For all the great albums that grab the music media spotlight, there’s many more that slip by the warm glow of recognition. It’s not always for lack of quality either, given the huge array of ways we listen to music these days, both online and off, as well as the speed at which we all consume, it’s little wonder that many great releases slip through the cracks. So much music, so little time.

But here’s the chance to take a little pause for breath and reflect at the month that’s been, picking over the best releases that may have missed the love they deserve when first landing. Maybe they were overshadowed by a major label blockbuster, unnecessarily overlooked or misunderstood, perhaps suffered a case of bad timing. No matter the reason for them slipping under the radar, we’ve switched on our musical sonar to help you discover and explore a raft of releases you may well have missed the first time round.

Arca – Xen (Create Control / Mute)

There’s little questions as to whether Venezuelan producer, and FKA Twings and Kanye West collaborator Arca is the mastermind behind some of the most forward-thinking, boundary-pushing moments in electronica this side of the decade.

His work on Yeezus, one of the most ambitious and acclaimed hip hop record of recent years, lending his talents on tracks ‘Hold My Liquor’, ‘Bloody On The Leaves’, ‘Send It Up’ and ‘I’m In It’, and his work on FKA twigs’s EP1 and then subsequent work this year’s LP1 has positioned him as an enigmatic admired genius.

The release of his anticipated debut album Xen however has seen the talented 24 year old step into the limelight, and Xen makes the perfect entrance. Moments of classical ambience, bizarro electronica and industrial experimental hip hop production, Xen is nothing short of alien brilliance.

Dirty Beaches – Stateless (Zoo Music)

Dirty Beaches aka guitarist and composer Alex Zhang Hungtai last year released the double LP opus Drifters/ Love Is Devil, cold but enthralling the record was soundtrack to a mystery story that only existed in the listener’s imagination, at times challenging but always rewarding. This month he released Stateless, a four track ambient EP similar to 2013’s EP Water Park OST.

Though if you visit his Bandcamp page you’ll discover endless hours of hypnotic guitar drone releases from the Montreal musician, what makes Stateless so important is that it’s officially his final release as ‘Dirty Beaches’.

Announced on his Twitter in late October Hungtai stated “Hi guys thank you all for the support of STATELESS, its sad to say goodbye to DB, but rest assured NEW PROJECTS NEW MUSIC COMING SOON 2015.” The release of this EP marks the end of a project many loyal fans have been following since 2005, and a career which has spawned six studio albums, dozens of singles and EPs, and a bevy of collaborations. Though we’re sad to see Dirty Beaches go, Stateless is a stunning exit.

Azealia Banks – Broke With Expensive Taste (Caroline)

One of hip hop’s most divisive  figures of the past few years, Azealia Banks became the young ferocious rapper so many love to hate. Think what you want of her on stage tantrums, endless Twitter beefs and lack of album release dates, one thing nobody can argue is whether this girl can rap.

Broke With Expensive taste was released ‘Beyonce’ style early November, and it was quite possibly one of the best PR moves she’s initiated. What took audiences by surprise is not so much the release but the insane quality of the release, but sonically and conceptually.

The album’s opening ‘Idle Delilah’ is a mish-mash of exotic Caribbean beats, and disco house, setting the scene for the wild ride you’ll be taken on during the remainder of the release.

Though the party bangers ‘212’ and the commanding ‘Heavy Metal And Reflective’ feature on the LP, it’s the genre challenging tracks like the whack-surf-rap tracks like ‘Nude Beach A Go Go’ and the British Garage dance reimagining of ‘Desperado’ that make Banks’ a key player in modern day hip hop. 

Jon Hopkins – Asleep Versions (Domino)

Following one of the most critically acclaimed electronic releases of recent years 2013’s Immunity, British producer and composer Jon Hopkins gave fans a little something to quench their Hopkins thirst with the release of his four track Asleep Versions EP.

Asleep Versions was recorded at Sundlaugin Studios, near Reykjavik in February of this year, the entire EP is a decelerated re-imaginging of four tracks from the musician’s Immunity album.

Written and produced with the intention of the EP to be heard as one single 25 minute piece, listening to the acoustic and stunningly sparse composition of tracks like ‘Form By Firelight’ and ‘Breathe This Air’ just makes you remember what made Immunity so enthralling in the first place.

Hookworms – The Hum (Domino)

Following the release of their attention commanding single ‘The Impasse’ our writer claimed that “Hookworms are picking up exactly where Eagulls left us earlier this year, ravaging ears the world over with their ferocious and infectious new track”.

Earlier this month arrived The Hum released just eighteen months after the band’s debut album, Pearl Mystic an album that definitely made an introductory statement.

The British garage punk five piece have with the release of this album “managed to exhilarate and thrill, shouting and careening in the same way their contemporaries Perfect Pussy and Savages have done before.” In the past year it seems British punk is definitely making a resurgence and there’s no doubt that Hookworms are set to be the genre’s poster boys.

Antemasque – Antemasque (Nadie Sound / Caroline)

Antemasque is the new band from respected rock pundits Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala of At The Drive In and The Mars Volta fame, and Antemasque is their brand new debut album.

The release of this LP is all very exciting and interesting for Mars Volta fans considering that no too long ago came the announcement of The Mars Volta’s split with claims that Omar Rodriguez-Lopez’s spinoff project Bosnian Rainbows had helped, according to lyricist and vocalist Cedric Bixler Zavala ‘kill’ The Mars Volta.

Released through their own label Nadie Sound via Caroline Australia the LP was recorded earlier this year in March and features the talents of Flea (Red Hot Chilli Peppers) on bass and Dave Elitch (formerly of The Mars Volta) on drums. It’s worth a spin for At The Drive In and The Mars Volta fans old and new.