Best Albums of 2014

Best albums from 2014

Jack White

Lazaretto

Sometimes channelling Chilli Peppers, sometimes Led Zeppelin, sometimes The Black Crows or Bob Dylan at his most countrified, Jack White's new album is a rollercoaster of delight from the first snappy song to the last winsome wail. White plays a melange of genres from funk, blues and ragtime to jazz, all enlivened by funny lyrics. Its folk-funk, hipsteresque appeal has made 'Lazaretto' the biggest-selling vinyl album in 20 years.

Royal blood

Royal Blood

This year rock music belonged to young men from the UK who look like builders and call themselves Royal Blood. Using nothing but a drum kit, a bass guitar and the spirit of Satan, Ben Thatcher and Mike Kerr's debut album blew a hole in the space-time continuum and yanked the spirit of good old-fashioned hard rock 'n' roll back into the present. Their sound is the kind of unadorned, visceral fury that makes you want to climb on a desk and fling a burning chair out of the window.

St Vincent

St Vincent

The NME, NPR, The Guardian, and The Sunday Times UK can't all be wrong. St Vincent is the moniker of the pixie-like Annie Clark, who utilises her guitar-playing talents to perfection on this album. From the riffing pop punk hits of 'Birth in Reverse' to the poetic and beautiful 'I Prefer Your Love', this album is flawlessly nuanced.

Okmalumkoolkat

Holy Oxygen I

Fans of contemporary underground music know Okmalumkoolkat as one half of the experimental rap duo Dirty Paraffin. But lately he's attained mainstream success as the go-to guy for bold hip-hop collaborations. Adding his Zulu-English raps to Cassper Nyovest's 'Gusheshe', Ricky Rick's 'Amantombazane and Reason's 'Bump The Cheese Up' remix, he's helped them become the biggest local songs of the year. 'Holy Oxygen' 1 is so beautifully layered that it grows with every listen.