The Best Music that Came Out Of The UK In January 2015 All On One Webpage

We know you’re busy. So instead of covering everything, we’re going to publish a rundown of the best new music each month. As Drake said on his everlasting debut album – Thank [Us] Later. Or send us gifts in the post. January is one of the worst months of the year. Not to be an unequivocal bum-out but the waning of bank accounts, unbearable cold and the fact Summer feels like an unobtainable paracosm, can contribute to January being one inevitable suck-fuck. I’m pretty sure the only people who enjoy it either (A) have a birthday (B) live in the Southern Hemisphere or (C) are vessels of serotonin and body heat. The beginning of the year is usually pretty slow – it takes the average human at least two weeks to shed the meaty-inflations and extended-family fatigue of December, so popstars usually wait until later in the year to release bangers. Somehow though, we were blessed with a bounty straight after the ball dropped into 2015. So with that in mind, lets look back on the things we want to take from January and store in our favourites / bookmarks / mind for future reference and booty points. It’s time to get into this. Leggo!

(Don't care about the United Kingdom? Want to know about the best music released in the world? Here's the list for that) Prayer – “Pluvia”

London based producer Prayer emerged at the rear-end of 2014 like a praise-symbol emoji with his debut EP Knowing. Previously part of Zomby's label Cult Music, the four-track record of immersive sound was Prayer's first full length release, following collaborations with Darkstar and Forever Forever. No one knows Prayer's real name - he's keeping it secret since it's the same as a celebrity. However, one thing we know: he studied music at university. Which gives some academic foundation to his twilight-themed salmagundi of skittering bass frequencies that threaten to leak out the headphones and pound into the human skull.

FFO: Ambience, listening to music in headphones, walking

Three-piece Doe list their primary interests as "feminism, horror films, and brown beer". They haven't put out an album but on the basis of those three things alone, it's gonna be (A) fucking great and (B) make you want to down a pint of Brown Ale and careen into the love of your life in the way only great, heartfelt raaaaaawk music can.

FFO: Weezer, sweet-ass ripping, melody

You should already know about Novelist. We ran a feature on his chirpse-heavy crew, The Square, as part of our Grime Week series back in 2014 and, along with fellow XL label-mate Lapsley, he was nominated for BBC Sound of 2015, meaning you're bound to see his name on at least one Radio One sponsored line-up this Summer. "1 Sec" - which dropped on Nov's 18th birthday - is the title track from the upcoming EP of the same name.

FFO: Grime, Lewisham, chirpsing

In amongst his legion of followers, South London producer Lxury has one extremely famous fan: the Disclosure brothers. Yet, his chart-centered electronic take on pop sits a little further afield from their music - it's not as heavy on hooks or forgettable back-up singers, and instead focuses on the sort of driving beat that'll have you cleaning up the kitchen after a night-out in about FourFiveSeconds.

FFO: Pre-drinks, oscillating, electronic dance-pop that’s actually good

From jazz to juke, Romare has covered most bases in electronic music, and earnt himself fans in the likes of Bonobo, Tiga, and Ninja Tune (who put out his debut full-length, Roots). "Prison Blues" is the first piece of music since then. It's pretty great - the sort of thing that's pleasing to play in the background or as centre-stage while racking up a few herbs and a bit of Benson.

FFO: Music they play in record shops that you can’t Shazam

Post-shoegaze newcomers Simmer formed last February out of a shared love for Sunny Day Real Estate and Fugazi. The band grew up in Cheshire - the monotony of which you imagine provoked the atmospheric collision of feelings you can hear on their latest release, "Head Trip", a track that sits somewhere between bands like Whirr and Rival Schools.

FFO: Nothing (the band), spine-tingling, washing yourself in reverb

Soulelection favourite Jay Prince put out his latest EP this month. The aim of it, Jay says, is to create the "same feeling when music and hip hop was just appreciated and respected at such a high". It's not exactly hit the mark, but the result is one of the most refreshing EPs to come from a UK-based rap artist in recent memory.

FFO: Hip hop’s golden age

We've covered Jesse James a bunch in the past - premiering his debut video for "Tides", and featuring his debut EP as one of our picks of the week back when we attempted to keep track of all new music and post a favourite from Soundcloud each week. The trap-centric beats that most British rappers spit over fall to the wayside here, as "Y.P.T" - spelt out as You Playing Though - is built on the sort of damp, dank production that works way better in a country where it rains on a more-than-necessary basis.

FFO: #ThisCouldBeUsButYouPlaying, deep-thinking, bars

People often talk about PC Music's aesthetic but, for a second, go and head over to Activia Benz Soundcloud page. It's clearly a by-product of the scene A.G Cook and co-created but there's something altogether more pleasing about the pastel-coloured artwork that's put together for each of the label's releases. The latest - Late Ride's "Swear" - dropped last week and it's everything.

FFO: <3

FKA Twigs, what a popstar. She continues to redefine the boundaries of everything – sound, hairstyles, fashion, and on the video for “Pendulum”: bondage. This song and video is worth an entire essay but sadly we’ve only got a few sentences so fuck it, let’s just say it’s the best thing put out by any british popstar so far in 2015.

PC Music’s A.G Cook has lent his hands to a lot of music: Zinc’s “Show Me”, How to Dress Well’s “Repeat Pleasure”, the sweet sounds of QT. This remix of Charli XCX and Rita Ora’s “Doing It” dropped last week, tongue firmly in cheek, twinkling glockenspiels in check. It’s better than the original – that’s an easy feat – but it’s also entirely kissable. Sadly, nothing can stop the annoyance that comes from hearing Charli XCX’s material play immediately after on Soundcloud.

You can find Ryan Bassil on Twitter: @RyanBassil