I don’t do music journalism anymore, and one of the nice upshots of that is that I’ve reverted to loving music like a fan again. I’ve listened to tons of stuff old and new, not being arsed about whatever is meant to be cool or hot or supposed to be written about or whatever the fuck, and it’s great.

So anyway, I’ve obsessed over a handful of albums this year. Five, in fact. I listened to each one of these continuously until I should’ve been sick of them, but I never was. They’re pretty varied, I guess, I don’t know, whatever. They’re all fairly mainstream, and I make no apology for that. The great thing in not writing about music is that I don’t have to bother explaining or describing why I love something, I just love it. That’s pretty liberating.

Aye so, here are the five albums in reverse chronological order,  because that’s how they came to mind:

1. Lorde, Pure Heroine – just pure pop tunes, from a moody New Zealand teenager who got famous.

2. Chvrches, The Bones of What You Believe – electro-pop genius from Glasgow, taking over the world.

3. Low, The Invisible Way – Still creeping me out and filling my heart with their incredible harmonies, deep sincerity and less-is-more ethos.

4. Mogwai, Les Revenants – Possibly the best thing the lads have ever done, and a perfect fit for the French series it soundtracked.

5. Biffy Clyro, Opposites – It’s great to see a band you’ve loved for years and years break through into playing stadiums and shit like that.