For body and mind, then, this is a powerfully affecting release, one that cements Rival Consoles as one of the brightest jewels in the heavily studded Erased Tapes crown.

Odd Blood peaks in the middle, with two marvelous extended tracks which take the raw materials of '80s soul and funk and somehow manage to inject the mesmeric, insistent rhythms of Krautrock without making a terrible mess of things.

Given the number and variety of artists appearing on EGOLI it could have been easy for it to feel uneven, but it flows brilliantly and should be hailed as a significant achievement.

Overall The Return is a vital addition to both the budding career of Kamaal Williams, and to modern jazz as a whole.

Although Pull Up Some Dust... delves deep into both North and South American musical history and moves rapidly from style to style, there is scant scope for quibbling over Cooder's honesty or authenticity.

This is purely primal, instinctive rock and as derivative as it may be, it still sounds awash with originality.

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’s initial momentum is not quite there by the three quarter distance, but Woman is an album that more than merits time.

It's a subtle collection of tracks that is surprisingly both intimate and ambitious at the same time.

Mostly, Love In Constant Spectacles is one of Weaver’s most successful albums – it may not have the instant ‘wow factor’ of The Silver Globe or the nods to the dancefloor that her last album Flock had, but these are some beautifully intricate, thoughtful songs that deserve all of your attention.

R Plus Seven is as singularly compelling as any of his previous releases, but in his desire to transcend glossy hyper pop and introspective electronica into something new and fascinating, Lopatin has delivered a masterful debut for his new label.

With Wish Defense, FACS have made a record that is as much a piece of Steve Albini’s legacy as it is to their own magnum opus. It is challenging, confrontational, and relentless – but for all its darkness, something striking emerges. Not beauty in a conventional sense, but something raw, vivid, and impossible to ignore.

Flock is a massive step forward musically. Paul Noonan's superb lyrics now have some powerful musical backing, throwing in all kinds of references from disco to funk and good old-fashioned rock.

The Hawk Is Howling is a record that shows Mogwai's lips to be sealed, but speaks volumes about their depth and ingenuity.

Far is her best album yet, and while it's a long way from early works such as Soviet Kitsch or 11:11, it perfectly illustrates the evolution of a woman who's becoming a truly great artist.

These are songs that can sashay straight past you if you're not careful, but producer Stuart Matthewman (whose work with Maxwell sounds equally poured over) slips in subtle moments such as the twinkling percussion on Morning Bird and the slow-burn backing on opener The Moon And The Sky.

For everyone who felt that eight year break was an eternity, Take Her Up To Monto will be manna from heaven. It’s yet another gloriously odd missive from Ms Murphy.

Hyperdrama is a well thought through album, bringing a real shot of adrenalin in its outer sections. The suspicion may be that Justice have applied just a bit too much studio gloss to the end product, but that should see it work brilliantly in the live environment. One thing is for certain – Justice are more than happy to take the French dance music mantle and run with it. Two decades in, their beats are as strong as ever.

Though his aims of presenting this as a robust, high-concept album aren’t necessarily met, this is still wonderful pop.

The record feels as if a lot of time has been spent on it – getting the sound just right, making sure the collaborations work – and the result is a triumph from a producer whose sound has lost none of its flair.

Certainly short and in places sharp, Schlon is just the right level of sweet, too. With increased variety in his arrangements and a willingness to explore slower paced rhythms, Souleyman underlines his ability to fulfil a passionate mission for bringing joyous music and its message of love to ever wider audiences.

ts concise nature, glossy finish and sense of clarity (something that even extends to the band photography) suggest that, as strange as it might seem, this is not a return to Sunn O)))’s metal roots, but is instead, for all intents and purposes, their pop album.

It means Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds end the year as they began it: demonstrating they are a band in very fine health.

Smart and funny. Bold and layered. Witty and affecting. Roll on the next reinvention.

Red Barked Tree is a proud and unapologetic album; as it shifts between sounds there's conviction in every noise and word. It's the sound of a band still having a lot of fun. And there's not an ounce of nostalgia.

Theirs is an easily digestible, less angst-ridden take on grunge, with a fizzing, infectious youthfulness to it. Definitely one to keep a close eye on this year.

If you’re coming to Kings Of Leon expecting something experimental or anything really out of the ordinary, you’re a bit of a numpty (see also: Interpol, The Killers, &c.). But come to Can We Please Have Fun with an open mind and an open heart and you’ll find it’s more than worth a shot.

While Any Port In A Storm is unlikely to make a superstar out of Dermody, it definitely feels like the arrival of a new cult hero.