Parts & Labor's fourth full-length probably cements Jagjaguwar's status as label of the year. Epic offerings from Black Mountain, Okkervil River, the ascendancy of Bon Iver and now Parts & Labor's ride on the Black Dice bus through the shifting rainbow portal. Actually, there's no probably about it.

Now near-ubiquitous, thanks to the M.I.A. collaboration 'The Sound Of Kuduro', Black Diamond is a fascinating introduction to the Angolan-bred, Portuguese-romanced genre. Combining elements from raga and rara to techno and house makes for a hypnotic and utterly enthralling listen. Expect this to go over in a massive way for '09.

How about a covers album featuring songs from Jesus & The Mary Chain and Daniel Johnston, sprung forth from the collective creative minds of superstar producers - David Holmes included – and given a wonderful stripped down lease of life through a clutch of instrumentalists and the breathtaking vocal talents of Alela Diane?

If the new music of '08 has one common denominator it's the prefix 'Crystal'. No generic electro here though, look beyond the name and the Stilts will provide some wonderfully woozy and plaintive garage rock buried under swathes of washed-out reverb and effects.