10. Warpaint - Warpaint
Release Date: 20/01/14 (UK) First off is the only album which has already been released on this list! Warpaint are a four piece indie rock band from LA, who's previous album "The Fool" released in 2010 was received well critically and by rock fans alike. For good reason too, it was an incredibly absorbing album, with vocals akin to that of Siouxsie Sioux and a captivatingly ominous tone in the music prevailing throughout the album's nine superb tracks. Which brings us onto this year's release, the absolutely fantastic self titled follow up. It's because of the band's decision to stream the album before its initial release date that this statement can be made, this is the first essential album of 2014. "Warpaint" is a more developed version of the girls' debut, with vocals sounding more professional yet still as haunting and the music is more refined. Sure, some of the rawness may have been lost in favour of ambiance, but that is an acceptable trade off when it delivers tracks as perfect as "Biggy" and the atmospheric "Teese" which shows the band at their melancholic best.