With the start of the academic year looming, In The Middle have cherry-picked 30 albums to look forward to this semester. Whilst the list is by no means extensive, it is one that touches upon the most exciting artists, collaborations and concept albums that the remaining months of 2014 will have to offer. Read on for part 2 of 3 (part 1). 

Flying Lotus / You’re Dead! / 7^th October
FlyLo has been teasing snippets of new material for a few months now and his gospel-infused hypnotic groove of ‘Coronus, the Terminator’ already has us hooked.

Godflesh / A World Lit Only By Fire / 7^th October
Industrial Legends’ first new album in thirteen years, expect grizzled bass, churning guitar riffs and a hint of drum machine.

Kele Okereke / Trick / 14^th October
Leading up to the recording of Trick, Kele has been DJing on a regular basis. This experience seems to have given Kele the conviction and creativity that The Boxer touched upon, re-establishing Kele as an important artist in his own right. The emphasis on vocals throughout Trick shows Kele’s defiance in the face of the “erosion of black British music”.

Pharmarkon / Bestial Burden / 14^th October
Margaret Chardiet, aka Pharmakon, wrote this album in hospital following major surgery. Whilst in recovery, Chardiet became consumed by the idea of a divide between the physical and mental self, a concept expressed through intense and chilling industrial noise.

You + Me / Rose Avenue / 14^th October
Rose Avenue is the result of an unlikely collaboration between Alexisonfire/City and Colour’s Dallas Green and Alecia Moore (aka Pink). Despite the polarity of Alexisonfire’s post-hardcore rock and Pink’s chart-topping pop, it is clear that the duo have struck the perfect balance in which their vocals complement and enhance one another.

Objekt / Flatland / 20^th October
Three years after attracting serious critical attention in 2011, the Berlin based DJ has finally announced his debut album. Pieced together between 2012 and 2014, Flatland strives to present multiple and conflicting perspectives, accounts and ideas. Renowned for his attention to detail, Objekt’s new release could be one of the most exciting albums of the year.

Thurston Moore / The Best Day / 21^st October
Thurston Moore’s new album features Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelly and My Bloody Valentine’s Debbie Googe and the title track culminates in an intricate and promising debut.

Scott Walker and Sunn O)) / Soused / 21st October
A collaboration between experimental and drone metal, Soused is set to be one of the most exciting albums of the year. Although the release date has been pushed back another month, we’re confident it will be worth the wait.

Slipknot / .5: The Gray Chapter / 21^st October
Despite being the heavy metal group’s first album in six years, latest releases ‘The Negative One’ and ‘The Devil and I’ reassure listeners that the standard is as high as ever. In the gap between .5 and All Hope Is Gone, Slipknot seem to have returned to their original sound  (‘The Negative One’ is reminiscent of ‘666’) deviating from their recent nu metal vein.

Foo Fighters / Sonic Highways / 21^st October
After initially announcing a hiatus, Foo Fighters soon found themselves back in the studio, creating their 8^th studio album. Recorded in 8 different studios in 8 different cities, Foo Fighters draw their inspiration from all across America.

Emily Watts