An album that manages to be poignant and pointed without sacrificing any of its unabashed sparkle, ‘Vicious Creature’ adds even more dimension to the Chvrches singer; a sonic origin story that’s been well worth the wait.

Even as they strain between varying poles, Frigs still manage to find moments of great, if sombre, beauty. That’s not basic at all.

Its follow-up shows a more skilful outfit--it’s unmistakably Hinds, but souped up and more dynamic.

'2:54' is the sound of two Fallen Angels back to steal what's left of your soul; it's sultry, it's mischievous, and it's damn near magnificent.

This album brings innovation just when The Japanese House began to need it, and hopefully points to more creative exploration in the future.

In astrology, Jupiter is usually said to represent growth, healing and good fortune, and here, Nao’s fourth more than lives up to its moniker.

Social despondency and visceral frustration run throughout ‘I Grow Tired But Dare Not Fall Asleep’, a masterful soundtrack to a failing society - one that carries even more weight as we redefine community, connection and togetherness.

There’s an expert tenderness to her stories and their delivery, one cut through by often-unexpected melodic switches. Her ability to hold back, to seemingly cut a track short, brims with confidence.

William Doyle is unafraid to bring intellectualism into pop while never letting it feel like an exercise. And ‘Your Wilderness Revisited’ shows that he's kept his knack for mixing the two into a heady blend that’s easy to get lost in.

Emotional yet playful, soft yet strong, Happyness newest is the sound of a band fully settled in their own skin.

Naturally, one would not expect a band whose breakthrough consisted of a list of physical activities spouted over rumbling post-punk to view ‘switching things up’ in an academic way, but the – whisper it – whimsy that runs through ‘viagr aboys’ is plenty to widen audiences’ expectations of the group.

The record is peppered with slower solo tracks, but it’s the crunchy, full band material that really points the way forward, adding another name to the growing list of songwriters that are giving indie-rock a new, more relatable voice.

A glorious running of pure pop’s emotional gamut, ‘The Good Witch’ is an accomplished, bewitching listen.

‘I Inside the Old Year Dying’ will likely take some time to fully unravel, but on the surface, it looks like a daring return.

It may not rock the boat stylistically, with her influences always ever-present, but ‘Time Bend And Break The Bower’ is an experience worth immersing yourself in by unravelling the meaning or just following Sinead’s lead down the rabbit hole.

There is a mesmeric quality to the production on the soothing ‘Vista’, while ‘I Don’t Know What To Save’ builds from a sparse, almost whispered vocal delivery to a euphoric chorus.

The fire will simmer out, and one day this record will sound ridiculously dated, but for the time being it is everything 2013 requires.

‘Cracker Island’ is very much a set piece that prioritises concept and narrative, resulting in one of Gorillaz’s most restrained, contemplative releases yet - one that will perhaps appeal to fans of Albarn’s solo work more than devotees of his monkeys’ more genre-hopping forays.

Capturing the highs and lows of womanhood via catchy pop, ‘Sorry I’m Late’ may have been a long time coming (see what she did there), but it’s worth the wait.

Local Natives deliver a tale of affection deeply rooted in the realism of love, not just in romance but in life.

Abysmal Thoughts is still a frenetic blend of surf rock and new wave, but it also feels daring, languid at some moments and breakneck at others.

Richly detailed and supremely defined, Half Of Where You Live is a wonderfully vivid follow up from a producer at the top of his game.

The mixtape allows space for this experimentation, jumping from one emotion to the next, yet finds consistency in Biig Piig’s inability to stand still.

On Jaded & Faded, Cerebral Ballzy sound more visceral and raw than ever before--they’ve ditched the radio-ready gleam, the whole thing sounds recorded in an abandoned crack den on a half-broken tape player, and they’re all the better because of it.

Debut album ‘WeirdOs’ cements the pair as one of the UK’s most intriguing newcomers. The record is pretty succinct at under 40 minutes, but the twists and turns it takes give it staying power.

This album only re-affirms his unique and inimitable talent.

While we’ve not heard Nick’s vocals out front before, those frantic fretwork and well-trodden chord changes work like an aural comfort blanket. Yet this is no carbon-copy.

Whilst it's a shame we've had to wait the best part of a decade for this collection of songs there is rejoicing in the fact these have been released to the musical world. There is little that will trouble MTV playlist compilers but much to satisfy soul-deprived purists.