30. Sleater-Kinney – The Center Won’t Hold (Mom + Pop)

The circumstances in which The Center Won’t Hold arrived – namely, the departure of their brilliant, long-term drummer Janet Weiss amid rumours that she had been underused in its creation, overseen by Annie Clark (a.k.a. St. Vincent) as producer – unfortunately eclipsed its undeniable quality. Boasting certainly the widest range of sonic influences for any Sleater-Kinney album thusfar – the compressed grunge of the opening title track battling with its distressed, rattling percussion was just a snapshot – it crucially didn’t detract from the group’s personality. (LISTEN) (EB)

29. Flying Lotus – Flamagra (Warp)

Few musicians have as flawless a discography as Steven Ellison. So when the California-based producer announced his sixth studio LP Flamagra via the spoken word of David Lynch, the internet duly exploded. Flamagra may not be the most well-rounded or consistent release in Ellison’s Flying Lotus discography, but there is more than enough eclectic variety to turn that into a strength and ensure it a place on our list. Whether it be the bombastic ‘Heroes In A Half Shell’ or the smooth ‘9 Carrots’, Flamagra took its time and found new ways to experiment. (JT) (LISTEN)

28. Vampire Weekend – Father Of The Bride (Columbia)

After a six-year long hiatus and the departure of producer/keyboardist Rostam Batmanglij, Vampire Weekend re-entered the spotlight once again with an ambitious double album in Father Of The Bride. With it, fans were once again greeted by Ezra Koenig’s capabilities of writing catchy melodies and guitar riffs. At the time, 2013’s Modern Vampires Of The City was seen as Vampire Weekend’s best release to date, and, while it probably still is, Father Of The Bride is a great follow-up, marking a rebirth of sorts for the band. With multiple features from Steve Lacey and Danielle Haim, this is the first time Koenig has decided to collaborate with outside artists, resulting a bright, upbeat and immediately endearing record. (AC) (LISTEN)

27. Drahla – Useless Coordinates (Captured Tracks)

Drahla’s deliberately circumspect media presence over the last three years worked in their favour when it came to the expectations surrounding their debut album. Useless Coordinates, in the spirit of all the best post-punk, suggested limitless possibility, manipulating the Leeds trio’s influences (namely Wire, early Sonic Youth and the murkier end of grunge’s spectrum) into something fluid, intelligent and economical. (EB) (LISTEN)

26. Angel Olsen – All Mirrors (Jagjaguwar)

Undeniably one of the most recognisable voices in indie of our decade, Angel Olsen loves change. Swerve after swerve, she keeps dodging easy categorisation, and after exploring a more electronic, indie rock avenue on My Woman three years ago, with All Mirrors we meet Olsen at her most grand and dramatic. Embracing big sounds, she employs an orchestral set-up of 14 performers, with quivering strings and booming drums, letting her voice echo and blend with the unsettling instrumentals. The tracks are nothing less than cathartic, with Olsen refusing to relinquish her integrity in order to please others, still struggling to navigate the waters of life and love, but carrying a different, newfound confidence in oneself. If the instrumentals represented a sort of storm, Olsen is calm within it, letting it rage on whilst matching it, but remaining grounded. Whether the self-assured desperation so prevalent in the human condition will have the same amount of heft in the upcoming, apparently acoustic ‘second half’ of this project as it does here is to be seen, but the way All Mirrors employs a more elaborate instrumental to project it is admirable to say the least. From operatic to something quite hazy, as if from a Cocteau Twins record, Angel Olsen revels in these musical outfits to sing her truth. (AS) (LISTEN)

25. Crumb – Jinx (self-released)

Jinx is a buzzing with surreal, stoic energy amid its mass of contradictions. It was a haze of luxuriant, proggy atmosphere, yet underpinned by an acute sense of economy, all guided by Lila Romani’s bewitching vocals. But the vast array of sonic sounds on this record will leave in your head the image of a woozy, daydreaming drunk wondering through the streets of New York City. What Crumb have created here is comparable to an out-of-body experience. (RC) (LISTEN)

24. Karen O & Danger Mouse – Lux Prima (BMG)

The opening lead single ‘Lux Prima’, which appeared at the end of last year, presaged what was to come from the album of the same name, an initially curious-looking match-up at first but an inspired one in practice. Merging otherworldly soundscapes and the YYYs frontwoman’s lyrics about love, motherhood and survival with Brian Burton’s suave, clipped pop productions, Lux Prima showcased a slightly different side to each of its contributors. (EB) (LISTEN)

23. Fat White Family – Serfs Up! (Domino)

With the release of Serfs Up!, Fat White Family shifted their sound through an increase of electronic instrumentation and finally created the masterpiece that had always been within their potential. The material on this album was still their usual nihilistic dark psychedelia, but the inclusion of larger, ethereal synthesised textures gave the music a fantastic melancholy glaze. The use of what appears to be electronic percussion/drum patterns further morphs the sound on certain tracks, as this instrumentation gives any music an unmistakable tone, and in this case the resulting music bears a striking resemblance to trip-hop. Serfs Up! Is the sound of Fat White Family stretching their wings and exploring new methods of music-making to further develop their style. (JK) (LISTEN)

22. Xiu Xiu – Girl With A Basket Of Fruit (Upset The Rhythm)

The musical equivalent of a fever dream, Girl With A Basket Of Fruit continued the abrasive aesthetic Xiu Xiu have pushed in their music, but dialled up to an even more erratic and depraved state. More similar to an onslaught, the barrage of musical flair performed throughout the album as well as the tormented vocals that plague it demonstrated the thin line between art and music that Xiu Xiu walk. (DAn) (LISTEN)

21. Bon Iver – i,i (Jagjaguwar)

After drastically changing his sound and aesthetic from heartbroken woodsman/bard to glitchy and ambient electronica auteur on 22, A Million, Justin Vernon continued to go down the path of synths and distortions in his latest Bon Iver album, i,i. Coupled with his trademark folksy lyricism and charming falsetto, Vernon comes up with something thoroughly endearing and beautiful. This warm feeling radiated throughout the album, and the songs are sure to survive in his setlist for many years, and so many standouts that if you start listing them, you just end up with the entire album. (AA) (LISTEN)

20. Stella Donnelly – Beware Of The Dogs (Secretly Canadian)

When she penned ‘Boys Will Be Boys’ in 2017, which some regarded as the unofficial anthem of the #MeToo movement, many compared Stella Donnelly to her Australian compatriot Courtney Barnett. But that lazy comparison did her a slight disservice – her debut full-length Beware Of The Dogs was fizzing with unique insight and attitude, generating a collection of songs that was angry, articulate, beautiful and funny in equal measure. (EB) (LISTEN)

19. Solange – When I Get Home (Columbia)

Everything melted into an iridescent, astral sonic love letter to Houston, Afro-futurism and companionship on Solange’s fourth album When I Get Home, given a surprise release at the start of March. Ameditation on home, dreams, growth and feminine intuition, packaged in futuristic jazz and funk-inspired art-pop, it was a more-than-worthy successor to the universally praised statement album that was A Seat At The Table. (LISTEN)

18. DIIV – Deceiver (Captured Tracks)

With their third studio album, DIIV’s nascent influences of My Bloody Valentine and other early shoegaze bands were not only much clearer than before, but more intelligently interpreted. Singer Zachary Cole Smith’s whispery vocal deliveries are very reminiscent of Kevin Shields’, and lyrically, Deceiver dealt with heavy personal topics, namely the singer’s drug addiction and recovery. Compared to their first two albums, Deceiver is DIIV’s loudest and most distorted release yet, not only providing for an enjoyable listen but also shows how they’re progressing as a modern shoegaze band. (AC) (LISTEN)

17. Purple Mountains – Purple Mountains (Drag City)

Part of what made David Berman’s tragic death this past August so shocking is that things seemed to be looking up for the beloved, but notoriously troubled, Silver Jews frontman. After a decade-long silence he had just returned with an excellent new album (under the new Purple Mountains moniker), and in interviews, the publicity-averse Berman seemed genuinely excited to hit the road for his first tour in ages. And then, just like that, he was gone. Songs like ‘Nights That Won’t Happen’ or ‘Maybe I’m The Only One For Me,’ are tougher listens in the wake of his passing, but as time wears on it becomes more and more clear that Purple Mountains is as rich and powerful as anything in Berman’s storied catalogue. (BN) (LISTEN)

16. Aldous Harding – Designer (4AD)

Aldous Harding’s artistic prowess is hard to miss. Expressive beyond belief in her theatricality whilst performing live, the New Zealander has brought a different flavour of her art pop with Designer. Palpably more playful and leaving the inky darkness of Party behind, here we meet Harding in a sunnier disposition, at least compositionally. Backed up by acoustic guitars, a piano and maracas, Designer might come across as a play where a wide smile and bulbous eyes uncomfortably infer something deeply animalistic and human. As if a surrealist film in musical form, every song here is shrouded in tantalising metaphors. And yet, there is no need for an analytical eye, as it’s easier to just let whatever Harding is singing wash over you – the suggestive visual nature of the lyrics is easier to receive without trying too hard, as their truth comes to one with time and personal interpretation. An absolute delight, Designer is driven by a crystal-clear artistic vision, executed in masterfully simplistic yet complicated compositions, as the slightest change in Harding’s voice is as telling as anything can be. (AS) (LISTEN)

15. Lana Del Rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell! (Polydor / Interscope)

Lana Del Rey is probably one of the most peculiar cultural ‘happenings’ of our pop music industry. By becoming famous for very directly referencing the Golden Age of Hollywood, Americana and playing with the ‘bad boy’ archetypes as her love interests, and spinning it all together in her breathy melancholic compositions, she created a self-indulgent, self-sabotaging persona that embraces abuse and dependence on “no good” romantic partners that didn’t inflict universal praise regarding its morality. After all, it’s not very ‘tasteful’ to idolise emotional abuse and all that jazz, and seemingly Lana was doing all of the above. All of this visual and lyrical lore aside, she managed to carefully shift stylistically to sound different but all the same in each album, from the pop of Born To Die to the slight grunginess of Ultraviolence.

With Normal Fucking Rockwell!, we see the culmination of it all. Its heroine finally cuts the bullshit on her romantic partners and is the most honest that we’ve seen – the title track says it all, acknowledging all the contradictions of a ‘manchild’. Forever her playground, the West Coast and California is no longer some magical land – it’s “just a state of mind”. Musically, Norman Fucking Rockwell! shines in its almost meandering nature, embracing the romance and melancholy of a woman coming into her own after so much searching, maybe not happy just yet, but at peace with it all. Masterfully composed and produced by Lana herself and Jack Antonoff, it’s a highly self-aware record, brilliant in its unapologetic references to her previous releases. Norman Fucking Rockwell! might as well be Del Rey’s finest, connecting all the dots, with a sense of self-acceptance and a healthy dose of critique, presented in ingenious romantic ballads that shine in lyrical accuracy and captivating use of melody. (AS) (LISTEN)

14. Oso Oso – Basking In The Glow (Triple Crown Records)

The Long Beach, New York-formed band first came to wider recognition with 2017’s The Yunahon Mixtape, an album self-released by frontman Jade Lilitree (after failing to generate label interest) that quickly spread across the internet by word-of-mouth. Basking In The Glow (released on Triple Crown Records) delivered on the promise of their unlikely breakout, cementing Lilitree as one of the most exciting voices working in indie rock today. Like many of his contemporaries, his songwriting is rooted in familiar stalwarts of the pop-punk and indie rock world –– one can hear in his intricate guitar riffs and pop-friendly hooks the traces of early-aughts giants like Jimmy Eat World or Death Cab For Cutie –– but his clever and thoughtful writing stands out amongst the more derivatively maudlin lyricism that plagues much of fourth wave emo. (BN) (LISTEN)

13. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Fishing For Fishies (Flightless)

With a back catalogue as long and as incredibly varied as theirs, not to mention the prolific output rate, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have to strive for new approaches to making their music with every new album they create. The group’s second most-recent release Fishing For Fishies was an album that, above all else, showed their humanity. The title alone is a clear indicator that this album would explore King Gizzard’s innocent side, with a lot of the topic material used in the music being quite light in comparison to some of their previous work. The feel of the whole album is upbeat, staying fairly clear from any dark or menacing psychedelia (see Infest The Rat’s Nest, also from 2019!)and instead showcasing the band’s glam and classic rock influences; a refreshing, but uncomplicated collection of good rock music. (JK) (LISTEN)

12. Big Thief – U.F.O.F. (4AD)

So far the most expansive album from Big Thief, and the first of two released in 2019 alone, U.F.O.F. tackles an emotional existentialism in a subtly different manner to their previous releases. Like a slingshot into space, U.F.O.F. skips from calm to chaotic as Adrianne Lenker, a songwriter of rare insight and whose talents continue to grow exponentially, whispers, wails and shrieks right in your ears. This album steals your soul and cradles it like a baby. (RC) (LISTEN)

11. (Sandy) Alex G – House Of Sugar (Domino)

Weaving something unmistakably fantastical into his bedroom pop aesthetic, Alex Giannascoli ascended to a new level on his latest (Sandy) Alex G album House Of Sugar. Infused with same kind of restless eclecticism that’s characterised much of his previous work, his detail-laden thumbnail sketches of songs were grounded in realism but dwelled on the threshold of the fantastical – the elusive ‘Taking’ and the straightforward ‘Southern Sky’ demonstrated the collision of approaches. Already eight albums into his career at the age of 26, it’s startling to think how much greater Giannascoli might get. (EB) (LISTEN)