The Nature of Imitation is a prime example of an established artist brilliantly redefining and redeveloping their sound to the highest degree. It's also a prime album.

It’s contagious; every song sounds like a party

It's rich and endlessly rewarding. i,i brings together Justin Vernon's evolving, career-spanning vision for Bon Iver into one satisfying, defining work.

Fans of his hip-hop and R&B work will certainly be challenged by the sparse and experimental nature of Xen, which makes it one of the most satisfying listens of the year..

The Get Up Kids have a talent for writing catchy and infectious hooks and choruses and it's what has kept them on the map for over two decades. Both old and newer fans will find songs they enjoy and hopefully never stop listening to on Problems.

Elaborating on the foundations that have propelled Four Tet through his 20-year career, Hebden allows the sonic palettes from records Pause and Rounds to bleed into textures born from transfigured field recordings and sonic artefacts that epitomize the producer's discography while refining his sonic identity.

Each song is injected with sharp, drug-filled commentaries that deliver, brick-by-brick, a solid foundation for King Push's cocaine castle.

Mosey is highly approachable and magnetic without being mawkish, but it also speaks clearly to Romano's various frustrations with his generation. These 12 tunes are as poetic as they are powerful, and house a hefty amount of meaning.

Sometimes sunny days need bittersweet soundtracks to make them better. Gold may turn grey, but not in the hands of this duo.

The record can be as self-lacerating as any of Mitski's past works — the skin-tingling bar room swing of "I Don't Like My Mind," with its frenetic binging and sorry purging, is an early gut punch — but it holds a steady, wisened resolve at its core, an acceptance of solitude and ache that sets it apart from the rest of her catalogue.

Nightmare Logic showcases Power Trip at their strongest yet, and packs its 30-minute runtime with songs that push everything they have done right so far to an entirely new level.

After producing such a powerful, chimeric record, which will unquestionably stand as their masterpiece, there's no question that KEN Mode are currently at the peak of their collective talents.

This is a rich and compelling record that deserves and rewards your close attention.

Pleiades' Dust is a stunning release, a cohesive, exceptionally crafted piece that captures the heavy aggression and incredible musicianship of Gorguts while incorporating more avant-garde elements and a fascinating storyline to boot.

It all adds up to a cycle that is as complex as it is direct at times, describing the imbalances between moments of lucidity and desire, and what is lost or gained when one declares "let's get out of the romance."

Digital Garbage is as blunt as it is thoughtful and the songs here truly rip at a time when some seem keen to let civility and common sense rest in peace.

Summing up an entire musical movement in a single reissue is no easy feat--even if it is three records long. But as a package, Kankyō Ongaku gets incredibly close, shining a brilliant light on one of Japan's most fascinating--yet hidden--musical periods.

Overall, We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service proves that after all this time, A Tribe Called Quest can, in fact, still kick it. It's a goodbye on a high note.

Innerworld should be their breakthrough album at the very least, and may very well be the album of the winter, a season that fits it well.

A Seat demands a careful listen, and rewards it richly. This is Solange's strongest album to date.

Quiet River of Dust Vol. 1 is a mind-blowing and extremely powerful record filled with strong songwriting and production touches that show Parry at the top of his game. A truly effortless collection of songs worth revisiting for years to come.

The eight exploratory tracks make VOLUME MASSIMO an instrumental masterpiece that adds to an already incredible body of work by the gifted and skilled composer. If anything, it's too short.

The album is captivating from beginning to end, and shows Employed to Serve have mastered the art of making chaos digestible.

The album is a passionately written and deeply moving meditation on loss, and Touché Amoré have never been better as a band.

Voivod elect to flex and soar instead, delivering an impressively intricate and delightful effort with their fifteenth studio work, Synchro Anarchy.

It's not often to encounter music this conceptually sophisticated and well executed that also, in its most secret depths, simply hates you.

With On the Line, she leans into the deeply personal, and gains a benchmark addition to her catalogue.

Beauty Behind the Madness proves that the Weeknd can thrive in the mainstream, and while the lyrics aren't overtly profound, he's proven that he is more versatile than previously thought, which is perhaps of greater importance at this stage in his career.

Twenty-two years later, My Bloody Valentine is still the band everyone's talking about, and although it may not necessarily build on Loveless, there's no audible reason m b v shouldn't be spoken of in the same hushed, venerating tones.

Restarter is remarkably composed and perfectly balanced, demonstrating Torche's ability to continually refine their doom-pop/melodic hard rock approach.

A record this sturdy in composition and delivery has the resilience to stand up to countless plays, and that timeless ache for a good, hard cry.

Almost every song is worthy of inclusion.

Even through the heavier topics of illness and recovery, a melodic sense of dance carries the message, but what delivers the punch is Hanna's voice.

On Cenizas, Nicolas Jaar unveils a static but emotional masterpiece, an album that doesn't challenge the listener as much as it invites them into his alien, meditative, astonishing world.

It's a delicate, cautious demonstration, but Mechanics of Dominion is a bold, gripping and brilliantly nuanced addition to Esmerine's gorgeous catalogue, swelling with hope and brimming with energy.

Utopia feels like both a journey and a collection of statements that define and affirm who Björk is.

Loyalty is undeniably a folk album, underpinned by Lindeman's finger-picked guitar, spacious piano and banjo, her husky, timeless voice having taken on a new maturity, every word now clearly articulated.

Often working separately as they balanced various side projects, the recording sessions for Heads Up have resulted in an eclectic, nuanced collection of songs.

New voices and ideas fading in and out like ghosts, it's an ambitious second act that meaningfully departs from the proven formula that earned the project early buzz, all to invigorating effect.

Pure Comedy is packed with so much meaning and complexity, it feels as overwhelmingly absurd, joyous, curious, tragic, extraordinary and contradictory as life itself.

Fresh and ambitious without taking a step too far, Sister Cities is the Wonder Years' most fully realized work, and an artistic statement that deserves to be taken seriously.

Hopelessness is her first album under her new name, and with that comes a new clarity and purpose to her songwriting, an ownership and authority over her artistic voice that we've not yet seen before.

Adele has deepened the niches that made her preceding songs so powerful. But instead of playing it safe with only those established tricks, her bold exploration of new terrain on "Cry Your Heart Out" and "Oh My God" help Adele not only become the world's top hitmaker, but also a pop music visionary.

It's a lurid, scuzzy, electrifying return to form.

His lyrics are varied, vivid and heavily inspired--by novels, documentaries, history books and more--as he tests the boundaries of his literary creativity, exploring a vast range of narratives, perspectives and topics.

Though a lot of this material might come from a damaged place, by foregrounding that, a defiant perseverance shines through on Heart Song. Williamson isn't revelling in self-pity--rather, by carving out her insides, she demonstrates agency, action and an embittered sense of hope.

McMahon's most deeply personal work to date.

Isaiah Rashad has returned as sharp as ever, delivering an album that houses some of the best material that he's ever released. The album never lulls over its 16-track runtime; instead, it finds an artist who's taken his time away from the spotlight back in a good space, building upon an already strong foundation to result in with the most complete project he's released.

Morning/Evening is a gorgeous, daring album that draws its greatest inspiration from a much-maligned genre most often associated with John Tesh and Yanni.

On Wide Open, Weaves prove that they can flirt with convention without losing their edge.

The cumulative result of these exploratory tracks is a meditative collection that stays true to Submotion Orchestra's house background despite exploring new auditory combinations.

Punk is a huge step forward for CHAI, and easily one of the best albums of the year.

Nothin' But Blood is religious music for people who are too drunk and high to give a damn what God may think.

I Am Easy To Find feels like a restart for a band in its 20th year. It might challenge some fans and may not ever grow on others, but more than anything, it proves that the National are not the band you thought they were. They're way more than that.

Will is a beautifully written work of art that finds Barwick reaching out to a larger audience, but completely on her own terms.

A rose from concrete, Malibu offers a sense of wonder that's carefully rooted in funk and soul, and presents a complete vision from a blossoming new artist that's not only fearless, but leading something of a sonic revolution.

Although Rolo Tomassi's four previous records are phenomenal in their own right, this album emits a more structured sense of chaos than before. The days of the band's video game-like synth tones living amongst hardcore mayhem are long gone, replaced with a more developed sound and sophisticated energy.

Once adjusted to the band's change in dynamics, you're left with the distinct feeling that this is perhaps their most engrossing effort since the Young Team's debut.

It's an intense, sometimes violent, occasionally beautiful rock'n'roll record that once again proves the unpredictability and reliability of Deerhunter.

Throne's power is in its delivery, as Leigh's brazen siren call cleverly commingles with a deft pedal steel wizardry. The music is uniquely alluring. Its woozy, uncanny nature enhances its charm, making Throne some of the artist's best work thus far.

Bandana also stands on its own as one of the very best rap albums of 2019, or any other year in recent memory.

This is easily his most ambitious, personal and hard-hitting work to date.

With the help of his band, he's recorded some of the most pristine, beautiful, exciting and fluid playing and singing I've heard in a long time.

As contentious as Staples' ear for beats is to some listeners, it's refreshing to find him swimming away from a school of rappers comfortable with sonic stasis.

All doom fans should check out this album; those who aren't yet Inter Arma converts will more than likely be swayed by the cohesive chaos and neurotic introspection that define this album.

It's all delivered with such fresh energy and so many original production ideas that it's honestly hard to gripe too much. If you've been vibing on Hannah Diamond's Cook-produced debut Reflections recently and were somewhat baffled by 7G, look no further than Apple, a bold and exciting album that boasts focus as well.

This record is a far cry from a mocking treatise on performativity; it's strongly felt, unceasingly surprising and just a whole lot of fun.

You won't hear a more open hearted, impassioned and lyrically rich roots album this year.

The experiences feel lived and the emotional crescendos genuine, but the inferred vagueness of the title belies the certainty at its core: For All We Know is a masterwork.

From the empathetic lyrics to the innovative eclecticism, Margo Price has stitched a musical coat of many colours with Strays. And it's a perfect fit for this troubled age.

Compiled by Sofrito's Hugo Mendez, Haiti Direct is an amazing collection from Haiti's illustrious but sadly unsung musical history.

Born Sinner is an honest account of Cole's growth and development, revealing his humble beginnings, challenging successes and bright future.

While Detox seemed poised to erode Dre's sonic reputation, Compton, reputedly his last record, instead solidifies Dre's already ironclad claims to all-time status. Not only does Compton make you forget about Detox, it also makes sure you won't ever forget about Dre.

The remarkable feat of New Ways is the ability to both resonate with those who loved Twin Solitude, while also pushing tendrils out towards listeners in search of more versatility.

Boots' more rough and intimate look behind the duo's evolution and process is in its way no less compulsively listenable than the cohesive Revival itself, which would introduce Welch and Rawlings to the world sounding basically fully formed.

Superorganism easily meets and exceeds the hype surrounding this talented group.

The three long years since Get Disowned gifted Hop Along the chance to take their sonic sheet lightning and bottle it, giving Painted Shut a razor-sharp focus and economy that doesn't give an inch.

With this album, Superheaven have outdone themselves, writing a tight set of perfectly balanced songs that create a refreshing, unified whole.

For 36 minutes, the listener is submerged in the LP's chaos, but when the album finishes and you come up for air, there's a feeling of obligation to go back and listen through again. It's a celebration of the singular stylings of these two hip-hop heretics, one that rejects any semblance of conformity, leaving it free to be exactly what they want it to be, whatever that is.

As an original whole, Art Official Age is Prince's most complete, most consistent and most contemporary album in a minute.

Tift Merritt and her wonderful band deliver big time with this record ... Despite it being very early in 2017, it's safe to say this album will be on many year-end lists come December.

Kelly Lee Owens is the work of an absolute natural; these are layered, atmospheric tracks that blend minimal techno, dream-pop, Krautrock and ambient drone into a dazzling, alchemical whole that defies easy categorization.

This record possesses immense power to make listeners reflect on their own relationships and mortality.

Their traditional characteristics and intellectual concepts, incorporated with new elements and ideas, make Apex Predator - Easy Meat another impressive addition to Napalm Death's spotless catalogue.

PersonA is proof of the exemplary musicianship of Magnetic Zeros, and their ability to forge songs as rich lyrically as they are musically.

Boasting a bigger sound with better songwriting, Deep Fantasy pulls no punches, yet still emerges as White Lung's boldest and most accessible album to date.

With Cupid Deluxe, Hynes has revealed his exquisite vision, one that swells with inspiration from his various collaborators.

Baroness have outdone themselves with Gold & Grey. Armed with a fresh sound and well-honed talent, they are finally ready to be recognized as one of the most important bands in modern rock music.

While the shock has worn off for their follow-up, Deeper Than Sky makes up for the lack of surprise by being even better executed.

High Plains perfectly capture the rugged and sprawling Midwest, but more impressively, an intangible mood and state of mind. A record like this is a rare achievement.

Woman is confident and captivating, and like their debut before it, demands attention.

Fussell has created a world of supernatural, natural and mundane forces on this record that gets better and better with each listen.

With six of the nine tracks written in 2018, it's unbelievable how well this record flows and holds together — and that's without even mentioning how prophetic the tracks have proven to be over the last three years.

That Richard Thompson has conjured these fascinatingly enigmatic yet clearly deeply personal words and melodies to match such refined, uncompromising music is a testament to his indisputable power as his generation's sturdiest warhorse.

It's the sound of an artist operating at the peak of her powers, employing all her greatest strengths at once to create an assured, moving work that corroborates what Have One On Me already suggested: that Joanna Newsom is one of the finest songwriters of this generation.

A record that prefers to build up intensity before letting it ebb away, doling out flashes of propulsive rhythm in snatches and grasps rather than in the four-on-the-floor anthemic grooves favoured by so many bands these days, Sleeping Operator feels out of time, apart, distinct.

On Freedom Highway, Giddens juxtaposes historical narratives with present-day contexts for an emotionally powerful record.

On You Will Never Be One of Us, Nails are simply on another level and, though others will have a tough time reaching it, they should all still aspire to it.