Viewed on its own, the often captivating Black Stallion is an effective electronic record.

On U, she finds a clearly-defined, rounded-out identity in her music for the first time, and she delivers the most immediate and the most robust work of her career.

In five tracks and just over 20 minutes, Not The Actual Events manages to build on Nine Inch Nails' past while stepping resolutely into their future. And after 28 years, we’re still excited to see what comes next.

A masterclass in how to show exploration while never straying from the beaten path, Miranda is a mind most should look to. Rich in melody and promise, she leaves no stone unturned on her journey to the centre of the musical earth.

Mdou Moctar’s energy for revolution is full force experience, as exhilarating as it is inspiring, and it is made more powerful by his sincere love and understanding of the Tuareg tradition. Afrique Victime bottles this fervency not only so more can engage with this resistance and its ideas, but also so we can be reminded of the nature of true rock 'n' roll rebellion.

It remains to be seen whether Song of the Earth is just another curious left-turn in a discography full of them, or whether it signals a new Dirty Projectors epoch. What is certain though is that Song of the Earth is a thematically singular album.

Leave Me Alone is flawed, but its flaws are what makes it so beguiling.

Whilst they recognise that change in any capacity comes with risks, they are taking matters into their own hands, and coming out the other side better for it.

It's their best since 1993’s Songs of Faith and Devotion.

The mystery of James Scythe, Room 309, and The Callous Heart that unfolded on the run up to this release acted as a rabbit hole gateway into rock and roll at its most theatrical. Eternity, In Your Arms loses none of that sense of spectacle.

The Seduction Of Kansas is an intelligent and essential record the establishes Priests as masters of their craft, and truly marks them out as one of the most capable punk bands around.

It’s not a reinvention, but Mercury Rev did their experimentation on their earlier records. Here they just get on with the job of sounding like nobody else, which suits them very nicely indeed.

The Don of Diamond Dreams has plenty of mass appeal regardless of its unconventional style, but still Butler entices us just enough by adding bits of flair to its top tracks.

Geography has much that appeals, not least that it’s one of those rare records that doesn’t fit neatly in to one genre. With it, Misch has cemented his place as one of the UK’s top independent producers of the moment, and looks set to only grow in confidence.

7 might not be their greatest moment (that right is still reserved for the utterly beautiful Teen Dream), but it is their most exciting.

Some might find it a mixed bag due to its atypical diversity, but the songs aren’t too contrasting to be deemed incohesive. Her lyrics are still sharp and impactful, with a little sprinkle of playfulness to fit the dominant genres. The album’s a joyous journey outside the bounds of – and without alienating – the usual, a testament to her considerable, well-rounded talent.

The record is a fluid blend of Goldie taking reflective looks back on where he’s come from and the myriad influences that have shaped him over the years, alongside a sonic perfectionist’s competitive desire to push the music world forward with his new work.

Tied To The Moon is a beautiful record, so full of intricacies that it continues to reward with every listen, allowing you to lose yourself in its stories.

All Nerve won’t please anybody looking for the reckless abandon of old, but surely nobody who ever loved this band will be in that frame of mind. Instead, they’ll be ushering these old favourites in from the cold with warmth and empathy. This records sounds like a quiet defeat; really, it’s a triumphant cacophony.

She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She is Wolfe’s best album for some time. The album’s music and vocals reflect its underlying theme well.

Chance is still just 23 years old, but Coloring Book is a staggeringly mature record, and while it isn’t on par with Acid Rap in terms of unforgettable lyricism, it also has a different mission.

Since the very beginning of his debut, From Here We Go Sublime, Willner has remained a top-tier stalwart and in one grand, sweeping gesture secures the reality of being one of the very few who continually sound like no one else while expertly giving little in return.

Beyond Belief is somewhat less guitar-centric than Along the Way, but otherwise it is more in most every other way.

hile Stuffed & Ready shares the glossy sheen (thanks to Carlos de la Garza, who returns for a second go-round as producer) and excellent songwriting of its predecessor, 2017’s Apocalipstick, the former is darker and more insular both musically and lyrically.

An album as intimate as it is cinematic. Rose-tinted melodies wrap around delicate harmonies and show off Jónsdóttir’s disarming vocals as she chronicles her experiences of falling in and out of love in the digital age, and 12 tracks feel not quite long enough to experience the ethereal beauty of Laufey’s sonic universe.

This is purposefully difficult music with very little in the way of hand-holding via melody or catchy riffs. Yet, in the end the potential reward is revealed: if you’re willing to brave the torment (of PoG’s music or of life, or both), perhaps you’ll achieve something like catharsis and be better for it on the other side.

The tone and the simplicity and the subtle melancholy of these eighteen miniature pieces make EUSA the most charming Tiersen release in some time.

Crunchy, ethereal, and odd in its harsh beauty, PAINLESS is a record of contradictions that Yanya spectacularly weaves together. Allowing us to see more of Nilüfer Yanya – as a person, as a musician, as a lyricist – each part is as intriguing and rewarding to dive into as the last.