![Oscar - Cut & Paste: Oscar’s rich, baritone voice slices beautifully through his brand of scuzzy bedroom pop, adding just the right amount of heft to the songs' surfy, upbeat jauntiness. Marika Hackman pops up on album highlight ‘Only Friend’, while ‘Sometimes’ and ‘Daffodil Days’ pack a punch too. (Alexandra Pollard)]()
Oscar - Cut & Paste: Oscar’s rich, baritone voice slices beautifully through his brand of scuzzy bedroom pop, adding just the right amount of heft to the songs' surfy, upbeat jauntiness. Marika Hackman pops up on album highlight ‘Only Friend’, while ‘Sometimes’ and ‘Daffodil Days’ pack a punch too. (Alexandra Pollard)
![The Prettiots - Funs Cool: “The second you walk on stage with a ukulele, people have an idea of what’s going to happen,” Kay Kasparhauser told The Guardian earlier this year.]()
The Prettiots - Funs Cool: “The second you walk on stage with a ukulele, people have an idea of what’s going to happen,” Kay Kasparhauser told The Guardian earlier this year. "So it’s like: haha, we got you guys to think we’re cute and now we’re singing about pussy.” Likened to bands like Moldy Peaches and The Smiths, both of whom combine deceptively winsome melodies with dark, despairing lyrics, The Prettiots’ subject matters range from depression ("On a scale of one to Plath I’m like a four / My head’s not in the oven but I can’t get off the floor”) to paranoia, to the boys they dated in high school. It’s a dark, playful debut. (Alexandra Pollard)
![The Anchoress - Confessions Of A Romance Novelist: Pop-noir with a vengeance hand in hand with a love of literature, fiction and darkness going hand in hand and a knack for melody, The Anchoress, aka Catherine AD truly went through the mill in the years of heartache and mishap that went into this record, but the result was more than worth the wait. The record not only 'deconstructs normative ideas of love and romance', but features a track that 'ironically references a bedroom shrine to Margaret Thatcher' and takes in all accounts of love, lust and loss. There's an unparalleled depth to this record, don't let it pass you by. (Andrew Trendell)]()
The Anchoress - Confessions Of A Romance Novelist: Pop-noir with a vengeance hand in hand with a love of literature, fiction and darkness going hand in hand and a knack for melody, The Anchoress, aka Catherine AD truly went through the mill in the years of heartache and mishap that went into this record, but the result was more than worth the wait. The record not only 'deconstructs normative ideas of love and romance', but features a track that 'ironically references a bedroom shrine to Margaret Thatcher' and takes in all accounts of love, lust and loss. There's an unparalleled depth to this record, don't let it pass you by. (Andrew Trendell)
![Bonnie “Prince” Billy and Bitchin Bajas - Epic Jammers and Little Fortunate Ditties: Sometimes pop structures are best left at the door, and music should be an expression of people’s deepest, darkest, weirdest thoughts. It feels like Bonnie “Prince” Billy just let himself go and didn’t censor any of the beautiful ramblings that he recorded over the top of Bitchin Bajas’ mesmerising ambient soundscapes. This one is best listened to late at night with no distractions so you can completely immerse yourself in their strange world. (Cai Trefor)]()
Bonnie “Prince” Billy and Bitchin Bajas - Epic Jammers and Little Fortunate Ditties: Sometimes pop structures are best left at the door, and music should be an expression of people’s deepest, darkest, weirdest thoughts. It feels like Bonnie “Prince” Billy just let himself go and didn’t censor any of the beautiful ramblings that he recorded over the top of Bitchin Bajas’ mesmerising ambient soundscapes. This one is best listened to late at night with no distractions so you can completely immerse yourself in their strange world. (Cai Trefor)
![Polica - United Crushers: As you might have guessed from the artwork, United Crushers - a phrase painted on an enormous concrete building in Menneapolis - was recorded while Channy Leaneagh was pregnant and had]()
Polica - United Crushers: As you might have guessed from the artwork, United Crushers - a phrase painted on an enormous concrete building in Menneapolis - was recorded while Channy Leaneagh was pregnant and had "horrible morning sickness", so it's hardly surprising that it traverses between so many transformative mindsets. (Alexandra Pollard)
![Emmy The Great - Second Love: With her cut glass English accent and languid, minimalist instrumentals, Emmy The Great has stripped herself down to the core essentials on her third album. Lyrically, it has moments of simple brilliance too. 'Social Halo' will strike a chord with anyone who's suffered from social anxiety: 'You and your friends you come close, real close,' she sings, 'I think that you might be... laughing at me.' (Alexandra Pollard)]()
Emmy The Great - Second Love: With her cut glass English accent and languid, minimalist instrumentals, Emmy The Great has stripped herself down to the core essentials on her third album. Lyrically, it has moments of simple brilliance too. 'Social Halo' will strike a chord with anyone who's suffered from social anxiety: 'You and your friends you come close, real close,' she sings, 'I think that you might be... laughing at me.' (Alexandra Pollard)
![Miike Snow - iii: This is one of the best pieces of mainstream pop dance albums out there. As 6music sometimes ask for: it’s all killer no filler. But if we had to, hit singles ‘Heart Is Full’ and ‘Genghis Khan’ are the pick of the bunch. The album is a slick exhibit of how far electronic production has come over the past few years and the experience of Sweden’s production duo Bloodshy and Avant and singer/songwriter Andrew Wyatt’s is a match made in heaven. (Cai Trefor)]()
Miike Snow - iii: This is one of the best pieces of mainstream pop dance albums out there. As 6music sometimes ask for: it’s all killer no filler. But if we had to, hit singles ‘Heart Is Full’ and ‘Genghis Khan’ are the pick of the bunch. The album is a slick exhibit of how far electronic production has come over the past few years and the experience of Sweden’s production duo Bloodshy and Avant and singer/songwriter Andrew Wyatt’s is a match made in heaven. (Cai Trefor)
![Skuggsja - Skuggsja: Skuggsjá (meaning to mirror, to reflect) began life as a collaboration between Enslaved’s Ivar Bjørnson and Einar Selvik of Wardruna, and a commission to celebration the 200th anniversary of the Norwegian Constitution. If you think that means this is going to be a conservative and restrained piece of work, you are very much mistaken. This is one incredibly intricate, divergent and almighty soundscape. (Liz Hainsworth)]()
Skuggsja - Skuggsja: Skuggsjá (meaning to mirror, to reflect) began life as a collaboration between Enslaved’s Ivar Bjørnson and Einar Selvik of Wardruna, and a commission to celebration the 200th anniversary of the Norwegian Constitution. If you think that means this is going to be a conservative and restrained piece of work, you are very much mistaken. This is one incredibly intricate, divergent and almighty soundscape. (Liz Hainsworth)
![Night Beats - Who Sold My Generation?: They're one of Heavenly Records' newest signings, and Who Sold My Generation?, which is the band's first for Jeff Barrett and co has been a storming success. It's easily their best to date, much more direct than their first two LPs. Tracks like 'No Cops', and 'Sunday Mourning' are just some of the mesmerising garage R&B moments on offer. (Cai Trefor)]()
Night Beats - Who Sold My Generation?: They're one of Heavenly Records' newest signings, and Who Sold My Generation?, which is the band's first for Jeff Barrett and co has been a storming success. It's easily their best to date, much more direct than their first two LPs. Tracks like 'No Cops', and 'Sunday Mourning' are just some of the mesmerising garage R&B moments on offer. (Cai Trefor)
![Lucius - Good Grief: ‘Born Again Teen’ sounds like six different songs stitched together with such innovate precision that it becomes its own, inimitable beast. The rest of the album follows in a similarly breakneck fashion. “In some ways [Good Grief is] more of a pop record,” they told Gigwise earlier this year, “and at the same time it’s a lot darker and a lot deeper and edgier.” (Alexandra Pollard)]()
Lucius - Good Grief: ‘Born Again Teen’ sounds like six different songs stitched together with such innovate precision that it becomes its own, inimitable beast. The rest of the album follows in a similarly breakneck fashion. “In some ways [Good Grief is] more of a pop record,” they told Gigwise earlier this year, “and at the same time it’s a lot darker and a lot deeper and edgier.” (Alexandra Pollard)
![School Of Seven Bells - SVIIB: When Benjamin Curtis, one half of School Of Seven Bells, died in 2013, this album nearly died with him. But, after a few years of mourning, Alejandra Deheza committed herself to finishing what she and Curtis had started. The resulting album is a shimmering, expansive record which swims through feelings of loss and regret and emerges with a sense of cautious, yet at times euphoric, optimism. (Alexandra Pollard)]()
School Of Seven Bells - SVIIB: When Benjamin Curtis, one half of School Of Seven Bells, died in 2013, this album nearly died with him. But, after a few years of mourning, Alejandra Deheza committed herself to finishing what she and Curtis had started. The resulting album is a shimmering, expansive record which swims through feelings of loss and regret and emerges with a sense of cautious, yet at times euphoric, optimism. (Alexandra Pollard)
![Imarhan - Imarhan: Desert blues of the highest order. They’re this generation’s Tinariwen - and aren’t a watered down version whatsoever. Live, they absolutely kill it thanks to years of honing their craft before embarking on recording this debut album. (Cai Trefor)]()
Imarhan - Imarhan: Desert blues of the highest order. They’re this generation’s Tinariwen - and aren’t a watered down version whatsoever. Live, they absolutely kill it thanks to years of honing their craft before embarking on recording this debut album. (Cai Trefor)
![White Lung - Paradise: Paradise is most definitely the group's glossiest and clear sounding effort so far. Barber-Way's acerbic vocals, which have at times in the past been somewhat buried, are now placed decidedly to the fore while William's guitar tone has had its rough edges sanded off leaving a sharper and more precise attack in its stead. (Jamie Coughlan)]()
White Lung - Paradise: Paradise is most definitely the group's glossiest and clear sounding effort so far. Barber-Way's acerbic vocals, which have at times in the past been somewhat buried, are now placed decidedly to the fore while William's guitar tone has had its rough edges sanded off leaving a sharper and more precise attack in its stead. (Jamie Coughlan)
![Modern Baseball - Holy Ghost: This is not pop-punk as you imagined it. In creating an album full of aching emotion describing loss, and the loss of control, Modern Baseball refreshingly and staunchly reject indulgence or cliché. ‘Holy Ghost’ is hopeful, and disarrayed, but it’s also charmingly optimistic like the best of The Killers’ work. (Ben Butler)]()
Modern Baseball - Holy Ghost: This is not pop-punk as you imagined it. In creating an album full of aching emotion describing loss, and the loss of control, Modern Baseball refreshingly and staunchly reject indulgence or cliché. ‘Holy Ghost’ is hopeful, and disarrayed, but it’s also charmingly optimistic like the best of The Killers’ work. (Ben Butler)
![YAK - Alas Salvation: Their frenetic punk rock 'n roll outbursts are captured with immense quality thanks to the expertise of Pulp bassist Steve Mackey - who sat at the controls for the recording. Their drummer is one of the most powerful on the London live circuit, and their fuzz-laden bass gives a fat tone. Meanwhile, singer Oli Burslem is a great frontman who seemingly references Iggy Pop in all the right ways. (Cai Trefor)]()
YAK - Alas Salvation: Their frenetic punk rock 'n roll outbursts are captured with immense quality thanks to the expertise of Pulp bassist Steve Mackey - who sat at the controls for the recording. Their drummer is one of the most powerful on the London live circuit, and their fuzz-laden bass gives a fat tone. Meanwhile, singer Oli Burslem is a great frontman who seemingly references Iggy Pop in all the right ways. (Cai Trefor)
![Sunflower Bean - Human Ceremony: On Human Ceremony, Sunflower Bean, have outshone anything they've ever previously released. The album floats in and out of the varying degrees of psych, jangle pop and krautrock, often shifting from one influence to another within a song. They say you only get one chance to make a good impression in this increasingly competitive music industry, but Sunflower Bean have taken their opportunity with both hands and run with it - charging into the future. Watch out, 2016 is going to be huge for this band.(Cai Trefor)]()
Sunflower Bean - Human Ceremony: On Human Ceremony, Sunflower Bean, have outshone anything they've ever previously released. The album floats in and out of the varying degrees of psych, jangle pop and krautrock, often shifting from one influence to another within a song. They say you only get one chance to make a good impression in this increasingly competitive music industry, but Sunflower Bean have taken their opportunity with both hands and run with it - charging into the future. Watch out, 2016 is going to be huge for this band.(Cai Trefor)
![Eleanor Friedberger - New View: There something resolutely unfussy about the shades of hope, love and melancholy that are woven through the third solo album of The Fiery Furnaces' Eleanor Friedberger. Settle into the warmly familiar, comforting melody of 'He Didn't Mention His Mother', for example, and miss that its edges curl with sadness. (Alexandra Pollard)]()
Eleanor Friedberger - New View: There something resolutely unfussy about the shades of hope, love and melancholy that are woven through the third solo album of The Fiery Furnaces' Eleanor Friedberger. Settle into the warmly familiar, comforting melody of 'He Didn't Mention His Mother', for example, and miss that its edges curl with sadness. (Alexandra Pollard)