From Ezra Collective’s joyous jazz to Little Simz’s old-school rap and King Gizzard’s madcap psychedelia – these were your favourites albums of the year
This record is fabulously produced and there’s not a bad track to be found. It’s one of those rare albums you can play on repeat without getting tired of it. Sometimes, Nicole Wray’s soulful voice sounds like she’s time-travelled from the 1960s, and other times it’s distinctly more modern, like on Through It All. Piece of Me and Joy & Pain evoke an Aretha Franklin-esque heartache, with captivating melodies. But there’s also that completely addictive rhythm perfectly captured by Tommy Brenneck and Leon Michels, which provides such a stable foundation for Wray to show off her vocal skills. Darragh Boyd, 34, London
