![20. Passion Pit - Gossamer: Michael Angelakos crafts some intricate pop music on Gossamer. Rarely has an album been better named; Gossamer is delicate, light, and oh so finely spun. It's despondant while having no time for despondancy; sadness lurks underneath but only to remind us that there are so many other things we could be doing, emotions we could be feeling. Gossamer is fun and will leave you on a high - but it also won't hesitate to remind you of the inevitable low that will follow. Standout track: 'Where We Belong']()
20. Passion Pit - Gossamer: Michael Angelakos crafts some intricate pop music on Gossamer. Rarely has an album been better named; Gossamer is delicate, light, and oh so finely spun. It's despondant while having no time for despondancy; sadness lurks underneath but only to remind us that there are so many other things we could be doing, emotions we could be feeling. Gossamer is fun and will leave you on a high - but it also won't hesitate to remind you of the inevitable low that will follow. Standout track: 'Where We Belong'
![19. Grimes - Visions: A lot of people have been falling over themselves to say good things about Claire Boucher's third full length release. Such behaviour often spells bad news for the recording artist because having too many poeple say you're cool is, you know, not cool. But Visions really does deserve all the acolades that have been festooned upon it this year. It's a quirkly writhing mess of genres - space age synth, poppy hooks, industral quality trance like white noise. This is a record that's good in a whole new way, and there's not much that's comparable to it. Standout Track: 'Oblivion']()
19. Grimes - Visions: A lot of people have been falling over themselves to say good things about Claire Boucher's third full length release. Such behaviour often spells bad news for the recording artist because having too many poeple say you're cool is, you know, not cool. But Visions really does deserve all the acolades that have been festooned upon it this year. It's a quirkly writhing mess of genres - space age synth, poppy hooks, industral quality trance like white noise. This is a record that's good in a whole new way, and there's not much that's comparable to it. Standout Track: 'Oblivion'
![18. Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music: To say this is the best rap album of the year isn't an opinion, it's a statment of fact. For a lot of people looking for success as a rapper, mentioning that you're friends with Andre 3000 might seem a no-no. But Killer Mike lives up to and surpasses the musical credentials of the Outkasts man. R.A.P. Music is a Stylish, intelligent work of lyrical and musical dexterity that pulls no punches and is such an enthralling listen that you're ready to start again almost as soon as the last track's played out. Standout Track: 'Untitled']()
18. Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music: To say this is the best rap album of the year isn't an opinion, it's a statment of fact. For a lot of people looking for success as a rapper, mentioning that you're friends with Andre 3000 might seem a no-no. But Killer Mike lives up to and surpasses the musical credentials of the Outkasts man. R.A.P. Music is a Stylish, intelligent work of lyrical and musical dexterity that pulls no punches and is such an enthralling listen that you're ready to start again almost as soon as the last track's played out. Standout Track: 'Untitled'
![17. Toy - Toy: The reincarnation of Joe Lean and the Jing Jang in the form of Toy produced one of 2012's greatest gifts in the form of their brilliant debut album. Blending Horrors-style synths and psychedelia with their own unique formula, 'Toy' maintains the drifting sense of old style psychedelic whilst constantly pushing it forward, refusing to allow it to merge into one static unbreakable track. Standout track: 'Colours Running Out']()
17. Toy - Toy: The reincarnation of Joe Lean and the Jing Jang in the form of Toy produced one of 2012's greatest gifts in the form of their brilliant debut album. Blending Horrors-style synths and psychedelia with their own unique formula, 'Toy' maintains the drifting sense of old style psychedelic whilst constantly pushing it forward, refusing to allow it to merge into one static unbreakable track. Standout track: 'Colours Running Out'
![16. Cave Painting - Votive Life: This is the perfect record if you want to hear catchy Afro-pop tracks that are as lovely as they are well-written. Lead singer Adam Kane has a delicate vocal that leaves you hanging on his every word and there is a musical chemistry within the band that comes across with every track. 'So Calm' and 'Gator' are perfect examples of a hard-working band that obviously gave their all to their debut record. Standout track: 'So Calm']()
16. Cave Painting - Votive Life: This is the perfect record if you want to hear catchy Afro-pop tracks that are as lovely as they are well-written. Lead singer Adam Kane has a delicate vocal that leaves you hanging on his every word and there is a musical chemistry within the band that comes across with every track. 'So Calm' and 'Gator' are perfect examples of a hard-working band that obviously gave their all to their debut record. Standout track: 'So Calm'
![15. Kanye West Presents G.O.O.D Music - Cruel Summer: Kanye West recruited some of his best pals for one of the biggest hip-hop collaboration albums of the year. Kid Cudi, Big Sean and Jay-Z all make their mark on this record, but West isn't left behind as he delivers some of his most twisted lyrics since Graduation. Not billed as a West album as such, but more of his G.O.O.D Music label showing what they can do as a collective. Some of the biggest hip-hop beats of the year mix with some devastating rap. One hell of an effort from G.O.O.D Music. Standout track: 'The One']()
15. Kanye West Presents G.O.O.D Music - Cruel Summer: Kanye West recruited some of his best pals for one of the biggest hip-hop collaboration albums of the year. Kid Cudi, Big Sean and Jay-Z all make their mark on this record, but West isn't left behind as he delivers some of his most twisted lyrics since Graduation. Not billed as a West album as such, but more of his G.O.O.D Music label showing what they can do as a collective. Some of the biggest hip-hop beats of the year mix with some devastating rap. One hell of an effort from G.O.O.D Music. Standout track: 'The One'
![14. Field Music - Plumb: Plumb didn't win the Mercury Prize, and that's a good thing, really. Field Music operate independently of the music industry and they're quite rightly proud of that; they don't need such trivial things as Mercury Prizes. Having said that, Plumb missed out - because it's brilliant. And the best part about it is that it's impossible to pin down - a melting pot of music, cohesive and expansive. Standout track: None! This is one album that needs to be listened to as a whole]()
14. Field Music - Plumb: Plumb didn't win the Mercury Prize, and that's a good thing, really. Field Music operate independently of the music industry and they're quite rightly proud of that; they don't need such trivial things as Mercury Prizes. Having said that, Plumb missed out - because it's brilliant. And the best part about it is that it's impossible to pin down - a melting pot of music, cohesive and expansive. Standout track: None! This is one album that needs to be listened to as a whole
![13. Of Monsters & Men - My Head Is An Animal: In a year where radio was swamped with the sounds of Tulisa, Nicki Minaj and Chris Brown, no one would have predicted there was a place in the mainstream for an Icelandic band telling stories of magic and myths. But Of Monsters & Men are one of the breakthrough successes of 2012, led by their hit single 'Little Talks'. The band told stories of fictional wars, great journeys and impossible beasts on their debut album, which was also packed with brilliant tunes and an endless sense of warmth and celebration. Sigur Ros and Bjork have new competition on the Icelandic music scene. Standout track: 'Lakehouse']()
13. Of Monsters & Men - My Head Is An Animal: In a year where radio was swamped with the sounds of Tulisa, Nicki Minaj and Chris Brown, no one would have predicted there was a place in the mainstream for an Icelandic band telling stories of magic and myths. But Of Monsters & Men are one of the breakthrough successes of 2012, led by their hit single 'Little Talks'. The band told stories of fictional wars, great journeys and impossible beasts on their debut album, which was also packed with brilliant tunes and an endless sense of warmth and celebration. Sigur Ros and Bjork have new competition on the Icelandic music scene. Standout track: 'Lakehouse'
![12. Django Django - Django Django: Bringing art rock back, the epoynmous debut album by Django Django manages to sculpture chaos into a form of art. With its fusion of jangled percussion and edgy afro-beats with chanting style singing, it is the energy of the Scottish quartet that sets this record apart as one of the most unique sounding albums of 2012. Standout track: 'Default']()
12. Django Django - Django Django: Bringing art rock back, the epoynmous debut album by Django Django manages to sculpture chaos into a form of art. With its fusion of jangled percussion and edgy afro-beats with chanting style singing, it is the energy of the Scottish quartet that sets this record apart as one of the most unique sounding albums of 2012. Standout track: 'Default'
![11. Perfume Genius - Put Your Back In 2 It: Despite clocking in at little over 30 minutes, Mike Hadreas' second album packed in more emotion and more heartbreak than any other released this year. An almost uncomfortably personal collection of tracks based on failed relationships, the loss of loved ones and even prostitution, Hadreas bared his soul in its entirety on the record. Shying away from the usual flamboyancy embraced by openly homosexual singers, Put Your Back In 2 It was a rare look at the life of a gay man without any commercial sheen. Standout track: 'Hood'.]()
11. Perfume Genius - Put Your Back In 2 It: Despite clocking in at little over 30 minutes, Mike Hadreas' second album packed in more emotion and more heartbreak than any other released this year. An almost uncomfortably personal collection of tracks based on failed relationships, the loss of loved ones and even prostitution, Hadreas bared his soul in its entirety on the record. Shying away from the usual flamboyancy embraced by openly homosexual singers, Put Your Back In 2 It was a rare look at the life of a gay man without any commercial sheen. Standout track: 'Hood'.