We're halfway through 2018, and oh what a year it's been so far for music. The albums have been coming thick and fast and we're here to guide you through the best of the year so far. So grab a cuppa and dive into the only list you'll need this year (until our top 50 in winter). Check the Spotify playlist at the bottom of this article to listen to the best tracks.
25. Sons of Kemet - Your Queen Is a Reptile
Jazz quartet Sons of Kemet released their thought-provoking third album, 'Your Queen Is a Reptile'. The title refers to how the British monarchy doesn't represent black immigrants and the track titles refer to influential black women throughout history. Sonically dense and taking influence from all types of world music, the album is a vast musical adventure if ever there was one.
24. Beach House - 7
Dream-pop pioneers Beach House arrived with their aptly titled seventh studio album to much critical acclaim. They ditched longtime producer Chris Coady to create a more adventurous style whilst still writing one of their most accessible and enjoyable records to date.
23. Turnstile - Time & Space
Hardcore punk returned in a big way earlier this year with Baltimore's own Turnstile. Clocking in at just 25 minutes long, 'Time & Space' was Turnstile's first release through major label Roadrunner. It's brutal, sharp and wonderfully exciting. The energy of this record is palpable, making us return time and time again.
22. Ezra Furman - Transangelic Exodus
Ezra Furman's second release through Bella Union is an experimentally 'loose' take on the concept album. A cluster of stories centred around the narrative of inner conflict. A highly riotous album that sounds like no other. It will have you dancing, crying and rocking all at the same time.
21. Young Fathers - Cocoa Sugar
2014s Mercury Music Prize winners released their highly anticipated third album in March. Charting at number 28, it became their most successful release yet. Combining elements of gospel, electronics and rap, Cocoa Sugar is possibly the Scottish trio's most accomplished work yet.
20. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Sex & Food
'Sex & Food' is UMO's fifth studio album and probably their funkiest. It's weird and wonderful and boasts some of the best riffs of the year. The nastiness of 'American Guilt' and the super funk of 'Hunnybee' make this record one of the most eclectic of the year.
19. Gengahr - Where Wildness Grows
With their second studio album, London boys Gengahr honed their sound to release one of the most melodically driven indie records of the year. Produced by Neil Comber, the band took great steps forward to make something unique and highly identifiable as their own.
18. Father John Misty - God's Favourite Customer
Produced by Foxygen's Jonathan Rado, 'God' Favourite Customer' took Father John Misty in a lighter direction compared to last years dense masterpiece 'Pure Comedy'. The record is more compact but still hilariously witty with FJM's grandiose instrumentals and poignant lyricism combining to create another fantastic album. Can this man do no wrong?
17. Jpegmafia - Veteran
Easily one of the most mind-bending hip-hop records so far this year, Jpegmafia's abrasive and aggressive style of music sets him apart from the rest of the hip-hop pack. The intense highly experimental production combined with a flow of brilliant precision ensures this is a record is truly one of a kind.
16. Kanye West - ye
What a bonkers year it's been for Mr West so far with Twitter rants, TMZ meltdowns, MAGA hats and inevitably some brilliant music. 'ye' is one of Kanye's most personal efforts lyrically whilst musically, the beats and production hark back to the Yeezy of old. It's chaotic, haphazard and controversial. It's also like Marmite, and we bloody love Marmite. So, there you go.
15. Soccer Mommy - Clean
Sophie Allison aka Soccer Mommy released this beautiful dose of bedroom pop in a year that has seen some amazing music released so far from some super cool women. Her debut album 'Clean' is raw, compact and wonderfully melodic. That pitch bend towards the end of 'Cool' is one of our favourite musical moments this year.
14. Nils Frahm - All Melody
Musician, composer and record producer extraordinaire Nils Frahm used melody as an incredible tool on his ninth studio album. The singular piano tracks like 'My Friend the Forest' are haunting whilst his use of electronics on the title track make for pulsing, dense and vast soundscapes of such a beautiful nature it's hard to not stop and gasp.
13. The Voidz - Virtue
On 'Virtue', Julian Casablancas' current band The Voidz pushed the boundaries of what a major album release could sound like. The experimentation and psychedelia are prominent whilst still allowing the album to breathe. There are some serious if not super fuzzy, summer bangers on this record and it's completely worth its one hour run time.
12. Porches - The House
One of the earliest releases of the year, Aaron Maine's Porches brought in a whole load of collaborators including (Sandy) Alex G, Dev Hynes, Bryndon Cook and even his own father Peter. The album is a delicate and reserved allowing the emotions to run free. 'Goodbye' is easily one of the best tunes we've heard all year. Loop that one for sure.
11. MGMT - Little Dark Age
Expectations were relatively low when it came to listening to MGMT's fourth album. Despite a brilliant promotional single, the band's recent track record with albums hadn't been that amazing. Step up 'Little Dark Age'. Filled to the brim with psychedelic tracks and some brilliant pop hooks, the duo saw a stellar return to form, with challenging and eccentric tunes.
10. Pusha T - DAYTONA
Entirely produced by his pal Kanye West, and the first album to be released from the much publicised 'Wyoming Sessions', Pusha T returned to blistering form with his newest album since 2015's 'King Push'. Another seven track wonder, DAYTONA sparked an intense beef with Drake, whilst also cementing the fact that Kanye is one of the best producers of this generation.
9. Parquet Courts - Wide Awake!
On their sixth studio album, Texan indie legends Parquet Courts brought the fun. 'Wide Awake!' is an album of 'woke' punk hits including the incredibly groovy title track and also the super raw first sin
gle 'Almost Had to Start a Fight/In and Out of Patience'. The production is scratchy and raw ultimately making this one of the most endearing albums on the list.
8. Arctic Monkeys - Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino
Earlier this year we gave the new
Arctic Monkeys album a respectable 7. Since then, 'Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino' has grown and become one of our most played records of the year. A proper body of work with no real singles, the album is best enjoyed as a whole. It's this confidence and bravado that we have grown to love. Keep it coming, Mr Turner.
7. Haley Heynderickx - I Need to Start a Garden
Haley Heynderickx honed her craft and musical style by mixing a love of jazz radio with 60s and 70s folk influences. Even though her debut album is achingly short (it clocks in at thirty minutes with only eight tracks), Heynderickx has created a beautifully concise and charming body of work that is easily one of the best folk records to be released in 2018 so far.
6. Shame - Songs of Praise
Since the release of their debut album, Shame have been on a world tour for what seems like forever. 'Songs of Praise' is an exceptional debut from a young band with a glowing future. The album itself was recorded in a mere ten days and with a total run time of thirty-eight minutes, it is brilliantly concise and to the point. The mainstream music world may not want them but South London's Shame are the guitar band Britain needs.
5. Hookworms - Microshift
Yorkshire-based psychedelic five-piece Hookworms ditched the drones and noise rock of their previous efforts to release a brilliantly well-crafted album of danceable rock and indie hits. Lyrical themes of depression and anxiety run throughout Hookworm's most musically accessible album to date.
4. Car Seat Headrest - Twin Fantasy (Face to Face)
The eleventh studio album by Car Seat Headrest, 'Twin Fantasy (Face to Face)' is a complete re-recording and reworking of the band's sixth studio album 'Twin Fantasy' which was released in 2011. A sprawling album of wit and cynism, the updated version is crisper and more direct, despite its one hour and ten-minute runtime. Will Toledo is a hugely talented songwriter and having the confidence and audacity to completely rework one of his most beloved bodies of work is a true statement of intent.
3. Ben Howard - Noonday Dream
The latest addition to this list, Ben Howard's 'Noonday Dream' is easily the most beautiful. It's dense, highly emotive, dynamically adventurous and a big step away from his debut release. The opening three tracks and first three singles of the album are incredible alone with Howard exploring new musical techniques and honing his darker style previously explored on 2014's 'I Forget Where We Were'. His latest album is a welcome return to form and one that will live long in the memory.
2. Janelle Monáe - Dirty Computer
Packed full of incredible guests like Grimes, Brian Wilson and Stevie Wonder, Janelle Monáe's 'Dirty Computer' was an album that took us by complete surprise. One of the best pop albums we've heard in years, Monáe blends poetic lyricism with artful pop beats and catchy hooks. The album celebrates queerness, female power and self-worth in such a gloriously dance-able way that it's impossible to not want to revisit time and time again.
1. Iceage - Beyondless
Danish punk band Iceage take the top spot with their incredible fourth studio album 'Beyondless'. Their noisy, aggressive and brilliant style of driving punk has won them plaudits the world over. On this new release, Iceage embraced a more pop-influenced sound whilst still keeping their dark routes. Sky Ferreira's feature on 'Pain Killer' is a touch of genius giving the band a sense of wonderful melody and the added horn sections throughout add more dynamic and texture to each brilliantly raw and dark track. Iceage's grimy gothic tendencies coupled with hints of beautiful melodies and incredible lyrics ensure this record is our favourite of 2018 so far.
Check out our Spotify playlist below and listen to our highlights from each album on this list.
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