Is it too early to start mentally spending the record vouchers that you'll inevitably receive tomorrow?

No doubt there'll be a bargain or two to be had in the January sales, but 2016 also gets off to a flying start in terms of album releases, too.

We've picked 8 albums that we're looking forward to hearing as the new year kicks into motion.

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1. DAVID BOWIE - 'Blackstar' (January 8th)

This is going to be one of 2016's biggest releases, and what we've heard of it so far sounds promising. Will Bowie tour this one? He didn't go out on the road with 2013's 'The Next Day', so it's unlikely - but then again, stranger things have happened.

 

2.  VILLAGERS - 'Where Have You Been All My Life?' (January 8th)

This is a collection of re-worked and re-imagined songs from Conor O'Brien's back catalogue to date, recorded live at London's RAK Studios - but nevertheless, his material is always worth a listen.

 

3. BLEEDING HEART PIGEONS - 'IS' (January 15th)

Everything this young Limerick trio have released so far has intrigued us, so we're looking forward to hearing what they come up with for their debut album, released on Virgin EMI next month.

 

4. SUEDE - 'Night Thoughts' (January 22nd)

Brett Anderson and co. are indie stalwarts at this point, but they're still selling albums and playing to packed audiences, 26 years after first forming. Their seventh album has a tie-in feature-length film of the same name attached to it.

 

5. BLOC PARTY - 'Hymns' (January 29th)

Kele Okereke and Russell Lissack are the only remaining founding members of these alt-rockers, but they're continuing under the Bloc Party banner with a shake-up in personnel, and release their fifth album next month.

 

6. CHARLIE PUTH - 'Nine Track Mind' (January 29th)

He broke through as the guest vocalist on Wiz Khalifa's 'See You Again' earlier this year, as well as his 'Marvin Gaye' duet with Meghan Trainor. Young piano-toting Puth releases his debut album on the 29th. 

 

7. WALKING ON CARS - 'Everything This Way' (January 29th)

This Dingle indie-rock quintet were selling out venues all over Ireland - including the Olympia Theatre - on the back of a few EP releases. Their long-awaited debut was supposed to be released a year ago, but it's finally landing on the 29th.

 

8. SIA - 'This is Acting' (January 29th)

The Australian pop star releases her seventh album next month, having shared several tasters - and songs allegedly turned down by Adele and Rihanna - over the last month or two.