21. Sykofant - "Sykofant"

It is almost a tradition now for this list to have at least one high-scoring young Norwegian prog outfit. Well this year’s incumbent of the wonderfully androgynous Sykofant. Hailing from Oslo they have created an absolutely decadent mix of tempo and textures. This is modern prog at his absolute best. It exists in simultaneous Time zones, mining from the past but also unafraid to look to the future.

It unfurls in a beautifully unobtrusive way. It is happy to experiment but comfortable in its commerciality and accessibility. It beautifully weaves together melody and harmony to create a gorgeous cacophony of ever-shifting tempos. It is a lush, expansive record that just gets lost in his own creativity. Extraordinary.