Another load of good stuff to hit the 4ZZZ library, below. If you'd like to request any of these please mail:

requests@4zzz.org.au

...or call 07 3252 1555

Thanks to Katie Green, Ruby-Jean McCabe, Krishan Meepe, Henry Reese, Nick Rodwell, Matthew Stoff & Tori Zietsch for their contributions to this list.

Australian Artists:

Various Artists: Spunk Local Sampler (Spunk)
- Spunk, those purveyors of the smoothest names in indie-pop, have served up a cross-section of their current Australian talent. From the roaring climax of Palms’ This Last Year to the Real Estate-esque smoothness of The Ocean Party to the clattering return of The Middle East’s Jordan Ireland (Stolen Violin), there are a lot of exemplary tunes on show here. Indie-folk is also heavily represented (Jimmy Tait, Machine Translations, Tiny Ruins). We’ll doubtless be hearing a lot from each of these promising young bands over the next few months. (Henry Reese)

Adalita: All Day Venus (Liberation / Mushroom)
- Another album of thundering, alternative rock from the former Magic Dirt frontwoman. Continues to remind me of a more shoegaze version of Concrete Blonde’s Jonette Napolitano. That ain’t bad. (Chris Cobcroft)

The Avalanches: Stalking To A Stranger (Planets Collide Remix) (Single) (Liberation / Mushroom)
- Had you excited there for a minute, right? This doesn’t really have any connection to the ghostly possibility of the new Avalanches album. It is rather a remix of the old Hunters And Collectors classic. Any new Avalanches material has so much mythology to go up against, it’s scary. This blending of The Hunters rocking with The Avalanches’ sampadelic approach is still pretty sweet, however, the genre blender spits the funky, gritty sounding result out somewhere near Big Audio Dynamite or !!! and that’s alright. (Chris Cobcroft)

Big Richard Insect: Big Richard Insect (Major Crimes)
If Big Richard Insect are anything to go by, Adelaide seems to breed a love of garagey noise and destruction. This EP is a seething mess of violence and guitars. The yells of fury harken back to the days when if you wanted to be heard, you just had to be louder than the guitar player annoying the nieghbours. Kinda sounds like if Minutemen were having fun at rehearsal. (Krishan Meepe)

Bored Nothing: Kingsbury Leisure (Indie)
- Something has changed about Melbourne’s Bored Nothing. The band’s short, muddled (and completely unofficial) new EP pushes them from their lo-fi pop roots into bigger, more ambitious territory. Song For Jedder is pure Yo La Tengo while the more straightforward President of the Hesitant is a studied attempt at Slowdive’s bright shoegaze. And is that an electronic beat on Probably Not? Impressive growth from this promising band. (Henry Reese)

Bushwalking: No Enter (Chapter Music)
- I could waffle on with adjectives and comparisons but then i'd be delaying you from listening to it. So, essentially, post-punk rhythm section supports tight vocal harmonies and wild guitar work.
Tastefully balanced and beautifully contrasted. Check it. (Nick Rodwell)

Chapman Street: Chapman Street (Indie)
- An infectious energy rumbles through Chapman street, the boys from Adelaide are obviously in love with what they're doing and it's hard not to follow suit. While the debut EP is a bit inconsistent style-wise with the opening track sounding like an Australian Rage Against The Machine and the last being closer to The Doors, every track has a taste of something refreshing. Whether it's the fun blues licks or the explosions of guitars and cymbals, there's something for lots of folks to hook into. (Krishan Meepe)

Charlie Horse: Deep Water (Single) (+1)
- Stone cold & menacing, thats what come to mind listening to this single from Sydney-siders Charlie Horse. I can't really add anything to what the press release already states, Alt-country Rock, with the same tones and themes that Nick Cave or Patti Smith are renowned for. (Nick Rodwell)

Cherrywood: Book of Matches (Cobra Snake Necktie / Love & Theft)
- Rip-roaring acoustic folk and country, full of snarling songs about dusty roads, murder, drinking and failure. Strangely, if you slung together The Violent Femmes and Johnny Cash there’s every chance it would sound a bit like this. (Chris Cobcroft)

Cut Copy: Free Your Mind (Single) (Modular / Universal)
- Cut Copy sound like they’re joining the baggy brigade with this advance single for their fourth full-length. Thoroughly upbeat house meets lazy, loopy vocals, all of which is a bit of a leaf out of The Happy Mondays’ playbook. You know what? Fine! This is a bit of history I don’t mind revisiting at all. (Chris Cobcroft)

Damen Samuel: Where Do We Go? (Single) (Indie)
- Damen’s strongest gift by far is his voice, which sits - strange but true - somewhere between Nick Drake and Anthony Hegarty. Appropriately, this single has some of the stylings of the folk rockers of old and some of the ideological fire as well. (Chris Cobcroft)

Davey Lane: The Good Borne Of Bad Tymes (Field Recordings / MGM)
- The man’s press release pleads ‘OK, it may be pop music, but you can’t deny the man’s rock chops.’ That seems to be true of veteran You Am I guitarist Davey Lane’s new solo EP. Five beat-driven tracks aimed at fans of, say, Kasabian or Primal Scream, shot through with Lane’s excellent guitar licks. Chaotic, overstuffed mix aside, this is a catchy listen. (Henry Reese)

Damn Terran: Damn Terran (Indie)
- Melbourne three-piece Damn Terran’s self-titled debut LP is a heavy and serious affair. Nodding to ‘90s altern-rock, grunge and straightforward post-punk influences alike, the twelve tunes are united by scuzzy guitar riffage, hair-raising energy and boy-girl vocal interplay. Fans of Children Collide, Savages and No Age will likely find something of quality here. (Henry Reese)

Dianas: Cruelty / Origami (Single) (Indie / Hot Violet)
- Perth trio Dianas offer two intelligent attempts at smoky ‘60s pop on their new double A-side. The lazy ‘Cruelty’ smacks of Best Coast or a grown-up Bloods while the more ambitious ‘Origami’ will appeal to fans of Beach House. The general wide-eyed cuteness and reverb-soaked rawness of their sound sets Dianas ahead of much of the frivolous ‘surf’ bands currently doing the rounds. (Henry Reese)

Eleventh He Reaches London: Body Unbind (Single) (Hobbledehoy)
A sinuous and disarmingly warm single from this Perth-based post-hardcore band. On ‘Body Unbind’ there are few traces of either the Australiana or hardcore the band are best known for; instead, this melodic, folky tune careers towards a climax that never comes. Impressive restraint. (Henry Reese)

The Fabergettes: Big Bruiser (Indie)
- Imagine if Bloods or Dianas wrote the soundtrack to Grease and you’re getting close to the sound of the new EP by Sydney’s The Fabergettes. And they do a brilliant job of it; the melody of Do The Hula alone leaves many other cutesy ‘surf’ bands in the dust (or, erm, sand). If you love wide-eyed oohs and las, retro rhythms and cutesy chic nostalgia, you might just love this infectious, sweet record. (Henry Reese)

Gooch Palms: Novo's (Anti Fade)
It took me a couple tracks to warm into it but Gooch Palms have a certain charm that will get to you eventually. Is it the girl/boy pairing? Is it the slacker attitude? Is it the fact they're named after a body part no one's quite sure what to do with? Whatever it is, it's catchy, noisy and infectious. (Krishan Meepe)

Ice Chest Orchestra: Steel Street Kiss (Understandation)
- Alt. Indie-Folk out of the Sydney via Blue Mountains, NSW. Bleak in tone and context, it meanders its way through 11 tracks. Reminiscent of something Broken Social Scene or any one of their facets may put out. (Nick Rodwell)

Kate Carr: Songs From A Cold Place (Flaming Pines)
- Creating an aural snapshot of an entire geographic region is no mean feat. With Songs From A Cold Place, Sydney sound artist Kate Carr lets the Icelandic landscape speak for itself. Rustles, creaks and gushes of water jostle for attention amongst drones and organic acoustics. The effect is expansive and ephemeral, an inspired portrayal of a dormant landscape. (Henry Reese)

Kes: Duets (Indie / Polyester Records)
- The endlessly creative Kes (Mum Smokes, Bushwalking) has embarked on a new project, this time a 16-track instrumental album, each track a short vignette written and recorded with one other musician. Predictably, the results are varied and the album lacks continuity, but there are moments of chamber music beauty lurking among creepy sound art and noise. Fascinating. (Henry Reese)

Lester The Fierce: Lester the Fierce (The Hit Club / True Music)
- Self-titled EP from Melbourne chanteuse Lester the Fierce is an evocative collection of alt-pop/rock songs about love and death. I was quite mesmerised by the EP, and Lester’s vocals are flippin’ great. She’ll be supporting Ngaiire on her national ‘Lamentations’ tour this month... I’m getting mega power-woman vibes. Love it. (Tori Zietsch)

Lunars: Happenings (Indie)
- A new EP of old-school, mid-tempo and slightly shrieky sounding art-rock. Not a million miles away from Frank Black, but with more of a taste for synths. (Chris Cobcroft)

Montero: The Loving Gaze (Mistletone / Inertia)
- I can’t decide whether Melbourne’s Montero are brilliant or infuriating. The band’s debut LP combines the polyphonic psych-pop tendencies of MGMT with the unashamed cheesiness of Lost Animal and Standish/Carlyon. The results are mixed but well-executed and always intriguing. The Loving Gaze hypnotises gently in a way that soft-rock rarely does. (Henry Reese)

Moustache: Moustache (Indie)
- Long songs with quiet, wispy vocals, building from simple patterns to intensely layered sounds. It’s been awhile since I’ve heard someone take math & post-rock sensibilities and apply them to folk-pop. Mostly avoids sounding too twee, this falls pleasantly into line with the likes of Mice Parade or Mr. Maps. (Chris Cobcroft)

Nick Batterham: Closing Time At Yah Yah's (Popboomerang)
- Intricately layered and fastidiously produced, this album requires your close attention to be fully appreciated. As a singer-songwriter, Nick Batterham is naturally self-reflective; so be warned, to involve yourself closely will inevitably lead to some introspection of your own. (Nick Rodwell)

Old Mate: Old Mate (Major Crimes)
- This self-titled 7” channels lots of 80’s goth-rock, but with less energy than just about any of them. Not a diss, I swear. You can hear the pop tropes and it’s like they’ve had all the blood sucked out of them, creating a shambling, swagger of a sound, a gothic country corpse lying somewhere between The Birthday Party and Lost Animal. (Chris Cobcroft)

The Paper Kites: States (Wonderlick / Sony)
- On the debut full-length from Melbourne band The Paper Kites, everything about their sound has been developed to sound like a fully fleshed out band. What was formerly a couple of pretty songs has been turned into touching arrangements; thick harmonies and full voiced acoustic guitars tinged with just enough electric guitar and some sparse drum parts. The Paper Kites are at their best when the songs are simple, sparse and dreamy, unfortunately when they try to be a fuller straight ahead pop band, it just sounds tired. The future may yet be kind to a young developing band so for now, this is a decent debut. (Krishan Meepe)

She’s The Band: One From The Top Shelf (Pee)
- When the label on the packet says punk / prog. you probably misread it, right? Not this time. Adelaide’s She’s The Band make blistering, female fronted hardcore (a-la Babes In Toyland) ...with piano interludes … SMASH THE JOINT!!! Not one for purists, maybe, but a breath of fresh air for the more adventurous. Prog-rock rhythmic and harmonic experimentation sneaks all over the place and make this record brilliant. (Chris Cobcroft)

Shining Bird: Leisure Coast (Spunk)
- Listening to Leisure Coast, Shining Bird had me from the first track. Southern coast NSW six piece deliver eight tracks of dreamy pop exotica deliciousness. Recommended listening! (Tori Zietsch)

Machine Translations: Broken Arrows (Single) (Spunk)
- Machine Translations are back with new single ‘Broken Arrows’. J Walker has put together a new six-piece including members of The Boat People, The Middle East and the Kate Miller-Heidke band. Broken Arrows had me hooked as soon as it began playing. Lots of interesting sounds and beautiful ethereal qualities, I highly recommend giving it a listen. (Tori Zietsch)

Mr. Grevis: My Escape (NRA Records / Obese Records)
- Aussie Hip Hop is always righteous, but it rarely has the back story to make it credible. Mr. Grevis is an Emcee out WA with street cred and a ferocious flow. While the some of the cuts and production are overwrought, the majority suit what Grevis has to say, which is plenty. (Nick Rodwell)

Mutiny: Drink To Better Days (Four || Four / ABC / Universal)
- Twenty two tracks recounting twenty years of the king of Aussie folk-punk outfits. Sorta weird to see this on Four//Four, but a welcome thing wherever it comes from. I get the feeling that many people might have missed this band, back in the day and they’ve been MIA for the best part of a decade, now, though you might have caught their successor act, The Currency. If you have even a passing regard for the likes of The Dropkicks, Flogging Molly, or the Go Set, for that matter, then now is a great time to get in touch with this band’s scrappy, ragged, drunken, back-catalogue. (Chris Cobcroft)

Palace Of The King: Palace Of The king (DM)
- This kind of 'classic' rock can only appreciated on a scale of self-awareness. When Airbourne are doing their thing there is a glint in their eyes which says 'Yeah, I know we're parodies, but fuck it, there's a market for this shit." I can only hope that Palace Of The King are the same. (Nick Rodwell)

Shebeen Queen: Catherine (Single) (Seventh Seal)
- Grim and exhausted, this female fronted band are too enervated to really sound like southern rock, but instead are dragged down deep into a murk that sits somewhere between shoegaze, drone and doom. Messy but convincing. (Chris Cobcroft)

Tim Fitz: Unscene (Indie)
- Every once in a while, someone comes along who blows your mind and you feel obligated to tell all your friends about it until they get sick of you and you're forced to retreat to your bedroom, out of the sunlight. Tim Fitz is one of those people. Possessing a masterful understanding of sound and songwriting, he expertly blends pop hooks with frantic rhythmic loops, groovy bass lines and synth parts. There are moments here that leave you breathless and vulnerably human, but mostly it's danceable pop songs with a case of schizophrenia and most importantly, something new. (Krishan Meepe)

Tkay Maidza: Brontosaurus (Ft. Bad Cop) (Single) (Indie)
- Open the door, get on the floor, everybody walk the dinosaur! A pint-sized African / Adelaideian rapper with a child friendly rap, that might, nonetheless, be pretty good. (Matthew Stoff & Chris Cobcroft)

Tokyo Denmark Sweden: Turning Time (Single) (Indie)
- I’m digging the strong front-woman vibes this morning! Tokyo Denmark Sweden is a Sydney-based electronic/indie-dance trio. Turning Time is a high energy, synth driven electronic track lead by strong female vocals. It kind of makes me want to jump out of my seat and start pulling some wack 80’s dance moves. Great for me, not so good for your eyes… (Tori Zietsch)

Venom P. Stinger” 1986-1991 (Drag City / RIP Society)
- A 2-disk compilation of work by Melbourne-based musician/artist Mick Turner. It's really good. Fans of Nick Cave's early work/The Birthday Party will definitely approve... Provided they're not listening already. Loud, inventive, and relentlessly discordant. (Matthew Stoff)

Wolf & Cub: Heavy Weight (MGM)
More cool than heavy, the weight of this album is found within its contradictions. Balance and psychedelia don't usually play well together but Wolf & Cub have restrained their psychedelic leanings. Essentially, this album has the simplistic rock forms of ZZ Top and Fleetwood Mac, coloured with a gentle psychedelic mix. (Nick Rodwell)

Yon Yonson: How Bad Do You Want It Ft. Simo Soo (Single) (Indie)
- Art-pop producer chameleons Yon Yonson team up with freaky, nerdy rapper Simo Soo for some low-key, experimental synth-pop, before Soo starts shrieking hysterically about forming f***ing Voltron. Insane, but not unwelcome. (Chris Cobcroft)

Zeahorse: Pools (Hub / Inertia)
- Relentless, noisy guitar rock from Sydney, where droning, post-punk ambiance, similar to the recent output of Swans, gives way to Violent Soho's post-grunge, shoegaze, and songs that sound a bit like Smashing Pumpkins on Siamese Dream. It's a darker, heavier, and more technically elaborate release than anything they've given us before, so check it out, even if you aren't a fan. (Matthew Stoff)

Zone Out: Something Less (Osborne Again / Why Don’t You Believe Me?)
- Something Less presents ambient synth-pop/indie-rock from Melbourne all-girl group Zone Out. Super spacey and super chill with a definite “I recorded this in my bedroom” vibe, the EP is ultra-cool and very easy to listen to. (Tori Zietsch)

Local Artists:

Various Artists: Mea Culpa Mixtape (Silo Arts & Records)
- Little comp from those interesting folks over at Silo. Between the more obvious contributions like the downbeat / wonky / trap / r’n’b / chillwave?? sounds of Tincture and Motion Picture Actress (which are still, undeniably pleasant), you have Friendship’s fidgety syncopated downbeat, filled to the nines with samples that suddenly bursts into extremely techy jungle. Then there’s the eight minutes of Planète’s minimal electro-funk / techno tune Ciel which is smooth as anything and electrically cool. (Chris Cobcroft)

Blend 42 From Outer Space: La$er Cash (Indie)
- Veteran noise guy Marek Rygielski unleashes a new one, caked in splattery noise. Elements of old school glitch, punishingly industrial beats, guitar drone and ambient stylings all join in for this big ol’ scrapbook of sounds from ten years ago. If you miss having your ears ripped off and reattached with a nailgun in just the way you used to, Blend 42 is certainly one for you. After that you can stick around for the long back-end of the record’s eerie, outer-space soundscapes. Really, something for everyone. (Chris Cobcroft)

Andrew Tuttle: Brisbane, Rezoned (Indie)
- As if all the clear sweetness of Andrew Tuttle’s 4064 EP wasn’t enough, the celebrated local experimental artist has returned with a diverse collection of remixes of his delicate banjo workout ‘Brisbane.’ The reworks range from the danceable (These Guy, Bong YZA) to the glitchy (Heinz Riegler) to the glacially gorgeous (Pale Earth). A worthy extension to the great 4064 project. (Henry Reese)

Alex Bell: Dance Of Love (Single) (Indie)
A touchingly innocent song from local singer-songwriter Alex Bell. Sweet, intertwining melodies backed up by a rhodes bring you back to carefree bliss in a way that only young people can. (Krishan Meepe)

The Bell Divers: Ruins (Indie)
- The Bell Divers have hooked into something good. It’s somewhere between jangle-pop and indie-pop and sounds a little bit like The Go-Betweens. This collection of low-key indie-rock-poppers is a restrained and mature pleasure. (Chris Cobcroft)

Cannon: It's Cool, No Worries (Bon Voyage)
- Locals, Cannon, insist in their media release that Garage is dead to them, this is Rock 'n' Roll. This 5 track Ep (4 tracks of their own and 1 Fleetwood Mac cover) is unashamed, rambling and raucously fun; everything you'd want out of garage punk 'n' roll (They can say what they want, there is no escaping it). (Nick Rodwell)

Dollar Bar: Everyone’s Everyone’s (Single) (Mere Noise)
- New single from the 90’s, local alt-pop heroes. Filled with just the right amount of slacker cynicism and pop sweetness. (Chris Cobcroft)

Lay: Had to Get A Girl (Single) (Indie)
- Local r’n’b / soulsta, Lay, is dropping a new single. Featuring emcee Five A, it’s a combination of understated rhythmic layers and R'n'B flavours, culminating in a rather slick product. There are lots of 90’s influences like Boyz II Men, Naughty By Nature, even Madlib, if you take that chipmunk rap at face value. On the b-side it’s time for some tropo reggae like we were hanging with Chaka Demus & Pliers. There’s so little of this going round right now, it even sounds a bit fresh. (Nick Rodwell & Chris Cobcroft)

Motion Picture Actress: I Keep Falling Around Here (Single) (Silo Arts)
- The very essence of chill, Motion Picture Actress has released another piece of beauty. As the melody looped around my head, I found that I lost all sense of time and was unaware of the way my body was moving until the part where I couldn't find the beat. This is in no way jarring though, as the track collapses into off-beat rhythms, you get a moment of clarity to gather yourself before it all builds up again and the wave washes over you a second and a third time. Make sure you're in a safe environment when you put this on. (Krishan Meepe)

Resin Dogs: Still The Beats Ft. Dialectrix (Single) (Hydrofunk)
- After a healthy break, Resin Dogs are back the same quality party tunes. Still The Beats is the first single off the the album they've been slowly crafting. Sydney's Dialectrix is the chosen MC for this track, he does his thing, he does it well. (Nick Rodwell)

The Rusty Datsuns: Riverbank (Beanstalk)
- The Dato’s brand of festival friendly, acoustic folk-roots is back at album length. If you need some feel-good vibes with a touch of the ol’ time sounds, this is the place to get it. (Chris Cobcroft)

Sky Needle: Debased Shapes (Bruit Direct Discs).
- This local Brisbane band have vowed only to ever perform on homemade instruments. The result is music with an entirely different and experimental feel. The album is eerie, the sounds remind me of animals in a jungle... a concrete jungle, perhaps. It houses twelve tracks which unfortunately don't offer much variation to the sound. (Katie Green)

Tiny Migrants: Tiny Migrants (Mere Noise)
- Pleasantly lo-fi, mostly girl-fronted garage-pop with a touch of psychotic rock’n’roll. Still good when it’s done well. (Chris Cobcroft)

Violent Soho: Covered In Chrome (Single) (I OH YOU / Mushroom)
- The second release from local grunge gods Violent Soho “Covered In Chrome”, lulls you into a false sense of security, readying the listener for a ballad, before combusting into a wall of “yeahs”, crashing drums and heavy guitars. Covered In Chrome – play, rewind, repeat! (Ruby-Jean McCabe)

New Zealand Artists:

Lisa Crawley: All In My Head (Indie)
Auckland girl Lisa Crawley releases second album, All In My Head. It’s brightly indie-pop with touches of various retro-pop influences and chamber-pop as well, it has a lot of personality. (Tori Zietsch)

The Neo-Kalashnikovs: Gorgeous Baby (Indie / Rocawave) / She’s On Heat (Indie / Rocawave)
Two LPs packed full of introspective, personal tunes from these Auckland siblings. When combined with the dry, early ‘90s lo-fi guitars, singer Volita Bioletti’s clear voice recalls Magic Dirt. While the lyrics are a little clumsy and the arrangements are quite samey at times, the Neo-Kalashnikovs come across as refreshingly honest. And that can never be a bad thing. (Henry Reese)

Sleeper: From Beyond (A Guide To Saints / Room40)
New Zealand’s Sleeper offers two long, euphoric drone pieces on new LP ‘From Beyond.’ ‘Slumber’ wafts along like a sunny breeze while ‘Edge Of Darkness’ rumbles as if underwater, complete with what sounds like whalesong. Static but very evocative when played loud. (Henry Reese)

Ulcerate: Vermis (Relapse)
- Auckland’s Ulcerate offer a furious and ambitious expansion of the boundaries of the death metal on their new record — and Relapse debut — ‘Vermis.’ The trio know how to let things build. After an atmospheric start, proceedings begin proper with furious blastbeats, gnarled vocals and sinister guitar. Needless to say, it’s bracing and intense, and the trio are enviably tight and creative. Damn. (Henry Reese)

With Moths: For Silence (A Guide To Saints / Room40)
- For Silence is a collection of nine short pieces, each composed of the same simple elements: effected vocals, dark post-punk guitar and vaguely coldwave-inspired grainy synth textures. A grim and lonely mood is artfully maintained throughout by this Wellington-based artist. (Henry Reese)

Overseas Artists:

Various Artists: Denovali Swingfest 2013 Essen (Festival Sampler) (Denovali)
- A 26-track introduction to German label Denovali’s flagship experimental festival in Essen, Germany. The range is fascinating, from modern classical (Piano Interrupted, Carlos Cipa) to jazz (Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble, Saffronkeira), electronic (Emika, Aun) and even metal (Lento, Celeste). A thrillingly ambitious lineup and a generous sampler, enough to make any non-attendee jealous. (Henry Reese)

Au Revoir Simone: Move In Spectrums (Moshi Moshi / Pias / Mushroom)
- Four years between records has allowed the Brooklyn ladies to get ever so slightly more in touch with their pop sides. The synth-pop seems ever so slightly more straight-up than before. Slightly less Stereolab, slightly more Haim? Whatever, fans old and new should find plenty to like in the sweet but still darkly inflected dance-pop. (Chris Cobcroft)

Boardwalk: Boardwalk (Stones Throw / Cooking Vinyl)
- Los Angeles duo Boardwalk’s self-titled debut is bursting with catchy, dream-pop melodies. The album was recorded entirely on two-inch tape, and it shows. You can hear and feel the warm embrace of the all analogue production. This album is the perfect soundtrack for lazing around in the sun on a spring day. (Ruby-Jean McCabe)

Braids: Flourish // Perish (Full Time Hobby / Arbutus)
- Braids, Flourish // Perish: Elegant, dreamy art-pop from Canada. Sounds a bit like The Knife, if The Knife were a dream-pop band. (Matthew Stoff)

Celestino: Kindling (A Guide To Saints / Room40)
- A wafting convocation of experimental ambience can be heard on ‘Kindling,’ the new LP from Portland’s Celestino. The works on this EP are deep but not intrusive, shot through with a fundamental peacefulness. I have no idea what Celestino used to make such moving tones. (Henry Reese)

CFCF: Jump Out Of The Train (Single) (Dummy / Pias / Mushroom)
- Six-and-a-half minutes of emotive, syrupy synth-pop that recalls Active Child or Washed Out. Montreal’s Michael Silver (aka CFCF) draws from both ambient and dance-oriented sources to create a personal emotive world in which the chamber pop dream stays firmly alive. (Henry Reese)

Cheatahs: Cut The Grass (Single) (Witchita / Pias / Mushroom)
- I see the terms lo-fi and punk bandied about regarding Cheatahs, but the few tracks I’ve heard from the London band are all a fairly user-friendly blend of shoegaze and indie. That single from last year, Coared, reminded me a bit of Heat Miser, that’s gotta be good, right? Despite the radio ready quality, what I’ve heard sounds catchy without being shallow. Time will tell if that’s borne out at album length. (Chris Cobcroft)

Clark: Feast / Beast (Warp / Inertia)
- Clark is already known as one of the most genre-leaping members of the Warp roster, but on this two disc collection of remixes (his remixes of other people’s work and of his own material by others, too), there’s just a huge amount of variety. All of that’s provided by the enormous number of guests. There’s the well-known: Maximo Park, Depeche Mode, Massive Attack and the obscure but cool: DM Stith, Kuedo, Nils Frahm and everything in between. Actually, the names are a bit five years ago, but, in a way, that just makes this more exciting. The collage of sounds takes on a bit of an experimental, Euro-dance flavour, the sort of thing you’d expect to hear on !K7 rather than Warp. Wherever, it is most welcome. (Chris Cobcroft)

Dale Cooper Quartet & The Dictaphones: Quatorze Pieces De Menace (Denovali)
- Eleven challenging, cerebral tunes from this French collective. Opening with a 21-minute drone piece, the band don’t hand-feed their listeners with their chilling combination of blissed-out cool jazz, harsh noise and glacial sound collage. The muted trumpet is genius. Like a 1950s Parisian horror film OST (or, possibly The Twin Peaks Soundtrack – but why be so obvious? ;) ) ‘Quatorze Pieces’ is difficult but undeniably powerful. (Henry Reese)

Deap Vally: Bad For My Body (Single) (Universal).
- More grinding guitar, screaming vocals and pounding drums coupled with lyrics like 'If our Mothers only knew the trouble that we get into' ... Every teenage girl’s angsty theme song. (Katie Green)

Delorean: Apar (True Panther / Mushroom Pillow)
- Apar is the third full-length from Basque four-piece Delorean. Named after ocean foam, you might say that this dance-pop record glistens like a yacht on the Mediterranean (sigh). While its clean, mid-tempo disco sound breaks no ground, Apar is nevertheless strongly built and quite moving at times. If Phoenix ever relaxed, perhaps they’d sound like this. (Henry Reese)

Devon Sproule & Mike O’Neill: Colours (Tin Angel)
- The Canadian country-folk songstress returns with another collection of restrained rockers, joined here by fellow canuck, indie guy Mike O’Neill (and a bunch of other folks besides). In her understated manner, Devon usually delivers an unexpected amount. They might be hiding some of their light under a bushel, but Colours has an affinity with the song-writing chops of The New Pornographers. Beautiful, classic indie songwriting.

Dronelock: Tomorrow Morning / In Snow / Windmills / Sonar (Weekend World)
- Four quiet yet compelling slices of club music from this Bradford, England-based DJ duo. All four tracks continue the recent trend toward maximalist, ambient techno. This pair still like to keep you guessing moving back and forth between extremes of repetitive sparseness and clouds of enveloping noise that could be everything from sandstorms, ice caves and plagues of rattlesnakes. (Henry Reese & Chris Cobcroft)

Emiliana Torrini: Tookah (Rough Trade / Remote Control)
- Tookah is the fourth album from this lauded singer. It features all the mainstays of Icelandic music — clicking microbeats, swooning strings, glistening cuteness — plus Torrini’s gorgeous voice, whose smokiness would make Sarah Blasko or Lisa Mitchell blush. While its ‘matureness’ is undeniable, don’t confuse this seriousness with blandness; Tookah is rewardingly light and energetic. (Henry Reese)

Glasvegas: Later... When The TV Turns To Static (BMG / Cooking Vinyl / Universal)
- Glasvegas are like a Scottish Interpol: slow and difficult but rewarding. What sets them apart from their glum New York counterparts, however, is their sheer passion. This is delivered in syrupy bucket-loads on the band’s melodramatic third LP Later... When The TV Turns To Static. Cutting across a cold post-punk backdrop, James Allan’s heartfelt yelps somehow find their way straight to the heart. (Henry Reese)

Holy Ghost!: Okay (Single) (DFA / Pias / Mushroom)
- Brooklyn duo Holy Ghost! have delivered a solid electro-pop tune. The buzzing synth and smooth vocals blend silkily together, accompanied by sufficiently bouncy beat to keep those toes tapping. (Ruby-Jean McCabe)

Holy Ghost!: Dynamics (DFA / Pias / Mushroom)
- Eleven cuts of retro house and disco packed with posturing and New Wave arrogance. Basically, Holy Ghost!’s new LP is like DFA Records in miniature. This record runs blindly contra to current trends in dance music, wriggling along on its own stompingly infectious path. (Henry Reese)

Kanye West: Bound 2 (Single) (Roc-A-Fella / Def Jam / Universal)
- With a cool soul sample, an almost ludicrously melodramatic chorus and Kanye’s laziest flow yet, Bound 2 is yet another example of both the inspiration and complacency of Mr. West. One of the most accessible songs on Yeezus, Bound 2 makes for an appropriately huge single. (Henry Reese)

Lily & Madeline: The Weight Of The Globe (Asthmatic Kitty / Spunk)
- These teenage sisters out of Indianapolis share vocal talent and harmonize beautifully. Even though their songs are of teenage love and yearning, the imagery isn't overly flowery or mawkish. The EP has 8 tracks but 3 are acoustic reprises, which opens the duo to a space where their voices can be better appreciated. (Nick Rodwell)

London Grammar: If You Wait (Metal & Dust / Dew Process / Universal)
- I’m a fan of simplicity. ‘If You Wait’ is simple done gosh-darn well. Though the album is comprised of little more than electric guitar, keys, minimal percussion and Reid’s deliciously haunting vocals, it manages to remain captivating throughout the entire length. The sensitive manipulation of space within the tracks matched with the anxiety and vulnerability in Reid’s vocals resonate throughout the album and create a poignant image for London Grammar. (Tori Zietsch)

London Grammar: (Single) (Metal & Dust / Dew Process / Universal)
- Wow this track is truly beautiful, it's stripped back by comparison previous works and this subtlety creates a wonderfully melancholic tune. Simple guitar, violins, soft drum beats and strong and soulful vocals blend together seamlessly. I recently heard an interview where guitarist Dan revealed that vocalist Hannah Reid doesn't think she has a good voice... I only wish my voice was a 'bad' as hers. (Katie Green)

Matthew E. White: Hot Hot Hot (Single) (Domino / EMI)
- This is a groovy, soulful, dubby, experimental and spiritual track. Matthew's vocals lilt raspily (if that’s possible) all the way up to the high notes. A smooth, sexy, eerie and beautiful thing. (Katie Green)

Mark Lanegan: Imitations (Vagrant / Heavenly / Pias / Mushroom)
- This is a collection of covers by the increasingly expansive ex-Screaming Trees frontman. Songs from sources as diverse as John Cale, Neil Sedaka, Nancy Sinatra, Chelsea Wolfe & Kurt Weill find their way into the mix. They’re either given his archetypally sparse, leathery and acoustic treatment, or a warm, but still melancholy 70’s, AM pop rendition. The selection of gothically inflected folk-pop is impeccable, the performances are often just about as good. Someone compared this to Nick Cave’s Kicking Against The Pricks, which is a fairly good measure. (Chris Cobcroft).

Mariam The Believer: Invisible Givings (Single) (Moshi Moshi / Pias / Mushroom)
- An eclectic and ambitious single from this Swedish artist. Structurally, Invisible Givings resembles a Thom Yorke song or Bjork’s Nattura, filling its eight minutes with dry, fidgety beats. There is also something of Karin Dreijer Andersson or Laurel Halo in Mariam’s introspective delivery, which is so firm as to be confronting about halfway through. This is actually really good. (Henry Reese)

Midlake: Antiphon (Single) (Bella Union / Pias / Mushroom)
- More thickly textured psych/prog folk-rock from the darkly hued Texas band. Pretty uncompromisingly trad., as usual Midlake tickle the part of my brain that appreciates King Crimson (even if this isn’t all that). (Chris Cobcroft)

Okkervil River: The Silver Gymnasium (ATO / Spunk)
- In a world of grim despair, veteran indie-rockers Okkervil River return and try to put a smile on our dials. That’s not something they’re really known for, but maybe it’s one of those times that everybody needed a good hug, because this bittersweet recipe seems to be making everyone smile, just a little bit more; except those cold, soulless folks at Pitchfork, what the hell is wrong with you? If you need rough but heartfelt indie-rock to make your day seem just a little less dark, this is probably the record. (Chris Cobcroft)

Rangefinder: Harmony State (A Guide To Saints / Room40)
Harmony State is Japan-based artist Will Long’s debut for A Guide To Saints. Ambient music sans laptop, this gently lapping array of warm textures and retro tones was created using an array of samplers and analog synths. If Boards of Canada cut the plump beats and creeping sense of dread and soundtracked a Legend of Zelda game, it would hopefully sound this good. (Henry Reese)

Sebadoh: Defend Yourself (Domino / EMI)
- The old-school rocking is here, much more so than on Lou Barlow’s solo records, so that should please the fans. The sound isn’t brutally lo-fi, but it’s hardly teflon studio fare, alright. Barlow is still rending in his emotional honesty (plenty of grist for the mill thanks to his recent divorce), but the record still manages to be - for the most part - quite upbeat. This big return with the classic line-up tries quite hard to give something to everyone and in so doing may be slightly less. Not a whole lot, though. It’s not the second coming of Sebadoh, but it is a welcome return.

Sebastian Plano: Arrhythmical Part of Hearts / Impetus (Denovali)
- Claiming influences as diverse as Olafur Arnalds, Kronos Quartet and the tango music of his Argentinian homeland, Berlin-based cellist and multi-instrumentalist Sebastian Plano’s music is a mixture of highbrow musicianship and lively gushes of emotive energy. He is also, frankly, a great player. While his self-released debut Arrhythmical Part of Hearts (2011) is packed with stuttering post-rock electronics, his piano-oriented Denovali Records debut Impetus (2013) is a more sedate affair, employing beats more sparingly in favour of a slower and more grown-up sound redolent of Volker Bertelmann or Nils Frahm. Both records are strong, rising and falling with genuine panache, signalling Plano as a promising new name in the ever-popular modern classical scene. (Henry Reese)

Sleigh Bells: Bitter Rivals (Single) (Mom + Pop / Liberator / Mushroom)
- Bitter Rivals is the latest single from Brooklyn based noise-pop duo. It’s a pretty punchy track, with heavy guitar riffs and hip-hop influences. It also features a dog’s bark... Reminds me of weekends spent making frog sounds on my $100 K-mart keyboard when I was thirteen. Awesome. (Tori Zietsch)

Spids Nogenhat: Kommer Med Fred (Bad Afro Records)
- How much Danish psych rock have you heard this year? Spids Nogenhat play psych-rock with a classic edge that is apparently not unlike the crop of countercultural Danish bands ascendant in the ‘70s. The vocals recall Eric Burdon while the lead guitar approaches Isaiah Mitchell proficiency at times. An impressively focused record. (Henry Reese)

Tensnake: 58BPM Feat. Foira (Single) (EMI)
- This track is of the 80s (li’l bit of Eric Carmen, li’l bit of Luther Vandross). Much slower and downbeat than Tensnake’s previous release, Coma Cat. The vocal harmonies and distortions match the synths and beats beautifully and give this song a relaxed vibe. (Katie Green)

Trentemoller: Never Stop Running (Single) (In My Room / I Like The Noise It Makes)
- In My Room. There's a kind of creepy yet beautiful feeling to this song from darkly diverse Euro-producer Trentemoller, I'd expect to find it on the soundtrack to a Tim Burton film. (Katie Green)

Willis Earl Beal: Nobody Knows (Hot Charity / XL / Remote Control)
- The cover looks a lot like Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy’s masterpiece I See A Darkness. Perhaps that’s a clue to Nobody Knows, the second LP from Chicago’s Willis Earl Beal. Here the ambitious blues singer approaches Americana with the panache of Will Oldham or Tom Waits but with a sound that eschews the white-dominated folk cliches in favour of Motown, r&b and gospel influences. The results are personal, minimal, and fiercely original. (Henry Reese)

Windhand: Soma (Relapse)
- Windhand’s Relapse debut ‘Soma’ is an accessible crossover beast that combines doomy, Sleep-like guitar tones with Black Sabbath vocals, a touch of psych soloing, and song structures that sound almost like Soundgarden slowed to a stoned, bone-shattering crawl. The result is grand, theatrical and distinctly American, altogether more ‘human’ than most metal. (Henry Reese)

Wolvserpent: Perigaea Antahkarana (Relapse)
- Idaho duo Wolvserpent’s new album ‘Perigaea Antahkarana’ plays like a journey into the dark forests of Celtic yore. The runic cover art, doomy bottomed-out riffs, static synths, creepy violin and grunted vocals combine with genuinely terrifying effect. These punishingly long songs writhe slowly, recalling the creepy neo-medievalism of Heartswin or the much-maligned Cradle of Filth. (Henry Reese)