The below list is a selection of the best music to go into the 4ZZZ library in the last fortnight. LOTS of stuff at this time of year. If you see something you like, request it: (07) 3252 1555 or reception@4zzz.org.au
Thanks to Katie Green, Chelsea Heaney, Krishan Meepe, Henry Reese, Nick Rodwell, Matthew Stoff & Tori Zietsch for their contributions.

Cheers,

Chris Cobcroft.

Australian Artists:

* Bad//Dreems: Badlands (Mirador)
- Adelaide band that mixes up 60s garage-pop with 90s indie-rock and grunge. You might think that every permutation of these sounds had been exhausted, but this sounds remarkably fresh.

* Ben Mason: Holes and Corners (Indie)
- Psychedelic-tinged mope pop by the vocalist of Melbourne indie band The Smallgoods, recorded in his bedroom and mixed in Portland, USA. Honest, dour confessionals set to relatively cheery pop music. (Matthew Stoff)

* Bloods – Into My Arms (Single)
Sydney’s Bloods offer two more minutes of vitriolic cuteness on new single ‘Into My Arms.’ This short, punchy song epitomises the band’s combination of garage punk and tough, ‘90s girl-group attitude. Hopefully their forthcoming EP will be this dang catchy. (Henry Reese)

* Brass Knuckle Brass Band: Brass Knuckle Brass Band EP (Indie)
- A largely instrumental funk and jazz band out of Canberra in the style of Hot 8 or The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. As you might guess from the name, very heavy on the brass, perhaps a little light on other skills, but when all of that shiny metal gets going they make a helluva noise.

* Brooke Russell And The Mean Reds: Cotton (Single) (Indie)
- Sweet and slow country, with close vocal harmonies and just the right amount of melancholy. Anyone who likes Texas Tea or Laneway will find plenty to like here.

* Clairy Browne & The Bangin' Rackettes: Good Problems / Walk Of Shame (Vanguard)
- Hip shakin', back-beat-slapping, soul filled R'n'B from a bunch of white Australians. Always impressive. (Nick Rodwell)

* Gravy Murphy: Whereabouts Are Your Whereabouts? (Indie)
- This British ex-pat shares something with the Perth producers (other than Ta-Ku) he now rubs shoulders with. It’s in the unselfconscious eclecticism, borrowing from many previous years of electronica and producing something unfussed by current trends. That eclecticism, married to fairly crushing mid-tempo grooves makes Gravy Murphy sound a bit like Meat Beat Manifesto too.

* Horrorshow: King Amongst Many (Elefant Traks)
- I've always had a soft spot for Horrorshow. They flesh out the laidback Australian flow with lush beats and a darker social commentary, a juxtaposition that makes you pay attention. This is a focused and cohesive third effort from the Sydney duo, letting you relax and enjoy the music before hitting you with a dose of reality. (Krishan Meepe)

* Ilias: September Memory (Single) (Indie)
- Ilias is a Sydney-based composer and this is a single from his recently released album Somewhere In Time. A highly eclectic mixture of instrumental sounds: lonesome country licks from a bottleneck guitar; drum-machine; a dreamy, ambient vocalise and prog-rock complexity. An unusual and compelling sound.

* King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard: Head On/Pill (Single) (Dot Dash / Remote Control)
- The music press continuously, incessantly tells us that Tame Impala are important because they have redefined the tired, indulgent, backward-looking genre of psychedelia and shown that music can be genuinely transcendental without staring intently at the ‘60s. This may be true, but with their sprawling, 15-minute epic ‘Head On/Pill,’ the recently signed King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard show that it is very possible to create garage psychedelia that is strongly faithful to its roots while remaining fresh and fun. On ‘Head On/Pill,’ the seven-piece jam their way through very familiar territory: the opening piano notes and sitar shimmer evokes Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Are You Experienced,’ while the eventual, intense speed-up brings to mind some of the best moments of the ever-popular Nuggets compilations. Thankfully it comes across as hypnotic and light rather than exhausting. The guitars are beautifully dirty, more Ron Asheton than Santana, and the song comes across as something altogether bigger and more ambitious than anything the group has accomplished before. (Henry Reese)

* Lo Five: Singularity (Lo Five Music)
- Like an old school funk record with a computer in the band, this is one interesting listen. All the staples that helped develop funk and soul way back when have been given an electronic rehashing here by two Sydney guys who've already spent some time lending their talents to various people and causes. Deep bass lines, funky organ sounds, guitars soaked in cool, it's all here and it's going to make you dance. Add in some programmed drum loops, a few modern synth sounds and a liquid funk approach to the songs and you've basically got the debut album by Lo Five. (Krishan Meepe)

* Mute MC: Mute X Roleo (Big Village)
- Smart, mildly experimental electro hip-hop collaboration from Sydney. Short, punchy tracks and lots of variation make you stand up and take notice. (Matthew Stoff)

* Pikelet: Combo (Single) (Chapter)
- Couple of new tracks from Pikelet. As usual it’s a healthy combination of eye-poppingly experimental and catchily infectious electronic pop. There’s an album coming in August some time. Honestly, if it sounds anything like this I can’t wait.

* Pond: Hobo Rocket (Modular / Universal)
- This statement appears at the bottom of their press release "...the band set out to make a record that captures a portion of rock music's great, decadent history through a personal lens." The portion they refer to is roughly '69 to '79 - The psychedelic, glamorous, indulgent and down-right silly portion. Fuzzy and fun. (Nick Rodwell)

* Scott & Charlene’s Wedding: Any Port In A Storm (Fire)
- Jangle rock stars Scott & Charlene (Craig Dermody &... Craig Dermody), have been getting homesick, trapped in New York, so they thought they’d make some new jams to take their mind off it. Actually being over there seems to have created some waves around this record, which is nice. I’m sure they still have plenty of fans back here too.

* Soda Eaves: Doll (Single) (Why Don’t You Believe Me)
- A refreshing dose of lo-fi done for a reason. This side project from Hot Palms guitarist Jake Core has an unmistakable rawness to it made poignant by the fact that he has something to say. Reminiscent of The Microhphones, both the single and the b-side on this release have a charm that warrants a listen. (Krishan Meepe)

* Suburban Dark: Second Front (Big Village)
- Now here's a change up on the aussie hip hop front. Sydney Duo Suburban Dark craft some dark, heavy, synth driven beats that owe as much to EBM and aggressive electro music as it does to hip hop. Featuring a slew of guest stars, the rapping talent stays at a high level and gives the album a nice variety that wouldn't be achievable through the beats alone. These self proclaimed 'fight beats' are an affront to the feel-good vibe of mainstream Aussie hip hop and this album feels like a solid right hook. It'll remind you of the dark places of hip hop and make you want to act like a suburban teenager from a broken home again. (Krishan Meepe)

* Tattered Kaylor: Sombre Nay Sated (Indie)
- Australian ambient / noise / field recording / sound design type Tessa Elieff produces in these three new tracks, something which is both really quite abstractly fearsome and yet, in its highly cinematic evocation of - most obviously - brooding, stormy, weather and elsewhere things that sound like haunted computers, representative and accessible, to horror film fans at least.

* Thavy Ear: For Your Ears Only (Hydrofunk / MGM)
- Smooth and slinky electro-soul that has a bit in common with the sounds of Funkommunity or Electric Wire Hustle, or Even Fat Freddy’s Drop. Thavy, however, is a Melbourne songstress despite all she shares with soulsters from the land of the long white cloud. Her tasteful and restrained take on the style is subtly infectious.

* The Tiger And Me: Jack Middle Of The Broken Heart (Single) (Four/Four / ABC / Universal)
- ‘Jack Middle Of the Broken Heart’ is a smooth cut from this Melbourne sextet’s forthcoming sophomore full-length. It is a big pop song built around a funky bassline and gritty guitar groove. The song is confident, theatrical and bluesy, featuring a huge chorus and a melody that, in the verses, sounds very similar to Oasis’ ‘Wonderwall.’ This isn’t a bad thing though, as this funky track sounds all the more familiar as a result. (Henry Reese)

* Twincest: Fuckotash! (Indie)
- Calling yourself Twincest just screams commercial success and yet, on this EP, the pair of self-proclaimed Sydney ‘bad bitches’ have a surprisingly accomplished hip hop / r’n’b sound that’d hold it’s own against the likes of Salt n Pepa. Go deeper however and you’ll also hear strong echoes of Santigold & MIA and that ain’t too bad. Mmmm, Twincest!

* Water Graves: Water Graves (Future Past Records)
- As unobtrusive as this ambient pop is, it is still able to retain your interest. With reliable grooves and memorable motifs, its an indie kid's Trill; they be sipping on their lean mixed with peppermint tea. (Nick Rodwell)

* Winterplan: Eyes In The Dark (Single) / Palindroma (Single) / The Theory Of Everything (Single) (Indie)
- Three quiet, dark tunes to get lost in from this young Melbourne trio. This band clearly understands electronica, finding freshness in otherwise nostalgic, 80s sounds. ‘Palindroma’ sounds like a logical combination of New Order and Beach House, while standout ‘Eyes In The Dark’ could even be a Forces song, with its crisp, Bowie-esque vocals and intense house stomp. (Henry Reese)

* Zillanova – ‘Suicide / The Time It Takes’ (Single) (Hope Street)
- This new double-A side from Melbourne’s Zillanova Rhythm Combination is cool. Very cool. Both singles are faithful to the classic Motown/Stax sound, reproducing the classic instrumentation and dry, warm recording techniques. The band is tight and groovy, allowing the impressive vocal performances on the dark ‘Suicide’ and smoother ‘The Time It Takes’ to shine through. (Henry Reese)

Local Artists:

* Avaberee: Running Out (Single) (Indie)
- 80s inspired synthpop single with a modern edge, from an all-girl band in Brisbane. It's pretty good. (Matthew Stoff)

* Big Dead: Eudaimonia (Indie)
- One of the most exciting bands I've heard in Brisbane the past year. Eudaimonia seamlessly fuses elements of jazz with alternative rock. (Chelsea Heaney)

* Cameron Milford: Highway Wind (Storybridge Sounds)
- ‘Highway Wind’ is a ten-track collection of delicate Americana and blues from this Brisbane-based Americanophile. Unusual for the genre, the playing is surprisingly light and open, rather than locking into incessant, raucous clichés. The downside of this delicacy is that Milford sometimes lapses into sentimentality. However, while everyone who records ‘Oh Susannah’ should be shot, no questions asked, it is the only major failure on ‘Highway Wind.’ Otherwise, the album is an impressive exercise in restraint. (Henry Reese)

* Cub Scouts: Paradise (Indie)
- Local Brisbane group Cub Scouts have been all over the place in recent times. After touring Vietnam/Singapore/UK they're back home to promote their new EP 'Paradise'. Yes, it's another indie-pop release to come out of Brisbane, but there is something undeniably special about the Cub Scouts kids. Shuffle (track 03) was a highlight for me. And those vocals, man. So clean. (Tori Zietsch)

* Cured Pink: Body Body 7” (Black Petal)
- Two new tracks. First features a slowly grooving cacophony of percussion that sounds something like the gamelan obsession Tom Waits has been having, but with vocals that sound like the more tortured screams of Iggy Pop. The second track is where everyone ingested a fatal dose of pesticide and they’re doing death spasms all over their instruments; reminded me of Einsturzende Neubauten for some reason. Anyway, blisteringly experimental stuff.

* Geomantra: Caesar (Single) (Indie)
- A slice of intelligent, serious alternative rock from this local trio, who are proud subscribers to 4ZZZ. I am a sucker for the fidgety, 7/8 time signature, on which this dark tune is based. Over the top of this driving rhythm is tacked some solid guitar work, including two proficient solos and even a little nu-metal riffage that would make the Deftones proud. The singer’s voice is also very impressive, on par with Karnivool’s Ian Kenny any day. If you like Audioslave or The Butterfly Effect and are unafraid of a little glum, dark intensity, Geomantra are certainly the band for you. (Henry Reese)

* Pale Earth: Prelude To Debut (Single) (Indie)
- Why call your advance single / standalone 7” something as boring like that when it could be awe-inspiringly dubbed “Prelude To Debut”. In its defence these two tracks just about earn the portentous moniker with their mixture of epic ambient shimmer, clicking, whirring and thudding glitch and vocals that soar off into the high places. The music of the mechanical spheres.

* Shady Bliss: Ocean Screams (Indie)
‘Ocean Screams’ is the polished and accomplished debut EP from local Shady Bliss, a young five-piece who are recent subscribers to this fine station. On show here are five tracks that oscillate between indie-pop and bluesy psych-rock. The playing is tight, especially the guitar work on epic closer ‘Let The Journey Begin.’ Both singers have great voices too, which is especially clear on the boy-girl duet of ‘The Clouds Are Almost Over.’ The result is a successful and tastefully varied EP, and ‘Ocean Screams’ ultimately comes off like a more direct Naked Maja, or a more serious Cloud Control. And that can’t be a bad thing. (Henry Reese)

* Yokai Moth: Menesis (Single)
- Debut single from this bunch of young go-getters. Smooth, high vocals, funky guitar and mid-tempo beats get smothered in fuzzy electro bass. Would fit tastefully into the roster of Future Classic or DFA, for that matter.

New Zealand Artists:

* The Naked & Famous: Hearts Like Ours (Single) (Universal)
To my mind, Auckland’s Naked & Famous outclass Passion Pit at their own glistening, synth-soaked game. The band’s sugary new offering ‘Hearts Like Ours’ retains the stomping ‘80s vibe that is so popular at present, taking it to soaring heights with a crystalline vocal. There is something of Arcade Fire’s glorious ‘Mountains Upon Mountains’ at work here, so they must be doing something right. (Henry Reese)

Overseas Artists:

* The Amazing Snakeheads: Testifying Time (Single) (Domino / EMI)
- This savage, minute-long introduction to Glasgow’s Amazing Snakeheads is great! Their frontman Dale, shrieking, rasping and snarling about ‘Testifying’ compounds the band’s deeply unsettling split-personality: twitching back and forward like a muscle spasm between a rockabilly swing and psychotic punk. This is a bunch of brill-creamed smoothies who’ve suddenly gone violently insane.

* Aurelian: Soundcastles (Lyddian / EPM)
- Four slices of friendly, fidgety electronica from this London-based producer. The smart, jazzy worlds created in ‘Soundcastles’ are as serpentine as a fairytale forest and melodic in a way that brings to mind late ‘90s video game OSTs, with splashes of 8-bit thrown in to taste. ‘Soundcastles’ is only slightly cheesy, pulled off with a lightness that should appeal to fans of Mum, Tortoise or Battles. (Henry Reese)

* Baroness: Live At Maida Vale - BBC (Relapse)
- 4 songs from the Yellow & Green album recorded live in the UK. A significant improvement over the studio version, returning some of the gutsy sludge the band used to be renowned for. If you like prog, stoner and sludge and miss Baroness the metal band then this might remind you fondly of louder times.

* The Breeders: LSXX (4AD / Remote Control)
- 20th anniversary re-release of 1993's Last Splash by Kim Deal's band, The Breeders, just in time for their upcoming Australian tour. Features 2 cds packed with b-sides, demo tracks, and live material. (Matthew Stoff)

* Deap Vally: Lies (Single) (Universal)
- A fuzzed out, direct track from the LA garage duo, putting Lindsey Troy’s powerful, throaty vocals front and centre in what proves to be an effective and moving attack. Comparisons to Alabama Shakes will inevitably abound, but Deap Vally are in fact a slicker, heavier beast, their stone-cold riffage more closely resembling early Black Keys or DZ Deathrays and likely appealing to fans of the same. The late spoken word section also comes across as a surprisingly faithful Jack White impression. When balls-out rock ‘n’ roll is done well — as it is here — it can be utterly thrilling. Thankfully Deep Vally achieve just that. (Henry Reese)

* The Dillinger Escape Plan: One Of Us Is The Killer (PartySmasher / Remote Control)
- This is the title track off the album released in May. If you haven't heard it, you should. These guys are unflinching on stage and in the studio. Clever, brutal and forthright in their creativity. (Nick Rodwell)

* Disclosure: F For You (TEED Remix) (Single) (Polydor / Universal)
- DJ/Producer TEED (Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs) has dug his clever fingers into this track and totally made it better. Withholding the vocal hook for extended periods and adding a thumping bass groove allow this remix to build and drop with greater effect. Utilizing his electro-dance sensibilities with deftness. (Nick Rodwell)

* Dutch Uncles: Out Of Touch In The Wild / Flexxin’ (Single) (Breakaway / Memphis Industries)
Has ‘math-pop’ entered the musical lexicon? If not, Manchester’s Dutch Uncles make a strong case for the incorporation of more math-rock elements into the indie-pop format. Sunny new single ‘Flexxin’ is both smart and accessible, like Alt-J jamming with Prince. What Dutch Uncles lack in substance they more than make up for with catchiness and ice-cold tightness. If you ignore the infuriating name, there is much to be impressed by in this Manchester indie-math-pop band’s third long-player. The playing is impeccable, the noodly guitar work outshining Foals and almost approaching This Town Needs Guns. Their incorporation of funk and world influences is also tasteful in a late-70s Talking Heads way. On the downside, like the equally cold Hundred Waters, ‘Out Of Touch In The Wild’ is too glossy and elite, consequently lacking any real edge. (Henry Reese)

* Fuck Buttons: Slow Focus (ATP)
- The Buttons are back and still bringing the same level of intensity. EDM that’s weighed down with ten minute ambient soundscapes, industrial beats and heavily distorted guitars. Takes the bacchanalian imperative of all dance music and stretches it to an extreme. There wasn’t anyone like FB in dance music and there still isn’t.

* Gogol Bordello: Pura Vida Conspiracy (Columbia / Sony)
- Gogol Bordello continue to prove themselves one of the most enduring and marketable marriages of punk rock and Balkan (or Hungarian in this case, I think?) gypsy music. The basic formula is kind of a no-brainer: both being so energetically out of control, not to mention both being so morally suspect. There’s also the shared fascination with ska that often makes GB sound a bit like the Clash where Joe Strummer was too f***ed up to come on stage and has been replaced by some wild-eyed, Eastern European loon. Most importantly the band continue to capture that all important feeling of liveness, without which Gypsy music just dies. Not Gogol Bordello, they’re just as vibrant as ever.

* Grey Reverend: A Hero's Lie (Ninja Tune / Inertia)
- Lovely album: simple acoustic guitar coupled with soothing vocals and emotive lyrics. Not unlike many other male singer-songwriters but quite beautiful just the same. (Katie Green)

* Haim: Falling (Single) (Universal)
- ‘Falling’ is a dramatic single from the acclaimed West Coast band, who will be gracing Splendour In The Grass with their presence this year. Unlike previous, rockier efforts, this song is unashamedly danceable, featuring gated ‘80s drums and vocalist Este Haim’s familiar motivational, Stevie Nicks-style yelps, which fit the band’s apparent new R&B imprint surprisingly well. (Henry Reese)

* Hunx And His Punx: Street Punk (Hardly Art)
- Still standing out in the overcrowded garage genre. Satirical punks Hunx & his, er... punks continue to look like they crawled out of some unknown John Waters movie and sound like they frickin’ mean it.

* Jackson And His Computer Band: Arp #1 (Single) (Warp / Inertia)
- An interesting and at times thrilling single from this Parisian IDM artist’s forthcoming album ‘Glow’. Arp #1 starts slowly with a filtered beat and a little quasi-industrial skronk, before erupting into a fully-fledged electro banger that covers all the familiar bases of the familiar French house genre. A bubbling bassline suffuses the chorus of this repetitive, loop-driven track, which displays an impressive variation throughout. During a very long, slow build-up in the middle, things get funky before exploding out once more into the irresistible bass hook. In short, the hypnotic ‘Arp #1’ remains interesting all the way through, featuring synths just industrial and metallic enough to prick up the listener’s ears. (Henry Reese)

* Jackson Scott: Melbourne (Fat Possum / Popfrenzy)
- Lo-fi, ambient psychedelia from an artist in Asheville, North Carolina. Sounds of shoegaze, britpop, The Beatles, and The Pixies, set adrift amongst experimental soundscapes.

* James Blake: To The Last (Single) (Universal)
- Possibly the quietest, moodiest moment on a sophomore album packed with quiet, moody songs, James Blake’s ‘To The Last’ is a curious choice of single. While there are far more exciting cuts on ‘Overgrown,’ ‘To The Last’ is possibly unrivalled for its raw emotion. With its empty, bassy verses and chord-driven, comparatively grand chorus, it sounds a little like a downbeat cousin to ‘Retrograde,’ reined in musically yet totally unrestrained emotionally. Unlike ‘Retrograde,’ however, ‘To The Last’ never peaks, just fading away as spookily as it arrives. (Henry Reese)

* Julia Holter: In The Green Wild (Domino / EMI)
- From what I know of Julia Holter’s highly experimental past this single is not likely to be highly representative of her upcoming album. The sweet, quiet, pop hooks still conceal some deeply unexpected sounds. The extremely rhythmic, acoustic bass and spoken word delivery makes it sound - as unlikely as it may seem - quite a lot like Primus. Then suddenly everything dissolves into lush, ambient pop that fans of St. Vincent or, indeed, Julia Holter’s back-catalogue will find quite beautiful. I’m really looking forward to the album.

* King Krule: Easy Easy (Single) (XL / Remote Control)
- This stands out as an urban howl. Stripped and evocative, street savvy and catchy. I'll tag it as New Wave. A tasty first offering off the forthcoming album. (Nick Rodwell)

* Matthew E. White: Big Love (Hot Chip Remix) (Single) (Domino / Universal)
- Everyone’s favourite vaguely annoying London dance group have had a crack at reworking ‘Big Love,’ a cut from the Virginia-based indie rock producer’s recent LP ‘Big Inner.’ The results are interesting, and I commend Hot Chip on tackling such an unusual genre for a remix. The remix emphasises the danceability in otherwise straightforward rock ‘n’ roll in a way that draws to mind similar experiments by Fatboy Slim and Primal Scream in the 1990s. As such, while the instrumentation is not reworked in any particularly ‘electronic’ way, the seven-minute ‘Big Love’ feels like a gawky, unexpectedly smooth dance track. The dry beat is a highlight, backflipping away in the left channel in a hypnotic away and never quite landing. (Henry Reese)

* Pearl Jam: Mind Your Manners (Universal)
- Hard rockin' first single of the next album Lightning Bolt. For fans, it'll be revered as a return to form but I fear that it'll confuse the kids: drawn in by the how rockin' it is, then deterred when they listen in to find Eddie telling them to mind their manners. Lets hope they listen very closely. (Nick Rodwell)

* Quasi: You Can Stay But You Got To Go (Single) (Domino / EMI)
- Almost impossibly crunchy guitar riff for this classic, 90s indie-rock / alt-pop anthem by the (Sleater Kinney / Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks / Elliott Smith alumni) supergroup.

* Raffertie: The Sleep Of Reason (Ninja Tune / Inertia)
- English producer Benjamin Stefanski, aka Raffertie, lays down his first full-length. It’s well different from his last EP. Where that ranged widely between techno, house, ambient and bass music, smudging them mercilessly into a highly imaginative collage of dance sounds, the latter takes only the EP’s end point as its inspiration. That track, Courage Boy, possessed a quiet electro-soul sound evocative of James Blake and married it to strange, indistinct bass noise, electro-funk and other dancey beats. This whole album then something like the lovechild of Blake and Prince, which is occasionally extremely creepy, but often really damn slick.

* Riva Starr: Hand In Hand (Snatch / One Love / Universal)
- The first thing to say about this second full-length from lauded Italian producer Riva Starr is that it is hard to pin down. There is a lot happening here on the fifteen tracks of ‘Hand In Hand,’ from the ‘90s breakbeat pop of opener ‘Kill Me,’ to the dark, orchestral groove of ‘Absence,’ to the reggae-meets-Italian pop of ‘No Man’s Land.’ There is even a Santana-like guitar solo that starts off ‘Columbine Sept Heures’! Needless to say, a lot of styles and bases are covered in a way that miraculously doesn’t just feel like a series of opportunistic grabs; Starr’s skill, as such, lies in knitting together these disparate influences into a cohesive whole. Much like recent bass music prodigies Disclosure, Riva Starr unifies the albums by focusing unashamedly on catchiness and danceability. Each song pulses with energy and puts the vocals at the forefront. Like Danger Mouse’s recent collaboration with Italian composer Daniele Luppi, ‘Hand In Hand’ works because of the zany imagination that is at work behind proceedings, combined with the talent to make it work in the real world. People expecting more solid dance music may find this album annoying or unfocused, but for me it is this very eclecticism that makes ‘Hand In Hand’ succeed. (Henry Reese)

* Villagers: Earthly Pleasure (Single) (Domino / EMI)
- New single from the second album by the Irish indie-folk-rock band. Tricked out to the nines with string section, tuned percussion etc. A hectic, surrealist ballad following the unlikely journey of a soul visited ever and again by that most ungovernable and morally unsound force, earthly pleasure. The songwriting is taut, keeping everything at a tense, fever pitch, from beginning to end.

* Volto!: Incitaire (Fantasy / Concord)
- They say that when you don’t understand something, that’s a good sign. Enter LA prog supergroup Volto!, whose tight new album Incitaire is a fascinating but unsettling combination of Metheny-esque jazz fusion, breathtaking musicianship and — yep — metal riffage. Thankfully the record is light-hearted, aware of its own ridiculousness. Incitaire sounds like American Jazz Magazine’s pick of 1987. In a good way. (Henry Reese)

* The Weeknd: Belong To The World (Single) (Republic / Univeral)
- A dramatic, five-minute cut from this celebrated Toronto ‘indie R&B’ artist’s forthcoming second album. The song is based around a sample of the beat from Portishead’s thrillingly industrial ‘Machine Gun,’ a welcome grab I have wanted to hear in pop music for a long time. This ever-present beat writhes underneath the slow-burning dance track, whose swooping chorus, cooing vocal pyrotechnics and emotive layers of synths recall the much-maligned radio pop of the early naughties, albeit conveyed in a more vulnerable, ambitious and downright interesting way. If Michael Jackson grew up in the ‘90s, perhaps he’d sound a little like this. Fans of Frank Ocean and Drake will also find much to love here. (Henry Reese)

* William Basinski: Nocturnes (2062)
- Just two, stupendously long (forty & thirty minute) tracks. It’s worth it though: this is quiet and beautiful ambient, created from solo piano, stretched into diaphanously thin soundscapes that will hypnotise even the casual listener.

* Weekend: Jinx (Slumberland)
- This San Franciscan trio do another nice turn on the shoegaze formula, cutting the fuzz with not only post-punk but 80s alt-pop. For some reason I was thinking of The Bats and sure, if they were a shoegaze band they’d sound a lot like this. Win.