It's another list of our favourite things to hit the 4ZZZ Library. If you see anything you like you can request it: requests@4zzz.org.au
You can also SMS a request: 0416 281 220
Or call: 07 3252 1555
Thanks to Ian Powne, Ella Dann-Limon, Sarah Romero, Lauren Sachs, Krishan Meepe, Linda Finlay, Eamon Webb, Mitch Cutting, Hayley Elliott Maclure.

Australian Artists:

Bag Raiders: Nairobi (Single) (Modular / Universal)
- Bag Raiders’ new single Nairobi is their first major release since Sunlight in 2011. The Sydney pair (now based in Los Angeles) took time in 2013 to write and record music. The single is recognisably Bag Raiders with their alternative dance beats and funky house style. Nairobi is the capital of Kenya and the influences of Kenyan music can certainly be heard in this single, as well as some Congolese style melodic percussion and ethnic beats. (Sarah Romero)

Cookin’ On 3 Burners: Blind Bet (Indie / Rocket)
- Blind Bet is the newest effort of Australian funk/soul juggernauts Cookin’ On 3 Burners. The album, which is packed full with guest singers including Tex Perkins, Harry Angus (The Cat Empire) and more, shows off a real diversity of sounds. This diversity is demonstrated right from the get go, starting with the laid back groove of Skeletor and quickly turning to some country-blues grunt in Flat On My Back, featuring a growling Tex Perkins. Check this album out if you like funk and soul, or blues or jazz or surf, yeah all of that. (Louis Whelan)

Chet Faker: Talk Is Cheap (Ta-Ku Remix) (Single) (Opulent / Remote Control)
- Burying some of Chet’s sounds in molasses and throwing them over a funereally paced beat makes this sound like an ol’ timey spiritual, which might not be quite enough for a track, but Ta-Ku eventually gets round to jacking up the lead vocal on a stratospheric amount of helium. Gimmicky but effective. (Chris Cobcroft)

Darren Cross:- Lovely piece of country-folk Americana heartbreak by the Gerling frontman. Stay in the music industry long enough and you’ll always write a song like this. (Chris Cobcroft)

Diger Rokwell: You (Single) (The Community)
- Old school psych-tronica with a pleasant, ambient glow. Downbeat grooves and warm reverb give this the same enjoyable quality as old Single Gun Theory, or maybe some of Future Sound Of London. (Chris Cobcroft)

Elbee: Visions of Vactrols (Wood And Wire)
- Strange, tropical alt-r’n’b from Sydney producer Lloyd Barrett, A.K.A Elbee. A solid collection of tracks, possibly a new festival favourite when the season rolls around? (Hayley Elliott-Maclure)

Firekites: The Counting (Single) (Spunk)
- Has it really been six years since Firekites’ last record? Well, the dreamy indie-rock of this Newcastle band has not aged badly. The indie sound, fleshed out with a string section and thick harmonies brings a strength to the dream-pop qualities. It’s like it has the power of shoegaze without actually being shoegaze. A creeping warmth that is difficult to dismiss. (Chris Cobcroft)

Fishing: Shy Glow (Create / Control)
- Slick indie-electronica with actual song structures. While they've got the odd rap verse and tracks you can dance to, they owe more to The Avalanches than Flume and a couple of the tracks are seriously tasty. Coat everything in happy summer vibes and you've got the debut album by Fishing. (Krishan Meepe)

Flyying Colours: Not Today (Single) (Indie / Universal)
- More thickly textured, very melodic shoegaze from the Melbourne band. A classic formula, followed assiduously and delivering the goods. (Chris Cobcroft)

Geoffrey O’Connor: Her Name On Every Tongue / Jacqueline (Single) (Chapter)
- Casiotone beats that are dorkier than ever power the lightly toasted lounge-pop of Her Name On Every Tongue. Jacqueline, by contrast, is completely anthemic (if still slightly dorky) 80’s synth-pop and sounds like Geoffrey O’Connor is really conquering this style like never before. (Chris Cobcroft)

Graveyard Rockstars: Sleepless September (Single) (Doomsday Music)
- Great riffs on fire! The sludgy production adds some meat to this classic heavy metal and hard rock (with a few hardcore elements rolled in) and sets it apart -in a good way- from the horror rockers (Rob Zombie, Deathstars, Wednesday 13) the Graveyard Rockstars take as their inspiration. Some very veteran performers in this outfit, including at least one member of Caligula. A pleasant blast from the past. (Chris Cobcroft)

Green Mohair Suits: Aubergine (Indie)
- A blue-grass / country / roots-pop supergroup featuring Richie Cuthbert of Cuthbert & The Nightwalkers and Brian Campeau, among others. This has a bucket-load of instrumental skill and an equal dose of very warm, close harmony. An exquisitely appointed EP. (Chris Cobcroft)

Gum: Delorean Highway (Spinning Top)
- At the same time as his Pond band mate Shiny Joe Ryan is releasing a solo album, Jay Watson is following suit. Gum is definitely more indebted to Tame Impala though, as his weirdness is driven by guitars and catchy melodies. As is the case for all those involved with Kevin Parker, the whole album is soaked in reverb, delay and fuzzy guitars and the sound is immediately recognisable. Gum is bit more space rock than Tame Impala but if you're a fan of one, chances are you'll like the other. (Krishan Meepe)

The Jimmy C: The Adventures Of Superseven (Single) (Off The Hip / Foghorn)
- A few gogo dancing primed garage rock tracks from the cult comedy espionage webseries, The Adventures Of Superseven. Fans of the Aquabats brand of irreverent silliness will definitely find something to hook into here. (Chris Cobcroft)

Joelistics: Blue Volume (Inertia / Elefant Traks)
- Blue Volume is full of raw emotion. Its unpredictability flows from one track to another, Say I’m Good is an upbeat song meanwhile Everyone Everything is disordered and rough and Not In My Name is completely different again. The album takes the listener on a journey through Joelistics personal experiences of loss and heartbreak. (Sarah Romero)

Kevin Purdy: Body Variations (Soft)
- I’m never certain how many people have any idea of who Kevin Purdy is. Sadly, probably not many and certainly not enough. A musical chameleon, I first came across him when he was curating what was basically a psych-pop orchestra, a project he soon moved on from in favour of atmospheric, ambient soundscapes and field recordings; his latest gambit is like an expansion of that, bringing a variety of beats to a collage of sounds and samples. Sometimes it reminds me of the eclectic work of Danish producer Trentemoller (another man who’s prepared to go so far as to bring together beats and banjo for a hootenanny) although a number of downbeat types (DJ Vadim, Daedelus, even Madlib) shares points of reference. It’s a worthy co-traveller for any of them and I think has enough live instrumentation to give The Roots a run for their money, although this soundscape mash-up may finally end up in the obscurely technicolour territory of Future Sound Of London or Pepe Deluxe. In the manner of a man resigned / determined never to make any money, this beat collage is delivered as one big track, which might -hopefully- encourage you to buy it on vinyl when it arrives, shortly. (Chris Cobcroft)

King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard: Hot Wax (Single) (Flightless / Remote Control)
- KGLW’s own mad take on surf-rock, or, possibly hair-removal. Highly percussive, with sharp explosions of melody and vocals that are either gritted out or fluted through falsetto. It’s a shattered glass kind of sound: slivers of surf, you could almost call it expressionist. You’ve got to give it to them, they don’t really dance to anybody’s tune but their own. (Chris Cobcroft)

Laura Jean: First Love Song (Single) (Chapter)
- A really lovely offering from Melbournian crooner Laura Jean. Deftly steering around the trite pitfalls that so often accompany such intimate acoustic confessions of love, this is an honest, simple and introspective track that perfectly captures that intense self-scrutiny and sense of crushing doubt that inevitably accompanies young love. Her vocals are intimate, uncertain and indicative of a unique talent. Watch this space for her upcoming fourth album. (Hayley Elliott-Maclure)

Lowtide: Held (Single) (Lost & Lonesome)
- 90’s alt-pop led by duelling male & female vox and featuring a chiming guitar lead, its ringing made all the more appealing as it echoes in the all-consuming. I’m so keen to hear the album, due in July, especially if it has more of this ghostly beauty. (Chris Cobcroft)

Mic Conway’s National Junk Band: Diagonally Parked In A Parallel Universe (Laughing Outlaw)
- Folk festival circuit stalwart Mic Conway and the voice of The Wiggles’ Wags The Dog produces another collection of highly varied things, but with slightly more vaudeville jazz than anything else. Mic and his mates are consummate musicians, testament to years and years of tireless gigging. As such, there’s also lots of silly, gimmicky jokes in the lyrics and some of these songs feel like they need a bit of bantering with a happily tanked crowd to really make them work, but Mic is undeniably a master of this music. (Chris Cobcroft)

My Old Dutch: Howlin’ Marilyn (Single) (Indie)
- Something about two-pieces, they seem to feel like they have to be even louder to compensate. Melbourne’s My Old Dutch are a good example: very fuzzy rock’n’roll, power-pop and serious style, right down to the dog howling in the background. (Chris Cobcroft)

Once Were Wild: Reverie (Single) (Indie)
- Once Were Wild, a prog / alternative outfit from Melbourne give us a captivating introduction to the anthemic, heavy prog sound they are preparing to release. Their single, Reverie, begins low with piano and soft rocking, that builds with layering sounds, riffs and pounding drums that eventually erupts. By the end of the song you’re rocking out with a full band, and then some. The song has a strategically constructed uniqueness. (Lauren Sachs)

Nicky Night Time: Everybody Together (Single) (One Love)
- Nicky Night Time aka Nick Routledge, frontman of Van She, is taking it back to basics and it doesn’t come much more basic than classic italo-house. If you’ve finally worn out your copy of Ride On Time, NNT’s Everybody Together will fill the gap nicely. (Chris Cobcroft)

Omega Is The Alpha: II (Indie)
- A second EP from Perth producer Predrag Delibasich. Quite eclectic beats but all quite heavy and mid-tempo, it reminds me a bit of the industrial ingenuity of Meat Beat Manifesto. (Chris Cobcroft)

Orin: I’m Mortal (Indie)
- It’s an acoustic blend of Placebo, 30 Seconds To Mars and a touch of Evanescence, with a dusting of extra emo for good measure. Orin, a six piece from Hobart, manage to combine all those things into something that’s much less cringeworthy than each of its constituent parts. I’m Mortal is skillfully played and often very exhilarating. (Chris Cobcroft)

Polarheart: Paralyse (Single) (The A&R Department)
- Pretty and easy-going synth-pop with a nice, urban finish. Mary Rose’s voice is disarming and Chris Chidac’s trap beats give this just the slightest, stylish edge. (Chris Cobcroft)

Shovels: Shovels (Homeless)
- Awesome feedback-drenched psychedelic post-punk from trans-global band Shovel. The mind-boggling noise does not distract from the fact that these gentlemen know how to write a solid song, indeed a cohesive wedge of them, and punish their respective instruments in a real good way. ‘Car Yards’ and ‘Clyde’ are personal favourites. (Hayley Elliott-Maclure)

Shiny Joe Ryan: The Cosmic Microwave Background (Spinning Top Music)
- Joseph Ryan, one of the members of Pond and Mink Mussel Creek (alongside Kevin Parker) has decided to release a solo album along with a few guests. The results are equally as weird as anything these guys do but Shiny Joe doesn't seem to like guitar rock as much as his bandmates. Nowhere near as catchy as Tame Impala but twice as experimental, this is an eccentric album that belongs firmly in the 60s. The songs are always searching for something that the titles never quite pin down, no matter how long they are. This is probably for the hardcore fans of Pond and all their connections. (Krishan Meepe)

Tales In Space: Formula (Indie / MGM)
- Sydney’s electro-pop duo Tales In Space are to release their EP ‘Formula’ on the 6th of this month. The tracks are energetic and quirky which make for good traffic jam listening. This album kind of reminds me of Cub Sport with a slightly more embellished sound and providing more light and shade to their tracks, especially Starwars. It just makes you want to dance. (Sarah Romero)

Teeth And Tongue: Family Home (Single) (Dot Dash / Remote Control)
- The latest single from Jess Cornelius’ rather good third record, Grids. More precise, clinically beautiful electro-rock packing packing a wealth of depth that’s largely missing from most pop music. (Chris Cobcroft)

Tobias Hengeveld: The Daylight Express (Indie)
- A beautiful, sparsely melodic album, lead by the distinctly Australian vocals of Tobias Hengeveld. Named after the daylight express train service that runs from Melbourne to Sydney, you can easily envision this album as an excellent soundtrack for your mind on this particular train voyage. The title track was certainly the stand out song for me, crafting melancholic melodies into a beautifully satisfying journey. (Linda Finlay)

Total Control: Typical System (Iron Lung)
- The new album from the arctically cool Melburnians is as diverse as ever. Part of what has made TC so exciting is their comprehensive assays of the cutting edge of alternative music. They got in on garage, post-punk, psych and new wave well ahead of the crowd, but what should the do now? There are bursts and snarls of the things they’ve done before, but much of Typical System is focused on reviving old Euro sounds that might be roughly gathered under the umbrella of kraut-rock-pop. It’s a move which eschews much of the band’s capacity for in-your-face punch or icy cool in favour of a sound that is much more subtly stylish. It might take a bit of an effort to convince some listeners that the most naff electro-pop moments here are what they want to hear, but it might just be the risky gambit that pays Total Control their biggest ever dividends. (Chris Cobcroft)

Turk Tresize: Daddy Wazza Roller (Single) (Daizy Shed / Consonant)
- This track is quite a lot of fun, in a Blues/Americana kinda way. Daddy Wazza Roller also contains one of the coolest slide-guitar solos I’ve heard in a long time. Plus the track really grooves. Add in the blues harmonica playing and you’ve got a track that puts a smile on my face. Turk Tesize is definitely worth checking out. (Mitch Cutting)

Virtual Proximity: Observations EP (esc. rec.)
- Some of the same atmosphere and downbeat rhythms as DJ Krush or Flylo, but with a crushing force that you’d be more likely to hear from Meat Beat Manifesto, Dalek or, more recently, Death Grips. Grimly engaging grooves. (Chris Cobcroft)

Voyager: V (Bird's Robe)
- Veteran Perth prog-metallers and fan faves produce their fifth album of technical guitar shredding, super-sweet harmonies and ...piano, of course. If that doesn’t sound like your sort of thing then cheese it! However, if in the face of fusion your natural reaction is to throw up the forks, please come right this way. (Chris Cobcroft)

White Hex: Gold Nights (It)
- Tropical goth, or so they say. Suffocating atmosphere belabours the crystalline synth-pop and sometimes some of the delicate beauty may be lost in the darkness, but gothic horror has to be a little fearsome. (Chris Cobcroft)

White Summer: Smoke Screen (Single) (LABELS)
- Balls-out rock at its finest! This song will have you hooked from the second it begins. This blues / rock trio from Melbourne deliver a divine track loaded with galloping drum beats, muted guitar overtones and packed full of killer vocals. (Linda Finlay)

Local Artists:

Allthingslost: Disparated (Indie)
- A 19 YO Brisbanite whose downbeat and vocals are reminiscent of James Blake, Oliver Tank or Collabones. Quiet, electronic grooves that give you a bittersweet, floating sensation. (Chris Cobcroft)

Andrew Tuttle: BickLack (Single) (Indie)
- A radio special that isn’t especially radio friendly. Andrew Tuttle chopped this single, twenty-eight minute track together out of a radio show he did specially for Zed Digital’s Back Lick. It features plenty of sweet ambience, some bleeps and bloops that would feel very much at home in the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and some of that dusty, easy-going strumming that has become Tuttle’s trademark. (Chris Cobcroft)

The Babe Rainbow: Secret Enchanted Broccoli Forest (Single) (Flightless / Remote Control)
- The Babe Rainbow certainly aren’t getting any more sensible. Still it’s pretty impressive how they can make a forest of Broccoli seem like a pretty great place to be. This new cut is even heavier on the Beatles references and lightens up a bit on the jangle-pop, but, one way or another it’s hard not to grin goofily and groove to this. (Chris Cobcroft)

cln: Sideways (Single) (Indie)
- Callan Alexander produces a cut of instrumental downbeat which owes a little bit to trap, but is largely it’s own beast. Featuring all sorts of orchestral instruments sliced and diced and thrown into the mix. Quite good. Chamber-pop is a thing, so I suppose this is chamber-step? If you hear anyone actually start saying ‘chamber-step’ for real, shoot them and burn their body. (Chris Cobcroft)

Darkc3ll: Death Of Rock 'N' Roll (Single) (RTD Records)
- Oh jeez, KMFDM have nothing on these guys, especially these days. Rob Zombie: have a listen, then go back to filmmaking and stay away from music. Exceptionally tight, brutally heavy, rock’n’roll with an industrial soul. (Chris Cobcroft)

Doom Mountain: Sidewalk Shakedown (Indie)
- A strong example of the surf garage craze still steamrolling through the local music scene at the moment. Slotting in nicely under three minutes, it’s too short to get boring but just long enough to demonstrate chops and possibly pique interest in what’s to come. (Hayley Elliott-Maclure)

EP: Luv (Ender)
- Three cuts from the Brisbane producer. All very fast-paced, starting with trap, moving into footwork and slowing just slightly for a bass heavy synth-funk jam. Love the omnipresent squeaking bed-spring sample. Impressive little EP. (Chris Cobcroft)

Foreign Technology: Darker Days (Indie)
- Blissful, anthemic synth-rock, inspired by both the ‘80s and ‘90s. More by the ‘90s if anything: I find myself thinking of Severed Heads, Single Gun Theory, Boxcar. This stands up nicely next to them. (Chris Cobcroft)

Hobo Magic Leader / Deceiver (Single) (Indie)
- Heavy and infectious psych grooves with a metal edge. Like Sabbath, not exactly intellectual fare, but a slow and mind-bending way to space out and stick it to the man at the same time. (Chris Cobcroft)

Jon: H22 (Bedlam)
- The Papuan born, Brisbane based rapper serves up a four track EP. An American accent adorns a flow that is pretty old-school. On the ultra-retro single Like Flo he name-checks Kool Keith and there really is something a bit like an Ultramagnetics jam going on there. It isn’t all 1992 though. The smooth, synth-heavy backing is strangely timeless, exhibiting a patchwork of influences from the 90s to now. Whatever style Jon is actually bringing, he seems utterly unconcerned with what anyone else in the rap game is pushing and -with his obvious skills- it really works in his favour. (Chris Cobcroft)

Klubknight: Russian Card Game (Single) (Various Artists)
- An unexpected mixture of ebm and techno from this gothically inclined Gold Coast dance duo. Bloody convincing too. Nil vox, which is a bit surprising: I was expecting some baritone vampire crooner to be groaning enthusiastically along. More of this please. (Chris Cobcroft)

Kolorsol: Diablo (Single) (Indie)
- This bluesy soul track from Kolorsol is the first I've heard from these Brisbane guys. There's a sharp twang in this song, one with a bit of sass, and I find it catchy and calming at the same time. These guys are playing Saturday 28 of June at Jam n Beats Local Culture Festival alongside The Mouldy Lovers and School Flight. If a bit of jazz and blues is up your alley, they play at 8:20pm, don't miss them! (Ella Dann-Limon)

MKO: Daffodils (Single) (Indie)
- Hannah Macklin gets her r’n’b and soul on again. This multiply layered cut of future-r’n’b is positively psychedelic and every aspect of it is impressive. (Chris Cobcroft)

Mosman Alder: Germland (Of Julien Charbonneau) (Single) (Dew Process / Universal)
- Classic 2000’s indie-rock songwriting. Without being quite as mannered, Liam Haug’s voice reminds me of Shearwater’s Jonathan Meiburg and the two bands have a similar gift for indie-rock tunes. (Chris Cobcroft)

Monster Zoku Onsomb: KRAKA BOOM! .. Dumb In The Face Of Doom (Indie)
- The advance single New Cocksucker Blues and it’s hilarious rave affectations turn out to be a bit misleading. Most of this truly vast new album (including a second volume of remixes and a thirty-five minute live set), is mostly fairly gritty breakcore, which will certainly give the hardcore freaks what they stuck around for and is growing on me like a drug induced psychosis. (Chris Cobcroft)

Munter S Thomson: WASTE (Death$ucker)
- In case the Monster Zokes weren’t enough for you, The Nam Shub, Phill Thomson, or here, Munter S, has collected up a whole bunch of his stuff from the last little while and unleashed it in a cathartic, breakcore blast. Also growing on me. (Chris Cobcroft)

The Painted Ladies: Stranger In My Country (Single) (Plus One Records / MGM)
- The Painted Ladies are a group started by Luke Peacock in 2013. The group have recreated songs from indigenous artist Vic Simms’ “The Loner” recorded in a Bathurst jail in 1973. Peacock got in touch with Simms and they have recreated Peacock’s favourite songs from Simms’ album along with many Australian musical greats such as Paul Kelly and Ed Kuepper. “Stranger In My Country’ is the single from album ‘Painted Ladies Play Selections From ‘The Loner’“. The song is passionate and true rock’n’roll with a strong guitar riff, raspy vocals with a country feel. (Sarah Romero)

Soft Power: If You Come Around (Single) (All Day Breakfast)
- Apocalyptic synth ‘pop’ shrieking and roaring away behind some barely audible Japanese sounding girl rabbiting on about something. If Joel Stern and Cured Pink’s Andrew McClellan played this at your highschool formal it would take all the promise from the dawn of your adult life and slash it with safety scissors. (Chris Cobcroft)

Tempura Nights: R.I.P. Chix (Single) (Indie)
- Can't make the lyrics properly but there seems to be some venom behind this bright pop tune. In any case, this Brisbane indie trio sure make the case for repeated listens. If you've liked locals The Go-Violets or Major Leagues in the past, you're sure to like this track. (Ian Powne)

Tincture: Similar Circles (Planète Remix) (Single) (Silo Arts)
- A new signing to Silo (Planète, aka Dion Tartaglione) remixes roster mate Tincture and does a pretty great job. Heavily textured, the different layers bubble along thickly around a four-to-the-floor beat that sounds like it’s about to collapse under the weight. Hypnotic in the extreme, trance artists should wish they could make something so mind-bendingly groovy. This is the right way to introduce yourself. (Chris Cobcroft)

Wax Witches: Centre Of Your Universe (Jerko / Stop Start)
- Bleeding Knees Club’s Alex Wall probably isn’t stretching himself terribly much to produce this collection of slightly Ramonesy garage-pop-punk tunes, but then again he’s still pretty good at it. There are also some nice, slow, sorta shoe-gazey, retro-pop moments which gives this thing extra legs. (Chris Cobcroft)

Zaped: Paradise Ft. Georgia Potter (Single)
- Sedately paced but atmospheric neo-soul / future-r’n’b cut. Zaped’s Jordan De Pas has set the bar very high with this track and the stylistically transformative Georgia Potter sounds more at home here than I think I’ve ever heard her. I want to hear a lot more of this. (Chris Cobcroft)

New Zealand Artists:

Louie Knuxx: PGT/GRR (breakinwreckwordz)
- It’s like a dreamy echo of Grips & Tonic. The same hardcore / hip hop brew but chilled to the point of near freezing both in the production and Louie’s flow. It suits Louie Knuxx’s thug-philosopher style perfectly. As always with things like Deez Nutz, G&T and now Louie Knuxx out on his own, I can think of lots of reasons to disapprove, but I can never carry through. Louie Knuxx is just too smooth an operator. (Chris Cobcroft)

Overseas Artists:

Various Artists: Asthmatic Kitty Records Digital Sampler, Spring 2014 (Asthmatic Kitty)
- An Asthmatic Kitty sampler seems to play out like the weird insides of Sufjan Stevens’ head these days. Snatches of impossibly classic folk (see Linda Perhacs, Chris Schlarb, Denison Witmer or Lily & Madeleine) and all sorts of strange things: afro-pop from Hermas Zopoula, dark dub-tronica from Rafter, soulful hip hop from Sisyphus, experimental latin slide-guitar from Helado Negro & folktronic electro-pop from Fol Chen. Finally there’s a fifteen minute prog epic that is -of course- stranger than all, by Sufjan himself. Always bloody interesting. (Chris Cobcroft)

ANGELZ: Move That Dope (Single) (Def Jam / Universal)
- Having signed to Def Jam at only 14 and having trained with Pharrell Williams, I had some pretty high expectations for this track. It's pretty basic house and at times feels derivative. Given the hype around this guy I'm curious to hear more of his stuff, but this track delivers some classic four-to-the-floor dance-rap with a steady build. (Ella Dann-Limon)

The Antlers: Familiars (POD / Inertia)
- The Antlers continue to follow their own, uncompromising muse. Meditating quietly on loss, pain, redemption and hope, the band are as earnest as ever and make it a source of shy, thoughtful beauty. The only obstacle that they faced was their own track record and Familiars does elegant justice to it. (Chris Cobcroft)

Application: System Fork (Dust Science)
- Before even setting foot in the studio, Application wrote a manifesto and a strict set of rules to be followed during the making of this album, resulting in these absorbing textural compositions. Such a rigid method of composing (similar to process music) has given us something minimalist in the original sense – a handful of static layers moving in and around each other, causing the ear to wander, finding fresh hooks and strange tempos in every nook and cranny, subverting traditional Western goal-oriented arrangement. The extra preproduction was time well spent – this album is perfectly executed, precise, always changing and utterly engaging. (Hayley Elliott-Maclure)

Black Anvil: Hail Death (Relapse)
- New York’s Black Anvil have, since their 2007 inception, always brought quite a range of influences to their basis in black metal. Hardcore punk was perhaps and still in many ways is the most prominent. The commitment to quite melodic song structure but -impressively- without trading away any punishing power makes their new album an impressive release indeed. (Chris Cobcroft)

Bodhi: My City Feat. George The Poet (Single) (Push & Run)
- Here's something you don't hear everyday: spoken-word social commentary combined with dancey synths and claps. The words come from twenty-two year old North-Londoner, Goerge the Poet, who struggles here with race relations and the focus of the 'inconsistent' media: "My city has a lot of faces / Some can tell you what a loss of faith is / Before we hated people / We were all created equal”. These clearest of lines are high in the mix in the track's introduction, allowing the listener to understand George's place amongst his city and, later among the house-lite dots and loops provided by Bodhi, Shadowchild and others. (Eamon Webb)

Body Count: Manslaughter (Sumerian Records)
- If you like aggressive hip hop and metal, then por que no las dos (why not do both)? Yeah they’re have been lots of rap-metal bands and yeah lots of them weren’t exactly good. They didn't have Ice T in them though, did they? The metal is awesome, the lyrics are aggressive but filled with meaning, and they actually complement each other very nicely. Still divisive, after all these years, maybe more so, because how do you reconcile Body Count with Law'n'Order? Whatever, they're very good at what they do and they still have lots to say.(Mitch Cutting)

Christian Rich: Better To (Single) (Lucky Number / PIAS / Mushroom)
- Disco house full of piano, handclaps and sounding like it’s fronted by a children’s choir. Nonetheless it is compelling, not least because of the ambient wash that tastefully smears all the sounds impressionistically. A smooth taste of the production duo’s upcoming EP. (Chris Cobcroft)

Cody ChesnuTT: Landing On A Hundred + B-Sides & Remixes (Vibration Vineyard)
- This large collection of relics from the back catalogue of Cody ChesnuTT may well remind you of everything you’ve ever liked about his classic, beautifully embellished, soulful stylings. A disco and funk remix or two doesn’t hurt at all, either. (Chris Cobcroft)

Conor Oberst: Zigzagging Towards The Light (Single) (Nonesuch / Warner)
- Some of the most direct and engaging work from The Bright Eyes frontman. It may not amaze, but it’s folk rock that existing fans will flock to. (Chris Cobcroft)

Darlia: Dear Diary (Single) (Dew Process / Universal)
- The trio of British boys who have been compared to the likes of Nirvana and Silverchair have returned with a brand new single, after releasing their EP “Candyman”. Darlia unveil Dear Diary, an instantly infectious combination of Brit-pop and Seattle-grunge. The guitar really drives this song, especially in the distorted chorus’, along with the young, angsty lyrics all teenagers so desperately want to hear. Dear Diary shows the boys off in a new melodical light without losing any of their grit. (Lauren Sachs)

Devonte Hynes: April’s Bathroom Bummer (Single) (Domino / EMI)
- The rate which Dev Hynes goes through artistic aliases (Blood Orange, Lightspeed Champion, Test Icicles) he was bound to run out, sooner or later. This mournful, experimental soul won’t be too unfamiliar to any of those who know his previous work. The track is an unusual one, even so, backed by brushed cymbals, stuttering piano and saxophone, it finishes in sonorous brass chords that are as ominous as the knell of doom. (Chris Cobcroft)

Earth: Rooks Across The Gates (Single) (Southern Lord)
- An advance for Earth’s new album, Primitive & Deadly and just in time for their Australian tour. Long tracks of purring, metally drone, with a desert rock flourishes on the lead and -special treat- Mark Lanegan grinding out the vocals. Good. (Chris Cobcroft)

Efdemin:Decay Versions Part 1 (Dial)
- Three nice remixes off the back of the Berlin producer’s album, Decay. Experimental techno that takes in elements of minimal and ambient is tricked out nicely here, especially the beautiful chimes of the opening remix of Parallax by Borderline which, as it builds in string quartet and saxaphone, starts sounding a bit like Dan Deacon at his progressive best. (Chris Cobcroft)

Emma Russack: Cairns (Single) (Spunk)
- There’s a deadpan jazziness, almost a lounge kind of sound informing Emma Russack’s grim singer-songwriter style on this single. Without being exactly the same, this is sort of like some of the outsider-lounge stylings that Ernest Ellis, Dave Graney or Geoffrey O’Connor have tried, or perhaps just the classically dry songwriting of Serge Gainsbourg. Emma Russack always intrigues. (Chris Cobcroft)

First Aid Kit: Stay Gold (Columbia) (Sony)
- Yes there is a lot of folk music out right now to listen to. Yes, a lot of it is quite good, but First Aid Kit's is amongst the best. The poetic lyrics and beautiful harmonies are in no short supply in this new release by the Swedish duo. Plus the release is tied together by this nice rhythm that just forces me to sway in my chair. Literally I cannot stop. People are looking at me funny. But that’s okay, because I’m listening to some of the sweetest harmonies out today. Stay gold is minimalist, yet melodic and quite a bit catchy. I strongly recommend it for the Folk lover. (Mitch Cutting)

Gallows: Chains (Single) (Venn)
- Gallows return with their signature heavy punk-core with this surprisingly catchy single. All the typical Gallows trademarks are there; crashing cymbals, minimalist guitar and harsh vocals. I was, however, caught by surprise by the presence of some haunting harmonies, including the beautifully melodic intro. They continue through the first verse and really offset the harsher side of the track. Sonically interesting might not be how you typically describe Gallows, but it’s definitely how I would describe this track. (Mitch Cutting)

How To Dress Well: What Is This Heart? (Domino / EMI)
- Brand new full-length from Brooklyn producer Tom Krell, A.K.A How To Dress Well. Fragile, ethereal and oh so danceable, Krell speaks so eloquently of joy, sex, pain, fear and sadness throughout this exquisite album. It’s difficult to pigeonhole – minimal, alternative R’n’B, pop, some moments that would not be out of place in an Americana ballad. But why would you want to? This is a 21st century pop delight, unique and fierce. I’ve said it before and I’ll shout it again – amazing falsetto! (Hayley Elliott-Maclure)

Jack White: Lazaretto (Third Man / XL / Columbia / Sony)
- It’s not exactly the venom-fuelled break-up / messy divorce record that Blunderbuss was, but Jack White still brings an essential bite to blues rock that gives him a real edge over the competition. Some of that raw aggression is replaced with a broader musical palette, drawing on the diversity of instruments and moods from roots and Americana. There might have been some kind of danger of weighing things down with all the experimentation, but nothing goes wrong. It might not last forever, but Jack White is one one of the very few musicians who can experience a long career including the head-trip of serious stardom and continue to churn out records that are grounded, progressive and just plain good. (Chris Cobcroft)

Joyce Manor: Catalina Fight Song (Single) (Epitaph / Warner)
- The punk community can rejoice In light of Joyce Manor signing to Epitaph Records as they release a minute long single off their upcoming album Never Hungover Again due out on July 18th. After earning their stripes with their well known anthem Constant Headache, Catalina Fight Song teases us with what is to come, having all us suckers for a heartbroken pop punk record on the edge of our seats. (Lauren Sachs)

Julianna Barwick: Rosabi EP (Dead Oceans)
- The Brooklyn based ambient bliss merchant drops an EP that won’t surprise anyone familiar with her work. It is as otherworldly, simple and beautiful as always. It’s so much of these things that, in a way that’s analagous to Dead Can Dance, she sometimes verges on easy-listening or chillout, but unlike DCD I’ve never been able to hold it against Barwick. (Chris Cobcroft)

Kadaver: Goddess of Dawn Live (Single) (Nuclear Blast)
- Sludge metal just got kinda catchy. Though, I should clarify by saying that Kadaver are more than just sludge metal. They have this infetious 70's rock thing going on, mixed with some psychedelia, massive scope and some really sweet grooves. If you’re looking for a new heavy band to get into, look into Kadaver. They have a lot going for them. (Mitch Cutting)

Khotin: Hello World (1080p Collection)
- There’s a bright airiness to Canadian producer Khotin’s new record, his first for 1080p. It’s still got the thump of techno, but there’s almost something cute about these beats and their ‘bedroom pop’ style, as Khotin terms them. Really surprisingly engaging. (Chris Cobcroft)

King Buzzo: This Machine Kills Artists (Ipecac)
- Melvins supremo & Fantomas member Buzz ‘King Buzzo’ Osborne has always raised an eyebrow or two, even when maintaining a relatively consistent artistic style. Your furry face fringe may arch even higher listening to his solo, acoustic debut. In a way it’s pretty recognisable because this is hardly folk music. It’s metal performed on an acoustic guitar. That could give this a link to the output of a band like Espers, or this could be as sterile as Pearl Jam Unplugged. To be honest, this probably falls somewhere in between: the record is exceptionally long and maintains a fanatical focus on bloody hard songs featuring just Buzz strumming and singing. It’s an ask. However, he still has an undeniable gift that comes across even when you’re not having your ears torn off. (Chris Cobcroft)

Lewis: L’Amour (Light In The Attic)
- In 1983, L’Amour was released by an artist named Lewis. That’s about all I can find on the release. Light In The Attic Records have just re-released L’Amour, and it is truly beautiful. The album contains some awesome and extremely haunting synth tracks, layered with minimalist acoustic guitar, some warm piano and whispered vocals so delicate that I’m scared turning up the volume would break them. The result is just so... empty, but in a good way. It feels so intimate, so honest. Like this enigmatic Lewis character is sharing his darkest secrets with us and doesn’t want the synth player a couple of metres away to hear. Considering this album was recorded over 30 years ago, it’s astounding how modern it sounds. It wouldn’t be out of place with a lot of the soloist music coming out today, yet there’s still something special about L’Amour. Something that sets it apart from everything else. It’s unique, beautiful, mysterious, intimate, honest, poetic, and delicate. I strongly recommend this to anyone who enjoys soft, warm music of any variety. (Mitch Cutting)

The Lemons / Teen Runnings: The Lemons / Teen Runnings (GARY Records)
- A really nice little split seven inch between Chicago band The Lemons and Tokyo’s Teen Runnings. Garage, psych, surf retro-pop: we’ve heard so much of these sounds lately, but rarely with such genuine affection for the original sources. It gives body and soul to these pop songs that makes the sweetness much less guiltily enjoyable and even more of a pleasure. (Chris Cobcroft)

Loops Haunt: IIVA (Black Acre)
- An EP following very closely on the heels of the Scottish producer’s recent full-length. Haunting, or perhaps frightening soundscapes are the locale for his experiments with beats that recall styles you remember, but as if they had been dismembered and their constituent parts sutured back together in a way that’s not quite right. Often has a metallic, techno quality, but there are lots of other dance cadavers that get a working over. Creepy but often compelling. (Chris Cobcroft)

Mastodon: Once More ‘Round The Sun (Reprise)
- Apparently there are people worried about whether the new Mastodon record is going to be as bad-ass awesome as previous successes like Crack the Skye and The Hunter. Well let me tell you, Once More ‘Round The Sun is filled with bad-ass awesomeness. All the classic Mastodon traits are there, like the chicken-picking guitar, ridiculous abundance of guitar riffs, hyper technical drumming and time changes galore. There are no other bands out there quite like Mastodon, and their great success over the last few years may well have caused a lesser band to fall back on their accomplishments and stop pushing their music. Not Mastodon however, they are as unique and influential as ever. Once More ‘Round The Sun is definitely worth your time. (Mitch Cutting)

Modern Baseball: At Your graduation (Single) (Run For Cover)
- Philadelphia based indie-punk. Solid songwriting that balances out being a little emo with pretty thoughtful lyrics -nobody said that being unhappy means you have to exhibit the reasoning power of a thirteen year old. Anything that brings a bit of depth to the pop-punk field is most welcome. (Chris Cobcroft)

Mt. Royal: More (Single) (Bella Union / PIAS / Mushroom)
- A fascinating mix of indie-rock-pop, dance-rock, kraut and post-rock from this female-fronted Baltimore band. A positively motorik beat drives the fast, danceable tune, with repetitive but surging vocals (“more more more!”), a strange but beautifully bell-like synth lead and everything exploding into a huge, post-rock climax. A bit like a female led Trans-AM, and much more interesting than anything on their last record. (Chris Cobcroft)

Mumbai Science: Deja Vu (Lektroluv)
- Deja Vu is the debut album from this Belgian duo, and these tracks are gritty, rough, quirky and pretty explicit. The track Whistleblower is far from sweet and probably not for the easily offended. It's pretty clear these guys aren't making any compromises on an artistic level to suit mainstream ears, and are instead bringing a pretty underground version of Belgian-rave to the world. This is a collaborative album featuring the likes of Peaches, Mixhell, DJ Spank-Spank (Phuture) and Gustaph (Hercules & Love Affair). If you're up for some techno with attitude then have a listen. (Ella Dann-Limon)

Nightmares On Wax: N.O.W Is The Time (Warp / Inertia)
- NOW’s George Evelyn had the second ever release for Warp, with his cut Dextrous, back in 1989. Back then Warp was championing the nascent bass’n’bleep sound and you’ll hear that, hidden away in this expansive trip through NOW’s back catalogue. Like Warp and music itself, George Evelyn’s output has changed significantly over the years, taking in house, techno, hiphop, triphop and more. Perhaps the only uniting factor is that it’s all a good accompaniment for pleasantly wrecking your head, one way or another. Conversely this is a very enjoyable history lesson from a man who produced much of the modern history of beats. (Chris Cobcroft)

PLASTIKMAN: E X (Mute / Create/Control)
- Techno legend Richie Hawtin created this for a fancy soiree at the Guggenheim in NY, which might go some way to explain why this is such a restrained mini-album. What is missing in the attack is made up in stylish, ambient techno that is dosed to the gills with mood. (Chris Cobcroft)

Reuben And The Dark: Rolling Stone (Single) (Create/Control)
- Solid. Beautiful. Catchy. Interesting. They can all be used to describe the new single from Reuben And The Dark, Rolling Stone. Unoriginal title aside, this song contains some great lyrics, cool indie beats and a really sweet melody. However I think that the haunting wails in the background of the first verse most capture my attention. Overall quite a lovely track. (Mitch Cutting)

Rubblebucket: Rubblebucket Essentials (Communion)
- A sneaky little best-of ahead of the female-fronted Brooklyn dance-rockers’ new album, Survival Sounds. If you’ve ever had any kind of soft spot for genres which covered themselves in shame like dance-punk or indie-dance, Rubblebucket’s deceptively easy-going but actually quite deep and varied take on those grooves will rekindle the romance. (Chris Cobcroft)

Roy And The Devil's Motorcycle: Tino - Frozen Angel (Voodoo Rhythm)
- The soundtrack to a movie about the Swiss president of the Hells Angles, Roy And The Devil's Motorcycle have a weird spaghetti western take on things. Best listened to while surveying the set of an old timey western on LSD. Or y'know, if you just like to imagine you're a bandit, alone in your bedroom. (Krishan Meepe)

Sepultura: Da Lama Ao Caos (Single) (Nuclear Blast)
- Sepultura are back and as always, they bring the rhythm. Sepultura have the Groove Metal thing down, and if you’re a fan, then check out the new track. I’m not sure there’s tonnes of new territory for the band in Da Lama Ao Caos, but why explore what you’ve already got down pat right? If you’re a Sepultura fan, you’re not going to be disappointed by Da Lama Ao Caos. (Mitch Cutting)

The Soft Pink Truth: Why Do The Heathen Rage? (Thrill Jockey)
- An astonishing record (another one) from Matmos’ Drew Daniel. The schtick is audacious but simple: take a bunch of black metal anthems and reinterpret them through a variety of edm styles: industrial, idm, house, d’n’b, electroclash and various combinations there-of. The results are surprisingly subversive, listenable and danceable. There’s also a guest-spot for Antony Hegarty, what more do you need? A brilliant deconstruction. (Chris Cobcroft)

Spoon: Rent I Pay (Single) (Loma Vista / Spunk / Caroline)
- The latest single off Spoon's upcoming album “They Want My Soul” is a promising start to what the rest of this album has to offer. The catchy rock drumbeat paired with stripped back guitars make for a fantastic mix that exude confidence. Best listened with headphones while walking through the city so you can strut down the street. (Linda Finlay)

Subtle Turnhips: Redhair With Some (Pouet Schallplatten / Hozac / Homeless)
- Especially messy art-punk on the third record by the French reprobates, given an Australian vinyl release courtesy of Homeless records. If your Friday night features draining the goon-sack and becoming terminally engaged with the Hills Hoist (or whatever the French equivalents are), this is your soundtrack. (Chris Cobcroft)

Tankard: R.I.B. (Single) (Nuclear Blast)
- R.I.B. stands for Rest In Beer (maybe that’s all you need to know). Thrash metal might just never die. Especially when there are still bands like Tankard that can charge it with such life. R.I.B. is an awesome, sing-along-thrash number that reinvigorates my love for metal. And come the choir filled bridge, with all its epic energy, bringing a great dynamic shift into the guitar solo. Thrash has always been about the energy, and these guys really bring their music to life. If you like metal, give Tankard a go. They are unique enough to justify your time but they still have all those metal conventions you need to bring the noise. (Mitch Cutting)

Tombs: Savage Gold (Relapse)
- Despite the speeding blast-beats that propel much of Savage Gold, Tomb’s third full-length, there’s a sense of slow, colossal power here. A certainty in direction that makes it difficult not to be stopped in your tracks and simply behold the noise. One of the more impressive outbursts I’ve heard this year. (Chris Cobcroft)

Warpaint: Keep It Healthy (Single) (Rough Trade / Remote Control)
- Gosh! I really like Warpaint. They do a rad job of that whole ‘we’re a girl band which is great but we actually try not to intentionally capitalise on it for pity likes / financial gain’ thing, which is so nice of them. This single is another thing they’ve done a rad job of, taken from their eponymous album with producer Flume. Big, expansive synths, psychedelic soaring vocals, unidentifiable noises, sudden tempo changes – this single takes time but deserves it, and pays it back tenfold. (Hayley Elliott-Maclure)

The Whistles And The Bells: The Whistles And The Bells (Indie)
- A surprising blend of folk and rock. After a quick flick through the tracks I thought this was going to be a soft, traditional folk album, but then I was blasted in the face by some of the hardest folk rock I've ever heard. A track that particularly stood out was Skeleton” - fantastic acoustic blues riffs backed up with chunky distorted guitar licks and bluegrass style banjo. In this particular track the singer sounds a bit like Jack White digressing into screaming tangents. Another track, Transistor Resistor, contains the maddest banjo solo my ears have ever witnessed. Worth checking out. (Linda Finlay)

White Lung: Deep Fantasy (Domino / EMI)
- Female fronted Canadian rawkers bring something for everyone on their third full length. Brutal and messy enough to give heavy heads a nod or two, but these melodic minute-and-a-half slivers won’t scare other folks off. Easy to like. (Chris Cobcroft)

The Wytches: Wire Frame Mattress (Single) (Heavenly / Pias / Mushroom)
- Fearsome psych-rock with a surf break (pun unavoidable) from the English trio. Old school, heavy, fuzzy and just plain gnarly. Brings some badly needed guts to the contemporary psych and surf sound. (Chris Cobcroft)