Animal collective

Good list, this one, I reckon. Among some really nice arrivals from old favourites: a new Voice Of The Seven Thunders remix EP; a stripped-back one from Hiss Golden Messenger; Etienne Jaumet’s Zombie Zombie project ramping up the Carpenter vibes; The Reigning Sound’s Greg Cartwright and Raconteur/Greenhorne Patrick Keeler in The Parting Gifts; and, maybe best of all, the debut album by Hans Chew, who you might know from his piano-playing on various Jack Rose and Helix jams. A lot more about that one, especially, soon.

Bit of a mixed bag here: let me enthusiastically flag the Secret Sisters, Wooden Wand, Dean McPhee, Imaad Wasif and The Fresh And Onlys, and maintain a dignified silence about a few of the other records on the playlist this week.

Anti-climactic third album from the warrior queen of radical cheek...

From post-punk psych to ‘fairground hair metal’, via a lot of ’80s pop – this LA freak’s full-band debut is wild and free...

In the two or three years since Ariel Pink put out an album, it seems that a lot of undergroundish American music has fallen under the thrall of his curious discography. From hypnagogic pop to chillwave, and all faintly daft genres in between, Pink’s music has become a kind of touchstone for bands who specialise in distressed, strung-out lo-fi renderings of the mainstream music of their youth or beyond (focusing on the ‘80s, as a rule).

Appropriately inscrutable ‘Greatest Hits’, from a band that tried hard never to have any...

Bristol outfit back to their best, assisted by Damon Albarn, Guy Garvey, TV On The Radio and more.

Kasabian, Vampire Weekend also on the shortlist

A few bits and pieces to mop up today, beginning with one last thankyou to everyone who has posted on the end of year blogs – or, come to that, who's commented on any of the things I’ve written in the past 12 months. It’s been a genuine pleasure to hear from almost all of you; and of course heartening to discover other people interested in the same music.

Previously: 100-81, 80-61, 60-41, 40-21.