1.  Jens Kuross – The Man Nobody Can Touch

I have the Radcliffe and Maconie BBC6 Music show to thank for discovering Jens’ work. They have a slot called ‘Early Riser’ on their weekend show – it’s mainly ambient, some instrumental stuff but always intriguing and they really hit the motherlode with “Done With Dancing” – their chosen Jens Kuross track, and as it turns out, one of the strongest songs on the album.

A bit about Jens first though – he’s an LA-based singer songwriter who has released a steady stream of singles of the last couple of years on the London-based Aesop label (check out “Spiraling” a great pop hor d’oeuvres for the LP) culminating in this album of 10 superlative, atmospheric and majestically layered musical vignettes.

The simplistic beauty of the songs and Jen’s singing style is re-enforced with striking use of electronica – no predictable pre-programmed beeps and beats here, the songs are extraordinarily enhanced by sonically ethereal waves or washes of sound the like of which this listener hasn’t heard before.

It’s very difficult to cherry pick “best songs”, such is the high bar set here. There are earworm’s aplenty but plaudits should be given to opening track “The Anchor” (check out the more proggy, longer You Tube Version filmed for “Live At The Garage”), the beauty of “Done With Dancing” and “Golden Septembers”, and the cleverness of “Unglued” (once in your head, you’ll struggle to shake it out).

So please do give it a listen – and keep ‘em peeled for a 2021 gig if you can – I know I’m keen to see him live (c’mon EOTR – he’d be ideal for you!). So this is my Album Of The Year - I commend this statement to The House.

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2.   Lanterns On The Lake – Spook The Herd

3.   Nadine Shah – Kitchen Sink

4.   Moses Boyd – Dark Matter

5.   Laura Marling – Song For Our Daughter

6.   Jehnny Beth – To Love Is To Live

7.   This Is The Kit – Off Off On

8.   Fontaines D.C. – A Hero’s Death

9.   Doves – The Universal Want

10. The Beths – Jump Rope Gazers