It’s a worthy successor to Beyond Skin, and could even bag the Mercury Award which its predecessor somehow missed out on.

Twenty One is an excellent album replete with brilliant, clean, original production and instantly memorable songs.

This is a quiet album, simmering with authenticity and potential.

Killer Mike and El-P have been speaking out about the deep rot at the core of the USA for their whole careers, and with this album they add several more tunes to a rich canon of protest music that will galvanise an oppositional movement.

7 might have been a gamble for Beach House then, but they don’t appear to have lost anything. What remains to be seen is whether they stay on the same path of progress with their next record.

There’s not a bad track on British Road Movies, and those who have been pining for years to hear Jackson’s voice again will be more than satisfied. It may not be the return of the Long Blondes, but this could evolve into something even better.

Genuine Negro Jig is a stunner in every sense. Its music is as fresh and innovative as it is deeply rooted in its time and place.

It’s better than some actual Sonic Youth albums, and that alone makes it an essential listen. A thriller from the first second to the last.

While not every song is as successful--Mrs Lincoln… doesn’t make quite enough of a very old joke (compared to, say, …Beethoven’s How Do I Get to Carnegie Hall?), and A Little Bit Like Fun is a little bit slight--these are trifles; Hippopotamus is a big, joyous beast of an album.

A Bridge To Far shows them to be masters of their craft, comfortable in their own mini-world while incrementally improving their sound and consolidating their legacy.

Poison Season is another excellent Destroyer album, packed with songs that are graceful, beautiful and, yes, hummable.

Plastic Hearts is a change in direction that works really well. With names like Billy Idol and Joan Jett guesting, there’s even a sample of a Stevie Nicks song in case you were any doubt that this is a Miley Cyrus album that your dad would feel comfortable listening to.

Not only is it one of Costello’s best collaborative efforts, it’s also one of his best albums full stop. Recommended for Costello newcomers and long-time believers alike.

Breaking Up may sound tinny, it may grate occasionally, and vocalist Russell The Disaster's voice may well get on your nerves after a while - yet you'll be hard pressed to find another record this year with as much soul and honesty as this one.

This might not be it [a landmark record], but by god does it sound like it wants to be at points towards the end. Night Life is very, very good.

A suave album full of competently executed ideas imbued throughout with a distinctive mood.

Dulli is a man still capable of the best in sweat-soaked R&B flavoured rock ‘n’ roll, but he now has a range of subtler, more graceful maneuvers too.

Whilst Boats appear more polished, the energetic ramshackle anthem of Great Skulls seems keen to remind everyone that it’s not precision, but feeling that is important.

Forevher is the sound of a woman happy, in love, and going from strength to strength as a songwriter.

Despite all the mysticism, religion, tradition and history tied up in Advaitic Songs, this is a surprisingly accessible album, and one that finds OM at their best

Molchat Doma are having a blast reclaiming their heritage and proving themselves to be a more than an entertaining chip off the old Bloc.

Despite the immediacy and urgency of its public genesis, Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes is probably the least immediate album Yorke has been involved with to date. Like Kid A before it, it may turn out to be one of his most enduring.

The new interpretations confirm the timeless quality her songs possess, offering new perspectives on youth as now seen through experienced eyes. It can only be hoped that she has a suite of new songs up her sleeve, for on this evidence she remains one of the very finest vocalists in British pop music.

Cassadaga is everything his fans would expect from him - mournful, moody and full of lovely melodies.

So far so good--and if anything it gets better.

Essentially this is an album packed with genuine nuggets of pop gold.

The result is both classic Decemberists--all folk pop whimsy wrapped up in darker lyrics than their surface suggests--and a new direction, using the '60s/early '70s folk foundations to follow their logical path into that odd corner of the English genre that somehow crossed over with Heavy Metal.

While not as groundbreaking as the first Blueprint was, this is nonetheless a strong record, its A-list guests and production tempered nicely by the inclusion of in-the-now collaborators of the order of Young Jeezy and Empire Of The Sun front man Luke Steele.

Badu remains a singular, refreshingly unpolished talent.

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.

The album is admirably steeped in pop music history without seeming derivative and where The Electric Lady triumphs is in its ability to connect with the listener.

Those who care not to pay much attention to lyrics might just find themselves bawling on the dancefloor without quite knowing why, as these earworm tunes form a perfect delivery system for the heartbreak (and occasionally a little vengeance) contained at their very core.

For the length of the album, at least, Kings Of Convenience do a standup job of convincing the listener that loud is long forgotten, and in these violent, uncertain times, quiet is king.

Overall, Power is a highly impressive body of work from a producer who continues to engage and surprise with each release.

It would seem that Destroyer Of The Void is an album that manages to both impress initially and continue to reveal virtues well into repeat spins; a trick that ensures the satisfaction of all manner of listeners, and one that reflects Blitzen Trapper's growing reputation as something of a must-hear.

Like its predecessor, Kiasmos II could be unkindly described as background coffee table music, as it is predominantly quiet and unobtrusive. But while fireworks are few and far between, those who immerse themselves fully in the sonic experience will find it utterly enchanting.

There’s something almost mathematical and architectural about Brooks’ guitar aggregations but these qualities are conveyed humbly and unobtrusively throughout.

It all makes for a terrific comeback for a band that have been very much missed over the last few years. As truly entertaining as the title promises, in fact.

The vocals retain the Eastern feel that pervades much of the album, but there’s more space here than elsewhere on Dalmak. There’s no bustling cities or wild parties spiralling out of control; instead it’s far more peaceful and elegant.

Does this sophomore effort, then, live up to the expectations created by its predecessor? In most ways, yes. In others, perhaps not.

As well as the unexpected guest stars – Damon Albarn! Chaka Khan! – there’s also songs about arcade games, an instrumental, and experimental tracks based on vocal repetition. It’s a far cry from the band’s usual breezy guitar pop, but it works beautifully well.

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.

Fresh, exhilarating and mesmerizingly addictive, Means is neither a limousine nor a Mini--it’s a triumph from start to finish.

The gestation has meant that the album really captures her individual voice as a writer and singer whilst the variety in the instrumentation and sound presents her as an open-minded seeker of new ideas.

Alpha Zulu is certainly a top-tier Phoenix record, bringing back that effortless French cool in a way that only they can.

It’s a combination [simultaneously sound contemporary and old-time] that has been present in his music from day one and Bright Sunny South proves it’s one that still reaps significant dividends.

This is never going to replace your favourite Kevin Morby album, and it’s unlikely that it will make him new fans, but it feels like the kind of private delight that great artists bestow on their fans for their loyalty from time to time. Sundowner is Morby’s Harvest Moon, his Nebraska, his Hejira – a statement of intent made in the quietest way possible.

While it’s possibly a bit too similar to First Mind to have the same sort of impact that album did, this is still a powerful demonstration of what a fine musician Mulvey is.

They’ve probably been around for too long now to attract any new fans, but Moon Mirror is a fine example of just how consistent one of the USA’s most overlooked rock bands have been over the decades.

It’s an assured, charismatic release with a consistency that sets her above her contemporaries.

Dance Fever is a startling return, full of all the elements which made us sit up and take notice of Welch in the first place.

At just 35 minutes in total and with just one track exceeding the three minute mark, the record is a grotty mess of a quickie which nevertheless gets the job done.

Fresh, inventive and likely to be one of the more promising releases of 2012.

Add in the highly personal genesis of its composition, easily audible in both lyrics and melodies, and the listener's satisfaction is complete.

Old Friends New Friends sees the artist settle his legacy thus far and clear the way before he gets stuck into another project.

Those who want instant gratification and singalong anthems will be disappointed – this is more of an album to immerse yourself in, and lose yourself to, and also confirms that Nilüfer Yanya is one of this country’s most exciting talents.

Over the last few years, she’s become one of America’s finest songwriters, and this album shows her continuing that trajectory.

The beats sometimes bang in typical trap fashion, like on Topia Twins or Meltdown, but are not afraid to go surreal and alien.

With Garden Of Ashes he secures his position as not just a musician’s musician, but one who looks set to grow a wider following.

Home is a significant statement from a hugely impressive producer at the peak of his powers.

Edgy and highly innovative for the most part, Pivot do have some so-so moments too. But overall this is good stuff; they are trying to push the boundaries of music and, as a result, they sound like nobody else.

A little patience pays dividends which, for the first time with an Andrew Bird release, are as emotional as they are cerebral.

The Baby is an album that, the longer you live with it, the more you grow to love it. It’s a debut that slowly winds itself into your heart, and promises even better things to come.

It may last just 25 minutes, but One Million Love Songs doesn’t feel half-sketched or incomplete. On the contrary, once it’s finished, you’ll just want to go straight back to the beginning to wallow in this strange, otherworldly gem of a record.

While some fans will always have their favourite Deftones album (White Pony being the most popular), it’s becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish what their best album is, especially when they’re in form as hot as this.

Wiley may be a little further along the grime road than when he started with It's Not Me It's You, but he continues to keep the genre travelling at an impressively quick speed.

The basic template is still there – a slightly moody post-punk atmosphere, with plenty of room for Coxon’s saxophone – but the songs feel more fully formed this time around.

Impermanence might have started out as a personal project, and it is an economical record consisting of six minimalist tracks, but self and city both run through it, giving a great sense of scale and scope.

Koushik has produced that rare thing, an album with which to relax while admiring its musical content.

It’s Prince’s ghost that reigns supreme over the record, and while she nails both absorbing his spirit and infusing her own, there are times when you wish she would push the envelope a little harder, as she has on previous records.

There’s plenty of ambient music that dwells in moodiness and tonal shade, but sunlight and heat like this only comes around roughly once a year.

Ian Brown just keeps on getting better. As it stands, his way seems like the only way to go.

It sounds odd for a genre like this, but Tunnel Blanket might be best approached with a shut-down brain, ignoring the tired qualms of originality, and just let the atmosphere envelop.

This is a record you can dance to, even if it’s also a record you can cry to. The sum is an inspiring record both for the creator and the listener.

Some people may see Songs In The Dark as a curio, simply recorded for in order to keep the legacy of the McGarrigle canon alive and well. Yet it’s the black humour and obvious love for the material that lifts this into another sphere.

Compared variously to The Flaming Lips and Grandaddy, Midlake's take on '70s soft rock is actually better than both.

Different Every Time succeeds, though, in illustrating just how versatile and original this creative spirit has been, and how he will no doubt cast a long shadow of influence in the future.

Microshift finds Hookworms drawing a line under their history and taking their first step on a new adventure. They’ve not put a foot wrong yet.

In Each And Every One sees Polar Bear sounding revitalised and ready to explore new musical combinations and possibilities with confidence.

This fourth album shows Sharon and The Dap Kings at their most polished, funky and soulful. Mrs Jones sure has got a thing goin' on.

Time Skiffs is a vibrant album, suggesting Animal Collective have well and truly rekindled their collective fire – and because of that, the pleasure is all ours. Gather round and enjoy its heartening warmth.

There are plenty of moments where the sheer brilliance of his musical intuition and technique are nothing short of breathtaking. It’s an album that deserves to find an audience beyond drum enthusiasts.

Everyone else can celebrate Peaking Lights’ decision to target the feet, rather than the minds, of the listeners this time round. Their reward is one of the year’s most intuitively entertaining releases.

Guts is an immensely confident and assured record which confirms that Olivia Rodrigo is here for the long-term.

It manages to stay true to the band's short-form indie excitement whilst also revealing further virtues well into repeat spins.

Arcadia is the sound of Union Station effortlessly slipping back into what they do best. There may not be too many surprises, but sometimes all you need is the sound of old friends reuniting to perform some expertly played music.

With such impressive source material to play, they hardly need to embellish it.

This feels more polished product and will no doubt have a broader appeal as a result, but it is a treasure of a thing and the more people that hear it the better.

This could be interpreted as a murky world of drug paranoia, or it could be a response to possible political disinformation and spin. Either way, it has made for one of UK bass music's most intelligent and consistent full length works.

Without a doubt, the hooky riffs and unforgiving pace make it a fantastic rock album in itself, but only Fucked Up would chose to play out a tragedy to this soundtrack.

Foundations showcases the development in the band’s songwriting skills.

This series of albums has strongly suggested that Lowe is able to make the music he wishes to make, without any pressure of expectation or commercial improvement. Sometimes the old ones are the best.

The music of Aldous Harding is beautiful on the surface, but becomes even more wonderful when given a chance, and when it’s as good a first listen as Warm Chris is, finding time to dive back in is a rather simple task. Warm Chris is the first great album of the coming summer.

Clear Pond Road is an album that takes time to really get under your skin, but once its there, it continues to reward, enchant, and disturb. It’s another wonderful addition to the Hersh canon.

It’s been well worth the wait. It’ll probably a while yet before his main band are back in action, so in the meantime, Earth should fill that gap.

Rare Bird Alert is every bit as good as its predecessor, and it's a delight to hear Martin and his band on form.

The result is the sound of a band at the top of their game. The potential has always been there, but Mirrors harnesses it.

An immersive listening experience is guaranteed.