Richard Hawley
Standing at the Sky's Edge
Epic and timeless seventh album made for the main stage of festivals from Sheffield-based singer-songwriter, Richard Hawley
Django Django
Django Django
Eclectic but sometimes clinical debut album from Edinburgh-formed pop act, Django Django
Nitin Sawhney
Last Days of Meaning
Forceful yet optimistic latest album from London-based composer and musican Nitin Sawhney, which weaving in a world of influences from Western movie soundtracks to rap, takes on immigration from the point of view of an elderly bigot
Bottletop Band
Dream Service
Surprisingly compulsive and infectious charity project album which has artists such as Gruff Rhys, the Arctic Monkeys' Matt Helders and VV brown collaborating with some of Brazil's best musicians
Khyam Allami
Resonance/Dissonance
Stark, but intoxicating CD/DVD release from Iraqi classical musician and psychedelic prog-rockers Knifeworld drummer Khyam Allami, which is based around the magamat, which are Middle Eastern modal systems
Arctic Monkeys
Suck it and See
Respectable, yet faintly uninspired retro pop on fourth album from the Arctic Monkeys
Sons And Daughters
Mirror, Mirror
Bleak and introspective, yet rewarding latest album from Scottish band, Sons and Daughters
Daniel Haaksman
Rambazamba
Monotonous techno on debut album from Berlin-based DJ and Man Recordings owner, Daniel Haaksman
Malachai
Return to the Ugly Side
Seductively bleak second album from Bristol trip-hop duo Malachai, which both encapsulates and serves as the perfect soundtrack for the recent tensions in the Middle East
Primitives
Never Kill a Secret
Surprisingly introspective comeback EP from late 1980's pop punk act, the Primitives
Various
Come O Spirit!: Anthology Of Hymns And Spiritual Songs, Volume 1
Sublime and magical country-influenced compilation of hymns and spiritual songs
Tricky
Tricky Meets South Rakkas Crew
Sublime reworking of trip hop star Tricky's 2008 album 'Knowle West Boy' by American production duo South Rakkas Crew into upbeat dance numbers
Heavy Trash
Midnight Soul Serenade
Exuberant and charismatic rockabilly on third album from Heavy Trash, the side project of Jon Spencer from the Blues Explosion
Victorian English Gentlemens' Club
Love on an Oil Rig
Obstrepously mischievous second album from riotous Cardiff-based punk trio, the Victorian English Gentlemens' Club
Vivian Girls
Everything Goes Wrong
Fabulous second album from New York trio the Vivian Girls, which while having an element of C86 about it, finds their tales of broken hearts also having a widescreen cinematic edge to them
Duke and the Gold
Nothing Gold Can Stay
Pleasantly inoffensive harmonic folk on first album from Felice Brothers offshoot the Duke and the King, which is much improved by some darker Gothic moments
Cornershop
Judy Sucks a Lemon for Breakfast
Magical first album in seven years from the ever unique Cornershop, which merges guitars with sitars, Punjabi MC noises and sksa-style keyboards
Lethal Bizzle
Go Hard
Catchy multi-mixed latest EP from London-based rapper, Lethal Bizzle
Moby
Wait for Me
Inoffensive and ultimately disappointing David Lynch-inspired latest album from Moby
Black Knights
Parade of Piranhas
Unoriginal and derivative garage blues rock on second EP from Manchester-based act, Black Knights
Tom Brosseau
Posthumous Success
Self-mocking latest album from North Dakota-born singer-songwriter Tom Brosseau, which looks to pre-war America for inspiration and then merges it with the more contemporary
A Hawk and A Hacksaw
Delivrance
Accordion-infused melting point of eastern European gypsy-folk influences on alcohol-induced latest album from New Mexico-based experimentalists, A Hawk and a Hacksaw
Loves
Three
Fine, if by now sometimes formulaic third album of hook-riddled, fuzzed-up bubblegum pop from Cardiff-based group with a rapidly changing membership, the Loves
Legends
Over and Over
Derivative latest album from Jesus and Mary Chain-influenced Swedish group, the Legends
Brakes
Touchdown
Mature and rich third album from Brighton-band Brakes, who, back on a new label Fat Cat having been signed to Rough Trade, have developed their characteristic abrasiveness in new ways
Future Loop Foundation
The Sea and the Sky EP
Laid back, fabulous electronica on new single from Future Loop Foundation, the project of Sheffield-based musician Mark Barrott, which appears with several remixes
Loves
The Ex Gurlfriend EP
Infectious new download only single from Cardiff-based indiepop act the Loves
M83
Saturday=Youth
Ethereal and ultimately engaging fourth album from electronic group M83, which has been reissued from last year
Lovvers
Think
Attention-seeking, but riveting fuzz punk on new EP from fiery Nottingham-based band, Lovvers
Pains of Being Pure At Heart
Come Saturday
Passionate C86-influenced indie pop on new download only single from New York-based band, the Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Pumajaw
Curiosity Box
Distinctive, but unfortunately uncommercial fifth album from Scottish psychedelic-folk act Pumajaw, whose singer Pinkie McLure's multi-octave vocals are in a unique class of their own
Nadja
Skin Turns to Glass
Borderline mood-enhancing doomy shoegaze rock on meandering latest album from Toronto-based duo, Nadja
Pack A.D.
Funeral Mixtape
Exuberant blues punk on riveting second album from Vancouver-based female duo, the Pack A.D.
Cirkus
Laylower
Compelling double CD from Stockholm-based electronica group CirKus who have released a new version of their debut album 'Laylow' under the title of'Laylower' along with a copy of the original to improved effect
XX Teens
Welcome to Goon Island
Epic combination of fuzzed-out guitars and droney electronica on offbeat debut album from the Devo-influenced XX Teens
Friday Night Hero
Faster EP
Anthemic sounding new EP from Brighton-based indie guitar band Friday Night Hero, whose rise to bigger and better things seems inevitable
Tricky
Knowle West Boy
Pulsingly creative and versatile comeback album from Bristol trip hop artist, Tricky, which named after his birth place and merging hip hop, punk and rock, shows itself to be an excellent night time record
Singing Bridges
Sunny Day Rainy Day
Soft-on-the-ear, harmony-drenched indie pop on new EP from American-based indiepop group Singng Bridges which will appeal to romantics everywhere
Marble Valley
Wild Yams
Comfy-sounding stoner rock on latest album from Marble Valley, the current project of former Pavement member, Steve West
One Little Plane
Until
Intoxicatingly tuneful and seductively easy-on-the-ear debut album from One Little Plane, the project of Chicago-born but now London-based singer-songwriter, Kathryn Bint
Clinic
Do It
Intense, but thoroughly appealing latest collection of psychedelia from the ever dysfunctional Clinic
Last Shadow Puppets
The Age of the Understatement
Faithful yet captivating 60s'influenced debut album from Last Shadow Puppets, the side project of the Arctic Monkeys' Alex Turner
FlyKkiller
Shine In Shine Out
Androgynous, but appealing electro pop on new single from London-based group Flykkiller
Breeders
Mountain Battles
Often sluggish-sounding first album in seven years from the Pixies' Kim Deal's other band, the Breeders
Blood Red Shoes
Box of Secrets
Furious and abrasive debut album from much acclaimed guitar and drums duo, Blood Red Shoes
Black Keys
Strange Times
Approriately-titled eccentric new single from the formidable Black Keys
Operator Please
Yes, Yes Vindictive
Fantastic indie punk-pop on debut album from Australian all-girl group Operator Please, unfortunately marred by appalling production work on singer Amanadah Wilkinson's vocals
Thirty Seconds To Mars
From Yesterday
Standard, strictly-by-numbers emo rock on latest single from American group 30 Seconds to Mars
Les Savy Fav
Patty Lee
Compulsive, good-time rock on new single from New York-based art rock group, Les Savy Fav
Various
Now That's What We Call Music Vol. 1
Enjoyable tenth anniversary sampler from the Fantastic Plastic label, which showcases most of its acts including Bearsuit, the Futureheads, the Guillemots and the Victorian English Gentlemen’s Club
Lightspeed Champion
Falling Off The Lavender Bridge
Powerful and addictiver debut album from Lightspeed Champion, the moniker for former Test Icicle Dev Hynes, who combines seductive melodies with downbeat lyricism on a par with Leonard Cohen and Nick Cave
Sons And Daughters
This Gift
Superb, reto-influenced third album from Glaswegian electronica quintet, Sons and Daughters, have toughened up their sound so that they now sound like a Gothic version of the Shangri-La's
Libertines
The Best of the Libertines
Compilation 'Best of' album of the Libertines' short career, which, while offering nothing new even to the most casual fan, should be enjoyed on its own merits
Decoders
Cellophane Veil
Polished and radio-friendly AOR rock on new album from New Zealand group the Decoders who have located to London
Yeasayer
All Hour Cymbals
Quality dream-like folk on first album from Brooklyn-based act Yeasayer who take all the excruciating cliches of the genre and then extend far beyond them
Teenager
Thirteen
Dark, bu enticing debut album from new punk-electronic group Teenager whose influences include Iggy Pop, Suicide and Nine Inch Nails
Lightspeed Champion
Midnight Surprise
Fantastic single of loved-up, violin drenched, acoustic pop from Lightspeed Champion, the new project of former Test Icicles star Dev Hynes
Loves
One-Two-Three
Catchy glam-rock spiced with punk-rock aggression from 60's and 70's influenced Welsh group, the Loves
Puerto Muerto
Heaven and Dirt
Creepy, but beautiful-sounding new double EP from husband-and-wife duo Puerto Muerto with a Texas Chainsaw Massacre obsession
Various
There's Only One T in Wichita
Surprisingly effective collection of remixes and album rejects on new budget-priced compilation from the Wichita label, which includes tracks from Bloc Party, Les Savy Fav, Espers and the Cribs