Top 20 of 2016: 20 to 16

20. Suede – Night Thoughts

After their triumphant return in 20 with 'Bloodsports', Brett Anderson's bohemian rebellion returns once more. 'Night Thoughts' may tread a familiar path but, after 23 years, the quality is high and more importantly, Anderson's voice of the voiceless remains firmly in tact.

19. Baby Strange – Want It Need It

Raw and visceral rock n roll from the fledgling Glasgow three piece. Watch out fans of Warpaint and Beach House. There’s a new menace in town, and its going to kick down your front door and smash the gaff up.

18. Victoria Hume – Closing

Hume has an innate ability to write melodies simultaneously haunting and beautiful. Hume expertly proves that tales of ‘taking chances’ are not just delivered by punk rock icons on ‘Wild Winds’.

17. Nap Eyes – Thought Rock Fish Scale

If you thought slacker-rock was done for, think again. It ambles around through singer Nigel Chapman with a sense of aimlessness but, with just enough angst that you feel that glory could be around every corner.   

16. James Dey – The Night Time

Kudos to Tom Robinson for turning us on to this one. This is folk music in the guise of pop perfection. Simple tales to warm the soul from start to finish. Dey depicts beauty in the imperfect with such skill, especially on ‘Smokers In The Corridor’.