Another load of good stuff to hit the 4ZZZ library, below. The great thing about getting so much music at this time of year is that there's always a much higher proportion of really cool things. If you'd like to request any of these please mail:

requests@4zzz.org.au

...or call 07 3252 1555

Warm regards,

Chris Cobcroft.

Notable Additions To The Library 20130801-20130812

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

Australian Artists:

Various Artists: Marshmallow Pavement; Volume One (A&R)
- A tasteful compilation of up and coming indie groups around the country. Everyone here has a polished indie rock or pop sound, a decent song and some good company. (Krishan Meepe)

Various Artists: Made Of Wood And Wire: A Compilation For The Lifted Brow (Wood And Wire)
- 19 diverse, original tracks from New Weird offshoot Wood And Wire, compiled in May to showcase a track from each release from the boutique experimental label up to this June. While not always enjoyable, ‘Made Of Wood And Wire’ is always intriguing, variously beautiful and sinister. (Henry Reese)

Andras Fox: Erskine Falls (Home Loan)
- One half of dream pop-xotic duo Fox + Sui, Andras Fox is a fan of a different time. The dreamy, sparse tracks are constructed almost entirely from recycled stock sounds that have been used a thousand times, giving a certain nostalgic quality to the whole EP. In the same vein as Macintosh Plus' Floral Shoppe, Erskine Falls takes old sounds and 'found sounds' and puts them together to create an atmosphere that takes you back to a time where high end didn't exist and all your problems could wait til you figured out how to use a computer. (Krishan Meepe)

Audego: Sleepy (Single) (Indie / MGM)
- A shuffling, claustrophobic single that laments the restlessness of insomnia while slipping in and out of delicious patches of dreamlike sweetness. The dry trip-hop vocals are almost buried in the twisting synths of the chorus while the verses rely more on fidgety Animal Collective-like percussion. I couldn’t think of a more fitting aural backing to the theme of sleeplessness. (Henry Reese)

Bastian’s Happy Flight: Heart/Works (Indie)
- The Neverending Story is clearly not the only glory of the 80s that these nostalgically inclined fellows are into. Their soulful synth-pop-rock will, at some point, channel just about any 80s pop sensation you care to mention. Hall & Oates, Wham!, Prince, Luther Vandross, Flock Of Seagulls, etc., etc., you can all eat your hearts out. The great thing about this encyclopedic trip down memory lane is that it sounds really good. (Chris Cobcroft)

Born Lion: D For Danger (Single) (Indie)
- ‘D For Danger’ is a thrilling new single from these snotty young Sydney brats. A raw-throated, melodramatic punk rocker that comes off like a less tasteful version of the Hives. Needless to say, this song packs a huge punch that compares favourably to the infamous Iceage. The singer’s voice also recalls the yelps of Fugazi’s Guy Picciotto, which can’t be a bad thing. (Henry Reese)

Brother Speed: Let Me Be (Single) (Indie)
- Although it's a bit slow to start, Let Me Be develops into a full blown space rock showcase. Pop sensibilities at the forefront, only the choruses take off into experimentation and electric guitar territory, creating an extreme dynamic shift between verse and chorus. (Krishan Meepe)

The Cactus Channel: Wooden Boy (Hope Street / Mistletone)
- The youngest bunch of go-getters in the funk revival are back with a second full-length. The chops are significantly tighter this time round. They seem to have gone easy on the solos and they were probably the weakest element of their debut, so that’s good. This is solid, evocative, deep instrumental funk and soul that channels the Stax sound in a very acceptable manner. (Chris Cobcroft)

Cloud Control: Dream Cave (Ivy League / Mushroom)
- After making a mark with their first album, Cloud Control return to the scene three years later their sophmore effort. The albums title paints the perfect image for what the album sounds like, a little less sweet, a little more explorative, and surrounded by a ethereal haziness. The band are playing with more harmonies and vocal effects, textural sections and a bit more of a rock edge here, making it sound like they're looking for something here and have created a 'Dream Cave' to try and find it. (Krishan Meepe)

Cuntz: Aloha (Homeless)
- Melbourne’s delightful lo-fi punks, Cuntz, shot us another copy of their full-length, Aloha, ahead of a vinyl release in August. Rough as guts songs about bongs, dead-end-jobs and life at the sharp end. Hoorah. (Chris Cobcroft)

Dan Webb: Sandstorm (Single) (Misdemeanour)
- A smooth new single from this Melbourne-based keyboardist, ‘Sandstorm’ feels retro and carnivalesque predominantly because of its warm, grainy Farfisa organ sounds. Webb’s dry voice and the keyboard-based format brings to mind the tight pop of Andy Bull, forcing a breath of fresh air into the tired lungs of Australian indie-pop. (Henry Reese)

The Delta Riggs: America (Single) (Rah Rah Radio)
- A high-octane garage-rock tune that directly tackles that well-trodden Antipodean subject: our endless obsession with the States. Depending on how you look at it, the meaning is either cheapened or all the more relevant given that the Melbourne five-piece themselves owe so much to the musical lineage of that crucible of extremes. Either way, ‘America’ is super catchy. Highlights include the Manzarek-style Hammond parps and the Jack White swagger of the vocalist. (Henry Reese)

DJ Semper-Fi: The Shock Doctrine (Single) (Indie)
- One of the things which eventually drove drum’n’bass into the grave was how intensely stupid it became. It’s great to hear some of the thought-provoking rhythms that once made jungle such an interesting place to be. Canadian ex-pat Semper-Fi infuses dub-reggae echoes, middle-eastern melodies and a spoken word political manifesto into what is still cold and clinical tech-step. Music to be a serious young person and occupy somewhere to. (Chris Cobcroft)

Fatti Frances: Sweaty (Wood And Wire)
- Originally released in June, ‘Sweaty’ is the third release from Melbourne’s mistress of indie r’n’b. ‘Sweaty’ continues in the grain of previous releases, emphasising a quiet, coy sexuality not unlike Portishead’s Beth Gibbons. The backing would be as delicate and cheeky as Bjork’s ‘Vespertine’ if it weren’t so industrial. Imagine Standish/Carlyon played underwater in a bath. (Henry Reese)

Freetown Hustle: Be Happy Ft. Florence Lang (Single) (Indie)
- Bright, uncluttered, simple and featuring the melodious Florence Lang. It’s the carefully crafted simplicity of this which really makes it work, a perfect piece of pop reggae. (Chris Cobcroft)

Gareth Psaltis: Voriulk (Hunter Gatherer)
- A bracing six-track EP of postmodern, vaguely industrial techno music. This Sydney-based producer manages to evoke darkness with a sensitive touch, allowing ‘Voriulk’ to pulse along with a coiled tension that never quite releases. An impressive debut that demonstrates a masterful understanding of the hypnotic potential within electronic music. (Henry Reese)

Gin Rickeys: Already Gone (Single) (Indie)
- The drummer from Battleships and an LA producer have teamed up to make synth-pop which croons softly and is pleasant enough, but is uplifted by soaring, Vangelis style, 80’s synthesisers. (Chris Cobcroft)

Haarlo: Dreamlands (Indie)
- A trans-Tasman team-up between a kiwi soul diva and Melbourne producer, leading to a downbeat and restrained neo-soul quite a lot like fellow Melburnians Thavy Ear, or like Kiwi avant-soul types Electric Wire Hustle or Funkommunity. Quietly stylish. (Chris Cobcroft)

Heartswin: Tammuz (Wood And Wire)
- ‘Tammuz’ is a single 22-minute track from Sydney-based artist Sar Friedman, released under the Heartswin moniker. It is glacial and magnificent, oscillating between heavy, doom-filled landslides of electronic drones and tender, almost baroque lashings of harp, harmonium and baritone guitar. Friedman’s eerie voice recalls Grace Slick, or even the creepily mediaeval Prudence Rees-Lee. What emerges is a sensitive programmatic piece that conjures both wonder and dread. (Henry Reese)

Jimblah: March (Single) (Elefant Traks)
- Super catchy chorus and backing beats that get you grooving and moving intermingled with raps that deliver a serious, political messages of anti racism and acceptance. (Katie Green)

King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard: 30 Past 7 (Single) (Flightless / Dot Dash / Remote Control)
- Another track from the spaghetti Western audiobook-slinging psych legends’ forthcoming LP. Much like monumental advance single ‘Head On/Pill,’ ’30 Past 7’ features jangling sitars and deliciously muddy production. Unfortunately, with its slow-mo drum fills, nasal vocals and melodic bass, this song sounds more like Tame Impala than anything the band have done before, which is a bit of a cop-out. Thankfully King Gizzard have the chops to outride such comparisons. (Henry Reese)

Lazy Eye: Move Me (Indie)
- It’s funny how selectively the sounds of the past are revived. Hendrix would’ve been right at home with Adelaide trio Lazy Eye’s long-form, soulful, psychedelic blues and yet there’s nothing out there right now that sounds quite like this. I guess that makes Lazy Eye all the better. (Chris Cobcroft)

Maids: Maids (Indie)
- 4 piece out of Newcastle, NSW, deliver an interesting 3 track EP. Interesting for the potential they display. It has the same quirky heaviness as Mclusky/Future Of The Left and the moodiness of Interpol. They're keeping their cards close to their chest , though, with only 3 tracks to listen to. (Nick Rodwell)

Major Napier: Please Stay (Indie)
- Taking the arty fascination with r’n’b to an experimental extreme. If The Weeknd had kept going in the same direction he started, he might sound like this. Major Napier takes all of the cheesy tropes of top 40 r’n’b and turns them into something melancholy but savagely pounding, ethereal but nightmarishly intense. With all the auto-tune and torrid relationship angst this could have been lifted from the soul-searching back corridors of Kanye’s last couple of albums too. In the same way as ‘yay, this is deeply self-indulgent, but also amazing. (Chris Cobcroft)

Major Tom And The Atoms: Confusion (Single) (Remedy)
- Appropriately, this sounds a bit more like Tom Jones than I remember them being before. Still groovy and infectious, highly-polished soul-pop-rock. (Chris Cobcroft)

The Orbweavers: Ceiling Rose (Single) (Mistletone)
- Melbourne’s great goth-folkers offer up two new tracks. As finely produced as anything they’ve ever done, but distinctly less corpse-like in their pallor, these numbers trade away some of the devastating qualities of Loom for something that approaches a 60’s girl-group sound, channelled through the quietest folk music. Can’t wait to hear what the whole record will sound like. (Chris Cobcroft)

Passerine: Ready To Begin (Nick Lynar Remix) (Single) (Indie)
- A sprawling, autotuned remix that trims the dubby original to the bone, focusing only on the barest elements of Passerine’s recent single: soulful vocals and big beat. This slick mix recalls Disclosure and, to my mind, holds its own against those earworm-inducing, vocal-messing exemplars. (Henry Reese)

PNLT: PNLT (Indie)
- Dance-pop out of Sydney that immediately recall Daft Punk’s Da Funk, but as with the Parisian dance-culture nerds, there’s a lot more going on in there with nods to things like idm, ebm, electro-funk and disco. A deeply knowledgeable and accomplished debut that - most importantly - is groovy as hell. (Chris Cobcroft)

Red Sand Culture: Red Sand Culture Volume 2 (Incite Youth Arts / WYDAC)
- Red Sand Culture is a compilation CD showcasing the Warlpiri youth from the desert of Central Australia. With predominately electronic beats, created by a small group of producers, the youth represent (using both english and their local dialect) with positive and unified messages about their family and culture. (Nick Rodwell)

Sally Street: Don't Pick Me Up (Single) (Ozdownunder)
- Sydney artist Sally Street seems to be channeling Pulp in her latest release: a lush, string-heavy piano ballad, that wouldn't sound out of place on 1995's Different Class. (Matthew Stoff)

Slow Dancer: Leave It To Me (Single) (Indie)
- Slow Dancer is the vehicle for Simon Okely to deliver his beautifully crafted and expertly dynamic, soft-rocking, singing and songwriting. Polished and mature, the vocals on this are smooth yet powerful, you'll give this a second listen just because it's so stylish. (Krishan Meepe)

Soda Eaves: Like Drapes Either Side (Why Don’t You Believe Me?)
- A solo EP / album from Hot Palms’ guitarist Jake Core offering aimlessly drifting lo-fi folk rock. There are ambient and experimental touches and moments of gristly rocking that recall Guided By Voices. So much more atmospheric than the brand of ‘dreaminess’ that is offered up by most bands at the moment. A thing of nuance and beauty. (Chris Cobcroft).

The Stabs: Dead Wood / Dirt (Homeless Records Reissues)
- Homeless Records, proud label of Sewers, Cuntz, et al, has recently reissued two respected records by the Stabs, on vinyl only. I’m very glad they did, as the Stabs represent a crucial stylistic bridge in Australian rock, between the swampy punk of classic acts such as Venom P. Stinger and The Scientists, and the less effected but no less intense squall of such noughties bands as Witch Hats and Bone. As such, The Stabs sound both classic and contemporary, and as brutal and unhinged as ever. (Henry Reese)

The Stillsons: Never Go Your Way (Mountain King / Fuse)
- Versatile country kids The Stillsons take a melancholy mood and run with it for a whole record of smooth, soft-pop-rocking crooners full of sweetly doulful steel guitar. Never boring, never cheaply pop, just good, solid, country music making. (Chris Cobcroft)

Taberah: Necromancer (Dust On The Tracks)
- Tassie power-metallers Taberah are bloody good. Every single member of this band captures the personal virtuosity required to make you really want to invest in their elaborate fantasy mythos. Personal notes: every track is titled something like ‘Warlord’ or ‘Hammer of Hades’, except for the pretty little acoustic instrumental ‘One Goonbag Later’. Also, Taberah backwards is Harebat. So. F***ing. Metal. (Chris Cobcroft)

Textile Audio: The Pomegranate Cycle (Wood And Wire)
- It’s still possible to be utterly baffled by music. Blue Mountains-based opera singer Textile Audio achieves just that on her 2013 album ‘The Pomegranate Cycle,’ a concept album that blends opera with delicate ambience, tacked around the sinister themes of sexuality and rape. This unsettling album is operatic but in no way twee; hopefully it will scare away all those Joanna Newsom fans. (Henry Reese)

Tigertown: Wandering Eyes (Indie / MGM)
- Aaaugh! Every time I think that indie-pop has become so incontrovertibly, creatively bankrupt that I can just hate all of it, some smiley bunch of kids comes along and ruins my hate-in. Tigertown are pretty much everything that is wrong with indie-pop: verses filed down to a nub to make way for endless, catchy choruses; subject matter that has the emotional consistency of a twinkie; oh, and the woah-oh-ohs going on forever. There’s connections to classic pop song-writing - however - the likes of Giorgio Moroder, Tears For Fears or Phil Collins that take this relentless shallowness and lift it towards greatness. Along with the brilliant production they make Tigertown a band that is - frustratingly - difficult to ignore. (Chris Cobcroft)

Tsun: Marmalade (Single) (Indie)
- Great lo-fi blend of soul, blues and psychedelica. Tsun has taken the (ever so popular) psychedelic sound and added a deeper layer, creating more of a genuine 60's feel. Loving the organ. (Ruby-Jean McCabe)

Tumbleweed: Mountain (Single) (Shock)
- The years may roll on, but another chunk of psych-stoner goodness from the ‘weed is always welcome. (Chris Cobcroft)

Urtekk: Urtekk (Pilot)
- Something like the bastard child of Tangerine Dream and Funkadelic, this Adelaide instrumental outfit lays down thickly textured grooves, percussion, guitar and electronics all contributing to the driving rhythm. Proggy enough to do your head in and funky enough that you won’t care. (Chris Cobcroft)

Weakling: Whiskey & Bone (Ender)
- The idea of splicing together Ennio Morricone & Ry Cooder country soundtracks with trap seems fraught with danger (from lawsuits if nothing else). Some folks may find the meeting just too jarring, but if you get past the culture clash, Weakling is a producer who might just have the nous (and certainly the guts), to pull this off. (Chris Cobcroft)

Local Artists:

Adam Cadell: Til It All Melts Away (Wood And Wire)
- Brisbane violinist Adam Cadell recently moved to Ghana, where he recorded the majority of “‘Til It All Melts Away” on a handheld recorder. This original album straddles experimental music, ‘world’ styles and ethnographic field recordings, its four pieces referencing both traditional melodies and avant-garde noise. There is a little of Warren Ellis and John Cale in Cadell’s approach, and a lot of the wide-eyed, plundering joy of Jeff Mangum’s ‘Orange Twin Field Works.’ Pretty radical, all in all. (Henry Reese)

Astrid & The Asteroids: Autopsy (Single) (Sugarrush)
- Astrid & The Asteroids have been making waves across the local scenes for the past twelve months and the latest single shows why. Undeniable groove, expert songwriting abilities and an incredible vocal talent come together to create songs that won't let you stay seated. (Krishan Meepe)

Barbiturates: Look What The Internet Did To Us (Single) (Lost Race)
- Murky, lazily floating psych-jangle rock that threatens to carry you away with it. The constantly mutating B-bits are never less than a good listen. Where’s the dang album!! (Chris Cobcroft)

Belltalk: Lights (Footstomp)
- It’s always exciting to listen to local music, and this newbie from Brisbane-based Belltalk is pretty lovely. They’re calling it ‘Alternative Pop’, but there’s a certain indie-rock darkness that fans of a band like Cameras would recognise, that lingers over the entire EP and I quite enjoy it. (Tori Zietsch)

Bremen Town Musician: Echo Dust Is All That’s Left Of Us (Indie)
- String playing experimentalist Marisa Allen, aka Bremen Town Musician, returns to sound again like a feminine and possibly even more messed up version of John Cale. Slow, amorphous songs stumble along over which Allen cries out portents of doom. For fans of the end times. (Chris Cobcroft)

The Descenters: Transcendence (Indie)
- Gothy, punk / post-punk, lo-fi. Propulsive and intense, like someone bailing you up in public and talking at you loudly and persistently, holding your arm and not letting you escape, while you struggle to work out what’s going on and notice flecks of spittle start to accumulate on your shirt. There’s also reasonably pleasant new wave synth pop mixed in too. That would make it all a bit like Xiu Xiu, I suppose. Well, good. (Chris Cobcroft)

Dubmarine: Laser Sound Beam (Sugar Rush / Vitamin)
- Dubmarine have progressed from just another West End dub-reggae collective to a point where, well, that sort of thing doesn’t even really exist any more, I suppose. Dubmarine are still going strong though. Their unusual concoction of synth-pop, dub-reggae, dancehall, hip hop and horns still has echoes of its West End roots, but, with that expert production also rubs up against the sound of Major Lazer. It’s about as ‘authentic’ as that, too, but who care when it makes you move? (Chris Cobcroft)

Ella Fence: Ella Fence (Indie)
- Five personal, jazzy acoustic tracks are on show here on recent Gold Coast Conservatorium graduate Ella Fence’s debut EP. Fence’s voice compares favourably to the great Laura Marling, while her dense harmonies betray a professional musical training and a thorough knowledge of the big names in pop music. Overall, this is an impressive debut from a talented young performer. (Henry Reese)

Fox N Firkin: To Hell And Back (Indie)
- Brisbane Celtic punk band. Despite the mandolin and tin-whistle their sound often seems to veer away from the likes of the Murphys and the Mollies and into muscular alt-rock or some kind of post-hardcore. You’ll also hear Celtic ska in there not to mention some of the mandolin riffs sound distinctly more Eastern European than Celtic. These stylistic uncertainties notwithstanding or perhaps because of them, FnF are a rough and ragged breath of fresh air. (Chris Cobcroft)

Hammer Persuasion: Necropsy Of The Human Mind (Indie)
- A tight combo of a surprising variety of sounds. Classic heavy metal is given proggy touches and brutalised with gravelly death metal vox. Maybe I’m out of the loop but it’s the first time I’ve ever heard death metal wo-oh-ohs, so there’s even something for the bros. (Chris Cobcroft)

Karl S. Williams: Chief Running Water Sings The Blues (Single) (Indie)
- Acoustic guitar, mouth and hammond organs and Williams’ slightly leathery and big ‘ol voice make for archetypal blues, done well. (Chris Cobcroft)

Little Scout: Are You Life (Indie / MGM)
- I can't draw comparisons as this album has a fresh sound. With dirty parts in a shimmering space, tailoring both dissonance and consonance to the dynamic shifts and ultimately, good songwriting, It is measured, restrained and tasteful. A promising Brisbane release. (Nick Rodwell)

Rainbow Chan: Long Vacation (Silo Arts)
- I love Rainbow Chan. Listening to her music could be comparable to being drowned in fairy floss whilst stuck at the top of a Ferris wheel. Though at times mildly overwhelming, her sound is a completely unique experience (I’ve always loved heights). Eclectic combinations of sound infiltrate the Long Vacation EP and create an eccentric but lovable mix of pop and electronica. (Tori Zietsch)

Rose Wintergreen: Feet In The Sand (Indie)
- Hey this is alright. Slow and wistful synth-pop that is very tastefully arranged. Wintergreen’s voice is slung slightly lower than much of the current crop of indie-chanteuses which helps give the whole package an Annie Lennox feel. (Chris Cobcroft)

Sewers: Hoisted (Indie)
- ‘Hoisted’ is the debut long-player from this obnoxious but surprisingly tight local quartet. While many of these thrilling slabs of gristly swamp-punk appeared on a previous mixtape, ‘Hoisted’ is longer, meaner, filthier and altogether more satisfying. Oh, and they’re great live too. (Henry Reese)

Stress Waves: Lost Lustre (Wood And Wire)
- Released in June, ‘Lost Lustre’ is a dreamily beautiful offering from this Brisbane trio. Hollow Cabaret Voltaire vocals, warm syrupy Tangerine Dream-esque synths and dry, metronomic ‘80s drums combine on this nostalgic record, which sounds like a less heavy Multiple Man, an electronic Naked Maja or a less jazzy TRJAEU. A chilled release for ‘90s Warp fans. (Henry Reese)

Tyler Touché: Technicolour Symphony (Create/Control)
- Sometimes I don’t know how to feel about Tyler Touché. His highly cheesy brand of disco / nu-disco has it all, right down to the handclaps. Perhaps that tiny, poisonous part of me that belongs beside a pyre of burning vinyl on Disco Demolition Night reacts badly to this...but f*** it, this is actually great, something which could stand next to The Scissor Sisters or anything on Kitsuné. Really well done. (Chris Cobcroft)

The Vernons: Standing in Line (Single) (Indie)
- These Gold Coast boys deliver strong bluesy rock with smooth vocals. Their sound is a little familiar and could be described as the musical little brother to Sydney rock outfit The Rubens. (Katie Green)

Overseas Artists:

Various Artists: Shapes: Circles Compiled By Robert Luis (Tru Thoughts)
- Another great compilation from funky and diverse UK label Tru Thoughts, including rappers like Ty and Rodney P, soulful divas like Alice Russell, funky world influences from folks like Quantic and Menagerie and plain, blistering funk by the likes of Hot 8 Brass Band and Australia’s own Bamboos. The chances of you not finding something to like in here are so minimal as to be negligible. (Chris Cobcroft)

Ben Pearce: What I Might Do (Single) (Etcetc)
- An irresistibly catchy, sinister slice of deep house from this Manchester-based producer. The drawled, soulful vocals offset the pumping, glacial backing in a way that works surprisingly well. ‘What I Might Do’ is backed with a slower, deeper remix that is less dark but equally impressive. (Henry Reese)

Crocodiles: Cockroach (Single) (Fat Possum / Shock)
- Garage, psych-pop from the San Diegans, for some reason it reminds me of Odelay era Beck; that can hardly be a bad thing. (Chris Cobcroft)

Emiliana Torrini: Speed Of Dark (Single) (Rough Trade / Remote Control)
- After the rollicking Jungle Drum single, Emiliana Torrini is back with the first single of her forthcoming album (Due in September). Speed Of Dark has a considerably stark mood, both lyrically and musically; she's combing the cosmos for answers with sweeping pads and a focused groove in this electro-pop ditty. (Nick Rodwell)

Gerald Clayton: Life Forum (Concord Jazz / UMA)
- Twelve cuts of smooth, intelligent jazz from this New York-based pianist. ‘Life Forum’ will appeal to fans both of the gentler moments of ‘60s modal jazz (ie Herbie Hancock’s ‘Maiden Voyage’) and the delicate ambition of ‘80s fusion from Pat Metheny to Jan Garbarek. There is a touch of Keith Jarrett about Clayton himself, whose playing strikes that rare balance between emotion and technique. (Henry Reese)

James Iha: Look To The Sky (The End / Inertia)
- This is a better Smashing Pumpkins album than anything Billy Corgan has released lately. (Matthew Stoff)

Larry Gus: The Night Patrols (A Man Asleep) (DFA)
- Didn’t listen to the album, Silent Congas, which survived at least one critical acid attack, back in January. This brand new track tho, sounds pretty sweet. With just a touch of DFA’s trademark electronic funkiness and underneath that, sweaty tribal beats, Greek producer Larry Gus mostly trucks psych-dance, the sort of thing Jagwar Ma just made waves around the world with. He proceeds to slice it up into lots of bits and pieces and rearrange it in a refreshingly idm style. This could become gimmicky if you carelessly extended it to a full-length release, but this little cut is razor sharp. (Chris Cobcroft)

Lost Midas: Memory Flux (Tru Thoughts)
- A 3 track track Ep of Electrofusion. Love Undone is a solid track; producer Jason Trikakis, has really tweaked his synths for the groove to heave and push in a superbly understated way. There is still head room for the jazz-esque vocal hook sung by Taylor O'Donnell. The next 2 are rhythmically dense and grimey, plenty of sounds and vocal samples being dropped and cut up. An interesting listen. (Nick Rodwell)

MGMT: Your Life Is A Lie (Single) (Sony)
- A catchy, guitar-oriented comeback from Connecticut’s most successful college-acid-pop export. ‘Your Life Is A Lie’ follows in the ambitious format of MGMT’s sophomore ‘Congratulations,’ recalling the lighter moments of Deerhunter’s newfound fuzz-pop sound in the process. (Henry Reese)

Mac DeMarco: 2 (Spunk / Caroline)
The Australian release of Canadian musician Mac DeMarco comes a year later than the initial release but it is no less welcome. A haze of good times and summery vibes ooze out of every track and soak into your mind, making you forget where you are or what you came to do. The jangly guitar playing, the effortless singing and the air of nonchalance make for the perfect record to put on, do nothing and enjoy it. The songs never get boring though, when you think it's about to drag on, the song ends and you get a fresh new track to entertain you. Only four of the eleven songs even hit the 3 minute mark, a welcome change up that keeps the whole thing engaging and enjoyable. (Krishan Meepe)

Neko Case: Man (Single) (Anti / Warner)
- Advance single for the legendarily voiced singer-songwriter. Fast-paced, fuzzy country-rock supplied in large part by M. Ward, here trading his usual country music partner for one with a much bigger set of pipes and tearing out a song about smashing gender-norms. Alright. (Chris Cobcroft)

Okkervil River: It Was My Season (Single) (Spunk / Caroline)
- A nostalgic slow-burner, Okkervil River are consistent with their first single off the next album, The Silver Gymnasium. You could bop to it or you could let yourself reflect upon any one of his references to the 80s & 90s. I think that the bridge in this is song is deliberately spacious, allowing you to reminisce about obsolete technologies. (Nick Rodwell)

Plaster: Nemesis (Touchin’ Bass)
- ‘Nemesis’ is an impressively dark four-track EP from Rome-based house duo Plaster. Like listening to Justice from outside a seedy Berlin club, ‘Nemesis’ is dark, hollow and surprisingly airy, especially given its flirtation with intense ‘80s industrial sounds. Think of Forces covering The Matrix OST. (Henry Reese)

Revocation: Revocation (Relapse)
- Too often tech death can get lost in over the top displays of technicality and chugging at breakneck speeds, Revocation still know how to write a song. They've also got blistering riffs, intricate instrumental interplay, drums that will make you bleed and bring an exceptionally furious vocal assault not letting themselves slow down for a second; it’s a constant barrage of sonic intensity for your ear holes but this will stick in your head for the right reasons. The sections never feel like they're being held together by duct tape, everything comes together seamlessly and equally as intense, sometimes bringing along a solo that could easily be in an electric blues song if it was played at 180bpm. Try and stay seated for this one. (Krishan Meepe)

Sebadoh: I Will (Single) (Domino)
- I’ve taken a bit to be sold on Sebadoh recently, but this advance for the forthcoming album proves that Lou Barlow and crew still have what it takes to make a big, fuzzy and melodic, 90’s alt-rocker that can get right under my skin. (Chris Cobcroft)

Trentemoller: Never Stop Running Ft. Johnny Pierce Of The Drums (Single) (In My Room)
- The latest track from Danish producer Trentemoller is a tense one. The strained vocals, the pulsating beat, it all feels as if the song stops, he'll be caught by whatever it is he's running from. An eerie production made for working up a sweat on a cold night. (Krishan Meepe)

Willis Earl Beal: Too Dry To Cry (Single) (XL / Remote Control)
- With the tones of an older soul, Willis Earl Beal's first single off his yet-to-be-released second album is haunting and captivating. In Too Dry To Cry the frustration is tangible thanks to Beal's arrangement; from the warbling, modal guitar lines to off-setting his swung melody with a straight (white-boy straight) ostinato. A must listen. (Nick Rodwell)