Top 50 Albums of 2018

50 - Hinds - ‘I Don’t Run’

Spanish senoritas Hinds’ second studio record incorporates the same joyful-filled vibes that their debut had, whilst simultaneously allowing the band to harness and develop their song-crafting ability. ‘I Don’t Run’ deftly weaves itself between the disjointed feelings of love mixed with being confident in your own skin to help create a record that is as jaunty as it is emotional.

Listen to - Soberland, Tester, The Club, New for You, Echoing My Name, Finally Floating, To the Morning Light

49 - Ariana Grande - ‘Sweetener’

‘Sweetener’ was arguably the strongest-sounding pop record of the past 12 months. After a torrid 2017, Grande harnessed her experiences as a way of expressing her emotions through 15 tracks, the majority being absolute bangers. Additional support from Pharrell, Nicki Minaj, Missy Elliot and an array of established co-writers, helped to cement Grande as pop’s queen-bee and makes ‘Sweetener’ a worthy record to be featured on this list.

Listen to - God is a Woman, Blazed, Everytime, Breathin, Borderline, No Tears Left to Cry, Better Off

48 - The Magic Gang - ‘The Magic Gang’

Brighton’s The Magic Gang’s debut record is a jangly sounding breezy selection of tracks which involves catchy hooks and infectious riffs to create a genuinely sought out sound of joyful indie rock, a sound which has been rare to come by in recent years. The harmonies on this record immediately transport you to a sunshine filled Brighton seafront, and who can’t enjoy that?

Listen to - Oh Saki, All This Way, How Can I Compete, Jasmine, Caroline, Take Care, I’ll Show You, All That I Want Is You

47 - Slaves - ‘Acts of Fear and Love’

I’ve always struggled to engage with Slaves’ previous records, their sound became rather repetitive and albeit weird over their first two albums and their songs became pretty monotonous rather quickly. You can imagine my pleasant surprise when listening to their 3rd studio album then can’t you! ‘Acts of Fear and Love’ is an extremely fast-paced ball of energy, brimming with swaggering confidence and witty, abrasive humour. A joy for any punk rock fan.

Listen to - Daddy, Cut & Run, Bugs, Chokehold, Magnolia

46 - Parcels - ‘Parcels’

Devilishly catchy, infectious movers are abundant on Australian four-piece’s Parcels self-titled debut record. ‘Parcels’ features electropop, disco and soul vibes, and a Daft Punk production credit to boot, to construct a compelling album that is destined to excite any music fan.

Listen to - Lightenup, Closetowhy, Tieduprightnow, IknowhowIfeel, Everyroad

45- Jon Hopkins - ‘Singularity’

English producer/DJ Jon Hopkins’ 5th studio album is a 62 minute voyage of introspective space discovery. Hopkins delightfully manages to find an enchanting middle ground between deep acid house and ambient ecstasy on ‘Singularity’ in order to create an outstandingly pleasurable listening experience. ‘Singularity’ is one of those records that is just perfect for lying on your bed with the lights off and your headphones in. Utter electro bliss.

Listen to - Everything’s Connected, Emeral Rush, Echo Dissolve, Neon Pattern Drum, Recovery, Luminous Beings

44 - Flatbush Zombies - ‘Vacation in Hell’

Brooklyn hip-hop trio Flatbush Zombies return with the follow up to their acclaimed debut ‘3001: A Laced Odyssey’ displaying the same awe-inspiring compatibility that garnered these plaudits. ‘Vacation in Hell’ feels like a real celebration of rap, Flatbush have clearly utilised their many influences and idols from their chosen genre to develop their sound and lyricism and create a hard-faced genuinely appealing rap record.

Listen to - Headstone, U&I, The Glory, Facts, Misunderstood, Ask Courtney, Crown, Big Shrimp

43 - The Orielles - ‘Silver Dollar Moment’

‘SIlver Dollar Moment’ is a fuzzy, garage rock masterclass, particularly for a debut record. Halifax’s The Orielles incorporate heavy 90s rock influences into this 12-track odyssey to develop extremely maturely crafted music which resonates a certain nostalgic quality bound to get any sweaty gig moving.    

Listen to - Blue Suitcase (Disco Wrist), Mango, Henry’s Pocket, Old Stuff, New Glass, Sunflower Seeds, Borrachero Tree

42 - Various Artists - ‘Black Panther Soundtrack’

Rap’s current saviour Kendrick Lamar’s curated Black Panther soundtrack is a truly diverse celebration of the film’s intrinsic nature. The soundtrack, whilst mainly featuring Lamar, involves a large number of the genre’s megastars whilst harnessing Afrikana vibes as a detailed, consistent weave throughout the record. In an ever-changing and progressing medialistic world, it’s refreshing to see a major film company such as Marvel taking risks with a soundtrack like this.

Listen to - All the Stars, Big Shot, Redemption, Paramedic!, Bloody Waters, X, Kings Dead

41 - The Vaccines - ‘Combat Sports’

If their past two records have been somewhat disappointing then ‘Combat Sports’ finds The Vaccines back on their glorious debut album form. ‘Combat Sports’ is a celebration of no-frilled guilt-free indie rock and everything that can be brilliant about it. This record comes straight at you and barely relents throughout its running. If sing-along, fun stadium anthems are what you’re after, you can’t go far wrong with ‘Combat Sports’.

Listen to – Your Love is my Favourite Band, Nightclub, I Can’t Quit, Maybe (Luck of the Draw), Take it Easy, Someone to Lose, Young American

40 - A$ap Rocky - ‘Testing’

In a genre that currently often finds itself overridden with simplistic mediocrity, Harlem’s Asap Rocky’s latest offering ‘Testing’ was a breath of fresh air, even if that air is crammed with LSD-infused trippy weirdness. ‘Testing’ skimmed from East-Side hip-top to psychedelic rock to soul-filled R&B seemingly with ease. This record was definitely a long distance away from his previous work and was not particularly well-regarded by fans and critics, but, on artistic merit alone, ‘Testing’ has to be rewarded.

Listen to - Praise The Lord (Da Shine), A$ap Forever Remix, Purity, Gunz n Butter, Kids Turned Out Fine, Hun43rd, Buck Shots, Black Tux White Collar, OG Beeper

39 - J.I.D - ‘DiCaprio 2’

28 year old rapper J.I.D, signed to fellow lyricist J. Cole’s record label Dreamville Records, has often been slow in his music-making process. Many artists his age already have a well-developed discography, whereas ‘DiCaprio 2’ is only J.I.D’s second studio album. But, it’s definitely worth the wait. This record is filled with extremely clever lyricism, flourishes of jazzy induced brilliance, and a plethora of talented special guests. ‘DiCaprio 2’ is a wonderful starting point for a rapper who is surely destined for greatness.

Listen to - Off Deez, Skrawberries, Westbrook, Working Out, Off Da Zoinkys, Hot Box, Slick Talk

38 - MGMT - ‘Little Dark Age’

Streamlined synth pop has never sounded so good. MGMT, with their first record in five years, harness everything that made them so beloved back in the era of ‘Kids’, ‘Electric Feel’ etc. ‘Little Dark Age’ features plenty of electro-backed indiepop anthems to create a super fun-filled record that is perfect for getting you grooving.

Listen to - TSLAMP, Me and Michael, Hand it Over, One Left Thing to Try, Little Dark Age

37 - Joe Armon-Jones - ‘Starting Today’

Diverse London jazz musician Joe Armon-Jones’, a member of The Ezra Collective, debut record is an eclectic, broad-ranging, exploratory mix that walks the tightrope of everything we know about jazz whilst incorporating a delightful inventive splash which goes against the norm. Featuring only 6 songs, including 10 minute long journeys into an alternate dimension, pleasurably backed by wonderfully executed fused keyboard playing and lush vocals, ‘Starting Today’ is an awe-inspiring first record that will no doubt serve as a building block for Armon-Jones to further pursue his evident talent.

Listen to - Almost Went Too Far, London’s Face, Mollison Dub

36 - Arctic Monkeys - ‘Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino’

Back in April, in a particularly bold and brave mood, Alex Turner and co announced that their moon-set space-aged hotel & casino ‘Tranquility Base’ was open for business with their 6 studio album. The record, albeit divisive, was a particular enjoyment of the past 12 months for me. I was extremely happy to see the band creating a record that they clearly wanted to make, something that was completely different from their previous efforts. Filled with piano backed croons, ‘TBHC’ offers a new aspect to the band, suggesting that they are more than capable of branching out.

Listen to - Star Treatment, The Ultracheese, One Point Perspective, Four out of Five.

35 - Anderson Paak - ‘Oxnard’

Anderson Paak’s homage to his Californian birth city Oxnard is dripping with funk-inspired neo-soul hip-hop swagger. The rapping, singing, drumming machine that is Paak creates his own hedonistic vision of his hometown on this record, an equal, fast-paced mix of tragedy and love, much like many stories of stardom from LA. The record, predominantly produced by Dr Dre, enables Paak to access funk from a rap perspective, thus creating a delightfully refreshing mix that is extremely pleasant to hear. Also, Tints is probably my favourite song of the year, just saying.

Listen to - Tints, Who R U?, 6 Summers, Cheers, The Chase, Anywhere, Mansa Musa, Saviers Road

34 - Brockhampton - ‘Iridescence’

Throughout 2017, Brockhampton were everything a music fan needed, their music was inexplicably fun and carefree, their appearance was diverse and fresh and they genuinely looked like nothing could stop them. However, after the allegations regarding band member Ameer Vann required the group to carry on 1 member lighter, the sunshine seemed to shy away. Iridescence certainly represents that. The edgy hip-hop collective’s 4th studio album, recorded entirely at the iconic Abbey Road Studios, represents a shift in the band’s mindset. Gone are the hook-heavy tracks, and in its place are lyrically laced tracks that leave the listener pondering. Don’t let this put you off though, where ‘Iridescence’ lacks in joy, it more than makes up in emotive lyricism.

Listen - New Orleans, J’Ouvert, Tonya, Fabric, Tape, Vivid, Weight, Where the Cash At, Honey

33 - Jay Rock - ‘Redemption’

LA rapper Jay Rock’s music is often laden with his personal struggles, he has always had a knack for storytelling through his music, whether its tales of ganbaging in the hood to the struggles of fame, and new record ‘Redemption’ is no different. Although, with ‘Redemption’s ability to look back negatively, there’s also plenty of room for positivity throughout the album. Rock does not shy away from showcasing his talent and the fact that he believes that he is currently ‘winning’ in the rap game. ‘Redemption’ also calls on a vast arsenal of hip-hop talent including Kendrick Lamar, J Cole, Future & SZA to create a real celebration feeling, a celebration of being at the top of your game and being fully aware of that.

Listen to - Rotation 112th, Wow Freestyle, Win, Shit Real, Knock It Off

32 - Beach House - ‘7’

Baltimore duo Beach House have created their most immersive and meticulous record to date with ‘7’. The album successfully combines dark, twisted psychedelic vibes with gorgeous, dreamy instrumentals to orchestrate a hugely complex and inventive sound which is as accessible as it is dismissive. The spellbinding nature of this evocative selection of music allows ‘7’ to become a really fantastic record.

Listen to - Dive, Woo, Pay No Mind, L’Inconnue, Dark Spring, Black Car

31 - Sophie - ‘Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides’

The unidentifiable form of experimental artist Sophie’s debut album is what entices you so much to this record. It’s a cold, dark, dystopian industrial landscape, a booming latex-pop house party and everything in between. Sophie’s first stroll into the music industry has proved incredibly fruitful and she is certainly destined for greatness if this record is anything to go by.

Listen to – Faceshopping, Immaterial, Is It Cold in the Water?, Infatuation, Whole New World/Pretend World

30 - Sunflower Bean - ‘Twentytwo in Blue’

New York trio Sunflower Bean have produced a record in ‘Twentytwo in Blue’ which is brimming with confidence, rage, humility and humour. ‘Twentytwo in Blue’ is the group’s second studio album and it seems them almost reinventing themselves from their debut. Their new record sees the band becoming far more self-aware and retrospective, taking a responsible look at the outside world and judging it for themselves in a particularly mature manner, something which is pretty impressive considering the trio’s relative youth. Light-hearted indie bangers and heavy-hitting croons are in equal, awesome proportion on this record.

Listen to - I Was a Fool, Twentytwo, Memoria, Burn It, Only a Moment, Oh No Bye Bye, Sinking Sands

29 - Denzel Curry - ‘TA13OO’

Sadly, South Florida rapper Denzel Curry is mainly recognized due to the now-meme song ‘Ultimate’ (Google It), and this therefore meant that I went into ‘TA13OO’ with very low expectations. Thankfully, his new record finds Curry on a newfound level. He is able to carve his own hip-hop subgenre revolving around the pain and confusion of youth via this album. The cleverness of ‘TA13OO’ lies in it’s ordering, Curry has stated that the record is split into 3 distinct sections, the light, the gray and the dark. And this helps to create a truly immersive and emotional listening experience when the record is listened in full in its intended order.

Listen to - Black Balloons, Sumo, Super Saiyan Superman, Vengeance, The Blackest Balloon, Switch It Up, Cash Maniac

28 - Ross from Friends - ‘Family Portrait’

No, not David Schwimmer. Felix Weatherall, or as he’s better known as, Ross From Friends, has been on the house scene for a couple of years now. A few alluring EP’s have whet the appetite of many club enthusiasts, and his debut full record is bound to please the masses. ‘Family Portrait’ is as the name describes, a nostalgic celebration of Weatherall’s parent’s previous careers as DJ’s, his own upbringing and his experiences. ‘Family Portrait’ is crammed full of woozy synth based, deep bass backed bangers, tracks like ‘Don’t Wake Dad’, ‘Thank God I’m A Lizard’ and ‘The Knife’ fully celebrate all this producer and genre has to offer.

Listen to - Don’t Wake Dad, Thank God I’m A Lizard, The Knife, Parallel Sequence, R.A.T.S

27 - Young Fathers - ‘Cocoa Sugar’

Attempting to define Young Fathers to a single identifiable genre has been a difficult task for a few years now. The easiest thing is to say they are a ‘rap trio’ but their releases are always so much more than that. Their latest effort ‘Cocoa Sugar’, the groups 3rd record in 4 years, helps to, yet again, broaden their depth and texture as musicians. The selection of tracks offers brand-new aspects to their music, whilst still incorporating the similar clear themes that have always been prominent for them, racism, corporatism, greed, contrasts etc. The only thing that I would say enables ‘Cocoa Sugar’ to differ itself from the trio’s previous work is the fact that the tracks are much more consistent and streamlined, with a recurring, albeit complex, sound being omnipresent throughout.

Listen to - In My View, Fee Fi, Turn, Border Girl, Holy Ghost

26 - Janelle Monae - ‘Dirty Computer’

On my first listen of ‘Dirty Computer’, it immediately pulled me in. There was something so gloriously fun about it yet so complex. Actress and musician Janelle Monae has successfully been able to perfect her songwriting ability on this record with a layered sound being weaved intrinsically through the spine of this album that is as contemporary as it is completely leftfield. Not to mention the plethora of fantastic collaborators that feature on this record, Beach Boys Brian Wilson, Pharrell, Grimes, Zoe Kravitz and the late Prince all lend their hand to this celebration of sci-fi funky pop punk. ‘Dirty Computer’ is definitely Monae’s crowning moment.

Listen to - Make Me Feel, Dirty Computer, Take a Byte, Screwed, I Like That, Americans, Crazy Classic Life, Pynk

25 - Noname - ‘Room 25’

Chicago rapper Noname’s second record is a weirdly intoxicating, pleasurable mix of cosmic jazz, neo-soul rap-inspired slow jams that delightfully display the 27 year old’s gorgeous ability for crafting music. ‘Room 25’ is a blazing sonnet presented by a woman who feels that she has finally found her place, a coming-of-age tale if you will. If any listeners of Noname were unsure of her confidence in her own ability then the very first line of ‘Room 25’ should set you straight; “My pussy teachin’ ninth-grade English/My pussy wrote a thesis on colonialism.”. Here lies a confident, self-assured woman for sure!

Listen to - Self, Window, Don’t Forget About Me, Regal, Ace, With You, No Name

24 - Let’s Eat Grandma - ‘I’m All Ears’

UK female duo Let’s Eat Grandma despite being only 19, are already on their second record, and ‘I’m All Ears’ is a really brilliant one to boot. The album is a true kaleidoscopic indie pop journey into weirdness. The duo’s bold, refreshing approach to making music which effectively captures all that is strange about being in your late teens is really enjoyable to listen and embrace. Empowerment, the concepts of humanity and the ever-changing modern world are all themes which the two women tackle on this record, in such a clever, inventive way that it instantly draws you in and makes you hungry for more.

Listen to - It’s Not Just Me, Hot Pink, Donnie Darko, I Will Be Waiting

23 - Joey Purp - ‘Quarterthing’

There is nothing simplistic about Chicago rapper Joey Purp’s latest effort. ‘Quarterthing’ continuously turns down dark alleys, twisting and turning its way through a variety of hip-hops many meanders. Whether it’s straight up trap rap, jazz-infused jams or high intensity soundcloud hip-hop, Purp manages to tackle them with the same level of finesse, creating a deeply complex and pleasurable listening experience.

Listen to - Hallelujah, 24k Gold/Sanctified, Godbody- Pt.2, Aw Shit!, Quarterthing, Paint Thinner, 2012, Fessional/Diamonds Dancing

22 - Novelist - ‘Novelist Guy’

2018 has been a rather quiet year for grime, particularly in terms of efforts in the past couple of years from Skepta, Stormzy, Wiley etc., so it was a delight to see young Lewisham-raised MC Novelist still keeping the ball rolling, and the genre in the front of people’s mind. Novelist has been deemed as one of grime’s brightest young stars and his first foray into a full studio album proves this. ‘Novelist Guy’ features crisp production, which still incorporates the genre’s core values, mixed with clever, witty, aggressive and relevant lyricism that clearly assures listeners of Novelist’s beliefs and intentions. ‘Novelist Guy’ is a particularly inventive record as it features no brags, no reference to drugs, no explicit language, just a young man’s honest first-hand perspective of a crazy world gone mad.

Listen to - Gangster, Dot Dot Dot, Stop Killing the Mandem, Man Better Jump, Better Way, Happiness in the Cold, Afro Pick

21 - Travis Scott - ‘ASTROWORLD’

Unfortunately, in recent years, Travis Scott has become a bit of a joke. Countless memes, a Jenner marriage/baby and ultimately disappointing releases have made him the media’s enemy and a bit of a scapegoat. But, just like a coaster at his resurrected fictional theme park ASTROWORLD, a ride that goes down, also needs to come back up, and Scott certainly manages this on his latest record. ASTROWORLD is a hip-hop record full of depth that displays Scott’s ability to be able to present an introspective side within his music, a trait that is bound to shut the critics up for a while. I was happily surprised with ASTROWORLD and no matter what your opinion on Travis Scott is, I would advise you to listen.

Listen to – Sicko Mode, Stop Trying to be God, Carousel, 5% Tint, Astrothunder, Who? What!, Houstonfornication, Coffee Bean

20 - Pusha T - ‘Daytona’

Produced entirely by his friend/mentor Kanye West, Pusha T’s ‘Daytona’ is certainly one of the shortest rap records of the year at only 21 minutes long. However, the NYC rapper successfully manages to cram everything he needs to into this short runtime. His beef with Drake, his drug-dealing past, his rise to stardom, the current state of the rap game are all sufficiently tackled within the 7 tracks on this album with Pusha’s refreshingly blunt delivery taking centre stage in all its glory.

Listen to - What Would Meek Do?, The Games We Play, Come Back Baby, Infrared, If You Know You Know

19 - Robyn - ‘Honey’

8 years on from her last full studio album, Robyn returned from the pop crematorium seemingly out of nowhere with a record jam-packed with dancey pop bangers. Robyn manages to convey the emotions of being on the dancefloor via cleverly craft dancepop tracks that evoke plenty of emotion from the listener, whilst still incorporating that delightfully luscious sound of a night out, it maybe isn’t joyful enough to raise a smile, particularly when the lyrics are anaylsed for their emotive nature, but ‘Honey’ is certainly a worthwhile listen.

Listen to - Between the Lines, Because It's In The Music, Honey, Ever Again

18 - Earl Sweatshirt - ‘Some Rap Songs’

The continuous struggle of Earl Sweatshirt versus the world doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon. The onetime teen-rap prodigy has always strived to defy typical conventions and his 3rd record ‘Some Rap Songs’ certainly does that no end. The album tiptoes its way along the fine line between hip-hop and avant-garde jazz over 15 particularly short tracks (the majority being between 1-2 minutes) and strives to deal with his fans expectations by creating a record that is intentionally understated. It’s purposefully rough around the edges and unconventional to create something so conceptual that it is impossible to define. ‘Some Rap Songs’ deals with particularly bleak imagery throughout to give us a brief insight into the lauded rapper’s mindset, it’s pretty dark I’ll give him that.

Listen to - Riot!, Nowhere2go, The Mint, December 24, Shattered Dreams, Cold Summers, Playing Possum, Ontheway!, Loosie, Eclipse, Veins

17 - SABA - ‘CARE FOR ME’

Another young Chicago-based rapper making his way onto this list is Saba. His 2018 effort ‘Care For Me’ features a grief-stricken guy forced to mature into a man. ‘Care For Me’ enables Saba to find his inner storyteller, to perfect the representation of his inner turmoil and emotions via a creative output. The record, produced entirely by Saba, is a refreshing exploration of dealing with loss at a young age that is presented throughout the record on all tracks, apart from its finale. The final song ‘Heaven All Around Me’ allows Saba to find a glimmer of hope amongst the darkness, a ray of sunshine to cling onto, a powerful message I’m sure you’ll agree.

Listen to - Life, Calligraphy, Fighter, Broken Girls, Logout, Heaven All Around Me, Smile

16 - Shame - ‘ Songs of Praise’

South London punk-rock fivepiece Shame’s debut ‘Songs of Praise’ is nothing like the Sunday early evening BBC TV show which shares its name. The group’s album is coursing with blood and spitting venom wherever it intends to. ‘Songs of Praise’ is utterly invigorating with politically-charged lyricism beating at the core and anger being presented fruitfully throughout its running. People have claimed that modern day, genuinely provoked guitar music is dead, if Shame’s debut is anything to go by, then it is by no means on death’s door.

Listen to - One Rizla, Lampoon, Tasteless, Dust On Trial, Donk, Gold Hole

15 - KIDS SEE GHOSTS - ‘KIDS SEE GHOSTS’

Kanye West and Kid Cudi’s collaborative side project offers a uniquely mind-boggling perspective on the term of ‘hip-hop’. The two ageing rap gods form an almost physic partnership on this record which flows between the dramatically bleak themes of cracked relationships, a broken society, depleting mental health and the painstaking urge of suicide. ‘Kids See Ghosts’ is a complex and evocative collection of music that offers so much and subsequently meets all the criteria in just 23 minutes.

Listen to – Reborn, Feel the Love, Cudi Montage, 4th Dimension, Freeee (Ghost Town Pt 2)

14 - JPEGMAFIA - ‘Veteran’

28 year-old American rapper JPEGMAFIA is often confrontational, aggressive, feisty and contentious on ‘Veteran’. It’s a truly dizzying in-your-face record that is by no means difficult to decipher its underpinning messages, and for good reason, JPEGMAFIA is intending to offend on this album, to shake the masses. He doesn’t fit into a rap-designed box, his tunes are, for want of a better word, schizophrenic, from the absurdly vexed to the humorously care-free. The beats used are incredibly fuzzy, rough around the edges, and often centred around high-pitched, cold-faced loops that create a truly unique experience. ‘Veteran’ represents a refreshingly resentful face to this occasionally stagnant genre of music.

Listen to - 1539 N.Calvert, I Cannot Fucking Wait Until Morrissey Dies, Baby I’m Bleeding, Germs, Thug Tears, Macauley Culkin, Rainbow Six, Panic Emoji, Rock n Roll Is Dead

13 - Sons of Kemet - ‘Your Queen is a Reptile’

Experimental jazz has never really been my forte per se, yet I stumbled upon Sons of Kemet almost by accident. ‘Your Queen is a Reptile’ offers 9 brilliantly inventive tales of female Black empowerment as a way of creating an entirely new conversation for society. The record takes inspiration from American jazz albums of the 50’s and mixes with tribal African music vibes to create brilliantly crazy tracks that will no doubt impress, inspire and engage.

Listen to – My Queen is Ada Eastman, My Queen is Mamie Phipps Clark, My Queen is Angela Davis, My Queen is Albertina Sisulu, My Queen is Doreen Lawrence

12 - Soccer Mommy - ‘Clean’

Nashville resident Sophie Allison, the driving force behind Soccer Mommy, has produced a debut album that is as lyrically mature as it is complex. ‘Clean’ represents a true blossoming moment for Allison. Her first record washes over you via its musical depth and beyond her age lyricism in a way that feels so familiar yet so new. Allison’s plaintive yet resolutely confident vocals enables her to craft a selection of songs that are gorgeously perfect.

Listen to - Still Clean, Your Dog, Cool, Last Girl, Skin, Scorpio Rising

11 - Kali Uchis - ‘Isolation’

The Colombian-American singer Kali Uchis’ debut record is a thing of true beauty. The record deftly skims between R&B, funk, pop, rap and reggaeton throughout its 15 tracks whilst also incorporating brilliant guest spots from Tyler, the Creator, Steve Lacy, Jorja Smith and the legend Bootsy Collins to help present Uchis’ gloomy, mysterious world of love, lust and loss.

Listen to - Miami, Dead to Me, After the Storm, Nuestro Planeta, In My Dreams, Just a Stranger

10 - Courtney Barnett - ‘Tell Me How You Really Feel’

In 2015, Courtney Barnett’s debut solo album was critically acclaimed, it topped many publications album of the year list and now, three years later, it was hard to imagine how she would equal it, let alone top it. Yet ‘Tell Me How You Really Feel’ successfully manages to do such a thing. Its gorgeous understated nature enables this album to truly succeed. It’s so much more introverted than its predecessor, smaller but still with purpose for sure. Where this record truly shines is through Barnet’s vivid storytelling, tales of tenderness and frustration are there for all to see. ‘Tell Me How You Really Feel’ is another step in the right direction for the Australian.

Listen to - Charity, Hopefulessness, Need a Little Time, Crippling Self Doubt and a General Lack of Confidence, Walkin on Eggshells, Help Your Self

9 - Blood Orange - ‘Negro Swan’

Dev Hynes’ 4th record under the musical persona of Blood Orange is a focus on black depression, the lost feelings that people of a certain skin colour can feel in the modern world due to bigots with negative attitudes. Hynes incorporates a delightfully eclectic mix of R&B, Soul, indie hip hop, alt rock, pop, rap and lo-fi to create a dizzying masterpiece. ‘Negro Swan’ is a vivid, rich tapestry. Chilled, often guitar-laden beats, involved with glorious vocals and smatterings of spoken word to create something truly awe-inspiring. The gorgeous production of ‘Negro Swan’ is where it truly stands out.

Listen to - Charcoal Baby, Hope, Smoke, Chewing Gum, Dagenham Dream, Jewelry, Minetta Creek, Nappy Wonder, Runnin

8 - The Internet - ‘Hive Mind’

Pretty bold statement but I genuinely think ‘Hive Mind’ is one of the smoothest listening experience I’ve ever had the pleasure of enjoying. The fourth record from LA-based R&B collective The Internet is a culmination of each band members core strengths, resulting in a groove-heavy selection of tracks which ooze over you gloriously. The group are continuously disassociating themselves with their prior employers Odd Future and this shows on ‘Hive Mind’, the music is just delightfully soulful and enjoyable throughout.

Listen to - La Di Da, Come Over, Roll (Burbank Funk), Come Together, Look What U Started, Beat Goes On, It Gets Better (With Time), Wanna Be, Mood, Next Time/Humble Pie

7 - Tom Misch - ‘Geography’

UK singer/songwriter/producer/beatmaker/all-round cool dude Tom Misch prior to ‘Geography’ has often only been recognised from his featuring work and has never had the stage light shone on him particularly brightly. ‘Geography’ incorporates a intoxicating and potent mix of different vibes from hip-hop, bossa nova, lo-fi, soul, jazz and funk to develop a truly brilliant debut record.

Listen to – Cos I Love You, Disco Yes, Water Baby, Movie, Lost in Paris, You’re on my Mind, It Runs Through Me, Tick Tock

6- Snail Mail - ‘Lush’

19 year-old Snail Mail, aka Lindsey Jordan, with her debut record ‘Lush’ has produced something way beyond her age. Her premiere effort is emotionally sage and amazingly clear in direction and helps to usher in a new direction for up-and-coming indie rock acts. Unlike many other young artists with access to a guitar and a pen & paper, Jordan is incredibly noble and wise, she does not whine, she proudly states her feelings across a record that is full of depth and wonder.

Listen to - Heat Wave, Speaking Terms, Golden Dream, Full Control, Pristine, Deep Sea, Anytime

5- Kacey Musgraves - ‘Golden Hour’

Prior to being recommended Texas-born Kacey Musgraves’ latest record, I’m 99.9% sure I’d never listened to a country record before, certainly not all the way through. Yet, ‘Golden Hour’ changed all that. ‘Golden Hour’ is a vivid, atmospheric viewpoint of the world from one women’s perspective, a simplistic formula that honestly feels so fresh, vibrant and nuanced at the same time. The album fully finds its own on tracks like ‘Lonely Weekend’ and ‘Slow Burn’ where the lush vocals of Musgraves wash over you in such an eloquent and expressive manner.

Listen to – Lonely Weekend, High Horse, Slow Burn, Love is a Wild Thing, Butterflies, Mother

4 - Parquet Courts - ‘Wide Awake’

One of the most entertaining, exciting, joyful and exuberant records of this year has to be ‘Wide Awake!’ from New York residents Parquet Courts. ‘Wide Awake!’ is a rip-roaring rollercoaster ride through a crazed dance-filled night out in Brooklyn. The record displays a varied mix of punk, funk, rock, indie-pop and dance to bake one of the scariest but weirdly pleasurable desserts you’ve ever seen.

Listen to- Wide Awake, Total Football, Freebird II, NYC Observation, Almost Had to Start a Fight/In and Out of Patience, Normalization, Tenderness

3 - The 1975 - ‘A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships’

The Manchester band’s 3rd record as The 1975 is their boldest, zaniest, most outrageous effort to date. Ignoring the overtly pretentious album title, this record is really rather exquisite. It’s clear that frontman Matt Healy and his bandmates intentions was to create a record that chartered their own personal experiences in an ever-changing hard to decipher modern landscape, yet, in the process, they’ve seemingly produced a record that encompases millenial existence, a modern day ‘OK Computer’ in my eyes. ‘A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships’ is intelligent, philosophical, mature, playful, witty, a vision designed to entertain and deflate simultaneously.

Listen to -  TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME, I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes), Sincerity is Scary, It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You), Be My Mistake, I Like America and America Likes Me, I Couldn’t Be More In Love, Give Yourself a Try, Surrounded by Heads and Bodies

2 - Christine and the Queens - ‘Chris’

On her second studio album, Héloïse Letissier under her lustful guise as Chris battles with gender identity, emotions, sex, and everything else whilst harnessing 80’s electro and funk to create a spectacular extravaganza. ‘Chris’ is crammed full of banger-after-banger with Letissier using her clear talent as a songwriter to push her feelings and opinions in a manner that doesn’t feel pressured, but still remains relevant and thought-provoking. ‘Chris’ displays the French artist as a chameleon, a creature who is deftly able to manipulate themes and topics and mould them into their own unique style. 

Listen to- Girlfriend, Doesn’t Matter, 5 Dollars, Goya Soda, Comme Si, Feel So Good, Make Some Sense, The Stranger, Damn (What Must a Woman Do)

1 - Idles - ‘Joy as an Act of Resistance’

And here we have it, my favourite record from the past twelve months, and what a deserved victor. Bristol punk outfit Idles, fresh off the bat from their critically acclaimed debut album released just last year, display that things aren’t slowing down one iota in 2018. ‘Joy as an Act of Resistance’ is screaming with heavy, howling, quick guitar riffs, equably speedy percussion, and the roars of Joe Talbot on vocals. The album is an incredibly complex thing, on one side it’s really fun, exciting, bold and refreshing to listen to, but, under the surface, it is crying out to be noticed. The underlying notions of the record revolve around Brexit Britain, the difficulty but need to stay united and positive, personal trauma and the worthlessness of modernity. A rip-roaring, crumbling yet pleasurable fairground attraction, ‘Joy as an Act of Resistance’ is by far the most compelling record of this year.

Listen to - Danny Nedelko, Great, Colossus, Never Fight a Man With a Perm, Samaritans, Television, Gram Rock, Cry to Me, Love Song, June