Deeply cohesive, conceptual and considered. Controlled while still being unexpected. Comforting within confines, placing a new level of distance and boundaries between her personal life and her fans as she focusses on feelings over stories.

It’s rare that an artist peaks twice in their career, but ‘Virgin’ accelerates to equal climaxes which it was widely, and wrongly, assumed only fan favourite album ‘Melodrama’ could reach.

This is an album that further cements their legacy and feels like it captures elements from across their 20-year career into something wholly new and exciting.

Although the album is full of brilliance, album opener ‘Marina’ stands headstrong above the others in terms of scope and grandeur, a dirty distorted guitar solo coupled with an African style instrumental and tribal chorusing sees ‘Fever’ go from commendable to a masterpiece.

The great just gets greater.

This album, though, is not a story of what might have been but never was; it is a picturesque view of what happens when a monumental level of care and attention is put into a project. It is a wonderfully constructed success.

On Shangri La he has captured everything cleanly and sparsely to really let Jake’s storytelling shine. The resulting exposure makes for a mature and remarkable album.

Some of the riffs are quite incredible ('A More Perfect Union'), and the general effect of the whole album is that the listener will want to weep and dance simultaneously. Simply brilliant.

By working with a producer who sought him out and by letting the songs lead the way, he has delivered a timeless album.

Tthese songs are as focussed, refined and honed as anything Spencer has ever done, yielding some of his most infectious guitar lines and arguably some of the finest tracks of his lengthy career.

Every track gives you something new and exciting, while holding tightly on to Emilíana’s flawless voice and melodies.

Heavy is the Head absolutely hits it out of the park. It’s the same winning mix of grime bangers and radio friendly singing as last time, but, crucially, it’s better at making sure they work together on the same project. 16 tracks might seem like a lot, but when almost every one is a classic, it’s so hard to care.

Passion is a puzzling thing, expressed in myriad manners. But it can never be fabricated, and Ought’s heated brand of it is amongst the most bracing sounds anyone can encounter in 2014.

V is the record that has finally given The Horrors a set identity. Perfecting every element they did so well on their four previous records, V is a pure and unadulterated celebration of The Horrors.

Not only is ‘I Came From Love’ the best album that Okumu has released but it’s one of the finest albums of the year so far.

A commanding and sincerely fascinating listen that stands tall in a catalogue already awash with magic.

This is a record that, fittingly, rewards the repeat listener as its impact evolves.

Ultimately 'Under~Between' is the work of an artist serious about his music without being a Serious Musician.

This sophomore LP does a bit of everything, but this time around feels more refined, consistent and polished: exactly what a follow up should be. And on a label roster saturated with enormous amounts of talent, Rina Sawayama is making a pretty good claim to being the ruler.

‘Living Human Treasure’ is a wonderfully exciting and enjoyable album. Italia 90 have and axe to grind and grind it they do.

It’s not clear if this is to be the last instalment of the man on the moon franchise, but what is clear is that Kid Cudi is back on track, and with this release, has made his best solo album to date.

This music really doesn't need any window dressing because it's as good a collection of songs as she has put her name to in ten years.

'R.I.P.' is both an update on the bass explorations of restless Britain and perhaps a timeless thesaurus of blistered tones and ideas that younger producers will beg, borrow and steal from for years to come.

‘Melt My Eyez See The Future’ finds Denzel Curry sitting in a lane of his own. A unique, unified experience, it’s a boundary-less work of endless fascination.

An enchanting listen, her world-building remains absolutely undimmed on this triumphant, bewitching project.

DIIV have refined their brooding vibe and produced as gorgeous a record as you’ll hear this year.

It doesn’t challenge expectation, but equally it does nothing, puts nary a single step wrong, to risk their reputation as a preeminent act of their kind, and of our times.

It’s Buzzcocks-goes-Daniel Johnston, with a little Guided By Voices on the side, erudite and desperate, and everything mentioned above and yet a lot, lot more. And it’s a pleasure to share it, and them, with you.