Featuring tributes to curry and fantasy battles involving… rats?! here are all the records our critics loved this year

H.e.a.t frontman Kenny Leckremo on the records, artists and gigs that are of lasting significance to him.

Mike Patton and the Avett Brothers join forces to create a work of immense beauty.

London Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Black And Blue UMC/POLYDOR

London’s post-punk seismographers pick up more weird vibrations on their third album. By Victoria Segal. Illustration by Cold War Steve.