Although she’s been around for over a decade, Whole World As Vigil can serve as an introduction to one of the most exciting voices in contemporary experimental pop music.

These are songs to throw yourself around the moshpit to – it’s the sound of a band realising their potential and loving every minute of it.

With Wild Mountain Nation they present a raucous and varied constellation of souvenirs, rough-hewn but lush, crackling with a weird and lucid energy.

In his second album, The Wild Hunt, Matsson has made a stunningly genuine folk record that compares favourably to staples of the genre dating back to Bob Dylan's The Times They Are A-Changin'.

It is full of sadness and hope, but ultimately it is a celebration of human spirit and the unique talent of Roky Erickson. This indeed is special and magical music.

Esmerine has once again created an album full of depth, wonder and flights of fancy.

Rudi Zygadlo proves here that he is far more than an electro producer, and has delivered a second album that frequently captivates and often mystifies.

Comfortably impressive, it’s difficult to see how Near To The Wild Heart Of Life will leave the turntable once it gets spinning. Despite being less striking than its predecessor, it’s another great Japandroids album.

Their previous albums were exercises in fuzzed up, energised sonic assault, and whilst Fantasy Empire is no different in terms of attack and intent, there’s a clarity to it that makes it more effective.

Minor missteps aside, Further Complications is a bold, progressive step forward in the so far, so very good solo career of Jarvis Cocker.

What might start as a project which has specialist appeal only therefore becomes something well worth hearing, a lesson in how to make the most from an instrument with seemingly limited range, without overdoing the beard scratching.

No embarrassing side-project, Let Them Talk turns out to showcase heartfelt and sensitively handled musicianship from one of our finest all-round entertainers.

Luckily, there’s enough energy imparted by the snappy drums and darkly driving basslines to keep it interesting, giving structure to the more ethereal elements without overpowering them. If the thought of trawling through the ’90s again leaves you cold, pop this on and party like its 1980.

A quite astonishing record then, and one which establishes Chasny as a bona fide guitar god, proves that Comets On Fire are much missed, and knocks the notion of guitar music being dead into a cocked hat.

If you can cope with the intensity, there are rewards aplenty to be found here - Sons And Daughters are the perfect group to fill the hole that The Delgados left when they split up last year.

Picture You succeeds in combining influences from a variety of genres to make an end result that’s lush and timeless.

This record feels like half reboot and half memoir. She goes out of her way to acknowledge the fact she’s not a teenager anymore, but with a gentle defiance, a little nostalgia and a subtle change in direction that makes Golden both touching but also really good fun.

Live On Ten Legs captures 18 brilliant moments in the history of one of rock 'n' roll's most consistent bands.

This is a delightful record, plain and simple.

He remains a formidable wordsmith, and a fast mover by the looks of things. However his career develops, it will be crucial for him to keep a tight hold of the bewitching elements that help make not just his debut, but also his latest, a refreshing listen.

There may be no words, but their music speaks volumes--and is consistently rewarding and charming.

Gira’s ability to look at the world and show us how terrifying it is continues to reap rewards. It might not throughout be what we’ve come to expect from Swans, but it is decidedly relevant.

This is a quality piece of craftsmanship and there isn't a weak point on the album.

The full blast of bass and guitars from Nic Bueth and Alex Sprogis that respectively fortify tracks like The Big Curve, Decoration and Slideshow are as grotty, inexorably heavy and domineering as the world frontman Charlie Drinkwater finds himself lashing out at.

Feed The Rats is everything you could hope for from Pigsx7. It’s heavy, stoned, accessible and transformative.

There may be nothing on here Funplex that will challenge the likes of Rock Lobster or Love Shack, but Funplex is a consistently brilliant party album from a band that knows the value in simply having a good time.

Push The Sky Away demonstrates that even in his 30th year, nobody delivers a lyric quite like Nick Cave.

It might not be wholly successful but that could be due simply to our unfamiliarity as listeners with music that manages to be different in an instinctive way.