Its delicacy and sentimentality may strike a cheesy note on first listen, but Post-Tropical is a definite grower.

His use of simile and metaphor is questionable but with an irrepressible energy and guest vocal spots from Kelly Rowland (Invincible) and Ellie Goulding (Wonderman) on top of three top five hits, this Peckham born rapper might just have made the most fun pop album of the year.

A work of real refinement, ‘The Great White Sea Eagle’ is peppered with jewels.

The unconventional twists and turns of My Love Is Cool makes Wolf Alice one of the most exciting new bands around.

Across its 12 tracks, ‘Good Riddance’, is a deeply confessional offering, with decadent melodies and production that platform her distinctive vocal.

This sophomore release is a brave and stunning progression that now solidifies the statement that this group can grow past 2011 without going stale.

Despite being less hit-filled than previous works, ‘Piss In The Wind’ is potentially the most authentic Joji project to date, a scenic route through every facet of his sonic and auditory identity.

‘Cooler Returns’ displays a keen eye for observation – both grand and quaint – as its myriad of tracks cohere together through a bond of musical influences old and new to form an album that’s invitingly optimistic, while also displaying intricacy and craftiness in abundance.

‘Only You Left’ is another fine record from the Manchester-based trio. It is worth the four-year wait, showing their evolution as a group in that time, building on existing sounds and incorporating an array of different genres while still feeling familiar.

This new full-length suggests that while Nedry haven't quite found their way there yet, the journey should be fascinating.

Unpredictable it may be. Biffy Clyro it definitely is, and its uplifting and optimism hook the perfect catharsis for a year that’s been nothing short of terrible.

And The Anonymous Nobody is still an impressive new installment in what has been a largely-unblemished career run.

A welcome reminder that Lambchop are just as vital as they’ve ever been.

It’s one of their strongest of the 2020s and across their 25-year career.

‘Companion Rises’ is an easy listen and utterly gorgeous with it.

They've escaped the dirge and have now come up for air--and we're all the better for it.

Closer ‘SMILE’ drops the noise, and embraces beauty; the lilting guitars are pinned down by a dulcet vocal, with Rico’s tender singing voice resonates with beauty. Leaving fans on a softer note, she shows true bravery, and no small degree of self-acceptance.

A strong project from Fredo who shows how to be successful by sticking to your own sound. The production of this album is perfect with the choice of beats getting better as the album progresses.

The band promised that they weren’t going to play it safe with this record, and it seems to have paid off.

An ever-shifting, yet cohesive addition to a stacked discography, this new album may surprise listeners at first – but will ultimately sit as a pivotal, guiding light in the music of Toro y Moi.

It’s testament to JME’s influence that he’s able to pull in such heavy hitters, but also to his talents on the mic that he’s never overshadowed.

Bold, immersive, and not easy to pin down, Interview Music affords Idlewild the space to find renewal in new ideas, a record driven by conviction, collaboration and the urge towards communication.

Hot Sauce Committee Part Two is probably the third best Beastie Boys album ever made. And that is not a pejorative. Boggle!

Think ‘Step Up’ from ‘Blue Songs’, developed full-length.

This is an easy album to lose yourself in, but a difficult project to truly grasp. 19 songs, almost a full hour of music, a glimpse into a psyche that is frequently dominated by darkness; ‘Since I Have A Lover’ is 6LACK’s crowning statement.

It is a tremendous debut and the quality is beyond question.

Whilst it might not be as immediately stunning as the mix of luscious synth pop and alternate universe James Bond themes on that album [Red Moon In Venus], she still shines on this record, code-switching between English and Romance and beat-switching between sultry R&B and sunny Latin party pop.

III is definitely a progression for her as an artist. The more upbeat tracks are interspersed among softer, more delicate, heartfelt ones that represent the duality of her personality and also increase its replay value.

It’s an accomplished record that leans into the familiar with flourishes of exciting new textures that make it a constantly engaging listen with plenty to unpack.

Passionate and reflective, ‘We Are Love’ captures a band rooted in experience and brimming with creative renewal.

If this is post-rock, it’s in the purest sense of that prefix: it’s rock that goes beyond expectations for the genre, even while working within its confines, to somewhere that you sense its players aren’t quite accustomed to yet.

It's charming in every way, but still rooted in the pop folk that brought Beth to us in the first place.

Although not his greatest work to date, Oxnard confirms Anderson Paak at the upper echelons of the hip-hop scene.

Ultimately, this album is a timely, much-needed, reminder of the fact that while suffering is inevitable, so is our resilience in the face of hardship.

Megadoze is a singular and esoteric collection of songs. It works equally well when played at an obscene volume to people giddy with excitement or when you are mooching about town and want to get lost in something to take you mind of the mundanity of urban living, or for that quiet and reflective cup of tea when you get in after a big night out.

'Universal Credit' shows great potential, but its drop in momentum in the first half marks it as a project that hasn’t quite lived up to its own standards. Regardless, choice tracks on 'Universal Credit' mark Jeshi as a musician willing to be different and to speak with conviction.

‘SUCKERPUNCH’ sees Chloe Moriondo at their most daring and most confident on what is by far their most creatively impressive album to date.

A hugely impressive achievement, ‘I’ve Been Trying To Tell You’ is technically exquisite, while remaining incredibly difficult to pin down. A project to bathe in, rather than simply enjoy.

‘Only For Dolphins’ is the sound of free-flowing sonic travel, and it’s depiction of Action Bronson in full flight underlines the conception that this is an MC who is back to his peak.

What could be an unholy mess is held together by tight production, hypnotic grooves and some undeniably catchy tunes.

All in all, its a beautiful sign of the times - psychedelic and indie focused in melody, with poignant and important lyrics giving a pulse to an otherwise-relaxed-sounding project.

It is an intriguing interpretation that seems unforgettable, leaving a strong impression of him as an artist and this remarkable album.

A challenging yet continually beautiful project, ‘In These Times’ contains a terrific sense of unity, one that belies the lengthy manner of its gestation. An ode to community, it’s a record that carries a very special charm.

Effervescent, exuberant, wry, but always appealing, ‘Run Rose Run’ displays Dolly’s evergreen storytelling prowess and is a vibrant and compelling body of work.

A relationship breakdown between the band's two founders, singer Nona Marie Invie and producer Marshall LaCount, is laid bare, but with dramatic and beautiful consequences.

A broader, more nuanced experience than 2018 ‘Daytona’, Pusha T still reins in the creativity across the album’s 12 track span. Succinct and finessed, ‘It’s Almost Dry’ is a riveting journey, from first to last.

An exciting and slightly experimental new chapter for the band and their most cohesive release in quite a while. A late-year stunner.

The brilliance of The Getaway is in its subtleties, which define their most intimate and expressive album to date, and suggest that, after 32 years, the Chilis can still keep us guessing.

With the album being centred around the concept of time, ‘Carving The Stone’ feels like it will stand the test of it.

Live, Little Dragon are weapons-grade ace. Now they’ve finally got an album to match.

Plunge through this piece of technical mastery and don't forget to take your shoes off.

Smilewound is delicate, crunchy and as beautiful as the fountainhead of music whence it came.

From the flicks of tousled hair and being pale and away with the fairies, the end product sounds more masterful and comfortingly in control than other fashion zeitgeists and angular pouters with every listen.

The Lion's Roar is full of rich textures that unfurl around Klara and Johanna's bittersweet harmonies.

While seemingly a far cry from much of Cole’s early work. It’s clear that despite the pervading neo-classical influence of the record, what it does share with the rest of his canon is a clear, deft understanding of music that can’t be argued against. At a time when much of the world is forced to stay indoors, 'Madrugada' provides a breath of fresh air.

Rich, detailed, and poetic, Blurry Blue Mountain explores human emotion and the meaning of life like the great writers of old. Gelb has been around a long time, and on the basis of this he will be for a long time to come.

‘Cometa’ is Hakim’s strongest, and most personal, album to date.

She’s past and future, concurrently. With that in mind, the Swedish-Iranian singer may have released one of the definitive breakup records of the year.

While ‘Glowing In The Dark’ isn’t their strongest album to date is it their most accomplished. The wonky fun of their debut has been replaced with slick productions and the songs just sound amazing for it.

Whether performing the fabulously jaunty ‘Man Is An Animal’ or the vituperative anger of the title track, Knox is a truly compelling presence.

Overall, ‘Supernova’ is exactly what it says on the tin - a bright burst of energy that will leave you awe-struck.

‘Sour’ is the sound of a bold talent operating on their own terms – potent in its execution, revealing in its lyricism, it’s a record that finds Olivia Rodrigo effortlessly claiming her status as pop’s newest icon, and one of its bravest voices.

Confident throughout, there’s a sense of Edwyn matching his incredible wealth of experience to the joy of music-making.

A richly melodic, welcomingly melancholic debut.

Aiming to pin down essential emotions in a personal way, ‘Utopian Ashes’ succeeds beyond their imaginations – a crisp, entrancing song cycle, it’s unaffected feel helps it linger long in the memory.

JARV… IS grapple with fresh possibilities in a wry, recognisable, but incredibly fresh way.

Angie Stone’s fifth album, is her strongest to date, as she delivers an LP that effortlessly combines the finest elements of Neo Soul with old-skool R&B.

A curious state of affairs on the surface, this is no empty exercise in muso accomplishment. Lidell’s voice is a thing of wonder, a match for or indeed bettering many of R‘n’B’s mainstream performers.

The whole set is neatly balanced and a joyous listen.

Happiness, for Lana, is a process. This album is a testament to her afresh stability and strength, and shows that hope might be a dangerous woman for a thing like her to have — but she’s finally got it.

More than two decades on, the group’s era-defining work projects the same spellbinding urgency, continually taking guitar music to new places with imagination, force and creativity.

Restless and fast-paced, 'Kids' nurtures critical reflection without compromising humour and a good time. The songs are energetic and energising, a sonic punch right in your face.

Ryley Walker’s approach strips back well-worn truths, to reveal something startling underneath.

‘History Books’ picks up exactly where the band left off, but with a renewed wind in their sails. Big guitars, anthemic singalongs and bruised and bloodied ballads are in no short supply, while Fallon’s existential lyricism reveals a renewed nuance to his songwriting.

No two songs are the same - each one brings something new and tells a melodramatic story to the album. There’s a good mix of more punchy tunes and sweeter tracks, making it a well-rounded record that's been worth the wait.

Kember’s vocals throughout are thoughtful and full of promise for the future, rather than the more recent sombre Spectrum albums. ... At times Sonic Boom feels like a long-lost friend you bump into by chance. He is the same person he was in 1989, but he has also grown a lot too. This comes across in ‘All Things Being Equal’.

‘Loud Without Noise’ is brave in its honest lyricism and empowering in its sound while still paying homage to the angst-fuelled, punk spirit that first grew them a following. It is a nostalgic mixtape that will make you shed your inhibitions, let go of those social anxieties and, at least for the 20 minute duration, feel a complete freedom that you may not have ever felt.

Through turns wholly strange and ambiguous, it’s often unclear where the breadcrumb trail of 'House Of Sugar' is leading us, but it’s a mind-bending trip worth taking nonetheless.

It would be hard to find an album to compete with theirs in regards of modernism or creativeness.

The album is bold, eccentric and proudly rooted in classical South Asian traditions, whilst sounding fresh and accessible at the same time.

It’s a plaintive, poetic, and endlessly endearing return, a sign that the acoustic well, while previously untapped, remains brimming with inspiration.

It’s a staunchly creative gesture, defying the pressure of the outside world for a project which thrives on internal desires, and the power of autobiography at any cost.

‘Find Me’ and ‘Anymore’ channel the danceable charm of ‘Pool’, while the powerful swell of ‘Now The Water’ proves as immersive as its title suggests. By and large, though, The House is marked by a hands-off recording style that dials back on the fine-tuned production of its predecessor.

It sticks in the mind for a good while after and just keeps bringing you back in with fantastic production, brilliant pop songwriting and a central personality as easy to like and support as any on the current music scene.

A record you’re sure to fall hopelessly in love with, its immediacy taps into the endless zen of those long summer days.

This is an absolute treat for fans of rootsy vintage soul and a remarkable statement of intent for a debut release.

If you’re looking for a 3am club techno sound, then this record probably isn’t for you; its delicacy makes rather for an introspective experience.

A surprisingly effective 21st century take on the Seventies singer-songwriter album, with tight band performances from the likes of the Dap-Kings and sympathetic production from the king of the trumpets.

Dense and obtuse it may be but those who follow this most intense sonic explorer will be rewarded the greatest.

It’s a brilliant pick me up, a dazzling set of songs that tap into our innermost impulses. A colourful way to remember those good times, and one that is perfectly prepared for our eventual return to the dance floor.

Reticent yet resplendent, SBTRKT is a master craftsman, humanising the digital and effortlessly shifting the shape of sounds.

The self-confessed non-DJ plays stylishly to the dancefloor's edge, flirting a little with the background before headline interjections from Bok Bok, Untold and 2562 yank you back to centre square.

As ever, this latest window into his psyche prompts as many questions as it provides answers - despite offering his usual warmth and intimacy, he still deftly keeps the listener at bay by retaining a degree of mystery

‘Wish Defense’ is probably FACS’ most fun album.

A fascinating return, ‘Bolted’ is often greyscale in tone and shading; rolling back the physicality of ‘Compassion’, it seems to find Forest Swords revelling in a more minimalist, yet also profoundly empathetic space.

Full Circle might not break any new ground, but with their simple yet thought-provoking approach to songwriting, HÆLOS have crafted one of the best debut albums in 2016 thus far.

Breakin’ Point is a technicolour blur worth your time.

A carefully sculpted project, a level of fluidity and richness stitched together with the highest calibre of performance, production and songwriting. Like Frankenstein and his monster, the commitment to the design and blueprint of this record is incredible; every minute detail, sound, glitch, has been selected with the utmost care by The National.