LAUREN HARRIS: Your Turn Cometh the New Year and arriveth the woman in the form of Iron Maiden founder member Steve Harris’ rockin’ daughter Lauren, right. This was released at one second after midnight on New Year’s Day with a worldwide promo campaign. She’ll be supporting Iron Maiden on their world tour this year. She’s out to be the UK’s new rock goddess. Time will tell, but this melodic rock stomper with a 70s ring is a solid enough start.

KANYE WEST: Love Lockdown. An unusual one with the percussion waves coming across like a tap dance. He’s kept it stripped and simple.

NEIL HALSTEAD: Paint A Face.Just under three minutes of fuzzy-edged dreamy psychedelia that’s riddled with a sense of English eccentricity from the former Slowdive songwriter. He’s become a bit of a cult figure and now lives a life of sea-kissed pleasure in Newquay with plenty of time to record and surf.

THE LEISURE SOCIETY: The Last Of The Melting Snow. The Brighton band has been championed by Radio 2’s Mark Radcliffe who has labelled this one as “absolutely heavenly.” It is in a beguilingly acoustic slow waltz kind of way.

JASON MRAZ: We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. The American lyricist has come up with something really special here. A few crafted chord changes will send a sensation of pure nostalgia wafting over you as he breezes through soft gentle jazz and soul, fired with a folky spirit. The phenomenal Coyotes has to be one of the best songs penned this year that shows the sheer strength of subtle simplicity. The killer line is “if it’s a broken part replace it, if it’s a broken arm brace it, if it’s a broken heart then face it.” The rest verges from lush jazz to soft focus reggae and glorious serenity with just a couple of tracks there to make up the numbers.

SHANTEL: Arize It’s Time To Shine. Born in the West Indies, brought up in the Brooklyn area of New York and in her teens moved to Arizona. She perfectly blends R&B, classic soul, jazz and funk from midnight jazzy sounds to twinkling soul and straight up 70s Philly.

VARIOUS: Twice As Nice. Dubbed the Urban Club Album Of The Year and features three CDs with one each under the guidance of Shortee Blitz, Scottie B and Ironik. The names – both old and new and culled from R&B, House, Garage, soul and hip hop – include Flo Rida, Beenie Man, Sean Paul, Gym Class Heroes, Estelle, Britney Spears, P Diddy, Justin Timberlake, Kelly Rowland, Wiley, Craig David, Dizzee Rascal, Joyce Sims, Missy Elliott and Sanchez.