Albums of 2019

It's a cliche that's repeated every year but at the end of 2019, it's certainly true: it's been a great year for music. There have been some interesting breakthroughs, high-profile comebacks and important works of art. As usual, I've found it hard to compress a year's worth of music into one list but here are my top 12 albums of 2019.

12) Feeder - Tallulah
Kicking off with the anthemic Youth, Feeder's 10th studio album is a rousing return to form. Formed in 1994, the band's early alternative rock sound gave way to middle-of-the-road indie towards the end of the 2000s. But a band that had survived the suicide of their drummer, Jon Lee, in 2002 could never be beaten. Tallulah is Feeder's first album since their second greatest hits collection and they've really found their purpose again. Feeder were in danger of fading into mediocrity but now they've released an album that captures their youthful energy but with riffs and lyrics that are the product of experience. It feels like you're eavesdropping on a group of old friends reuniting for a road trip across America. Let's hope this trip continues.

11) Metronomy - Metronomy Forever
Revolving mainly around singer/songwriter/producer Joe Mount, Metronomy Forever is the band's sixth studio album and continues Metronomy's exploration of electronica, synth pop and funk. There are hugely fun moments like on the stand-out Salted Caramel Ice Cream, a wannabe teen anthem about trying to look cool in front of a girl, and introspective moments too such as The Light: "Cause I understand that I hold you back but I'm just a man, a bad one at that". All of this is interspersed with instrumental bleeps and beats which makes the whole album feel both well thought-out and experimental. It's delightfully weird, fun and heartfelt at the same time. That's not easy to achieve.

10) Coldplay - Everyday Life
It's incredibly easy to follow the herd and diss Coldplay. In fact, their name has become a synonym for bland pop-rock. But there's more to them than this image. I've come to the realisation that they've settled into a pattern of releasing one formulaic album, followed by something ambitious and innovative, even if most people only seem to take note of the former. The boring X & Y was followed by the concept album Viva La Vida. Then came the formulaic Mylo Xyloto, with the haunting Ghost Stories three years later. This time, the band's eighth studio album follows the crowd-pleasing A Head Full of Dreams. Opening with the orchestral Sunrise, Everyday Life features lyrics in Spanish and Persian, topics such as racial inequality and war, plus samples, poetry, gospel choirs and more. It's hugely ambitious and there's a lot going on here. Not all of it works as well as Chris Martin thinks it does but it's a double album so there's room to experiment. A couple of the tracks do fall into "typical Coldplay" territory (mainly Champion of the World) and some of it is undoubtedly pretentious, however, overall it's a huge success and as far from bland as they're likely to get.

9) Brittany Howard - Jaime
Taking a break from her band, Alabama Shakes, Brittany Howard has produced her first solo album, Jaime, dedicated to her sister who died of retinoblastoma when she was a teenager. As a band Alabama Shakes walk the line between bluesy soul and roots rock but Howard takes this further on her own. Successful artists are adept at taking influences, mixing them up and making them sound like their own. The influences apparent on Jaime span a huge range of eras and genres, encompassing Nina Simone, James Brown, Prince, Gil Scott-Heron and others, while the lyrics cover politics, racism and teenage love. She may have taken a short time out to record it, but it feels like Brittany Howard's entire existence has contributed to this album's production.

8) Rosie Lowe - YU
"It could all be so simple" states Lifeline, the first track on Rosie Lowe's second album YU. And indeed you could be forgiven for thinking that's how the album will be. It starts off minimal and laid-back but soon, the production becomes more sultry and seductive. The stand-out track is Birdsong, the funkiest song you'll hear all year: "it's the very thought of you that gets me through the night and the knowing that I'll get it once more". It's essentially a collection of love songs but the confidence of the pulsing beats and funky guitar riffs belie the fragility and doubt of the lyrics. It's slinky but never entirely at ease with its sensuality which I think is such a relatable quality.

7) Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
Weyes Blood is the stage name of Natalie Mering, an American singer-songwriter while Titanic Rising is her fourth album and surely her breakthrough. The music is pleasingly uncategorisable, being described by some reviewers as soft rock or chamber pop, but it has echoes of Karen Carpenter, Feist and Father John Misty. The lyrics are just as dreamy and ethereal. "Looking up to the sky for something I may never find" Mering croons on Andromeda, which helpfully sums up the album. If life is a journey, not a destination, so is Titanic Rising. Some tracks feel like they're about to launch into a big chorus along the lines of Nilsson's Without You but the moment never quite arrives. That's not to say the album doesn't have its own catchy moments, but the delight is in hearing how the songs unfold rather than celebrating when they reach the climax.

6) Bon Iver - i,i
Most bands are content with one concept album in their career but this year, Bon Iver's Justin Vernon declared that all four of their albums to date were part of one large concept with each representing one of the four seasons. To be honest, the metaphor does hold water. The debut For Emma, Forever Ago was recorded in a remote cabin and represents the bleakness of winter. The follow-up, Bon Iver, features the hope of spring whereas 22, A Million was frantic, hot and sticky like summer, bringing us full circle with the bizarrely named i,i. It begins where 22, A Million left off. The first four tracks are relatively short with angular motifs continuing the busy feeling of the summer. But by the time we reach the lead single, Hey, Ma, the dust clouds have cleared, the pace begins to slow and Autumn sets in. The album as a whole is less experimental than 22, A Million yet there are still awkward rhythms and discordant bleeps for atmosphere. Neither is it as simple and haunting as their first two albums. The lyrics have always been obtuse and mysterious, and that's not changed here. It's not a new musical direction but it does feel like the end of a movement.

5) The Tallest Man on Earth - I Love You, It's A Fever Dream
Measuring 1.7m, Sweden's Kristian Matsson is not what his stage name suggests, however, it's his music that stands tall. I Love You, It's A Fever Dream is his fifth studio album and the second since his divorce. His style of folk music has always been dark with strange lyrics but his previous album, Dark Bird Is Home was more personal than anything that came before, a product of the divorce which didn't work quite as well as intended. His latest effort continues the personal nature but strips it back further, creating a more cohesive collection of songs. The opener, Hotel Bar, is as lonely a song as you're likely to hear: "all I can do is say things will be fine". But this album doesn't wallow; rather it acknowledges what has gone before and hopes for something better. By track three, There's a Girl, Matsson is thinking about moving on: "there's a girl that tells me I'm alright, I hope she means it". What I've Been Kicking Around is the highlight and surely one for the long-term fans with its trademark guitar picking and metaphorical lyrics. It's an album that solidifies his reputation and has the potential to win new fans too.

4) Michael Kiwanuka - KIWANUKA
Michael Kiwanuka's last album, Love & Hate, was so confident that it began with a brooding 10-minute piece of art. How could he possibly follow that? The answer on this, his third album, is to do something entirely different. While his first two albums were hugely accomplished, they were recognisably classic soul records. Meanwhile, his third, KIWANUKA (I believe the capitals are important) sounds something like Marvin Gaye discovering prog rock. There are soulful strings, Hendrix-like riffs and political lyrics. The opener You Ain't The Problem hints at issues with immigration, while Hero seems to juxtapose fame with gun crime. Similar to Marvin Gaye's classic What's Going On album, the tracks on KIWANUKA segue into each other and there are also instrumental sections, spoken samples and interludes. It's very much designed to be listened to in one sitting which helps to make it feel like a very important project indeed.

3) James Blake - Assume Form
Widely anticipated, James Blake's fourth studio album doesn't disappoint. Known for delicate piano melodies, ethereal production and offbeat rhythms, Blake takes all of these and expands the sound even more. There are elements of R&B, hip hop and even Latin music here too. It feels slightly more upbeat than anything that he's done before but he's still a musician who sounds ill at ease in his being. "I will assume form, I'll leave the ether" he sings on the opening title track, apparently announcing what's to come. The next two tracks branch out with guest vocalists and rappers while Into The Red is a more familiar James Blake track with its overlaid vocals and distorted instruments. My highlight is I'll Come Too, a gentle yet tentative love song. Somewhere among the layered production, there's a newfound confidence that reflects an artist growing into their niche. Maybe a contributor to this settled status can be found in the credits? Blake's girlfriend, the actress Jameela Jamil is credited as a producer. Whatever the cause, long may it continue.

2) Foals - Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost (Parts 1 & 2)
While other artists were spending 2019 recording double albums, Foals were persuaded to produce Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost as two separate releases. I'm grouping them together here as it's difficult to separate them despite the fact that there are stylistic differences. Part one is slightly more upbeat and fun. The lead single, Exits, feels like a pop-rock classic designed for sticky indie dancefloors. In Degrees and Cafe d'Athens continue the party with pulsing beats and ethereal hooks, before part one's final track, the haunting I'm Done With The World (& It's Done With Me) brings the tempo down and hints at something foreboding to come. Part 2 is undoubtedly darker and heavier but picks up the energy again. The Runner is another dancefloor smash but is bluesier with scuzzy guitars and ominous lyrics: "when I fall down, I know to keep on running". The album rattles on through political and personal crises, via Into The Surf where the lyrics request burial at sea, finishing with the 10-minute long rock opera Neptune. It's ambitious but by this point you're ready for it and it feels like an utter triumph.

1) Vampire Weekend - Father of the Bride
Befitting the trend of 2019, there was only one album that could beat Foals' two-in-one and that's a double album about political uncertainty. Vampire Weekend's fourth studio album and the first since the departure of founding member Rostam Batmanglij, Father of the Bride is quite simply one of the most important albums of the decade. Lyrically, it focuses on racism, religion and the rise of the far right. Musically however it's much lighter, juxtaposing its serious themes with a glossy exterior: a metaphor for pop culture maybe? Encompassing a huge range of styles including rock, pop, country, flamenco, folk and soul, it's much more ambitious than their previous efforts. With the loss of a founding member, the band could have lost its direction but instead they've simply found another one (although Batmanglij does still lend a hand in production, despite forging a solo career). The stand-out track is undoubtedly This Life, on the surface, a happy-go-lucky indie-pop romp but with lyrics such as "baby, I know hate is always waiting at the gate, I just thought we locked the gate when we left in the morning". It's a perfect summary and damning indictment of where it feels the world is heading in 2019. The fact it can be done while making tunes this catchy is something very special indeed.

Honourable mention must also go to albums which nearly made my list:
Hot Chip - A Bath Full of Ecstasy; Jack Penate - After You; Loyle Carner - Not Waving, But Drowning; Idlewild - Interview Music; The National - I Am Easy to Find; !!! - Wallop; Cassius - Dreems; Johnathan Rice - The Long Game

If you don't have time to listen to all of these albums, I made a playlist of the best tracks from 2019 on Spotify. You can have a listen here. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy. Here's to 2020.

Shop local

I get it. Shopping online is convenient, especially in the busy run-up to Christmas. You don't need to talk to anybody and you can do it in your pyjamas during the ad breaks of Coronation Street. The main argument, though, is that it's cheap. But we need to stop thinking about cost purely in terms of our immediate finances. For example, what does it cost our local area if we only spend our money with multinational corporations who pay relatively little tax and don't have a presence on our nearest high street? I'll take you through some of the reasons why I think it's important to shop local and support small businesses, and I'll tell you about some of my favourite independent places to shop on the high street in Hull.

In 2018, Amazon declared a tax bill of only £4.5m, despite UK revenue from sales reaching $11.3bn although its reported profit in the UK was only £72m as its Amazon UK Services is "only" a logistics business. Amazon reports its UK retail sales through its Luxembourg division, Amazon Europe, and its overall performance in the US as part of a complicated and yet legal setup. We don't know how much profit Amazon made in total from UK retail sales but if we assume an average 12% return and apply a standard UK corporation tax of 19% on that profit, that would come to £258m against the £4.5m that it actually paid. That's over £250m of cash that could be spent on schools, the NHS, prisons and other public services. Instead, we're handing out contracts for Amazon to supply schools with consumables and so Echo devices can ease the burden on the NHS by providing medical advice, therefore Amazon is taking more money from our public services. It's important to point out that the UK government makes these rules and that Amazon is legally complying with them. And it's not just Amazon. Starbucks, Google and even Boots have all reportedly used such corporate structures to manage their taxes.

So what's the alternative? Local independent businesses are more likely to pay their taxes. Yes, they would each pay less individually than the numbers mentioned above but when looked at collectively, it makes a big difference. Plus, if they're on the high street, they also contribute to local business rates which the council can reinvest in local services. They also employ local people and contribute to the overall development of your area. To buy local means you directly contribute to the success of your high street.

Time is obviously a major barrier and we should also see that as a cost. It can seem more convenient to shop online from the comfort of your own home but do we really have no other time in the day? Can we fit in a visit to the high street in our lunch hour? On the way to the bus stop? While the kids are at their gymnastics lesson?

The harsh truth is that we can't really moan about the state of the NHS and schools, or the deterioration of our local high street when we continue to spend our money with multinationals and not by supporting local businesses. That's the true cost.

For the last two years, I've tried to do my Christmas shopping at local independents only. It's not always possible; sometimes you can't find what you need, they may keep more restricted levels of stock or things are just too expensive on the high street. We shouldn't feel guilty about it if it doesn't work out but every little helps. So as a way of encouragement, I'd like to share with you some of my favourite places in Hull to help give you some ideas. The links will take you to each shop's Instagram page so you can see exactly what they're all about.

Fruit Market
19 Point 4 is mainly a fashion boutique, full of men's and women's designer clothing at great prices, but they also sell some fantastic and unique homewares, trinkets and gifts. Plant & Paint not only sells what it says on the tin. You'll also find upcycled furniture and home accessories. Plus, don't forget cheese plants and other greenery are hugely back in fashion. The fantastic Form is your calling point for cards, stationery and artwork, and always has something different to offer. Meanwhile, round the corner at the Store on Pier Street, they have some great gift ideas for any foodies in your family and they'll make up hampers for you with snacks, chocolates and booze, including an array of vegan options. Other shops in the area include Tessie's for women's clothes, Poorboy Boutique for vintage clothes and accessories, and the Oresome Gallery jewellery workshop. Plus when you get peckish, there are plenty of food and drink places to take your fancy.

Trinity Market & Hepworth's Arcade
Since the council spent tonnes on refurbishment, Trinity Market has really come alive and, along with the adjoining arcade, was nominated for the Great British High Street awards this year. In the market, The Eco Shed is ideal for any environmentally minded friends, Vittles & Co will suit any craft beer fans while Cocoa Chocolatier will surely please anyone with a sweet tooth. Over in Hepworth's Arcade, Beasley's is a Hull institution, stocking men's and women's clothes and accessories, plus don't forget to check out the table at the front where you'll find flyers and posters for restaurants, theatres and nights out, tickets for which are more great gift ideas.
Other shops in the arcade include J.E. Books for pre-loved literature and Roisin Dubh for trinkets and homewares, and don't go home without sampling some of the street food on offer back in Trinity Market.

Paragon Arcade
Recently acquired by Allenby and undergoing sensitive restoration, Paragon Arcade is already home to some great places to find gifts. Koda manufactures bespoke furniture while kids' clothes shop Belle & Benjamin offers families something a little bit different. Segal's jewellers is still going strong while Silver Springs boutique will give you some new inspiration. If you need to take the weight off your feet, check out White Rabbit chocolatier, Two Gingers coffee shop, 80 Days Bier Markt or Marla's sandwich place. You'll be spoilt for choice.

I've highlighted three of my favourite areas for independent shopping in Hull city centre but there are plenty of other places up and down the high streets. Let me know where you like to shop in the comments and I wish you luck with your gift hunting.

Pavement Users

There's a lot of noise around people cycling on pavements at the moment, but as an amateur runner, I know there are more hazardous users of paths: pedestrians. Let me tell you why.

1) Dogs
Lots of people walk their dogs on long leads, or even without a lead at all. When running past a dog, you've no idea whether you're approaching a peaceful dog, a yappy but harmless one, or a complete savage bastard. Also it's very easy for even placid yet inquisitive dogs to trip you up. Polite dog walkers pull their dogs close when runners pass.

2) Parents with prams
Don't get me wrong, if it's a narrow path, I don't expect a parent to have to push a pram onto the road to pass me, endangering their child. I'm not a monster. But what winds me up is when multiple parents push prams two or even three abreast, taking up even a luxuriously wide path and forcing me onto the road. Drop behind your friends for a while if someone's coming the opposite way; there can be room for everyone.

3) Parents with kids
Same as above except the kids are on the loose. Sometimes they run in front of you. Sometimes they just don't get out the way. Sometimes the parents don't give a toss because they're too busy on their phone. Which leads me nicely to...

4) People on the phone
Usually young people but not necessarily, phone users are a nightmare. Sometimes they're looking down and texting, and only notice you when you're close enough to shout "excuse me!" in their ear, so that you don't have to jump in front of a car instead. Other times they're too engrossed in a conversation and don't listen even if you shout from 300m away.

5) Baby boomers
Look, I'm not trying to be ageist but they've lived long enough to know so many people. They stop and talk to everyone, and gather in large groups at zebra crossings, in shop doorways or on street corners, taking up the entire path. For crying out loud, move to one side. There are others who need to use it.

6) Pigeons
If we're going to be pedantic, these birds are an urban menace and they only fly away at the last second, making you think they'll fly into your face and give you pigeon-eye or something.

Now, clearly I'm not saying that we should ban pedestrians. But the point I am trying to make is that lots of us need to use the pavements, and sometimes we have to share them with runners, pedestrians, prams, dogs, kids, phone users, boomers, pigeons and even cyclists. So why don't we all just try and be a bit more aware of what's happening around us so that we don't have to panic at the last second and blame everyone else but ourselves.

Albums of 2018

Last year, I made a new year's resolution to do more writing. It seems renovating a house took priority and I didn't stick to the resolution. Still, I might as well try and rectify it with another Best Albums of the Year blog, even though I am day too late.

It's been another bumper year for music and, just like last year, I refuse to squeeze the list into an arbitrary 10, just because that's how many fingers I have. So here's my top 12 of 2018.

12) Brand New Friend - Seatbelts for Aeroplanes
The first album on my list was strangely never meant to be an album. Brand New Friend is a Northern Irish four-piece who recorded a few demos that their label liked enough to throw together as an album. But the thing is, it completely works and it even received a nomination for the Northern Ireland Music Prize. Like a missing link between British punk of the 1970s and US pop-punk of the 2000s, it's full of the raw energy you'd expect from a young band's demo tape but amongst the scuzzy guitars, they've actually got a solid set of catchy tunes too.

11) Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats - Tearing at the Seams
A throbbing, swaggering chunk of soulful vintage blues, the second album from Nathaniel Rateliff's new project sounds confident and assured, but also captures the raw spirit of a band just jamming with mates or playing in a smoky bar. I don't suppose it's something that's particularly in fashion these days but that just means they don't have much competition. They deserve to be noticed.

10) Jon Hopkins - Singularity
If pop-punk or blues isn't your thing, maybe the ethereal bleeps of Jon Hopkins would suit you better. Now on his fifth solo studio album (plus a couple of other collaborations), he specialises in producing ambient electronic dance music that's far from just for the background. If it sounds like it'd be perfect on a soundtrack to a sci-fi film, you may be interested to know he has actually provided the music for Monsters and How I Live Now (both excellent films if you get the chance to see them). The standout track on Singularity is Emerald Rush; it starts off eerily otherworldly and transforms itself into something you could find yourself dancing to on some distant planet in the year 2233.

9) Janelle Monae - Dirty Computer
Another artist who is surely from the future is Janelle Monae. Having found success in her native US, this is her third full-length album and first to hit the top 10 in the UK. Simply referring to her as an R&B and soul singer doesn't do her sound justice. With previous album titles such as The ArchAndroid and The Electric Lady, and a wardrobe and attitude which defy society's norms, she could easily be the product of some artificial intelligence to find a mix of Prince, Grace Jones and Andre 3000, but I guess even that's underplaying it. Lyrically the album makes reference to political identities to do with gender, sexuality and race, and the struggles to fight for equality. But it ends on a hopeful and powerful note with Americans, a track which acts as a rallying call to reclaim her country from those who seek to divide. Dirty Computer isn't just a collection of catchy songs, it's an important work of art too.

8) Father John Misty - God's Favorite Customer
Following very quickly on from 2017's Pure Comedy and picking up largely where that album left off, God's Favorite Customer is arguable a better album for being shorter and more concise. In contrast to its more serious predecessor, Josh Tillman (Father John's real name) set out to make this one lighter and easier to digest. It still contains political references but the lyrics are more personal and honest, and the melodies are breezier and more memorable. I get the feeling though that in order to make his next album a reaction to this one, he may step in a completely different direction still.

7) MGMT - Little Dark Age
For those of you who were wondering whatever happened to MGMT, here is your answer. Known for huge hits such as Kids and Electric Feel from their debut album, their second was disappointing and their third, well, weird. This, their fourth album, is just as experimental but it's much more accessible and provides lots of those "ah, who does this remind me of" moments that help to make an album feel both familiar and fresh. A good example is Me And Michael which surely deserves to play over the opening credits to some buddy film set in the 80s. Elsewhere, there are similarities to OMD, Depeche Mode and others but presented in a leftfield fashion without missing out the catchy hooks from their debut. They're back on track.

6) Tom Odell - Jubilee Road
Tom Odell's debut album, Long Way Down, was, quite rightly, a huge international success thanks to its powerful and emotional ballads. The 2016 follow-up, Wrong Crowd, was for me a mis-step. The heartfelt lyrics and soft piano were overshadowed by the bombastic production which made the album feel unauthentic. His third album, Jubilee Road, however, is much easier on the ear. Odell's unique voice and honest lyrics are accompanied by catchy tunes and a more sensitive production. In parts, it does feel like the album deliberately alternates between earnest ballad and foot-tapping showstopper but with hooks so catchy they'll have you clapping your hands in no time, why does that matter? It's not anything ground-breaking but it's the only album on my list that I listened to again immediately after hearing it the first time so that's got to count for something surely.

5) Editors - Violence
As with MGMT, Editors are another band famous for their 00s hits. Their 2018 album, Violence, sticks to what you'd expect from the band known for their doom-laden lyrics and dramatic guitars but ramps up the theatre with the production. It feels grander and bolder than anything they've done before and yet somehow simpler in its content too. They've cranked up the electronic hooks and added a few dance beats here and there. Hallelujah (So Low) is a scuzzy and soaring rock track while the standout Magazine starts with eerie choral chants and explodes into an almost brutalist dance-rock fusion. There are softer elements too. No Sound but the Wind is a piano version of a previously released song about fighting against the odds. If you were a fan of Editors before and had fallen out of love, this album will reel you back in.

4) Robyn - Honey
Hugely anticipated, Robyn's first studio album in eight years sees her break free of the glittery electro-pop image she had created for herself, and whilst Honey is still basically an electronic album, starting with the familiar-sounding Missing U, Robyn sounds more like an artist in control of her destiny and willing to try new things. There are elements of chillout electronica on Baby Forgive Me and Send To Robin Immediately, sensual dancefloor hooks on the title track, and some surprising 90s house beats on Between The Lines. It's sultry, pulsating and intriguing, but most importantly, from start to finish it feels like you're having your hand held while being walked from the dancefloor to Robyn's new live show in a different room. I'm excited to see where she heads next.

3) Frank Turner - Be More Kind
He's never been one to shy away from politics, but Frank Turner's seventh studio album is his most political to date and is a reaction to the polarisation of opinions and the rise of right-wing ideologies in a world of Trump and Brexit. The album starts with the words "don't worry if you don't know what to do", a reminder that none of us have the answers but Turner helps guide us through anyway. On the second track, 1933, a rousing punk stomper, he likens our current situation to the events leading up to World War II, using the refrain "don't go mistaking your house burning down for the dawn". The title track is much softer and is an appeal for us all to turn down the rhetoric and be kind to each other. But he cranks up the tempo again on Make America Great Again, a critique of Donald Trump which doesn't quite make the mark I guess he'd hoped but maybe that's only because the rest of the album is so strong. Musically, Be More Kind relies less on the raw folk-punk of his previous albums as Turner starts to experiment with other sounds too. In his own words, Blackout sounds like the first Frank Turner track that could be played in a club. It may not represent a complete change in direction but Be More Kind does feel like the start of something different.

2) Teleman - Family of Aliens
Family of Aliens is the third album from indie-electro band Teleman and has the sound of a band really hitting their stride. It's full of introspective, reflective synth-pop as opposed to the more anthemic sounds in their previous albums but it's all the more intriguing for it. The title track eases you in and then the lead single Cactus contains just enough funk to get your shoulder moving. By the third track, Song for a Seagull, you're hooked. It's a soaring lament from someone observing someone else from afar (or maybe watching an actual seagull) featuring thoughtful one-liners like "you can spend a lifetime playing a version of the real girl". Between the Rain bounces along like an ELO hit before the looping piano of Always Dreaming brings you back down. Elsewhere there are Daft Punk-style vocoders, discordant hooks and ethereal bleeps. If you're a fan of Alt-J, Vampire Weekend or Django Django, this one's for you.

1) Christine & The Queens - Chris
To be honest, there wasn't any doubt as to which album I'd have top of my list. Christine & The Queens is the alter ego of French singer-songwriter Héloïse Letissier. On her second album, she's adopted another identity: Chris. Chris is funkier, sexier and catchier than her debut Chaleur Humaine. This isn't accidental. When performing, Letissier is bewitchingly eccentric and Chris is her attempt to hone that performance into a cool, sexy but androgynous pop star. She cut her hair short and adopted an edgier look. At the moment, it's kind of a concept album but I guess if she keeps the Chris moniker, it would represent a career change instead. Every song on the album could conceivably be a hit and, what's more, she's recorded most of them in both English and French. Mostly, the French versions sound more natural. La marcheuse has an authentic fluidity to it compared to the English The walker. The funky hit single Girlfriend, however, works better than the French version entitled Damn, dis-moi. This is partly because even the French version has an English chorus. In reality though, it's worth listening to both sets of tracks. The hooks are memorable enough and the melodies catchy enough to sustain your attention twice, whichever language they're in. It's a magnificent piece of work that really represents an artist in total control, not just of their sound, but their entire concept.

Honourable mention must also go to albums which nearly made my list: The Slow Readers Club - Build A Tower; Deaf Havana - RITUALS; Neneh Cherry - Broken Politics; Justin Timberlake - Man of the Woods; Lykke Li - so sad so sexy; Ezra Furman - Transangelic Exodus; Will Varley - Spirit of Minnie; and Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Sex & Food.

If you don't have time to listen to all of these albums, I made a playlist of the best tracks from 2018 on Spotify. You can have a listen here. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy. Here's to 2019.