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Review: There are seemingly no limits to the music Emotional Rescue will put out. This time they look back to the post punk scene of Bristol in the early 80s. Mouth was a short-lived outfit that put out just a couple of releases, but each one blazed a trail though leftfield percussive sounds, wave, weird jazz and electronics. Andy Guy and Rob Merrill were the main members with the likes of Nellie Hooper also in the band's orbit. This record is packed with tribal drumming and floating horns, broken dubs and avant-jazz but all with a proudly DIY attitude. It's packed with heady moments and wild steppers that havent aged a bit and still sound future.

Review: The always superb Sounds Of The City comes through here with some freshness and newness here via their newly minted 'Sounds Of The City, Dark' series. It finds the French outfit Catalogue debuting on the label with a sound that brings a different perspective to the new post-punk movement. Their sound is a mixing pot of an array of different influences and what you get is music that will get you nodding to the grooves while your mind gets lost exploring synthetic elements, angular guitar riffs, robotic rhythms and lovely deep bass.

Review: Independent radio institution NTS has a lot to answer for. Not least introducing its legions of loyal listeners across the world to the mighty (or, perhaps more appropriately, curious Staalfagel). The result of some serious crate digging, as per usual for the platform, the Swedish post punk and New Wave outfit - Erik Fritjofsson, Petter Brundell and Micke Kjell - reflect how broad the digital station's music policy can be, and how important it is for things to be rediscovered and saved from obscurity.
Forming in 1980, the three piece only released two full length records in their time, alongside a handful of singles and EPs. Utan Rymddrakt Pa Uranus is among the most enigmatic and delightful, here presented in two parts with an edit by Gary The Tall. As early adopters of synths and drum machines, the cosmic dance-pop sound here might be rudimentary today, but also has this real sense of adventure and breaking new ground about it.

Review: Justin Vernon's voice has always been the people's main attraction to Bon Iver, and the fact his pseudonym even exists is certainly no coincidence. As fragile and heartbroken as it is forthright and experienced, when you're wearing a shredded heart on sleeve and confessing to all your deepest insecurities using a pen name can help immensely. Album number four perhaps proves this more than any of its predecessors. While the three previous chapters have all made his thoughts, feelings, insecurities and fears clear, this one takes honesty to new heights. Combining the frail electronics that have gradually slipped their way into his back catalogue with the acoustics of his earliest, rocket-to-fame efforts, it's a culmination of all that's been in the truest sense. Perhaps even more intimate than the breathtakingly personal "For Emma, Forever Ago", "i,i" is a striking work to say the least.

Review: Mr Bongo serves up the new collaboration here from Mandaworld (bereft known as Amanda Hicks) and partner Matthew Tavares, who is Matty of the much loved jazz outfit BADBADNOTGOOD. The pair have a magical musical synergy that really shines through here as they interweave and uplift one another. 'Warm You' is a real classic that fits in the canon of timeless ballads. It is a dreamy pop song doused in oodles of reverberating guitars and mellow shoegaze vibes that evokes a world of nostalgic feelings. 'Spoonfeed' is just as warm and lush but a little more subdued.

Review: Philadelphia band Stereo League (which is comprised of childhood friends Alex Savoth and Dan King) always looks to discover new genres whether working alone or with like-minded collaborators. This latest 7" is another on the synth and soul label Eraserhood Sound and features two more timeless sounds. The opener 'Operator, Please' a delightfully seductive and reminiscent of 70s soul and funk, while on the back, 'Seasons of Trouble' layers in the Philly soul, with fancy funk sounds and classic yet compelling grooves.

Review:  If you read any interviews around Elbow's ninth studio album, Guy Garvey's open admissions that this is the Bury, Greater Manchester band's most patient and hushed work to date are unlikely to pass you by. The frontman is clearly pleased with what the outfit managed to pull together, offering a great example of why remote working during lockdown actually led to some pretty inspired projects if you look in the right places.

Whether Flying Dream 1 would have sounded like this had it been made through a standard studio process is a big question mark we're not in a position to answer. The group themselves are probably still pondering that one. What is clear is that it feels like a coherent, complete work, which is somewhat at odds with the reality of members contributing individual elements from different locations. Technicalities aside, this is a step away from the grandeur Elbow are often associated with, and distinctly void of gnarl, and it sounds excellent.

Review: Those who still pay attention to the music press may have noticed a fair bit of chatter about post-punk outfit Yard Act's debut album, The Overload, which one esteemed organ described as being "wonderfully wacky". That arguably does the album a disservice - "wacky" has negative connotations to some - but it is certainly a fun, freewheeling affair, whose tongue-in-cheek lyrics are frequently rip-roaringly funny. Sitting somewhere between vintage post-punk, Idles, Sleaford Mods and the Arctic Monkeys (the Leeds' band's vocals are often heavily accented), it's a riotous mix of gnarled guitar riffs, bombastic bass, shout-along choruses, drum machine beats and surprise nods to disparate musical styles (EG West African rhythms on 'Payday', Juju guitars on 'Land of the Blind') .

Review: Mac Demarco has a certain cachet as a happy-go-lucky slacker, with campfire atmosphere to spare and chorus pedals set to stun, somewhat in the manner of a millennial Cat Stevens. The songs on 'This Old Dog' go way beyond - focusing on his relationships with family and friends, they're in equal parts mature, affecting and memorable in their melodic sleight-of-hand. Certainly the lazy charm and laid-back goofiness are present and correct here, but 'This Old Dog' displays a genuine reflective depth and emotional resonance.

Review: Born in Helsinki, but moving at an early age to Taby outside Stockholm, Anna Jarvinen has been causing quite a stir in the more northerly countries of Europe for quite some time now. Having released in the past with Universal, V2 and Look Left Recordings, the rather cunning chaps at Hapna were clearly quite persuasive to bag the beautiful album 'Jag Fick Feeling', from such a high-profile songwriter in their parts. No longer a stranger to the public outside Scandinavia, Jarvinen creates delicate pop music in a style that will wash over you and leaves traces of melody lingering in your mind for days. Despite singing entirely in Swedish, something that adds rather than detracts from the album, every word sounds familiar and filled with empathy. As if our praise was not enough, Jarvinen recruited fellow Swedes Dungen as her backing band. Their effortless talent clearly shining through on every track. With a voice comparable to the purity of Karen Carpenter, or perhaps even Nina Persson of the Cardigans, this is pure pop music of the highest order.

Review: Filthy Few began when a 23-year-old developed an obsessive fixation with the untapped goldmine that is Myspace. Armed with a budget microphone, cheeky smile and a tin of blonde hair dye, he ventured over to Scandinavia to the Roskilde Festival. The label prides itself on bringing tracks and bands it thinks will rock. This first "Filthy Few Bootleg" release is about as cool as it gets. The artists have been handpicked and will be causing serious speaker damage in the coming weeks and months. Bad Dancer sounds remarkably like Damon Albarn while demonstrating a touch of the Gorillaz in his instrumentation. The Lo Fi Culture Scene aren't even old enough to drink yet, but still manage to pack harder punches than Mike Tyson. The Svengalis are rock and roll stars in waiting, from the same stable as Cajun Dance Party. Burmese Days make hypnotic music that you'll find hard not to be singing within about 30 seconds of hearing them. Stealth Disco have got a promising future, compared to Bloc Party, their amalgamation of indie and electronica is a winner. Somebody is probably one of the most diverse acts on the label, and his lyrics are pretty good to boot. Johnny Foreigner are rising the ranks and slowly becoming industry darlings. Dance Lazarus Dance are Scotland's finest electronic-indie monsters. This release brings some of the best rock and indie of the moment.

Review: The Caspian label is proud to present Mike Wexler. A Brooklyn musician whose name will no doubt be revered and uttered in hushed tones by those lucky to hear Wexler's music for years to come. A virtuoso of sorts, without a scene or history to explain or contextualize his talent, Wexler seems to have arrived from nowhere to hypnotise us with quietly exotic songs that caress and unsettle in equal measure. Wexler seeks and finds unusual spaces within his songs, creating moments of lyrical and sonic tension that evoke Scott Walker's late work, with arrangements that now include drums, piano and keyboards, two and three part harmonies and long, linear, labyrinthine instrumental passages. Wexler's lyrics avoid the confessional and favour instead the deep image. His voice functions on an instrumental level in the tradition of Annette Peacock or Elizabeth Fraser, though employed to different, more understated ends. "Axis, Road Of Awe" comes to us like a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Review: Peter and the Wolf's first official release, 'Lightness', is a collection of songs written and recorded by Brian Redding Hunter (who prefers his nickname, Red) in bedrooms, living rooms, and hotels around the country. Most of these songs were captured on a cassette 4-track or a borrowed computer during Peter and the Wolf's current tour. Heard as a whole, they paint the picture of a person constantly traveling with the hope of getting free, trying to pay back whatever he's borrowed, and burdened by some lost love. In 'Lightness', Hunter explores the dreamy mindstate of a traveler looking for something; its a record for mornings or long, eerie drives. Explains Hunter, 'Lightness' is a whole record about that feeling when you wake up all sentimental from a dream and you want to call your friend and ask "How's your health, how's your dad, how's travels? It is about those good mornings when you are just wishing everybody well." This first release from Peter and the Wolf by the Worker's Institute label is only one component of Red's project, which has at times involved 20 screaming vocalists on stage as well as pots, pans, trashcans, saws, horns, accordions, and strings. In each city on these tours Red recruits new players to join him onstage or from the audience to make each tour stop unique. He favors a combination of musicians and non-musicians in these junk-band rhythm sections to bring out qualities in the songs not possible with a touring group. Peter and the Wolf is Red's current musical project, but in 2004 he came to the attention of the Austin, Texas music scene with acoustic Order Of The Owl shows. These shows were each in new location, including his 2005 SXSW performance in a graveyard at midnight, and a performance on a small island in Austin, only reachable by boat. Amazingly haunting and touching songs like some folked-out, even more lo-fi Magnetic Fields, Peter and the Wolf is humbly spreading through the underground scene of not just the States, but the entire world, becoming an international non-sensation that you should get hooked on as soon as possible. Otherwise, you might miss all the dark mystery and allure of a band that stages gigs in graveyards and other unusual, abandoned locales and records songs as amazing as 'The Apple Tree'. "This band is amazing and needs to be heard." Spoonfork Magazine; "This song embodies everything I love about Red's work. It sounds like it's from another era, with Red's warm, familiar voice gently relaying stories of isolation, travel, and adventure. Highest recommendation" Gorilla Vs Ear.

Review: Hey Hey My My are all about the explosion of energy and the deceptive lightness of simple folk, as if to give more space to the words, which go right to the heart. In all cases, their love of catchy ballads always has the same devastating effect - a smile on our lips and a tune in our heads.

Review: "Split" is number 5 in a series of coloured vinyl split 10"s, strictly limited to 500 copies. This features tracks from Scottish indie/emo/whatevercore quartet Orko and My Awesome Compilation who specialise in infectious, hook-laden rock songs.

Review: Their sound is fast, furious & fun; punk power pop effusive as early Supergrass, but with an outsider edge that stems from brothers Patch & Raul Lagunas, whose parents were political activists in General Pinochle's Chile, living in exile in the UK since the '70's.

Review: While Poni Hoax are working at their new record with Joakim, the team comes back on vinyl with a new song from their debut album. "Involutive Star" is one of Poni Hoax's happiest bits of disco rock we've heard, with some old school house keyboards and crispy techno basslines. Nicolas Ker's voice is still reigning over this groovy mess like an old decadent king reigns over his people. On the flipside, Tigersushi head Joakim, once again hits the mark with a devastating remix that sounds like nothing else. Something somewhere between Villalobos, Audion, LCD Soundsystem and LFO, with fierce live drums, hypnotic electronic bells, horns, cut-ups and an acid finish.

Review: Sam Isaac and Luke Leighfield are releasing a split 10" single on Mannequin Republic - the new label of Sam Duckworth (aka Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly). Sam Isaac and Luke Leighfield are two of the UK's most refreshing artists, taking a hard working, DIY approach to everything they do. They play shows in fans' living rooms, release their own music, and work with friends to create their own recordings, websites and artwork. Their extensive touring has taken them to venues and houses across the country, including a performance in the living room of XFM DJ Marsha Shandur.

Review: Angela Valid (aka Iain Chambers and Alex Jones) are a band making restrained lo-fi garage rock with guitars, drums, electronics and violin, They first met in Sheffield while studying film. Working largely under improvised conditions, their first break came in 2004 when a recording of one of their sessions found its way to Fat Cat Records in Brighton - home of Animal Collective, Mice Parade etc. Recorded live in a church hall opposite Holloway Women's Prison, "This Book's On Fire" offers four tracks bringing in various influences from all sides of the experimental music spectrum. The band mix a traditional guitar/drums set-up with raucous electronics in a way that stays true and respectful to both the past and to pushing the boundaries of modern improv. Ambitiously for their first EP, the band craft a complete and sophisticated debut that hints at everyone from early Tortoise (notably on the penultimate track, "Ocean Ceiling") to the masters of noise themselves, Wolf Eyes.

Review: The Alex Smoke mix is so elegant & languishing that you nearly burst because of joy.

Review: The Alex Smoke mix is so elegant & languishing that you nearly burst because of joy.

Review: Leo Minor is on a mission from god to bring back pop and hip hop classics this is the first of the uppercuts releases, a label that brings you the newest hits in the form of collector's items.

Review: This debut album 'Bright Like The Sun' from Radar on the EMI label was recorded over the Summer of 2006 and was produced by Dan Carey (who has previously produced Kylie, Sebastien Tellier, Lee Scratch Perry and Sly & Robbie) with front man Callum Johnston. It perfectly captures the bands modern digital ska-vibe and was mixed by Cox and Dring, who themselves make up the other two thirds of the Gorillaz production team alongside Dangermouse.

Review: Hey Hey My My are all about the explosion of energy and the deceptive lightness of simple folk, as if to give more space to the words, which go right to the heart. In all cases, their love of catchy ballads always has the same devastating effect - a smile on our lips and a tune in our heads.

Review: Striking a perfect balance between electronica and great songwriting, London duo Plant Plants stir up synth-soaked emotion across all four tracks. With production duties from Jas Shaw and a sound that's best filed between 2020 Soundsystem and Delphic, you already know this is worth checking. But just in case you're still undecided, here's a wee lowdown: lead cut "Embrace The Real" is a brooding roller with sombre breakbeats, spine-tingling pianos and the crispest guitar lick this side of the Fender warehouse. "One To Adore" drops the tempo for an even softer touch, complete with early 90s style Bristol downbeats. Lead track "Repeaters" is almost Depeche Mode-like in its electronic authenticity while the tear-jerking ballad "Stupid Boy" completes the set in a beautifully understated fashion.

Review: Ultra limited release of only 500 copies only worldwide! North Carolina's Cities remixed by Ladytron, Daedelus & Fog. The Big Takeover called the Cities "America's next great rock hope," and Jane Magazine said, "If you dig epic sounds like early-Radiohead, Interpol, and Sunny Day Real Estate, you'd best check them out."

Review: Along with the introspective punk funk emo of Shocking Pinks, art rock duo Prinzhorn Dance School proved that not everything DFA touches instantly turns to gold. Both acts released albums in 2007 to a Marmite esque reception, and both acts subsequently reclined into the shadows. It's something of a surprise then to see Prinzhorn resurface on DFA via this really nice, beautifully packaged seven inch. It's also good to see the Brighton pair have refined and honed their musical inspiration of sparse, riff heavy arrangements and pissed off lyrics. Definitely worth checking out.

Review: On the 13th March, Nelson will unveil their first four-track EP 'Bangkok Riot' including an exclusive Colder remix. This four piece band, take influence from Primal Scream, Can and New Order to push the limits of the post punk genre to create music that is powerful and passionate whilst still personal. Nelson spontaneously and eloquently move between force and suppressed fragility, in a cold and menacing manner. Nelson are next in concert at Point Ephemere in Paris on the 18th February, confirming a sizable on stage success and experience. Notably, the band have been recommended by The Kills who they supported at La Cigalle in Paris in May. Nelson are set to release an album in September, but, until then a mini tour of France will have to satisfy. No one will be able to stay indifferent to this band.

Review: Despite their being in their early twenties, The Birmingham-birthed Superfood sound like their hearts are forever in a sonic landscape that flourished whilst they were still in primary school. There's the definite ring of the '90s to be heard on Don't Say That, but luckily this band has an innate knowledge of how to cherry-pick the most worthy moments from that era and leave its cultural baggage alone, resulting in a chirpy and infectious confection that tips its hat to the melodies and spark of early Supergrass and Blur without the ego or the retro chic. With addictive choruses married to laidback sensiblity, the result is guitar-pop for the ages.

Review: Original, Colourful, Educational, Singh-alongable, Memorable, Funkyful, and of course Collectable - get the book including vinyl now direct from Cornershop's own Ample Play Records. Now at a special rate price. Give it to children, give to adults, keep one for yourself - everyone needs the happiness of the Hippie in their life.

Review: The 21st Century has been quiet thus far for New Order, with only two full albums to date, and only an out-takes compilation in the last decade. Moreover, 'Music Complete' marks their first album to date without founding bassist Peter Hook, and the return of Gillian Gilbert to the ranks. Yet from this turbulence and inertia they've somehow managed to create a collection of songs that rank as their strongest set since 'Technique' in 1989. VIbrant, upbeat and colourful, yet driven by the same mix of electronic experimentation and effortless pop suss that characterised their '80s heyday, 'Music Complete' is the sound of a timeless and unique force newly revitalised.

Review: The ex-Czars frontman had already set the bar very high on his last two solo platters, mapping out an idiosyncratic style that somehow managed to be confessional and soul-searching yet sardonic and wry, and with memorable and melodious songwriting in abundance. Yet his third, 'Grey Tickles Black Pressure' takes bolder steps onto the dancefloor as well as into '70s FM radio terrain yet without compromising his dramatic and poignant delivery, with stirring and spectacular results. Uncompromisingly emotional in tone yet suffused by hope and positivity even amidst the trademark dark humour, this is the troubadour's greatest triumph yet.

Review: Oxford's Foals, now ten years old and some seven years on from their debut, have pulled the neat trick of elevating themselves to dizzy heights without essentially compromising their kinetic mixture of art-driven experimentation and widescreen melodic grandstanding. Yet 'What Went Down', their fourth salvo thus far, shows a band newly reinvigorated, and somehow managing to be both heavier and more danceable in turn. As angry and inventive as ever, the howls of mainman Yannis Philippakis have lost none of their cathartic charge, the chime of their guitars remains as seductive, yet so vibrant and vivacious is this collection of songs that their elevation to festival headliner status seems a foregone conclusion.

Review: The Unloved trio - David Holmes, Keefus Ciancia, and Jade Vincent - came through with their impressive debut single this year, the aptly named "Guilty Of Love". As soon as it dropped, our ambient, downtempo and electronica nerds went into a state of total frenzy, and it's no surprise given the charm and mystique of the tune. Their own Unloved imprint, however, has given us another cause for excitement this week by releasing two remixes of the tune by space disco legend, Andrew Weatherall. The London DJ master drops two mixes: the gorgeous lead mix which contains the original's lovely vocals but adds in a fine layer of beats and extra atmospherics, and a sublime "Guilty Of Dub" mix that goes extra deep on the beats and bass. This is so heavily recommended that we have no vocabulary to express our shivering delight...

Review: Easily outgrowing the original perception of them as stadium-indie bringers of gloom, Editors have evolved steadily with each record, and seemingly found themselves increasingly more comfortable each turn along the way. 'In Dream', the fifth from the Birmingham outfit, finds them expanding on the widescreen sweep of their sound, experimenting further with electronics, yet still maintaining a core of intimacy and introspection that has become their trademark. Thus, perversely, what may be their darkest record to date is also their most uplifting, with indelible songwriting, synth filigree and nocturnal atmospherics colliding to provide a black-clad tour de force.

Review: After a two-year hiatus, New York's finest purveyors of flash-fried power pop and disco-punk return with their sixth full-length. Despite being 18 years into their career, there are few signs of tiredness on the predictably vibrant As If. While potential sing-along moments are plentiful, it's the looseness of their grooves and the incessant funkiness of tracks such as "All U Writers", "Ooo", and the thrillingly low-slung "All The Way" - in which the Brookyln-based outfit brilliantly fuse springy dub-disco grooves, wild synths and classic house riffs - that catches the ear. Interestingly, the strongest influences this time round appear to be Prince and early Red Hot Chili Peppers, giving the album a particularly kaleidoscopic aural hue.

Review: Brandon Cox's post-millennial dreampop troubadours have always rendered themselves peerless in the sphere of effects-pedal-laden euphoria, yet 'Fading Frontier' marks unchartered territory for the band, not to mention possibly their most accessible record to date. Arriving in the wake of some serious personal strife for Cox himself, this collection of sweetly melodious yet otherworldly-hued songs may be the most stripped-back and straightforwardly poppy that he's created, yet his heavy-lidded charm and ear for the ethereal remain unabated, imbuing verses with seductive texture and choruses with radiant hue. Confident and coherent, it's a new horizon for a visionary artist.

Review: This third release thus far this year to issue forth from Anton Newcombe's Berlin base will be as manna from thrift-shop heaven for anyone who's hooked on the heavy-lidded, hallucinogenic and cheekily retro-aligned stylings by which they've accidentally defined a sizeable proportion of the current 'psych' scene. Drifting from a Thirteenth Floor Elevators cover that features The Black Angels' Alex Maas on jug to the Slovakian 'Prsi Prsi', this collection of excursions and altered states is a good deal more compelling that its title would suggest, rater testimony to the BJM's continued prominence over all the classicist realms they survey.

Review: For anyone thinking that title might be a tad self-deprecating, it's worth noting that Noel Gallagher isn't one to rest on his laurels-there may be material here that'll satisfy the old-school Britpop fans in the house, such as the first single 'Lock All The Doors', yet elsewhere 'Chasing Yesterday' is notable not only for Gallagher's midas touch with indelible melodies but for experimentation that takes in such unlikely ingredients as saxophone-abetted jazz and funk even whilst maintaining his love for the classic pop and rock of the '60s and '70s. On this evidence, this tunesmith's well of inspiration isn't running dry any time soon.

Review: Hot Chip continue to occupy a unique space in British music. Yet despite their standing as a bunch of polymaths just as at home with pure pop as experimental diversions, what continues to truly separate them from all or any contemporaries is a rich melancholy to their sound, and it's this which looms pleasantly large on 'Why Make Sense'. The songwriting of Alexis Taylor and Joe Goddard has never sounded sharper, not their beat-driven yet tastefully spare sound more addictive. Now as ever, no-one can reconcile human emotion and machine-like rhythm in quite the same fashion as this maverick outfit.

Review: The New Zealand-born, Portland-based Ruban Nielson initially made a name for himself by marrying psych rock and lo-fi styles in a messy, Beefheartian manner, with jam-band wig-outs vying for attention with expressive songcraft. On 'Multi Love', however, he's both reined in the excesses of yore and sharpened up his songwriting, and the result is a veritable tour de force. Pop-tinged melody and emotional candour make for impressive bedfellows on these nine expansive and inventive ditties, which take as much inspiration from Prince or Janelle Monae as they do The Grateful Dead or Zappa. 'Multi Love' marks the place where Nielson genuinely makes his presence felt as a modern-day psychedelic visionary.

Review: Always a band operating entirely on their own peculiar wavelength, Django Django have shown no signs of compromise on this follow-up to their successful debut, and true to form have managed to crowbar rich experimentation, naggingly catchy melody and mischievous spirit into a poppy and perplexing gem of an album. Their methods may be mysterious, yet Born Under Saturn never sounds overly mannered or studied in its art, with these art-pop ditties perhaps making for some of the most joyful collisions of the cerebral and the immediate in four-minute packages since the glory days of Talking Heads. 'Sophomore slump' be damned.

Review: It's nearly three years since we last heard from !!!, owners of the strangest name in dance music (it is, of course, pronounced !!!). In that time, the now veteran band's members have pursued a variety of intriguing solo projects, with Justin Van Der Volgen making his mark as a DJ and producer of seriously good disco edits. The brilliantly named Thr!!!er (see what they did etc.) is undeniably looser and groovier than previous efforts, with their trademark low-slung, punk-funk bass being used to good effect on tracks that range from LCD Soundsystem-ish house-influenced anthems ("Slyd") and Prince-influenced disco (the delightfully summery "One Girl/One Boy"), to West Coast stoner funk-rock ("Californiyeah") and Rick James style hustlin' disco-funk ("Except Death").

Review: Dispatch #3 comes on lovely cassette with hand printed cardboard packaging. Each one is hand numbered and includes a download code.

Review: When Devon boy Joseph Mount first used the Metronomy moniker back in 2006, it was a solo project, dedicated to creating fizzing electronic compositions inspired by a blend of leftfield IDM and quirky synth-pop. Somewhere along the way, he expanded it to a live four-piece and started creating synth-laden alternative indie-pop. It's this style that abounds on Love Letters, his fourth album. While the fuzzy synths and evocative electronic melodies are still present, there's a skuzzy crustiness and enticing warmth to the sound that makes it far more appealing than his early work. The resultant tracks - like early Hot Chip with a dash of Stereolab thrown in - ripple with near Balearic blissfulness, while retaining a savvy pop edge.

Review: It's the tag team to end all tag teams... Friendly Fires and the Asphodells pairing of Andrew Weatherall and Timothy J Fairplay have combined with one simple mission: make music that take both parties out of their familiar pastures. The result is this stunning slice of dreamy Balearic indie. "Before Your Eyes" is awash with psychedelic textures, covering Ed Macfarlane's vocals like a cosy 50 tog duvet. "Velo", meanwhile, is a nagging instrumental that drives with a mathematical magic yet steers with a dreamy, surf rock mentality. The debut on Macfarlane's Telophase imprint, everything about this 12" is special. Let's hope there's more from this premiership tag team in the near future.

Review: This bunch of Floridian cavemen keep on devolving and destroying! Golden Pelicans' third release has two more hot trashy tracks made by real live punks. Hand numbered, 300 copies.

Review: Bay Area power pop outfit Dancer have a new single and, like the other ones, it's a swaggering, boys' night out affair. Together, songwriter Dee Dee Robbins and his gang have cultivated a sound that's both tough and tenderiequal parts Johnny Thunders and Milk N' Cookies. Like most good bands in the genre, Dancer are shambolic performers, but play with enough pluck to command your attention. The group's specialty - tart, but tasteful harmonies - make their hook-filled melodies all the more delectable. "Bitchin' Heat" is the most immediate of the bunch, but "Heart Failure" is the one you'll revisit indefinitely.

Review: After a stellar debut single, Oakland post punks Pang return with this tour de force EP. Citing apathy, irritation and the Adverts as influences, Pang creates a sonic attack that evokes the studied amateurism of the C86 scene and the brainy clamor of The Fall. "So It Goes" runs from NY skronk to muted riffs and soaring harmonies in less than two minutes, while the piano runs of "Changes" contrast wonderfully with the song's ominous chord structure. Nonetheless, title track "Young Professionals" is the winner: a scathing narrative about white-collar life with an exuberant bass line and sly vocal interplay. The band understands that concision is key in this genre, but you'll wish you had more to listen to after these ten minutes are up.

Review: St. Louis's kings of the sewer are bubbling back up to the surface with two more tracks of gnarly scuzz punk. Blown out and covered in slime, Lumpy gnashes his way through these two tracks about ghouls, gnats, piss, and bad breath. Total Punk's first and only release with a two cover variation and half page double sided insert. Edition of 500 copies.