Handpicked by Matthew Wagaine

“None of the records selected are reinventing the wheel, nor do they claim to be. What they do is take what came before them, keeping the tradition of effective storytelling via simple but strong melodies, while sprinkling each respective artist’s unique take on the world”.

Christine and the Queens – Chris [Because Music; 2018]
Chris French coolness is more than balanced by a vulnerability missed within pop, swaying between Jimmy Jam-and-Terry Lewis-inspired funky numbers and glowing melancholic cuts.  

Bicep – Bicep [Ninja Tune; 2017]
Dance music that’ll make you deeply nostalgic for the early 90s rave era during which you weren’t even alive. The poignant standout track ‘Glue’ is a reminder of the powerful therapeutic nature of the dancefloor, both reminding and letting us escape from our troubles as it binds us together.

Tame Impala – Currents [Modular; 2015]
This Australian psychedelic outfit established one of the most definitive sounds of the decade, proving how irrational rock’s fear of disco and the like can be.

Jamie xx – In Colour [Young Turks; 2015]
If there’s one soundtrack to describe the psyche of a generation with an increasingly uncertain future – aloof, paranoid and tired but still holding on – then look no further.

Janelle Monae – The ArchAndroid [Bad Boy Records; 2010]
Like Christine and the Queens, you get the sense that Janelle would have found more mainstream acclaim in a previous decade. This debut LP is an all-you-can-eat buffet, throwing up jazz, classical, rock and hip hop on a soul food plate, not leaving you bloated but instead asking for more.