Indeed, if you are looking for surprises then you won't find many. As well as stellar production, another Fagen trademark is his willingness, even necessity, for songs to run their natural course.

It's a testament to their talent that by their seventh album they're still continuing to develop and reinvent themselves.

Primrose Green may not be the most original of statements, but it definitely amounts to more than the sum of its parts and there is the lingering impression that Walker is only just getting started.

Spellbinding debut album, its vivid subject matter dealing with depression, sexuality, prejudice and matters of the heart with an uplifting old-school feel complemented by celestial vocals.

Despite the occasional hippy-dippyness, there is an elegance to Hazlewood's work.

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.

While it doesn’t quite have the instantly addictive quality that Pupul’s work with Charlotte Adigéry does, this is still a rich, multi-layered work that serves as both a fine tribute to Pupul’s mother and a compelling journey of grief, loss and the effects of ancestry.

It has the feel of a transitional record; having proved to himself that it’s possible to pair up heartfelt songs with sometimes incongruous music, perhaps Lekman will hone this concept further in his future work.

The powerful Santiago Sunrise closes the album, confirming Even In Exile to be an undoubtedly impressive outing, both in terms of being an engaging, impactful set of songs but also as an educational exercise in shining further light on an important musician and cultural figure.

This is a vital album for anyone interested in how musical traditions are disseminated, absorbed and reinvented.

It might not be exactly how you remember Loop to be, but it’s distinctly Loop nevertheless and is a welcome return for a band that were thought to be done and dusted.

It may have been written and recorded in double quick time, but Won’t You Take Me With You is still an impressively assured, fully realised record.

While 2013’s effort saw some incredible peaks, Vile’s new album has managed to forge a more consistent collection of songs built around simplicity and a shrugged shoulder approach to lyrics.

Overall, it adds up to form an accomplished album that manages to be both outward-looking while also proud of its heritage.

It is the sound of a band entirely comfortable and confident with where they are.

The main discernible difference immediately noticeable is the increased tempo and prominent, thundering rhythm section alongside racing guitars.

A fine piece of work here, both profound and mysterious. Hopefully we won’t have to wait another eight years for the next one.

Ultimately it's an incredibly rewarding listen, even if the self-observing anxiety that's writ large throughout means it doesn't quite reach the lofty heights to which its creators have bravely aspired.

Option Paralysis may be considered a side-step by some, but there are so many exuberant flourishes and cleverly thought out harmonies that it's probably better to consider it a mind-boggling step over. The Dillinger Escape Plan isn't out of tricks just yet.

Not only is Head Above The Water a collection of beautiful deep-psych lullabies of the heart, it’s also a tender reminder of the importance of compassion and support when life gets tough.

Nine Types Of Light is another strong early contender for album of the year.

It’s catchy, perfectly executed, and succeeds in both honouring the better aspects of a much maligned scene whilst also sticking two fingers up at the horrific ideologies that still populate it.

I’m A Dreamer is never going to set the world alight with innovative new sounds, but these songs are perfect little gems that possess a timeless quality.

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.

This is an album that exceeds expectations and is unlikely to disappoint those who do bother to listen to it.

Free of the patronising condescension that many Western musicians adopt when they embark on musical journeys like this, Victoria Bergsman has produced a marvellous, spell-binding album.

Home Sweet Home is refreshing and genuinely breathtaking.

G_d’s Pee AT STATE’S END! might follow a certain well worn path but still sounds magnificent, especially at volume, pulling you in like a rip tide.

This is an album that sounds fresh despite having its roots firmly planted in the post-hardcore/pre-grunge era.

It is put together with a huge degree of dignity and respect that makes it the perfect swansong for the Man In Black.

These are truly wonderful songs that deserved to be poured over and analysed for months to come.

Their blend of the parochial and multi-cultural with a hint of dark mystery combines to promising effect here.

There’s no denying this is a heavy record, not at all easy going mood music you’d lightly slap on whilst performing menial tasks. But the mix of gentle moments of reflection amongst muscular foreboding sounds save it from being overly doom-laden. And the fact remains, it is a genuinely exciting listen.

Those familiar with the older Årabrot will find much to admire here, and this is far from a crossover album, but in terms of scope both sonically, lyrically and artistically, it’s perhaps the defining moment of the band so far.

As gross as The Body set out to make No One Deserves Happiness, it is Wolpert’s presence that actually provides it with an element of hope. She’s like a flower in a bomb crater, and in a weird way, The Body might just have made one of the most hopeful pop albums ever.

It might not be FOTL’s most accessible album, but The Peace And Truce is perhaps their most rewarding. Once those rough edges have been understood and accepted, Falkous’ cryptic lyrics are an endless source of mirth and puzzlement. There’s depth here, and it’s not just in Ruzick’s bass lines.

It is harsh, unflinching and, at times, pretty hard to listen to. But it’s an album that had to be made, in order that, as the title suggests, demons can be exorcised. It’s this quality which makes Exorcism such a compelling, and ultimately uplifting, experience.

The beautifully warm and naturalistic production brings these inherently intimate songs closer still.

The good news is that while it’s not better than Hippopotamus, their latest work is just as hilarious, and just as focused.

It’s as good an introduction as any to Sleaford Mods’ peculiar charms.

The dark, introspective nature of Idles’ latest release may well disappoint those who love the band for their rabble-rousing, tongue-in-cheek headbangers. But for those who’ve been waiting some time for the beloved Bristolians to take a left turn with their sound, Crawler is an absolute thrill.

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.

Feels like a jolt to the nervous system in the best possible way. As a soundtrack to the weird times we all find ourselves in, and a potent call to action, it doesn’t get much better than this.

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.

There’s nothing particularly new on Stream Of Life, but that’s not an insult – in fact, listening to the jerky, frantic pop of I Knew That You’d Say That, you’re almost transported back to those heady A Certain Trigger days. Maxïmo Park have steadily become a reliable, consistent band – this is another example of their quiet excellence.

Strength in adversity is a powerful combination in music, and Doves have it in spades, delivering an inspiring sixth album.

It’s a strange and often beautiful record, proving that Charli XCX is indeed the perfect artist to soundtrack this new twist on Brontë.

When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go? is a startlingly good introduction to Billie Eilish, an album full of attitude but with the talent to back it up. Where she goes from here will be fascinating to see.

If you’re willing to give it your full attention, this is a frequently stunning record. It may often be difficult, but like most hard work, Utopia reaps its own rewards.

A compilation of soundtrack pieces shouldn't work on paper, but these evocative tracks stand up well after being separated from their original context.

Crack The Skye is a monolithic achievement from a band that never compromises in terms of vision or style. It's easily the best metal album of the last 10 years.

Gang Signs & Prayer does a brilliant job of introducing the world to the full scope of his talent, dismissing any notion of him being a one-trick pony.

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.

Panda Bear Meets The Grim Reaper is often blissful electronica for both the heart and the brain.

By the time it finishes, it’s hard to avoid thinking that Cutouts is the best album by the best side project of the best band of all time. If you don’t get there, or if you read that and find that it doesn’t sell it to you, then you simply can’t be helped.

The more that you listen to this album, the more affecting it becomes.

The result is immersive, experimental, bubble-gum, intense and deep with stunning layers – and echoes the lockdown zeitgeist.

Despite the distinct swerve in direction, there are still numerous killer blows to be found on ...Like Clockwork.

The record is a captivating and challenging insight into the mindset of an intelligent artist who is pushing himself further than ever before, taking his music in new and fascinating directions.

Admittedly, sometimes the album’s ambition does threaten to trip itself up--there’s a few too many half-sketched ideas crammed in, as opposed to fully formed songs; a bit of ruthless editing might have whittled down the running time to a more manageable 50 minutes or so. However, there’s certainly more highlight than filler contained in Freetown Sound and it is, ultimately, an album that deserves to be heard.

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.

Singles is a record that is experimental, yet hugely accessible.

It’s another intriguing step in the evolution of Everything Everything – it ultimately doesn’t matter whether you buy into the overarching concept of the record when the songs are as good as they are on Mountainhead.

It’s a heart that’s filled to bursting on Babelsberg: you can’t really imagine a better soundtrack for the end of the world.

Not only is I Have Made A Place the most consistent work Oldham has put out in some time, it is up there with the finest in his now very extensive back catalogue.

The album is so intricate, rich and multilayered that it’s difficult to do justice to its overall sound.

It’s different enough from its predecessor to show marked progress, but with all the original essentials present and correct. The bar was set high; All Pigs Must Die have set it higher still.

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.

It’s the subtlest yet most powerful record of their career to date, and while it does reach far into the past, while it nods to jazz, funk and electronic music, it also feels consistent and controlled.

‘Flicted is one of the more positive responses you will hear to the pandemic, and it continues Bruce Hornsby’s rich vein of form in recent years. ... It is giving Hornsby some of the best music of his career.

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.

The wit and the orchestral touches that have always been part of The Divine Comedy are still present, but Hannon’s personal touch elevates this collection of songs to something even greater than he’s produced before.

Despite a few too many lacklustre and inconsequential tracks, there are some incredible highs here and songs that will sound phenomenal when played live.

Allo Darlin' have achieved their aim of not producing a carefree record again, and then some--instead, they've created one of considerable, admirable depth and nous, though it retains the warm, personal nature of its predecessor.

Love Streams is always on the move. It’s alive and constantly evolving: a slippery beast of a record that you can try and get a hold of, but thankfully you probably never will.

Cerebral listening.

This is a difficult album to find fault with--not only on an immediate, aesthetic level, but also on a more considered, objective one.

It’s not simply an album that will leave you resonating with morbid thoughts or feeling a connection with the mundane inevitability of all things life related. Instead, it’s a collection that will make you think for yourself and one that will keep on giving for a considerable time.

Northampton’s Child has a brilliant trap-style beat which comes with one of Slowthai’s better performances, as if being more autobiographical implicitly encouraged him to find his own voice. But these moments are too few and far between to save a record that reveals the whirlwind of hype around Slowthai to be not much more than invisible garments on an arrogant emperor.

Heaven is even better than their debut: what a relief that Dilly Dally managed to put any remaining tensions to bed before making this exceptional album.

Plaid’s contemporaries from the early ’90s are in very different places now, with Aphex Twin incorporating styles footwork in his new releases and Autechre progressing further and further into uncharted terrain. This album, however, is from a duo mostly content to amble down memory lane.

By the time the closing track, the swaying, communal singalong of Lord Have Mercy, comes around, you’ll be mentally reordering your list of top 10 all-time Sparks albums. MAD! is the sound of the Mael Brothers defying age and still doing things their own way.

Versions Of Us is an intense listen, dealing with weighty topics, yet thanks to the hooks running through most of these songs, it’s also their most accessible album to date. It’s taken a while, but Lanterns On The Lake may just be ready for the big time at long last.

A beautiful album from a talent very much on the rise.

In their own, low key, understated way, Elbow continue to beguile and impress.

The Waiting Room is another immensely satisfying collection from a band always able--even after personnel upheavals--to explore multiple styles while remaining ineffably themselves.

Yet another album of utter genius in a stylistic vein that nobody in their right minds would have predicted from Ulver.

As befits songs of mortality, yearning and loss, the tempo never really rises above a mild trot, with just the catchy chorus and crunchy guitar on Motion Sickness hinting at it being a breakthrough hit. Yet the downbeat atmosphere and fragile arrangements only serve to accentuate Bridgers’ strong, distinctive voice.

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.

These expertedly crafted songs do deserve a wider hearing, and if this album is to remain a hidden treasure, then it's the general public's loss in all honesty.

They may not define the zeitgeist as they did 20 years ago, but God Games proves they can still hit those old heights more often than not.

Temple Beautiful is a wonderfully eloquent depiction of, and dedication to, the wildness of his adopted city, a bittersweet ode to the feral nature of urban living amongst the greats and the not-so-greats, the wannabes and the has-beens.

The vocals here are telling; it’s effortlessly stunning, grabbing attention with how easily she achieves something countless others spend years chasing.

It’s certainly not a record to dip in and out of – this is, without a doubt, an album to listen to in the dark with your finest pair of headphones – but those who devote the time to it will be richly rewarded.

Demon Days as a whole is a thing of considerable depth and melancholia and offers rather more soul than the cartoon gimmick would suggest.

Much like some of their aforementioned peers, you might wonder what all the fuss is about, but it shouldn’t take too long before you see that there’s a lot to like.

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

Los Campesinos! continue to compose intelligent, well thought out songs, endearingly so, and eschew any trends other than the one they're setting for themselves.