Pop Levi is an oddball, an eccentric in the finest English tradition and a man who evokes the effortless, timeless cool of many and varied heroes of modern music's life and times.

Shifting perspectives and clever juxtapositions are all over this album, Middleton and Shrigley have created an album that on the face of it appears to be simple, but there’s untold depth here, as well as some endlessly creative swearing.

Héloïse Letissier’s synth-driven record is a more subtle, catch-you-unaware affair.

Without boundaries but with form, experimental and noisy but always totally listenable, III is one hell of a record. Psychedelic, maybe. Fantastic, most definitely.

The National have pulled off a neat trick here - an immediate, commercial album that grows with each listen. While High Violet is patently as good as its antecedents, it is also very much its own beast.

Átta is an album which demands to be listened to in its entirety, a 56 minute journey which ebbs and flows magnificently. It’s exactly what you’d expect from Sigur Rós, with a few surprises thrown in, and without doubt one of the more welcome comeback stories of the year.

Sunbather is an emotionally overwhelming but truly absorbing listen. But best of all, it’s cleansing.

Body Talk shows just how easily she can churn out hits more frequently than labels can process production teams.

This is an album that demands attention. An album that is experiential--at once lo-fi and richly textured--where the listener is a fly on the wall, mesmerised by minor-chord introspections that come in waves – some lap gently; others overwhelm.

They’re constantly trying to better themselves, and provide their listeners with new ways of looking at old feelings. As Long As You Are is an endlessly rewarding listen, and it’s certainly worth the wait.

Its aching honesty and immaculate balance prevents About Farewell from being just another break-up record, as Diane presents something to us lyrically raw but unafraid to sport obviously produced yet sentimentally appropriate musical flourishes, from strings to harmonizing female choruses, when the time comes.

May is a professional, measured and refined debut--and a near-perfect record.

Tthe Icelandic trio has now adopted darker musical stylings to create a record that’s every bit as transcendental as their best work.

Unlike other overhyped albums that have achieved similar fame, Making Mirrors is the real deal.

Welch is often unfairly accused of being too bombastic, but on Everybody Scream she channels that energy into something truly epic.

Anyone interested in music of whatever form, the work of any of the contributors who are present here, film scores, or Tiersen’s early work specifically, will surely find Portrait to be quite the perfect picture.

A collection that contains no weak links, no fillers, no afterthoughts and almost no mistakes.

We knew Sky Larkin had potential. It’s been more than followed up on with Motto, surely one of the best albums of the year.

Ultimately it's impossible not to get swept away by the emergency room blues of Leviathan, or the electro-swamp-psychedelia thrum of Tiny Grain Of Truth and not marvel at Lanegan's damaged genius in the process.

The echoes of previously heard themes, motifs make for a compelling examination of memory and experience as much as for an effective soundtrack.

Be it the sawing blasts of guitar that rushes you through the poignant Lose My Way, the spiralling vortex of Dead & Gone, upon which you helplessly bob along in or the careering momentum of Kopter, it's never anything other than intoxicating and brilliantly realised.

With songs that face the pain and torment of neurotic fears, John & Jehn have crafted an absolutely stunning album of beautiful and noisy sounds placed atop slow, steady tempos and invigorating dance beats alike.

Seventeen Going Under is powerful, essential stuff, a coming of age album that speaks to the human experience in the here and now. Its creator is absolutely the real deal.

Constantly brilliant. White Chalk is an amazing album, racked with beauty, stricken with fragility and haunted with something otherworldly.

While the days of the indie dancefloor hits from their first two records may be long gone, the Arctic Monkeys we’re left with now are undoubtedly at the top of their game.

First Mind is an album that can be played time and time again without ever sounding tired or laboured, and it wouldn’t be a huge shock to see it on many people’s end of year lists come December.

In sum, How To Stop Your Brain In An Accident cements Future Of The Left as unique.

Defying all expectations, they have taken a brave leap forward and delivered one of the first great albums of 2013.

WYWH should be played seasonally to stoke the nostalgic embers of summers past, for it's as equally hazy and precious as the memories it depicts.

Abrasive yet euphoric, Pigsx7 continue to supply the world with wired and vivid records.

While much of Memento Mori is thoughtful, and some of it visits the dark side, there is a great deal of positivity underpinning Depeche Mode’s work as a duo.

While it’s a stretch to describe the record as ‘poppy’, it’s certainly their most accessible material to date, with songs like The Arbor, Videograms and Let’s Get Lost taking up residence in the head long after the record has stopped playing. ... It may be only January, but there’s already been a place filled on that Best Albums Of 2019 list.

An album that is nothing short of a triumph, one that perfectly balances their craving to be “unsettling” again with soaring, arena-ready anthems.

Skellig is a searching piece of work. Beautifully constructed, it is at times uncomfortably sparse and weather-beaten, but its resilient head remains unbowed at the end. As an image of humanity through and after the pandemic it comes into clear focus, providing solace for those who need it too.

It is a special piece of work, reaffirming Avery’s position as one of the most consistent and exciting electronic artists at work today. We need to keep him under close observation.

This disc proves that their ascension to lofty heights is complete and something heavenly indeed.

It is arguable that Ones And Sixes is their most fully integrated album to date--a richly satisfying and coherent work drawing together many of the different strands of their career so far.

Basically, it’s a fantastic debut.

Their transformation into a Eurodisco powerhouse may come as a shock, and at times it’s like being repeatedly punched in the face by The Village People and Simon Cowell, but beneath the surface lies an album rich in ideas and social commentary.

For him, music is all about expression and collaboration. On The Visitor, he has crystallised those principles into a richly beguiling and inventive work that crosses musical boundaries effortlessly.

The extroverted, joyful melodies of Photon or the sustained brilliance of Spectral Split seem like brilliant recontextualisations of Weber’s artistic virtues.

One of the finest French songsmiths around has done it again.

It’s an album that’s easy to feel intimidated by at first listen, due to its sheer scale and ambition. However, after a few listens you’ll be in no doubt that Genesis Owusu is one of the most exciting names of the year.

As ever from this source, the songs are neatly crafted, with a touch of folk music added to their melodies, not to mention the instantly memorable and quotable lyrics.

Dim Probs feels more personal, confidential, and ultimately vulnerable. It reaffirms Rhys as a generous author, celebrating his first language but taking in rich influences and instrumentation from countries far and wide.

As with every track on this perfectly crafted piece of work from one of the world’s most distinctive voices, it is really quite beautiful.

There’s neither swag nor swagger here, just talent and a single-minded creative vision worth every gasping breath it takes to keep up with.

A Different Ship might be the sound of a band often cast adrift, but in Godrich there's now a firm hand on the tiller, his steadying influence streamlining their sound and taking them to the next level.

Here Come The Tears sounds like the best album that Suede never made, full of romantic, smouldering pop songs with a soaring depth to them.

Jamie T bares his soul on Carry On The Grudge to the point that, by the end, it’s almost impossible not to love him for it.

Beneath the corny flamboyance and exaggerated phrasing lies an album of killer tunes that may be mannered to within an inch of its life, but are crammed full of wit and bravado.

Eloquent, glamorous, spirited and now more sonically innovative than ever, the quintet have affirmed their place as one of Britain's most exciting bands with this release.

And such are the music's joyous highs, subtle thrills and rich and deep layers, they can undoubtedly be judged one of the most worthwhile and special bands currently at large.

At only eight tracks long, Debris never overstays its welcome – in fact, you immediately want to go back and experience it again, which is a pretty impressive feat for a record so steeped in melancholy and fragility.

Each and every song here would sound completely at home as closing credits music for any number of fantastic horror movies. Not necessarily because of the finality of the songs, but rather because they conjure an unnameable, hideous feeling that is generally only experienced after witnessing something terrifying.

21 really is one of the great 'break-up' albums, and the first truly impressive record of 2011. Here is a timely reminder that British soul hasn't lost its mojo.

It is the finest achievement of Coombes’ solo career so far, a magnificent record – and the feeling still persists that there is more to come.

Róisín Machine sees the singer charismatic, confident and in control, and Barratt’s beats accompany that mood perfectly. Accept no imitations, this album has some of the best electronic music you’ll hear all year.

Soft Tissue shows Tindersticks at their masterful best, a band that is crystal clear on where they want to go creatively and how they want to get there. They may never truly get the wider attention they deserve but for those already invested the emotional rewards only continue to grow and deepen.

The Jesus Lizard are back with a bang, and this is a resurrection that we all deserve.

With this record Young Fathers have managed a perfect synthesis between what they are saying and how they choose to present that sonically. Yes, this is a highly political and experimental record, but it is also a brilliant pop album.

Melodrama delivers everything pop music should, but yet it manages to find more. As an album it is unlikely to be bettered in 2017.

Transangelic Exodus is a beautiful, dark, twisted, painful and yet hopeful tale.

This is a bold, honest and carefree collection that, rather than announcing Kozelek's frustrated retirement, seems set to point to new and exciting musical adventures.

Not only is the music a step forward, the songs are too--and Coombes revels in their delivery.

Write off Jaguar Love at your peril; this is one of the best albums of the year so far.

It’s just about impossible to live up to the hype that an album like this has been subjected to, but Ocean comes pretty close. Blonde is often a bit of a sprawling mess, but with some patience it becomes one of the most rewarding albums you’ll hear all year.

By the end of the heartfelt Touched By You MNEK has truly made his mark with this ambitious masterwork of an album. After years in the background, he’s proved that he’s the full package.

That they can create such a heavy sound with just two people is nothing short of genius.

It’s to their huge credit that they have made such an assured and immersive album on their own terms.

Slave Ambient is an amazing record, but it is far from immediate as these songs take time to develop into something tangible.

Their first album was one of the strongest debuts in recent memory and this is an equally impressive follow-up.

At this point in Mogwai’s history, it’d be unreasonable to expect any kind of seismic shift in direction, but what they’ve done with Atomic is refine their methods to create something that could just possibly be the highlight of the career to date.

Gargoyle is yet another fantastic album from Mark Lanegan, and one that points to a new path.

This album is the full realisation of his talent as a bass player, musician and, most importantly, a songwriter. Apocalypse is, in short, a supreme triumph.

This is a magnificent and engaging record from one of our most beloved actors that both jazz aficiandos and neophytes should come to adore.

Present Tense is yet another unusually powerful invitation to savour a few abominable maledictions by these wicked vagabonds.

If you've approached Herbert's music before you'll already know to expect the unexpected. If it's your first time, use all the surround sound you have and revel in the power of free musical speech and a fantastic update of timeless jazz styles.

By the time Dislocated’s restless drums drop out he has also demonstrated a level of originality comparable to Madvillainy or Vaudeville Villain – a true artist.

On The Worse Things Get, there’s not a weak song.

It is consistently fresh, inventive and beguiling, showing a band surely at the summit of their powers.

This is another step along that path of evolution destined to appear on end of year best album lists, and (ducks from those crazed blues-starved fans of old) it’s quite possibly The Black Keys’ own best ever long player.

Whether or not Shit Robot is making grooves and beats that are unique and progressive isn't the point. The whole point of his work is to embrace the glorious past and then push the necessary knobs and buttons that are commonplace today to take it to a wonderfully hip-shaking new level.

Overall, Matthew E White and his Spacebomb house band have created a brilliant debut, one that will undoubtedly have artists queueing up to be a part of this newly established project.

Home Counties is Saint Etienne at their very best, blending breezy observations and harmonies with a deep seated emotion, centred around the need for a place to call home. In these uncertain times, a blast of hot sunshine and a listen to this record certainly make the world a better place to be.

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

Iglooghost has succeeded in an enviable task: he has managed to create a signature sound while innovating and progressively adding to that sound, and Lei Line Eon is a fine showcase for this unique artistic vision.

Wall Of Arms is an expansive, confident second album that takes The Maccabees from indie also-rans to genuine contenders.

This is music that has gloriously outgrown its unfamiliar origins and deserves to be embraced wholeheartedly.

Featuring some of the most inventive producers in pop and steered by a singer who knows her way round a catchy melody or five, Don't Stop is one of the best pop albums of 2009.

Let England Shake, Harvey's first solo album since 2007's White Chalk, is a brutal, often difficult and always unflinching look at what terrible things happen to people when nations fight each other.

His versatility serves him incredibly well once again, and ultimately prevents the demons from bringing him down. By laying bare his troubles, Ben Watt has made his finest album yet.

The upshot is an album that is one of the year’s most significant and polished pop performances. There’s not a wasted moment on Something To Give Each Other.

The legend behind m b v, as well as its songs, have created something many will talk about for much longer than it’s taken to arrive.

Unfollow The Rules – the album title was inspired by a phrase used by Wainwright’s daughter – is worth the wait, and across the 12 songs here, we experience some of the finest moments of his career to date.

Floating Points continues to create striking, original electronic music, and with this album comfortably achieves his aim of creating a set of bangers rich in colour and content. Harnessing his electronic orchestra for wholly uplifting means, Sam Shepherd has made something rather special.

It's not a totally perfect record, for which we should be thankful - remember what happened to The Stone Roses after they'd released their flawless debut? - but it is an excellent first album, and gives notice that Alex Turner is already one of this country's best lyricists.

From this irrepressible debut, we can deduce that Katy B is a genuinely exciting UK urban vocal talent, the like of which we haven't seen in some time.