The year is barely a fortnight old and the annual flood of new album announcements has begun in earnest. There’s no better way to brighten up your January than to listen to some new music, so here’s my round-up of six of the best albums to look forward to over the next 12 months:

Explosions In The Sky – Wilderness (April 1)

The Texan post-rockers seem to have had their fill of soundtracking movies and are returning for their first full-length LP in three years.

The first hint of what’s to come is Disintegration Anxiety, which is a more contained effort than anything on their previous album, but still retains the soaring ambition that has seen this instrumental rock act book a headline show at the Royal Albert Hall.

The Last Shadow Puppets – Everything You’ve Come To Expect (April 1)

Alex Turner and Miles Kane have joined forces once again for a follow-up to 2008’s Age Of The Understatement.

And if new track Bad Habits is anything to go by, they have kept the orchestral arrangements, but fitted them into a more rough-and-ready style.

Tall Ships – 2nd Album (coming soon)

The long awaited sophomore effort from the South Coast quartet is finally on the horizon if a recent Facebook update is to be believed.

Let’s just hope they’ve included the uplifting 2015 release Will To Life, which deserves to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their best efforts to date.

Biffy Clyro – 7th album (coming soon)

2015 was very much a year off for the Biffy boys, with just the one UK gig. But if you’re only going to play once, you might as well make it a headline set at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations.

That show gave us a big hint that another album is in the pipeline, with new track On A Bang nestled in amongst a greatest hits setlist. And given their relentless work ethic, you can safely bet that plenty more new tunes are on the way soon.

Sonic Boom Six – The F-Bomb (Early 2016)

Losing their drummer, a marriage within the band, these distractions would be enough to finish most bands, but Sonic Boom Six seem energised to take on 2016.

Never ones to shy away from the big issues, the Manchester ska-punk collective appear to be honing their sights on feminism if the title of album number five is anything to go by.

Travis – Everything At Once (April 29)

Having long since lost the pressure of being a chart dominating act, Travis finally seem to be embracing the freedom to try something new.

Comeback single Everything At Once is like nothing we’ve ever heard from Fran Healy and co – this could be one of the most intriguing releases of the year.