Normally I put a list of my honourable mentions on the end of the review of my favourite album of the year but as I've already said - this has been one of the biggest years for music in the longest time. SO, this year I've put the list in a separate post to give everyone their due respects, in no particular order as always...

James Blake - The Colour In Anything
NAO - For All We Know
Noname - Telefone
Little Simz - Stillness In Wonderland
J Cole - 4 Your Eyez Only
Kendrick Lamar - untitled, unmastered
Ab-Soul - Do What Thou Wilt.
Anderson .Paak - Malibu
Savages - Adore Life
Christine and the Queens - Chaleur Humaine
Francis and the Lights - Farewell, Starlite!
Balance & Composure - Light We Made
De La Soul - and the Anonymous Nobody...
Isaiah Rashad - The Sun's Tirade
Blink-182 - California
Touche Amore - Stage Four
Red Hot Chili Peppers - The Getaway
Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
Skepta - Konnichiwa
David Bowie - Blackstar
NxWorries - Yes Lawd!
Danny Brown - Atrocity Exhibition
Kid Cudi - Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin'
Travi$ Scott - Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight
Alicia Keys - HERE
Emeli Sande - Long Live The Angels
Frank Ocean - Endless | Frank Ocean - Blond
Kanye West - The Life Of Pablo
Rihanna - ANTI
Jack Garratt - Phase
Flume - Skin
Seaway - Colour Blind
Mick Jenkins - The Healing Component
Logic - Bobby Tarantino

There were so many other great albums that I listened to over the course of the year, these were just the ones that either managed to grab the most plays from me or came out too late for me to consider them for the top 10 (s/o Little Simz). Here's to an even more music filled 2017. Click HERE to listen to my Spotify playlist with some of the tracks that made my 2016 all that it was.

Coming in hot with Architects masterpiece All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us. This band really can do no wrong. Ever since hearing their song "Day In Day Out" in like 2010 on Kerrang, everything I've heard from them hasn't managed to disappoint me yet.

Devastatingly, I write about this album as the last one that Tom Searle will feature on as he passed earlier this year. I genuinely believe that Architects would not be close to the band that they are today without him - as a founding member and phenomenal guitarist, it's a huge loss for the boys but of course they continue to honour him through the music and in life. In terms of his work on the album - would you just listen to those instrumentals?! Architects have mastered the art of making songs sound humungous both on record and on stage. Just listening to the first 30 seconds on the album should vouch for that.

After seeing them at Rock Im Park earlier this year I can comfortably place them in my top 10 favourite bands around right now. Their energy is almost unmatched. Also, one thing that's always blown me away about them as a metal/hardcore/post-hardcore band is their amazing lyricism. Anyone that I've shown their lyrics to has been impressed regardless of whether they like metal or not. In fact, one of my favourite lyrical performances on the album is actually in their first song "Nihilist", so cleverly put together it just astounds me. Another couple of favourites on the album for me are "Gone With The Wind" and "Gravity"

I don't know if they'll be putting out another album after but if they do, I definitely expect big things. They set the bar higher with every new record they drop. And even if they don't put out something new, they've left off on a hell of a note.

Okay, it's already started to become difficult. Up until a couple of days ago, this spot was reserved for James Blake's The Colour In Anything. However, after listening to it in full and then listening to my current number nine - I had to go with Awaken, My Love by Childish Gambino.

I really didn't think that this was going to make it into the list after being released so close to decision time. Especially since I've been lucky enough to see James play his album twice this year; but the feeling just wasn't the same after listening to them both back to back. Childish really stepped up for this album and as well as being musically brilliant (which James' record also is) it sent me through a myriad of emotions throughout and held my attention the whole way through (something that I had trouble with in parts on James'). Anyway, enough comparison...

Aside from the singles, upon first listen my favourite track was "Boogieman". It hits you in the gut right from the first second and has such a performance feel to it; it wouldn't be amiss in a musical broadway show (sans cheesy-ness) and as far as grooves are concerned, this has just the right one for me. This instrumental has so many avenues for development in a live show - definitely an enjoyable bop. However, after listening again and again, I have to go with "Redbone" as my current favourite. It's just such a smooth track and the vocals at first made me thing of Prince which is of course, never a bad thing. Childish sounds like a whole different person on this record.

The fact that he found the time to put an album of this quality amidst writing and starring in TV shows, movies, producing, and overall just doing life is astonishing! He must have been building this material for quite some time and it never ceases to amaze me how artists can put together a cohesive and flowing body of work that they've produced over years and years. Surely as you change, the sound and lyrics would vary too?! Well, no use in questioning genius. Very deserving of a spot on the list.

Okay so it's that time of the year again! Everyone's albums/songs/artists of the year lists are coming out and it's about time I did mine. This year has without a doubt been the hardest year to write this list since I started this blog. 2016 has given me so much good music I can't even comprehend!!!

Usually, (with last year being the exception) I countdown my top 7 albums with the "7 days of Christmas". However, because I was so incredibly spoilt for choice this year, I've upped it to 10 days. I almost went for the more traditional 12 days but thought that might be a few too many album reviews in such a short space of time.

The countdown will start this Friday, on the 16th of December, ending on Christmas Day with my number one pick. Even as I write this, the numbers aren't final so I'm just as in the dark as you. Until then, here's a Christmas track to prepare you...

Every year I put out a list of my favourite albums to come out that year but I never show love for the best EPs I've heard. Seeing as there's been a crazy amount of good music to come out this year (particularly in the later half), I figured I couldn't simply talk about LPs.

Here's a rundown of some of my most memorable EPs this year, in no particular order...

BONZAI - Lunacy
It took me a little while to get into this one. For the longest time I just kept listening to the first song "I Did" and ignoring the rest, simply because they didn't capture me as much as the first. However, after returning to it more recently I can definitely appreciate how innovative Bonzai is and how many intricate details have gone into making just these few tracks. This EP would go OFF live!



JORJA SMITH - Project 11
I spoke about Jorja a little bit on the BBC Sound of 2017 longlist but not too much on this EP. The only criticism I can give to this EP is that they should have put "Where Did I Go?" on it too. Other than that, I love her voice, I love her sound, and I'm excited to hear something unforgettable on her full length debut.


TASH SULTANA - Notion
I was very lucky to come across this one. It all sort of happened by chance; one minute I was listening to Bloc Party or whatever new thing I downloaded on my Spotify that week, and the next minute I was halfway through "Synergy". I have to say I was so impressed that I had to put it on repeat. At first the track sounded like some kind of Foals live interlude but when Tash started singing it was a whole different energy. Loved this find.



TOM MISCH - Reverie
After having heard and loved Tom's debut I have to say, it had some influence on my thoughts of the EP. Tom still has that signature sound but I guess once you hear a full length, an EP is just never quite the same. Still, as always a fabulous vibe, great features and perfect for road trips - I just wanted more of it!



CAN'T SWIM - Death Deserves A Name
This and Seaway might just be my two favourite "rock" discoveries this year! I love this EP. Chris' voice is really memorable and backed up by the band's fantastic songwriting abilities - I can definitely see exciting things around the corner for them. Especially now that they're signed to Pure Noise - most of my favourite pop punk/rock comes out of this label so I know they're in good hands.



ELLA MAI - Time
This was a Shazam discovery - I heard her song "No Rush" being played and when I listened to her EP some time later I was wildly impressed. Particularly at the fact that she was British, I had no idea from her singing voice - a part of me is always proud when I find great British talent. With artists like Jhene Aiko and Tinashe kind of taking a backseat in the mainstream at the moment, this is the perfect time for a voice like Ella's to rise up.



ARDYN - The Valley 
First thing I thought after hearing the title track was "this reminds me of so many different artists - Kins, Junip, Nick Mulvey, etc..." but at the same time, this is something wildly different. This EP really caught me and I love the lead singer's voice, such a fascinating tone and edge to it - it really adds a uniqueness to the songs. I could happily have listened to a full record from Ardyn and hope to soon.



RAYE - Second
After discovering her through the BBC Sound Of list I had a listen to the EP. After hearing the single "I, U, Us" I could hear that Raye had a voice with the potential to move pretty easily across genres, and so when I heard the second song on the album "Shhh" I was already expecting the EP to have a lot of different influences. Unfortunately it played it a little safe on the rest of the songs but safe was still skillful.



SHAKKA - The Island
Okay, here's a voice that definitely didn't play it safe! I've had my eye on Shakka for a couple years now but never really latched on until listening to this EP. He's done a lot with just a few tracks - dropping tracks with multiple influences, from dancehall to trap to soul, I expect I'll be hearing a lot of him in years to come. I'm gobsmacked he's never been on a BBC Sound Of longlist.

FLUME - Skin Companion
Flume's just been great this year all round. Skin was great and this EP was certainly a companion that held it's own. If the album needed more tracks some of these could have been great as interludes. I've been a fan of Flume since the self-titled so it's always great to hear new music where his production skills have grown - he's undeniably become a household name now. This EP couldn't have come from anyone else.