Listen to Spiritualized's Sweet Heart Sweet Light: album stream

On Friday you'll be able to read an exclusive Guardian interview with Jason Pierce in which he talks about the treacherous circumstances behind Spiritualized's seventh album, Sweet Heart Sweet Light. Treacherous because Pierce discovered he had liver disease shortly before making the record. Being something of a pharmaceutical explorer, Pierce agreed to test new drugs to treat the condition – and the album was made while he was housebound and mending his liver with experimental medicine. Last year I visited Pierce's house to hear him play the album through his laptop. He was in the final stages of mixing it (although it seems he's since spent a lot of time tweaking it, perfectionist that he is) and was possibly going stir crazy, having barely left the house in months. The finished product, however, sounds incredible to our ears. It's definitely one that grows after a few plays – I first heard it when Spiritualized premiered the whole thing, from start to finish, at the Royal Albert Hall back in October but now it sounds even more magnificent. In fact, it could be the best Spiritualized album since Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space. Do you agree? Have a listen and let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.