As 2022 begins and New Year's resolutions are made, and just as quickly broken, the first batch of eagerly awaited new musical releases are set to arrive to delight our ears. After a festive fill of Ed Sheeran, Elton John, Jona Lewie, Mariah Carey, Slade, Wizzard, Wham and even The Pogues it's almost a relief to know that there's something fresh on the horizon. 2021 was an incredible year for new music with standout releases from the likes of Billie Eilish, Lana Del Rey, Little Simz, Olivia Rodrigo, Halsey, Arlo Parks, Tyler the Creator and Nick Cave but 2022 looks set to be just as exciting with new music expected from The Weekend, Mitski, Cardi B, Lizzo, Alt-J, Arctic Monkeys, Avril Lavigne and breakthrough band Wet Leg. Whilst those releases are not expected just yet (we'll have to wait a little longer until we have confirmed release dates) there are plenty of new albums due out in January and the following are the pick of the bunch.

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Years & Years - Night Call.

Olly Alexander's third studio album follows a hectic three years since the release of his last album, Palo Santo in July 2018. The top three album spawned four successful singles for the then three piece band. Night Call is Years & Years first record as Alexander's solo project and his first since he became a household name. Whilst Alexander may have been known to a select few for his previous acting roles in Skins, God Help The Girl, The Riot Club and Penny Dreadful he came to wider public prominence in 2021 when he starred in the Russell T Davis Channel 4 drama - It's A Sin. Couple this with his memorable live performance at the 2021 BRIT awards where he dueted with Elton John and Olly's star status was confirmed. Night Call sees OA back at his upbeat musical best on his new 11 track album which is due for release on January 21st via Polydor Records.

Blood Red Shoes - Ghosts On Tape.

Brighton duo Blood Red Shoes are set to release their sixth studio album, Ghosts On Tape, on January 14th via their own Jazz Life label. Ghosts On Tape comes only weeks after founding band member Laura-Mary Carter released her first solo EP/Mini-album - Town Called Nothing, and follows up the band's "difficult" fifth album - Get Tragic. 2021 saw BRS release the single - A Little Love, as well as two EP's - Ø, and On The Hook; the 2nd of which was largely taken from a Radio X Isolation Session. In late October the band released Morbid Fascination, the lead single from the forthcoming 13 track album. Whilst the introductory offering to Ghosts On Tape may not be as incendiary as some of their back catalogue, the second single - I'm Not You, is just as hard-hitting. Both tracks capture a synth enhanced shift in sound for Blood Red Shoes on a record which Steven Ansell says "is us deliberately pushing into all of our strangeness, emphasising all of the things that make us different".

eels - Extreme Witchcraft.

A new album from Eels is always something to look forward to but when it is an album that once again reunites the combined talents of Mark Oliver Everett, aka E, and revered producer John Parish it's taken to another level altogether. The last time that the pair worked together was on Eels 2001 album, Souljacker, one of E's finest records containing the gems Dog Faced Boy, Bus Stop Boxer, Friendly Ghost, Jungle Telegraph and Woman Driving, Man Sleeping. Ahead of the new 12 track album from Eels we have already heard the lead single, Good Night On Earth, it's follow up - Steam Engine and latterly - The Magic, released in late November last year. All three tracks more than whet one's appetite for the remaining nine on the album as Eels open their 2022 account with another fine record. 

The Wombats - Fix Yourself, Not The World. 

The Wombats will release their fifth studio album on January 14th, nearly four years after the release of their last album - Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life. Recorded during lockdown in 2020, Fix Yourself, Not The World, has already given up four of it's 12 tracks as singles. Starting with Method To The Madness, released in May 2021, The Wombats have subsequently released three further singles, If You Ever Leave, I'm Coming with You, Ready for the High and Everything I Love Is Going to Die. After playing some intimate gigs in January The Let's Dance To Joy Division Liverpudlians will be supporting the release of their new album with an arena tour starting in April at Leeds First Direct Arena.

FKA Twigs - Capri Sun. 

Twigs new mixtape follows a turbulent couple of years for the creative artist as she embraces a more mainstream pop bent on her latest release. Lead single - Tears In The Club sees FKA Twigs hook up with The Weekend as she exorcises the demons of her past. Just ahead of the single's release Twigs took to Instagram to say - "thank you to everyone who has been there from the start, those who been eating off my artistry for time, i see u with grace, thank you for pushing me to go harder and good luck in all u do, here is some sweet sweet candy for u ;), new comers welcome, i’ve clawed my way out of the darkest place and have pushed hard to find my capri sun". Twigs went on to say - "follow ur dreams they will come tru if u do u surround urself with people who are kind". To mark "the first day of capri sun szn" Twigs also premiered a new song on TikTok. The main event is due to be released on January 14th, three days ahead of her 34th birthday.