Miss Universe is an intimate record full of personal fears and emotions, but these are of wider, universal relevance. They should resonate with us all.

Subversive, non-conformist and melodious, this record has the credentials of a classic rock and roll album. The decision to take a radical approach only works for the few, the possession of ammunition that’s needed to master such a challenge is not for anyone. Fontaines D.C. have it.

An unconventional masterpiece.

What is disarming about ‘ICONOCLASTS’ then is this level of earnestness, von Hausswolff’s cutting self-exploration. Here, she doesn’t hide behind imposing aural architecture or bookish mythology (though, there’s still plenty of both). Instead, she wrestles with loss, faith, and love – mature, deeply universal themes that her earlier oeuvre sometimes obscured.

The record is the most realised and singularly minded vision yet from the Moor Mother project, a documentation of venomous rage, yes, but also one in search of a means of escape, one found through the redemptive power of community.

A sensational record, ‘for you who are the wronged’ burns with a fire though quiet is righteously undimmed; poetic, and explicitly emotional, it’s a challenging yet enriching experience.

The invisible presence of Donna Summer, Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone, Diana Ross, and other goliaths of the so-called Motown sound is felt in every track here, in every scratch of the tape. Yet, Cottrill managed to completely rebuild these genres for herself, almost inventing a new one.

After the delicate beauty of previous albums, this is the sound of an artist unleashed.

Boarding House Reach is easily one of the most layered and compelling releases of 2018, which furthers White’s legacy as one of the few remaining mavericks in music.

An early contender for album of the year.

These songs may be scorched with an unavoidable yearning quality, but they find her standing at a new creative peak: ‘The Gypsy Faerie Queen’, co-written with Nick Cave, might rank among the best songs either have written, while ‘Born To Live’, her piano-led paean to departed lifelong friend Anita Pallenberg, speaks of our corporeal impermanence with a calm but unswervingly frank honesty.

If there are fans who aren’t into this solo album, that’s OK, you still have his 2006 ‘Solo Guitar’ album to listen to, but for those of us who are into ‘White Roses, My God’ there is plenty to engage with. Grief has never sounded so captivating.

For most of its running time, you won’t want to move anywhere, either. Maybe don’t stay that way forever, but frequent returns to Ruins in the coming years are guaranteed.

On the strength of this ballsy behemoth of sound, they're easily holding onto that crown while adding yet another shining jewel. 'Hushed And Grim' is a reminder of what makes the band so beloved while boldly stepping into a new chapter. They've never sounded so good.

Jazz-heavy, experimental but rooted in beats, Migration plays with your emotions in a way that befits a post-break up period--and is yet another fine offering from the Ninja Tune mainstay.

Fiona Apple on a career of highs might just have produced her finest work yet. An album that we will surely look to as a cultural text, with its cutting commentary of contemporary culture and its feminist narratives.

It's predictably brilliant; another display of Dear's dazzling musical imagination.

Raw artistry paired with rich heritage makes for a magnificent, spine-tingling first album for Rina Sawayama.

‘God Don’t Make Mistakes’ is a stunning, multi-faceted achievement.

A strong, engaging return to form, Mechanical Bull is made to ride. Strap in and enjoy.

Amongst the army of incredible contributors, all unified by melancholic production drawn from the ether of another age, David Lynch's star shimmers brightest.

Four is an accessible album, filled with heavy questions about what love really means, posed through sensitive and dramatic arrangements.

An unassuming and bewitching masterpiece.

We're New Here is a psychedelic atlas with which we can all sonically voyage upon. A great way to start the year.

Fragile yet utterly destructive, this wolf in sheep’s clothing will hurl you five ways and leave you hovering over a bleak abyss. In a great way, obviously.

In its relentless fixation upon youth Light Upon The Lake seems to have stumbled across the timeless.

A cohesive, immersive listen that heartily repays repeated listens.

It’s a multi-faceted and mature second album from an artist that a lot of people wrongly assumed could only work in one narrow lane.