Little Simz released 'Stillness in Wonderland' in DecemberOlly Stabler

Seemingly unaffected by Varsity having been out of print since the end of Michaelmas term, a host of artists dropped new releases over the Christmas break.  Two enormous acts put out albums on the same day in early December: Childish Gambino and The Rolling Stones. While their styles could not be more divergent, both records proved excellent. Gambino’s Awaken, My Love! is a sprawling funk soundscape which spawned the ubiquitous single ‘Redbone’, while The Stones’ Blue and Lonesome  is a crunchy set of covers that exhibits Mick Jagger’s skills as a blues crooner.

J. Cole’s 4 Your Eyez Only spun a personal story of the life of his childhood friend James McMillian Jr and featured the standout tracks ‘Immortal’ and ‘Deja Vu’, but was littered with forgetful tracks and unnecessary moments of spoken narrative. By contrast, Stillness in Wonderland, a Lewis Carroll themed album by UK rapper Little Simz, was a far more compelling piece. Simz, who’s been tipped for success by Kendrick Lamar, came through with a moody, atmospheric album filled with standouts such as the swaggering ′Shotgun’. Singer-songwriter Mahalia also released Diary of Me, a cheery album perfect for mellow Sunday afternoons.

Perhaps the most anticipated release of the vacation period was RTJ3, the third album by US hip-hop duo Run the Jewels, which dropped two weeks early on Christmas day.  Backed by thumping beats, Killer Mike and El-P spend the album’s first fifteen minutes relentlessly proclaiming their superiority to the rest of the rap scene. Lyrics suggesting that they’re a better pairing than peanut butter and jelly may approach self-parody, but the songs are so loud and powerful that this rarely matters. In fact, the album’s only real problems appear when Mike and El-P take themselves too seriously: the midsection lags as the duo’s desire to make serious political points saps their humour and wit. Fortunately, the album ends with a blistering verse from Rage Against the Machine frontman Zack de la Rocha, closing a braggadocious record from two of rap’s elder statesmen.

“Killer Mike and El-P spend the album's first fifteen minutes relentlessly proclaiming their superiority to the rest of the rap scene”

The releases continued after Christmas, with Brian Eno’s twenty-sixth studio album Reflection appearing on new year’s day. A single track running to almost an hour in length, Reflection is a peaceful, meditative experience in the style of Eno’s iconic Ambient series. London Grammar’s new track ‘Rooting for You’  is a similarly tranquil affair, made exquisite by Hannah Reid’s gorgeous vocals.

Released on what would have been David Bowie’s 70th birthday, the brief EP No Plan featured some of the last songs he ever recorded. The title track is the best of the three new songs (‘Lazarus’ is also included); more than a year after his death, Bowie’s vocals are poignant and moving, as is the haunting saxophone solo which plays as the song fades away. The heavier, Station to Station-style ‘Killing a Little Time’ could also have made a great addition to Bowie’s final album, Blackstar.

Tipped for a Glastonbury headline slot, Ed Sheeran announced his upcoming album ÷ with two new singles. Elsewhere, shoegaze legends Slowdive released their first new song in 22 years; ‘Star Roving’ is a frenetic guitar attack which will leave fans hoping for a new album in 2017