Certainly short and in places sharp, Schlon is just the right level of sweet, too. With increased variety in his arrangements and a willingness to explore slower paced rhythms, Souleyman underlines his ability to fulfil a passionate mission for bringing joyous music and its message of love to ever wider audiences.

Yet despite the occasionally black subject matter this is a fine and powerful album for lovers of red meat rock, served rare.

Apocalypse, Girl is the thrilling sound of an artist expressing herself without the slightest hint of self-censorship. It’s one of the year’s most individual and original albums.

Vocally he’s still capable of making the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. The rougher edges and more aggressive attack that coloured his early performances might not be so much in evidence, but what he lacks in rawness, he makes up for with sheer soul.

Although unlikely to have any individual impact on CBC’s all-time song chart, it’s yet another consistently good all-round album out of Canada.

At 15 tracks, it's possibly a bit too long - but this is a man who's lived one hell of a life and has a lot of tales to tell. Indeed, it's a fair shout that this could well be the most entertaining autobiography you'll listen to all year.

What this record does, yet again, is show that Danger Mouse has bulletproof, unassailable taste in music and collaborators. Karen is exactly the right fit for these songs, and she is absolutely the star of the set, thanks in no small part to the incredible production. This isn’t the best record that either of these mercurial artists have made, but it’s undoubtedly the finest collaboration you’ll hear this year. Guaranteed.

At 16 songs and a mere 43 minutes, Chromatica can feel a tad frenzied, but in the round marks a deft return to Lady Gaga’s club-pop roots, resplendent with much ’90s influence. There may not be anything really new here, but why mess with this formula when it can produce such engaging slaps and dancefloor empowerment? Gaga is back, with her bangers intact.

Sol Invictus is not a bad return, but it’s not the greatest thing Faith No More has ever done.

Much more petulant and moodier than previous albums, I Am Very Far swirls around in an illusory motion in which all manner of sounds and textures spin and whirl around the ubiquitous figure of Will Sheff; unwavering and untouchable, residing within the heart of the album's hidden emotions.

The production, by Foy herself together with Harry Fausing Smith, is perfectly judged, coating these songs in a warm yet otherworldly air. It’s unlikely that you’ll hear a collection of songs so striking and attention-grabbing. And, as impressive as this debut album is, the most exciting thing about it is that it hints at even greater things to come.

The sound might be ’80s, but this is undeniably now, and Shura a new star in 2016’s increasingly bible-black night.

One moment I feel like I am listening to Underworld's frantic blast combined with the Blue Nile's slowly evolving elegance, the next it could be The Pet Shop Boys' sailing in the slip stream of Depeche Mode. I can't nail down the sound beyond the fact that it's breathtaking.

This is undoubtedly Greenwood’s work, and he writes with ever-growing assurance and colour, broadening the orchestral palette. It’s just a shame this album as a whole could not be arranged in a more satisfying way.

It’s a promising debut from a musician spreading his wings and continuing to create his own little subculture, one informed by the past but brightening up the future.

Whilst the musical content here is unlikely to shock or surprise Bjork's loyal admirers, it sees her continue to pursue her own radical and individual path with unshakeable conviction.

While the album's last two tracks proper--Go Deep and The Fish Of Little Thoughts--may well have the restive ear agitating for greater variety with their continued gossamer construction and dreamy folk structuring, they leave little doubt as to Snowblink's assured grasp of naturally beautiful melodies formed simply, patiently and organically; Long Live as a whole is the creation that proves it.

There are some spine-tingling moments here.

A very accomplished second album, and you can almost see the band outgrowing their DIY roots in the most subtle of ways.

Lorelle Meets The Obsolete offer a heady mixture of psychedelia and grooves that, over time, becomes completely compelling.

It may have been a long time in the making, but Spooky Action is the album Mansun fans have been waiting for.

This is a spectacular, rich and luscious album made up of a variety of sounds that many listeners will have etched into their minds and hearts forever.

The structure of the album is beautifully crafted, with each of the tracks like pages of a calendar that detail Croll’s life, presenting a personal diary window of sorts into his world.

Framed by the presence of two vehemently liberated and reflective originators, its modernist physicality and spatially paralleled forms will continue to position Lewis and Milton as noteworthy musical institutions, and its insidious observations of contemporary traditions will forever alter those who come in direct contact with it.

Much of what follows is vintage Stranglers, incorporating tributes to their departed friend. These are done both explicitly (the touching song And If You Should See Dave…) and by association (This Song).

The whole album is a treat, and a fun way to pass a half hour or so. Hopefully the movie it’s attached to is just as fun, just as playful, and just as silly. Wonderful stuff – purchase with confidence.

It owes more to Timbaland or Mount Kimbie than the current mainstream, but this is the point – Vagabon makes this music sound so intuitive that it could well be the next big thing.

Formentera II is an album that can easily work as a stand-alone record, but it makes an equal amount of sense when paired with i

An album which sounds like the beginning of a new chapter for the duo.

Her music is always so distinctly hers, and she remains one of the most distinctive and thrilling voices we have.

With each album, Gibson develops these techniques, and Empire Builder sees her building these details to a new peak.

Hold Time goes one step further by drowning the whole caboodle in a bizarre new sound that incorporates cheesy synthetic-sounding strings, a hint of Phil Spector as well as that resolutely unpretty croak.

It's hard to know where you stand with it. There are moments where the listener is engulfed in it all, but others when it feels cold and detached.

The Unfairground is a short and sweet collection of ten tunes, rich with strings, original ideas, lovely melodies and a whiff of what used to be.

For an album that was certainly not recorded spontaneously, Desperation sure sounds spontaneous.

This music emphasises an unhurried, thoughtful approach to life that is beautifully at odds with the noise of a bustling metropolis in a General Election year.

The largest problem with Coexist is something shared with the debut. A lot of it just washes over you without leaving a trace. It's always high quality, assembled with a craftsman's eye for gorgeously unfussy detail, but it can leave you unengaged. It's soporific, far from unpleasantly, but in a way that means you can come out the other side unmoved.

Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile are brave to make something so gentle, natural and unguarded. They’ve managed to strive for an ideal informed by a real sense of pragmatism, and in the process, they’ve made one of the warmest, good-hearted records of the year.

This album shows that there’s plenty of life in this band yet, and they’re changing and developing whilst also addressing the past. But most importantly, they’re still creating interesting, vital albums.

Neither John nor Carlile overshadow the other – when one’s on lead, the other is always ready to back up with some harmonies. They really do work extraordinarily well together. As you would expect, the sound is very much middle of the road. .... It also means there’s a warm familiarity to many of the songs.

Pressure Machine is a decent attempt at a concept album of sorts. Some mountainous peaks would take it to the next level; without them it feels as though it could soon, somewhat disappointingly, disappear.

An album with bangers like Drag [Crashed] is easily redeemed, however, and I’ve Seen A Way winds up being the most exciting debut in recent times, recommended for fans of the electronic and the industrial.

An album that takes a lot of creative swings – some of which don’t always connect, but is never less than entertaining. It acts as the perfect shake-up of Haim’s formula – still comfortably familiar, but one hinting at an intriguing new direction.

Mental Wounds Not Healing is a good launch point for those eager to discover both The Body and Uniform. It’s also one of those rare collaborative efforts that perfectly combines the aesthetics of everyone involved.

The simple truth is, you won't find a sadder yet more uplifting album all year.

Anderson has wrapped all these songs up in a beautifully warm, enveloping sound.

Fantasy Island is arguably the peak of their output to date, which is a strong statement to make about a band who are well into their third decade.

It is an intoxicating mix, adding another striking feather to the bow of Richard Fearless.

Thanks in no small part to the significant contribution of Homme, the shirtless rocker has created his best work since his early Bowie collaborations.

Girlpool’s debut may not be without fault, but that is ultimately what makes it such a charming little record.

Pop music needed saving and in Lily Allen we've found just the woman to do it.

A '60s psychedelic, experimental hippie-folk throwback, an invocation of lost, childish innocence delicately constructed with a deft musical touch.

Those people who want authentic, genuine soul will find much to love in His Hands.

This lack of ego lends a refreshing air to an album which is self-assured, charismatic and quite simply brilliant.

Overall, since their formation in 1997, The Dillinger Escape Plan have seamlessly fused math metal with aspects of pop and jazz, a trend that wholeheartedly continues on One Of Us Is The Killer.

Hellfire is a superb and strangely seductive album that adds another gem to the crown of a band who are fast becoming one of the very best of their era. Mystifying, terrifying, essential listening.

When Pearl Jam shocked the world with Ten and Vs, there would have been few that believed the band were capable of an album such as Backspacer--an ostensibly traditional rock album that, at times, feels contented and at others strays close to emotional equity. The shock this time is that they nearly pull it off.

In Ghost Colours finds the band brimming with confidence, delivering their catchy choruses and synthesizer hooks with a conviction that's difficult to resist, staying true throughout to a groove that fits in with early house music.

The Land Of Hell is always interesting and always moving in many directions at once. Of the artists who can pull off that kind of randomness, Ono remains pre-eminent.

A record unlike anything else you will hear this year.

What’s left is something truly fresh, barely recognisable, a shuddering, bending feast of sound.

Home is a groovy, infectious and deeply listenable record, recommended for all fans of repetitive electronic beats.

The upshot is a record freewheeling in scope which unfolds tastefully, never once losing sight of the forest for the trees.

Last Summer pulls off the impressive feat of being luxuriantly listenable while retaining Friedberger's avant-garde roots.

Metallic Life Review is one of their finest achievements, an elemental album that never loses touch with its human origins.

Most of the songs have plenty to give in these spheres, so for fans this can be viewed as a qualified success, if never quite approaching previous highs.

This is an album which bears repeated listening, and which deserves to become more than just a summer soundtrack; but rather one of those releases that can be revisited again and again, with each listen revealing new details and delights.

With strong tunes, great vocals and a spring in their step, The Big Moon are not struggling for a creative spark – far from it.

Whilst mainstream success is unlikely, the cult appeal of Damien Jurado continues to cause those that do listen to sit up and take note.

Restarter is not the sound of a band starting with a blank slate it is more akin to an artist simply darkening their palette briefly.

The less charitable may call this record a collection of leftovers, in the manner of Radiohead‘s Amnesiac to Kid A. But Anoyo succeeds on its own terms too: the combination of sounds is still captivating, especially recommended for anyone who feels to this day that new age music was underrated.

Despite its occasional uplifting moments, the overall feeling you get from Ultra Vivid Lament is indeed a lament for something better, something briefly promised by Resistance Is Futile despite its title sounding more Borg-like than Star Trek character Seven Of Nine.

As usual the positives far outweigh the negatives. As a surprise shot in the arm to get the year off to a good start, this is a very welcome New Year present.

Throughout Friends That Break Your Heart, Blake is trying on different sounds, different styles, and producing some good music along the way, but he ends the record still unsure of where he should be.

It's that subtle interplay between humour and sadness that makes for meaningful, lasting music, and VanGaalen walks the line with the best of them.

Oddfellows then is a fairly straightforward album, although it possesses enough personality and deftness of touch to bear repeated listens.

Lyrically and stylistically our protagonist spreads her wings much further than before, making a statement of intent that confirms Sampa The Great is in this for the long haul. The sky really is the limit on this evidence.

It is in reality a bit boring, a bit generic, and a bit aggravating.

The quality of Toledo’s songs is gobsmacking; the lyrics are enthralling, the melodies are to die for, the musicianship is raw yet brilliant.

Here Lies The Body might contain its fair share of matters of the flesh, but it’s also an album of depth, ideas and ambition that retains a highly personal feel. Moffat and Hubbert prove the collaborative Scottish spirit is in fine condition.

This is not your average industrial metal album folks – this is a slab of repugnant, malignant noise made with evil intent. For all the hype and bluster surrounding the most popular metal acts, Uniform deserve recognition as one of finest purveyors of heavy metal (of any kind) anywhere in the world. They’re now six albums into their career, and they’ve never been stronger.

It may not be the good-time party atmosphere that The Hold Steady can provide, but Always Been is probably Craig Finn’s finest solo album to date – it’s almost like a novel crammed into a conventional album.

[A] supreme collection of future-perfect broken nostalgia.

Processed it may still be, but the emotions this time round feel more human, and, as a result, make a deeper impact.

This is a definite progression from their earlier material and if this is an indication of where the band is ultimately headed, then Exploding Head is likely to be the first of some very exciting albums.

Tinged with jazz and various world music, this is aware and absorbing music, conscious in a broad sense, sometimes circuitous, but mostly questioning and satisfying.

Overall, there aren’t enough risks taken on Love Letter For Fire to make it a truly outstanding album; it’s a very pleasant, comfortable journey rather than an especially memorable one.

It’s often difficult to know whether these songs are rushed and off-the-cuff, or whether they are in fact meticulously planned.

2013 is one of those records you get something new from with every listen.

On one level I Love The New Sky is simply a collection of engaging songs but on another it’s a call for togetherness, an appeal to stay strong and embrace life. Whichever view you take it’s very much a record for these times.

For Howard it’s important to not just make music that sounds interesting; it’s vital to make music that exists in its own little world, unknowable and distinctly alluring. Nostalchic is an album that certainly achieves those aims.

Most of all though, Wanderer is an album about developing your own identity in an ever-changing, often troubling world. Arguably more than ever before, Cat Power has achieved that goal here.

Stories From A Rock N Roll Heart is a triumphant return, an uplifting listen and a valuable addition to her magnificent catalogue.

Like Something Is, Coles Corner or Run For Me may have done in the past, Hollow Meadows is yet another impossibly accomplished record from one of our national treasures.

Middle Cyclone is the sound of one of the most interesting, independent, and consistently brilliant artists recording today at the top of their game.

Howlin is an intoxicating first showing from a band with bags of potential and, although it loses its way somewhat towards the end, it is brimming with the confidence of a vastly more experienced band.

The Something Rain sounds like a band in their prime, switching between styles effortlessly and enjoying a new lease of life.

The band seem to be far too familiar with the sonic designs of The Incredible String Band and Comus. Espers II sounds more like a lovelorn impersonation of the music than a radical exploration of its possibilities.