Album Of The Year. Ben Chasny's Six Organs project sneaks album of the year for 2006. A disc of two halves, both heady and consuming.

2006 has been my introduction to dubstep, and Burial's self-titled release delivers. Tense, involving and relentless.

Will Oldham's latest in his prolific career of late is another tender, subtle triumph. Good for him. (And us).

Undiscovered talent of the year. A haunting voice to rival Antony accompanies an off-kilter folk-tinged song cycle.

Rather Ripped sees Sonic Youth continuing their stride. With nothing to prove these days the band can revel in making quality music. Like this.

Echoes was a firm favourite for me back in 2003, so Pieces... had some work to do to match up. I shouldn't have worried. This is a cleaner, sleeker version of the band. Recommended.

Two gods of the drone/sub-metal/doom/whatever genre come together on this unashamedly prog collaborative album. Very interesting.

Worth buying for Pompeii Am Gotterdammerung alone. Jaw-dropping.

A very different album to Burned Mind, and more representative of their extensive CD-R output. Another success.

We may never see the towering likes of Mogwai Fear Satan or My Father My King again, but Mogwai's continuing line of 'smaller' albums continue to reward.

What is there to say. It's an album. It's by The Roots. It's very good. Get it.

For those only exposed to last year's fantastic Feels, this reissued live album may come as a bit of a shock, but does capture their unique on stage sound.

He may be about five years beyond surprising anyone, but that doesn't mean Beck should be written off just yet. Keep coming back to this one.