Compiling a November playlist in a world where Taylor Swift’s new album is not on Spotify is trickier than you might think. The playlist must go on, however, and there is a lot else going on to get our staff excited about (and positivity is pretty comforting in a downpour of rain and essay deadlines). We start with warm brushes of jazz from innovative British producer Swindle, before moving into the dizzying euphoria of recent Mercury-prize winners Young Fathers. There’s the slinky, delicate minimalism of Tei Shi, whose track Bassically shimmers in a manner not dissimilar to the somewhat more resplendent, shiny pop of the new CHVRCHES track for Lorde’s Hunger Games soundtrack. It’s not the only nod to that particular compilation, with Kanye’s uncharacteristically sparse (if, nonetheless, theatrical) rework of Lorde’s Yellow Flicker Beat appearing later. Our big feature this month is an interview with the incredible Mykki Blanco, so we’ve included her spicy, emotive collaboration with riotgrrrl keystone Kathleen Hanna. Azealia Banks surprise-released her album this month, and Ice Princess is a stand-out track with its twinkling instrumentation juxtaposed with her gruff, lithe vocals. Wiley is on point as ever, proving that grime is back good and proper, while Run The Jewels impressed us beyond belief with pretty much every track on RTJ2. Nicki Minaj kills it with the understated Only, Cashmere Cat shows off his constantly superb production on the new BenZel/Juicy J, and Fryars is making piano pop in the same vein as Elton John (it’s a good thing). Toro y Moi’s Chaz Bundick celebrates modern dance music under his Les Sins moniker, Hyperdub gave us a haunting previously unreleased Burial track and Calvin Harris made a weird, squelchy acid track that’s surprisingly great (no, really). The gorgeous melancholy pianos of an Antony & the Johnsons re-release make for a nice closing track to contemplate November’s early darkness and near-constant rain. “Now I cry for daylight and sun,” Hegarty laments. Us too, Antony, us too.