Avalanches

20 past, present and future hits fresh off the Uncut stereo

Can’t hang around today as deadline hassle mounts, but lots to listen to here: an Atoms For Peace mix, something from Nicolas Jaar’s fine new Darkside project, a precious and ancient demo from Roddy Frame, a remix from The Avalanches, and my favourite track from Light In The Attic’s New Age comp, among other things.

Holding on for tomorrow… The definitive British band of the 1990s unveil their definitive boxset (21 discs!)...

We count down from 100 to 51...

Some interesting responses to the free psych CD blog that I posted yesterday; thanks for those, and keep your thoughts coming.

Big, bright, effervescent Peanuts pop from Brighton sextet

Chilled debut from soft-rock-sampling young Scot

Key works of the first New Pop star of the '80s remastered. Must be learnt by heart

The pick of two near-simultaneous EP releases from the 22-year-old Swede, the four-track Maple Leaves is little short of astounding. While its counterpart, the Rocky Dennis EP, is all soft light and strings, this one swings moods with abandon. A droll miserablist of Smiths vintage, Lekman intones like a baroque Stephin Merritt on the Left Banke-filching "Black Cab": "Oh no Goddamn/I missed the last tram/I killed the party again/Goddamn Goddamn".

Four major US R&B releases show the once-thriving scene to be in a creative trough