On Dark Days + Canapés, the sense of darkness becomes a bit wearisome. Yet, come the end of the year, this will no doubt be held up as one of the albums that held a mirror to its times. It also confirms Ejimiwe as one of this country’s most vital voices.

With its often complex textures and patterns, much of The Secret could represent a challenging listen for those unfamiliar with music of this genre. Yet it's unquestionably a triumph; building impressively on Vieux Farka Toure's promising work to date and making good on its creator's promise to "dig deep into the secrets of my own history and my country's culture in order to move the music forward. "

Easily her best since Made Of Bricks, and it’s a beautifully satisfying conclusion to what has been, by all accounts, a turbulent few years.

Overall, Bugbears is an album that reveals something new on repeat listens.

Sure, they may have lost their vulnerability, but School Of Seven Bells suit their new found assurance, and in doing so win our hearts for a second time.

For the most part, this is a fizzing, fuzzing album that manages to sound both younger and older than the band that produced it.

Vince Staples is a worthy continuation of his oeuvre, and proof if it were needed that his paradox of youthful energy and world-weary cynicism remains as captivating as ever.

This new album shows that they are capable of not only subverting the expectations of the audience, but subverting expectations of the music world in general.

Goldberg, though, ought not to be penalised for his occasional switch of stance and self-leniency: this is an album that may not grace millions of record collections, but may well enjoy classic status in those that it does.

All Thoughts Fly is undoubtedly a peculiar album, but absolutely one well worth investigation.

This record, more than any from their back catalogue, is a slow burn. It doesn’t have the spiky malevolence of North American Scum or the punchy pull of Daft Punk Is Playing At My House, but it does have depth to spare. Sonically, it’s the richest record they have produced.

It’s difficult to find much at all wrong with Hooton Tennis Club’s first long player. In fact, it’s ace.

Undergrowth and The Blades showcase the band’s ability to juxtapose delicate melodies and introspective moments with bursts of raw energy, delivering a rich listening experience that defies expectations.

Tape Club is a fine time capsule for their first decade together.

There is no filler as such on Some Nights I Dream Of Doors, though there are some pacing issues that could be dealt with by rearranging tracks. However this does not prevent it from being an auspicious debut, and a fine showcase for Obongjayar’s many talents.

American Utopia is epic, it’s sprawling, it’s filled with everything but the kitchen sink, but most of all, it’s filled with promise.

They've produced a solid second album that is sure to succeed for them as long as they can maintain a good level of exposure.

It's a creative, intelligent and serious work that also has moments of considerable fun.

The Alesha Show contains at least five songs that could easily crack the top ten and while it does occasionally dip below perfunctory there's more then enough to keep any pop fan happy.

This is a very carefully thought out new page to Hayden Thorpe’s career, yet the page has freshly written calligraphy on it. There is much to admire and much to relate to, in what is surely just the start of this particular Wild Beast’s solo migration.

Arguments of purpose and meaning aside, Animal is an infectiously good dance-pop album, and by all meaningful estimations, a towering triumph

Yes, Heaton’s Rolls Royce analogy is a good and accurate one. The engine purrs again.

There is a epic scale to many of these tracks, and there is also an underlying and undeniable sense of violence. Yet curiously Aurora is also one of Frost’s most accessible and positive sounding records, and one of his most metallic and industrial efforts to date.

Alexander Tucker muscles up to his psych-folk antecedents to posit himself as an artist of singular merit, as comfortable within the realms of conventional song as well as the abstract sound world.

Tired Of Hanging Around is as delightfully quirky, original and catchy as its predecessor, whilst also representing something of a leap forward.

Cape God has an experimental edge to it that makes it one of the most delightfully weirdest albums of the year.

None The Wiser is a highly enjoyable, infectious piece of upbeat indie rock that will surely see the band scale new heights.

On Hymnal, Benoît Pioulard has succeeded in creating something rich and rewarding.

That, however, is before you take into account various Eastern influences that lace themselves around the guitar lines, not to mention some unexpected interludes of funk, hip hop and even swing. As a result, taking the whole record on board in one sitting is an intoxicating experience.

Together is certainly far-reaching in its ambitions, and it often seems close to collapsing under the combined weight of all its collaborators, but it never falters, despite its dangerous dance. The New Pornographers have taken a risk in fussing with their sound, but in large part it's paid off beautifully.

The album can be quite a handful at times, but if in search for a post-rock record that makes so much of an impression in so little time, one need not look any further than this.

It's the perfect end to a blissfully gorgeous album--one that showcases Ane Brun as being at the forefront of the new wave of Scandinavian pop music.

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.

From start to finish this is an album that possesses an alluring pull. Even when things are starting to sound a little sinister, the perfect guitar work, woozy vocals and hazy ambience that Tall Firs create is hard to ignore.

Less predictable was her now clear desire to take risks and step off the all-too-well-forged path of safe, agreeable background music. Instead, on The Fall Norah Jones chooses to defy categorization.

Though it might not be as rewarding a listening experience as Cooder's Cuban albums, this is still a set that demands repeated hearing, and I doubt there'll be another record as lovingly crafted as this all year.

Merrie Land feels like the perfect soundtrack for these uncertain, worrying times.

This is a remarkable debut that fairly sizzles with confidence and attitude.

Williamson has never been mournful in quite the same way that he is here, nor so disappointed in what he sees around him, whether it’s politicians, musicians or just ordinary people. This comes through not only in the lyrics but in their delivery.

Essentially, Commontime is business as usual for Field Music. If anything the mood is distinctly upbeat this time.

It’s never dull and is sometimes quite extraordinary, taking multiple turns as it goes in order to keep listeners on their toes. Supreme Cuts is a scarce example of an artist moniker that well manages to sum up its own album.

Generally, this is a perfect introduction to the talent of Liam Finn - and even at 14 tracks, it never outstays its welcome.

While it might be criticised for not having some of the mystery characterising previous albums, Lost Channels is a blissful yet haunting record.

There are some slight missteps, like West’s tedious hook on Everything, but Nasir proves Nas’ ongoing relevance as one of New York’s biggest living rappers, with the best overall production and best quality control since Illmatic: the curse may finally be lifting.

The Whitefield Brothers have somehow succeeded in folding the world in on itself with Earthology. The sounds on this disc are mixed together in such a way as to be totally surprising, totally new, and yet completely cohesive.

Tempest’s lyrical dexterity and writing skills are phenomenal, no matter which way you look, and though some will be put off by the exposé offered here, others will be enamoured.

As with many debuts, AlunaGeorge’s album has remarkable highs but is tempered by a few weaker moments.

It quickly becomes apparent that it very much deserves to be conidered equally alongside the rest of the Calexico discography and not seen as a novelty or one-off.

Touchdown is a concise, flab-free 35 minutes of music made by a band, which despite their collective CVs, probably wouldn't be picked out of a line-up.

Roberts and Morrison have crafted an elegant and vivid love letter to the music and culture of Lewis, and certainly brings to life the storytellings and traditions of this remote outpost.

While it inevitably doesn’t have the shattering impact of Psychocandy, it does confirm their unlikely status as elder statesmen that a whole new generation can look up to.

Generally it seems Dizzee fares better when bouncing off others’ contributions. This makes E3 AF a step in the right direction, and while it doesn’t quite display the finesse of his first three albums it’s a welcome trip down memory lane.

It might not break any new ground but there'll be few albums this year as enjoyable as this one.

In many respects, the intent behind Along The Way is admirable indeed. Many plus points, then; even if just some variation wouldn’t have gone amiss. Much like Emeralds’ back catalogue.

This band clearly has a solid vision for their sound, and with a debut this satisfying, you’ll definitely want to see where that vision takes them next – especially if that involves more experimentation.

The High Country shows many sides of Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin. Most of those sides are easily palatable and enjoyable, with the odd mis-step here and there preventing it from being a must-buy.

They managed to produce a collection of songs perfect for the summer months [in second album, Cave Rave]. The same could be said of Spreading Rumours, which is another album that could just as easily provide the soundtrack to Summer 2014.

Ultimately, Stranger Things sounds more like a band that are more comfortable with what they are doing.

This is a rather catchy, rather clever slice of electronica that you could easily find yourself falling in love with. It is also the kind of album that you could hate yourself for buying because you get off on the kind of tunes the Tweenies find annoying.

There’s nothing revolutionary on Flat White Moon, especially if you’re a long-term fan. What it is, however, is another impressively solid record from Field Music, who have quietly, over the last few years, turned into one of the country’s most consistent acts.

As an album it is of questionable value, but its ambitions are much bigger than the album form.

As the album progresses the grooves get more pronounced, as though the night’s movement is getting into gear.

Dreams Come True was never going to reach the near untouchable height of his canon, but you'd be hard pressed to map out a better first attempt to break free from that diamond-encrusted leash.

There is still a huge amount of enjoyment to gain from Boys Noize and that overrides some of the consistency issues.

This is another fine album from Grohl and company.

It consolidates what's gone before comprehensively, and occasionally points towards where the band might be headed.

Just A Souvenir contains more music than you might expect from two separate albums, and it's a thrilling if occasionally saturating listen.

As ever with Miley Cyrus, there’s a lot going on with Something Beautiful, and sometimes it doesn’t quite work. Yet it’s definitely another pleasingly unpredictable swing from one of our more intriguing and exciting pop stars.

MK 3.5: Die Cuts City Planning is diverse, lively and mostly encouraging.

It may be true that Oh No doesn’t quite match the mystery or depth of her debut--it’s all very transparent and above the surface in comparison--but it offers enough proof that the overt, more soulful qualities demonstrated on this album should serve her well for some time yet.

It may not be what you expect if you’re a casual fan, but it’s another intriguing little audio experiment from Wiggs, Stanley and Cracknell.

By the time Free The Ruler’s soulful loop fades out, we’ve only come to a conclusion in the loosest sense. The listener enters Earl’s world in medias res and 25 minutes later he’s still maintaining, still working everything out, but the journey’s been nuanced and engaging.

There are plenty of power-punk melodies to ensure What A Time To Be Alive isn’t condemned to an early shelf life, even if to put it amongst their best work would be a stretch too far.

Minor rants notwithstanding, Heartbreaking Bravery is a decent album.

The result is a collection of remarkably accomplished songs. With age, their early lyrical maturity can only blossom.

It does lack the melodic hooks of some of Field Music’s previous albums – there’s certainly nothing as instantly accessible as Them That Do Nothing or The Noisy Days Are Over, and some may find the somewhat ‘busy’ atmosphere of the album a bit overwhelming. However, it’s always good to hear the Brewis brothers back together, and Limits Of Language is a fine way to celebrate their 20th anniversary as a band.

A fair criticism might be that Let’s Turn It Into Sound is a little formless, reliant on the novelty of whizzing sounds and pomp-filled arrangements, but in the hands of Aurelia Smith these certainly have the capacity to amaze and astound.

The first disc (Niggas On The Moon) is not the finest thing Death Grips have ever put their name to.... However, the second half, Jenny Death, is better. A lot better.

Enough of Valhalla Dancehall's moments work surprisingly well, that despite its breadth and occasionally aggravating density, it becomes a spectacle worth experiencing.

Slight dips aside, Imitations could never be described as pale.

Sure, it is unfocussed and diffuse in places, but it still succeeds in deploying the several and varied voices of its collaborating creators to produce something that ultimately just about hangs together with a valiant, if tattered sort of coherence.

Burn Your Town makes a refreshing change from your average debut indie LP for a couple of primary reasons. Firstly, it's showcasing a band who, rather than going down the easy route, actually care a lot more about first impressions than most of their contemporaries. Secondly, it hints that they could grow and mature nicely.

No Time is a huge step forward since the 2012 debut and yet another essential psych-heavy 2014 collection, this time from a more unexpected source.

While the surprise and freshness of the Sticks ‘n’ Stones era is understandably a thing of the past, there’s more than enough on The Theory Of Whatever to show why Jamie T has had such longevity.

It’s not a perfect album--few are--but it’s definitely one that’ll have you ensnared

Given that it follows a possible career-best Dinosaur Jr album - 2009's superb Farm - long-term Dino fans will hope that Several Shades Of Why isn't the start of a permanent solo career. But Mascis followers will find plenty to enjoy here.

As it is Small World is melodious and twee in a good way.

An album that ably melds together ‘80s coldness and ‘90s warmth, and then brings it right up to date.

All in all, Dirty Gold is a solid first major-label album, one that is graced with several moments of brilliance.

Despite their heavy reliance on the past, in Somewhere Else there are more hits than misses.

This debut is a polished effort which manages to balance both sweeping synth pop with euphoric indie anthems.

At times, it seems to make more sense as a collection of EPs, as it sometimes doesn’t hang together as an album as coherently as it may do. Yet there’s still much to enjoy on this mammoth collection, and on tracks like Don’t Touch That Dial and Complete Me, Django Django have produced some of their best work to date.

In the face of personal and public devastations, the friends have avoided inertia and constructed a garish and cathartically atonal album that unbelievably manages to avoid catastrophe.

In the space of an album, we discover the difference between contented coupon cutting and chronic coupon cutting. It’s a strong testament to Feels Like Home’s sheer quality that such balance is present throughout.

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

It’s easy to dismiss bands that receive so much hype before they have even got going, but with Peace, the early signs are definitely promising.

There's much to appreciate on this latest offering from Quasi but the band is certainly uncompromising and you need to be into loud drum workouts, the odd bit of white noise and occasional dissonance to enjoy it fully.

While this may be something of a stopgap release while Maclean tries out a new venture or two, Everybody Get Close has plenty of dancefloor noise, and is switched on to the rhythm throughout.