It feels like today might be a day for staying calm and keeping cool. In which case we’ve got just the thing for you: a particularly serene new music playlist, kicking off with the strange, hushed beauty of PJ Harvey’s new single – read an in-depth review of the album in the latest issue of Uncut – and taking in gorgeous solo guitar excursions from James Blackshaw (great to have him back) and Rosali (under her Edsel Axle guise).

Plus Allison Russell is “The Returner”, Bon Iver guests with arranger extraordinaire Rob Moose, and it’s great to hear new stuff from venerable alt.rock vets Bush Tetras and Blonde Redhead. Although no vets are quite as venerable as the incomparable Marshall Allen, who celebrates his 99th birthday by joining Sun Ra Arkestra bandmate Knoel Scott on a joyous celestial jazz salute. Enjoy!

PJ HARVEY
“I Inside The Old I Dying”
(Partisan)

ALLISON RUSSELL
“The Returner”
(Fantasy)

LUCINDA WILLIAMS
“Where The Song Will Find Me”
(Highway 20/Thirty Tigers)

ISRAEL NASH
“Ozarker”
(Loose Music)

BEVERLY GLENN-COPELAND
“Harbour (Song For Elizabeth)”
(Transgressive)

JAMES BLACKSHAW
“Why Keep Still?”
(Bandcamp)

EDSEL AXLE
“Variable Happiness”
(Worried Songs)

DARKSIDE
“Heart Jam”
(Matador)

MOKOOMBA
“Makisi”
(Outhere)

DYLAN MOON
“Absolute”
(RVNG Intl)

FLAER
“Follow”
(Odda)

MAROULITA DE KOL
“The Tree”
(Phantom Limb)

KNOEL SCOTT FEAT. MARSHALL ALLEN
“Makanda”
(Night Dreamer)

ROB MOOSE
“Marvel Room (feat Bon Iver)”
(Sony Masterworks)

BUSH TETRAS
“They Live in My Head”
(Wharf Cat)

BLONDE REDHEAD
“Snowman”
(Section1)

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE
“Carnavoyeur”
(Matador)

DAS KOOLIES
“Nuthin Sandwich”
(Strangetown Records)