozier is never afraid to allow moments of silence to act as critical keystones in the record itself, and leaves us consistently hanging on to every hint of a note. Stirring, sultry, and something like the occultist foil to Florence + the Machine's latest offering, Hozier continues to tempt demons and play with his audience's fascination with tragedy on his third, and unquestionably best, record. (Sony) Jacqui Picone

Taylor Swift Speak Now (Taylor's Version) There’s a naivete and true sense of youth that colours all the lyrical work on Taylor Swift's third album, 2010's Speak Now, of a kind which we haven't seen from the singer-songwriter since the record’s original release. Now that she has revisited this piece of work sounding stronger and more assured, it’s impossible not to be profoundly aware of just how young she was when Speak Now was written.

One of Swift’s strongest abilities is to let a moment linger, let a note hang in the air a beat longer, and to let the listener truly absorb the picture she's painting. With over a decade more experience and the confidence of age, her vocals act as a truly powerful shot of adrenaline to Speak Now 's songs, creating tangible and technicolour stories that feel far more real and impactful than they did 13 years ago when sung by somebody just beginning to find their feet. To be able to revisit your 20-year-old self – to analyse your experiences, remember how it felt to transition into adulthood, and to feel catharsis as you forgive yourself for your mistakes and celebrate the moments of joy – is a gift rarely afforded in life, but it's one Taylor Swift doesn't take for granted. Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) , like all the artist's thoughtful and reverent recreations, is a delightful and commanding improvement on an already beautifully vulnerable record. (Universal) Jacqui Picone

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