THE latest album by musician Nick Cave has been named the best release of the year by one of the UK’s most influential rock magazines.

It is the first to be recorded by the Brighton-based singer since his son Arthur died after falling from cliffs at Ovingdean aged 15.

Its title translates as Little Ghost in a potential reference to this.

Ghosteen was released on November 8 and went straight in at number one on the vinyl albums chart.

It has received widespread critical acclaim, including perfect scores in numerous reviews from national papers.

The Guardian said the record contains “the most beautiful songs he has ever recorded”.

It is currently the highest-rated album of the decade on Metacritic, a website which collects reviews from mainstream publications and gives an overall average score.

The album is split into two parts, with eight songs in part one and three songs in part two. It has been described as “a devastating mediation of loss and survival”.

Nick Cave said: “The songs on the first album are the children. The songs on the second album are their parents. Ghosteen is a migrating spirit.”

The list of the top 75 albums of 2019 was compiled by music magazine Mojo.

It is one of the most important and influential publications about pop and rock music.

The magazine has repeatedly included releases from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds on its end of year lists.

The band’s 13th album Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus was named the best release of 2004.

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ previous album, Skeleton Tree, was Brighton record store Resident’s album of the year in 2016 – described as “a more abstract, cerebral experience than anything else in his incomparable catalogue” – but was only third in Mojo’s list.

“He’s a different voice to most of the other artists releasing music now,” said Frank Taylor, owner of Brighton record store Cult Hero.

“He seems to be coming from an entirely different place.”

Frank said the store sold about 20 copies of the album in the week since its release.

He also hinted that we can expect to see Ghosteen on Cult Hero’s upcoming Albums of the Year List, which will be released on December 1.

Nick Cave has lived in Brighton for the best part of two decades. His twin sons, Arthur and Earl, were born in the city in 2000.

Following Arthur’s death Nick told GQ magazine he was considering leaving the city because there are “too many memories”.

“When I go out in Brighton these days, there’s a sort of feeling that we’re all in this together,” he said.

“And it’s just a little bit too intense for me.”

However, he has remained here.

In the summer of this year, he hosted an intimate

night of songs and stories in Brighton.

He recently quashed rumours that he would be the Liberal Democrats’ candidate for MP of Hove and Portslade in the upcoming General Election.