Our favourite 50 albums of 2018 40-31
40. Nathan Bowles - Plainly Mistaken
A whole album of banjo songs, but it's a whole lot more varied than you might imagine in a mix of new and old.
39. Jenny Hval - The Long Sleep
Spacious avant-pop compositions in which the vocals and lyrics are an instrument along with the piano and saxophones. Open and vast but also humble somehow.
38. Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour
The sweetest, chatchiest county music with some real stings in the tail.
37. Tomberlin - At Weddings
Subdued and sombre, Sarah Beth Tomberlin's debut is deeply sincere and remarkably open. Always subdued, like a collection of whispered secrets, it's an album worth investing some time in to discover everything it has to tell.
36. Kero Kero Bonito - Time 'n' Place
More indie than I was expecting following the J-pop, Casio mash-up of 2016's Bonito Generation. The inventiveness is intact though, and the group inject personality into their pop through creative production, charming melodies and imaginative lyrics.
35. Khruangbin - Con Todo El Mundo
The psych trio's second album hangs between several different genres and eras of music. Foggy vocals take a backseat to immaculate solos and instrumentals, but it's not overproduced - there's an air and atmosphere to these recordings and it's an album full of personality.
34. boygenius - boygenius EP
Don't care if this is technically an EP. It's pretty long and pretty great. Powerful and intense guitar music from a super-group containing Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus, this side project feels like some of the most important music to come out this year.
33. Accu - Echo the Red
A swirling, psychadelic, Welsh album that's bewitching and a little bit magical.
32. Petite Noir - La Masion Noir
South Africa’s Yannick Ilunga post-punk spirit charges around on this album, skipping over genres, but always direct, never deviating from the his target.
31. Marie Davidson - Working Class Woman
Intense techno and an incisive depiction of club life. It's bold and attention grabbing.