Album: Calvin Harris, 18 Months (Fly Eye)

Following Kelis's somewhat perfunctory opening verse, Scotland's answer to David Guetta hits his stride about a minute into "Bounce", and stays on it for pretty much the entire album, his pumping, Brutalist synth-stomp riffs ploughing an extended furrow in which a succession of vocalists – Rihanna, Tinie, Ne-Yo, Dizzee and the like – sow their meagre seeds. The poorest served is hapless Ellie Goulding, struggling against the hurtling momentum of "I Need Your Love"; more successful is Florence Welch on "Sweet Nothing". But the killer cut remains the collaboration with Dutch DJ Nicky Romero on "Iron", a berserk, Prodigy-esque blend of wailing banshee synths and quacking dubstep hook.

Download: Iron; We'll Be Coming Back; Sweet Nothing