2016 is almost a wrap! To celebrate the end of the year, we’ve put together some of the top records we’ve enjoyed from the last 12 months. Have a listen on Spotify and let us know what your favourite tracks/albums are from 2016 by tweeting us @Nonclassical.

Happy Christmas from all of us on the Nonclassical team! We look forward to seeing you in the 2017 for our first gig of the year on 11 January: Battle of the Bands.

Eleanor Ward – Executive Director

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Skeleton Tree
A beautifully haunting album by Nick Cave, covering grief in all its many colours. An album to stop, sit down and listen to.

Anna Meredith - Varmints
I was super excited to hear Anna's debut solo album on Moshi Moshi, having first come across her as an emerging composer back in 2008. I wasn’t disappointed - a stunning album of complex, fun, catchy electronic music.

Kaytranada - 99.9%
Whilst not as awe-inspiringly brilliant (IMHO) as his 2013 EP ‘Kaytra to Do’, the debut album from Canadian producer Kaytranada is fun and funky - the perfect antidote to the turmoil of 2016.

Gabriel Prokofiev – Artistic Director

Psychedelic Sanza 1982 - 1984 by Francis Bebey

Tom Richards - Selected Live Recordings 2013-16
Recorded when Tom Richards performed at Nonclassical monthly night - predictable & unpredictable at the same time. Infectious, slightly-unhinged, dirty electronic music.

Francis Bebey - Psychodelic Sanza 1982-1984
Nothing wrong with vintage compilations, especially when they reveal overlooked classic grooves like those found here. There are some hypnotically syncopated and pretty inventively psychedelic tracks on this album.

Tristan Perich - Noise Patterns
Tristan has found a unique way of releasing his music: the album is a piece of card with a lithium battery and a microchip, which plays-back the 1-bit noise-music through a headphone port. This album's a tougher listen than his debut: 1bit symphony, but it certainly cleans your ears out. Who would have thought so much was possible with 1bit sound.

George Percy – Label & Artist Development Manager

Dead Light - Dead Light
The attention to detail and obvious time taken in recording wonderful melodic tracks really comes across in this release. Intricate and interesting.

Death Grips - Bottomless Pit
The raw intensity and some of the best hooks since 'The Money Store' combine to make a fantastic album.

Tomaga - The Shape of the Dance
Saw these guys live at Cambridge Junction and was blown away. A great rhythm over melody based record.

Hannah Fiddy – Marketing & Events Manager

Everyone Was a Bird - Remixed by Grasscut

Grasscut - Everyone Was a Bird - Remixed
Remixes of Grasscut’s contemplative and lyrical album Everyone Was a Bird by a range of brilliant contemporary classical and electronic composers.

Bollywood Brass Band & Jyotsna Srikanth - Carnatic Connection
Strings contrast with brass in this uplifting, energetic and passionate album.

Regina Spektor - Remember Us to Life
Poetic storytelling by an artist with a captivating voice.

Nick Luscombe – A&R Consultant

Maarja Nuut - Une Meeles
A unique take on Estonian folk music from one of the most mesmerising performers around.

A Tribe Called Quest - We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service
Perfectly timed album that energises and inspires - radiates quality from start to finish.

DVA [Hi:Emotions] - Notu_Uronlineu
Incredible production across this sci-fi concept album from Hyperdub's Scratcha DVA alias.

Alex Gowan-Webster – Label & Artist Development Intern

Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith - EARS
Great album combining lovely instrumental writing with classic west coast synth soundworlds.

Kanye West - The Life of Pablo
Worth it for 'Ultralight Beam’.

Skepta - Konnichiwa
With Grime definitely now mainstream, this album shows why it should be.

Vinthya Perinpanathan – Marketing & Events Intern