Chet Faker: The man with the best beard and best voice in modern music is set to (finally) release his debut album this year, and not before time. Having worked closely with Flume and having confirmed the record's release for early this year, we reckon this Aussie soul singer will be less of a dark horse, more of a massive hairy stallion in 2014.

Royksopp & Robyn: It might be a Royksopp album. It might be a Robyn album. It might be neither or both. Either way, these two are back in the studio and no matter where the music ends up, it's sure to be spectacular.

Kelis: The US r&b star has not only teamed up with Dave Sitek for her new album, but it will be released by hugely respected record label, Ninja Tune. If that's not a mark of quality, we don't know what is. Kelis has always been ahead of the game, and she will be again with her 2014 comeback.

Thomas Azier: This underrated German star performed with Woodkid at his 2013 London Roundhouse show, bringing his intricate, DIY electronica to our shores at long last. He has recently confirmed that work has finished on his debut album, and is set to shift up a gear from flying under the radar to being a firm fixture on the music scene.

Schoolboy Q - Oxymoron: A member of hip hop collective Black Hippy (alongside Kendrick Lamar and Ab-Soul), Q spent much of 2013 featuring in some of the best rap songs of the year, such as his own collaboration with Lamar, 'Collard Greens' and ASAP Ferg's 'Work (Remix)'. Now Q is preparing to drop his major label debut Oxymoron. It's been delayed a few times, which doesn't bode well, and living up to Lamar's success has already proved to be tricky, but with appearances slated from ASAP Rocky, Pharrell, Danny Brown and Action Bronson, it could well be 2014's rap underdog.

A$AP Mob - Lords: A$AP Mob members Rocky and Ferg had a big 2013 (Rocky in particular) both releasing their studio debuts which created a lot of buzz and set the precedent for hip hop in 2013. Now their collective, A$AP Mob, are preparing to release their second album Lords - but it's not exactly creating a lot of buzz. Was this because previous project Lord$ Never Die was less than great? Even Rocky admitted to disliking it - but we're hoping it'll be better this time around, considering lead single 'Trillmatic', featuring Wu Tang Clan legend Method Man, is an absolute corker.

Jhene Aiko - Souled Out: R&B singer Aiko's debut album has been in the works since as early as 2002, and her time has finally come following the success of the Sail Out mixtape, which featured appearances from Childish Gambino and Kendrick Lamar. Guest spots on tracks from Drake, Big Sean and J Cole in 2013 further cemented her reputation as The Next Big Thing, although in the UK she's still relatively unknown - which should change.

Ryan Adams: Adam's last effort was 2011's stunning and heartwrenching Ashes And Fire. Since then, Adams has formed released an EP with punk band Pornography, gave Fall Out Boy a much-need angry edge for their PAX AM Days EP and debuted awesome new tracks 'Where I Meet You in My Mind' and 'In the Shadows' Produced by the legendary Glyn Johns, Adams’ Adam's 14th solo LP is already said to be recorded. We're expecting some noisy but heartfelt, while magnificent all the same.

The Antlers: With melancholy and majesty in equal measure, Burst Apart was one of the best indie rock albums of 2011. Their upcoming fifth album could well seize the art-rock crown from The National and Arcade Fire.

Soulwax: Speaking to Gigwise last year, Stephen Dewaele told us that the new Soulwax album was well underway, adding: "We just want to make something that we like and really do something for ourselves." Well, good for you - but everyone else should be as excited as we are.

Crosses: If single 'Bitches Brew' is anything to judge by, then the upcoming release from Deftones' Chino Moreno's electro-metal side-project is going to be fucking awesome.

The Decemberists: After a Stateside solo jaunt last year, frontman Colin Meloy confirmed that he'd been penning material for the band this year. One new song in particular is said the epic folk-rock sound of 2011's The King Is Dead with the rich poetic lyrical approach of Picaresque. Yes please.