Cocteau Twins ‎– Blue Bell Knoll (1988)

Five albums in and the spellbinding Cocteau Twins continue to reach new heights, with Capital releasing the LP in the US. Blue Bell Knoll oozes such a magnitude of texture and atmosphere you can almost feel it leaking out of your speakers. Carloyn's Fíngers is up there with their finest moments. Robin Guthrie remastered the album for a 2003 reissue, with a 180g edition following in 2014.

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Julee Cruise ‎– Floating Into The Night (1989)

A landmark record for the genre, that proved as much of a pinnacle sonically as it did cinematically, with much of the music made in collaboration with David Lynch and Angelo Badalamenti being used for his cult TV show Twín Peaks, as well as appearing in Blue Velvet and Industrial Symphony No. 1. The instrumental version of Falling was picked as Twín Peaks' theme song, elevating Cruise from unknown status. Her voice is the essence of dreaminess, and when merged with dense soundscapes and the hum of a Fender Rhodes it can be a transcendent listen.

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Mazzy Star ‎– So Tonight That I Might See (1993)

On their follow-up album, Mazzy Star plunged even further into a dreamy world. The utterly glorious Fade Into You is the perfect album opener, allowing the listener to fade into the band's world. What follows is deeply hypnotic and almost trance-like at times, the ghostly presence of lnto Dust devastating in its beauty.

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This Mortal Coil ‎– Blood (1991)

The final album from the 4AD supergroup and a double one, too. Featuring a mix of covers and originals, Blood finds the bond cementing a sound and style that truly became theirs. Matching beauty and eloquence with a haunting frailty, it remains an absolutely distinctive record that many bands hove attempted to emulate.

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Cocteau Twins ‎– Heaven Or Las Vegas (1990)

A landmark record in every sense: era-defining, label-defining and genre-defining. Six albums in and amid personal tensions and drug problems in the bond, this could hove been a disaster record, but instead something magical emerged from it. Haunting, beautiful, gloomy, dark, immersive and everything else. From the opening seconds of the majestic Cherry-Coloured Funk, the album is like riding on a cloud.

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The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland (1968)

The time was right for Hendrix to expand his sonic vocabulary, and he did so by adding layers of soul and blues to the existing psychedelic-rock mix. His celebrated third also made more expansive use of the studio. Apparently, Jimi actively disliked the 19 naked girls sleeve artwork as much as WH Smith, who point blank refused to stock it.

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Bob Dylan - Blonde on blonde (1966)

Searching for what he described as that "thin, wild, mercury sound", Dylan recorded his landmark double album in Nashville with a bunch of crack Music Row session musicians.

It was a genius move that produced a remarkably rich collection of songs set in a dense country/blues soundscape. It's nothing less than Dylan's certified magnumopus.

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Stevie Wonder ‎– Songs In The Key Of Life (1976)

After wreting away artistic control from his label, Stevie Wonder's output became more sophisticated with each subsequent release.

Songs In The Key Of Life is the culmination of this momentous period of creativity.

This 1976 double is the man at this most inventive and melodic, as he demostrates complete mastery of any number of styles.

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The Beatles - White Album (1968)

The 'White Album' is a ¡oyously enigmatic 30-song double written largely during the band's Maharishi retreat in India.

lts sprawling nature encourages exploration, and for those prepared to dig in there's a hallowed trove of wondrous gems lurking across its four sides. 2018's definitive reissue only adds to its mystique.

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1976 The Ripper JUDAS PRIEST

The future of metal was changing, and this band were going to be at the forefront of it. They may not have realised it at the time, but Rob Halford’s vocals would go on to influence a future generation of screamers.  A heavy metal shock of the very best kind.

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1971 Guts BUDGIE

The bludgeoning low-end bass of Burke Shelley combined with the slow, Sabbathy groove of Guts makes this song a must-inclusion in the collection of any heavy hairy freak.

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