Purity Ring - Another Eternity

Recommended by Bex:

Richer, trippier-sounding and generally more inviting than debut Shines. Megan's voice sounds so clear, pure and haunting; and there's all sorts of good stuff going on beneath her wonderfully strange vocals, all the way down to some gorgeous surging bass.

This has more class, in some way. The album flows better, making this sound like a cohesive project with almost angelic vocal refrain.

Tinashe - Amethyst

Recommended by Bex:

Amethyst has much of the same hazy, dream-like vibe as her debut. The project, which Tinashe urges listeners to take in as one cohesive body of work, was wholly recorded in Tinashe's bedroom during her Christmas 2014 vacation. Her bedroom recording sessions have led to some great work in the past, including several cuts on Aquarius.

One of the benefits of free mixtapes is the experimentation it allows artists, to test different sounds and stylings before the release of their next studio project. On Amethyst, these experiments work well; I for one await her next release with Bated Breath. Oh yeah.

Tinashe - Aquarius

Recommended by Bex:

Linking the decadent alt-R&B of The Weeknd to Aaliyah's seductive cyber-pop, L.A. singer Tinashe’s debut rings with synthetic beauty. Lurid, crawling atmospherics led by beats and keys underpin the 22-year-old's delicate vocals.

Singles released include '2 On' with Schoolboy Q, 'Pretend', and my summer anthem 'All Hands on Deck' - that MuuMuse wrote provides a 'truly nasty, finger-snapping alarm call for the dancefloor'.

'The girl continues to be the future of pop, end of story'.

Shania Twain - Come On Over

Recommended by Bex:

This is a fantastic album, one that I now realise I severely overlooked in the late 90s. There seems to be a song for every occasion:

Relationships ('You're Still the One', 'You've Got a Way')
Heartache ('When')
Longing ('If You Wanna Touch Her, Ask!')
Empowerment ('Black Eyes, Blue Tears')
Work stress ('Honey, I'm Home')
Sarcasm ('That Dont Impress Me Much', 'Don't Be Stupid')
And, new term, Denialville ('Whatever You Do! Don't!')

Avril Lavigne - Avril Lavigne

Recommended by Bex:

This album is such a grower! I get the impression myself and Avril are at similar phases in our respective lives. We grew up too soon, acted like adults, worked hard; now we're back to being young and carefree.

Standout tracks include: Rock n Roll, Give You What You Like, Bad Girl, Hello Kitty, You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet, Hello Heartache.

Lights - Little Machines

Recommended by Bex:

Lights has become a wife and mother since the release of Siberia and this could explain the more mature sound to her music. Album opener 'Portal' marks an incredible shift dynamically for Lights. It's slow paced and emotionally brooding, offering chances to break free but ignoring every one of them.

Her love of poetry and art has resulted in one of 2014's strongest pop albums lyrically, and has the simple pop genetics to back it up. There are signs of her perhaps adding recent life experiences to her songwriting in Little Machines (such as 'Don't Go Home Without Me'). As an individual, she is a strong role model and conveys a very positive outlook on life.

Charli XCX - Sucker

Recommended by Bex:

Following collaborations with Iggy Azalea and Rita Ora, not to mention a big solo hit with 'Boom Clap', Charli XCX has been catapulted into the mainstream. And it's about time, as she had been gnawing at its edges, full of infectious, self-penned songs for no little while.

This is her third album overall, and the first that will really engage with a sizeable audience, but its maker hasn't compromised an inch. Sucker finds that same, singular performer rewriting the rules entirely, never mind breaking any, and beating pop at its own game.

Listen to the excellent predecessor, True Romance, in full here.