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Tune in: Dave Rowntree’s Radio Songs
New album: A thematic, intimate, clever, thoughtful debut solo LP by the amusing and affable Blur drummer, decorated with shimmering synth sounds, sampled radio sounds, gentle percussion and gentle but arresting vocals
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Biig Piig aka Jessica Smyth’s first full-length release, Bubblegum
Debut album: Slick, clever, catchy and quirky, this electro-pop mixtape by the Irish artist Jessica Smyth, who has also released songs in Spanish, brims with breathy pomp and superbly tight production
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Guided By Voices: La La Land
New album: Following 2022’s Tremblers And Goggles By Rank and compilation Scalping The Guru, another strong new LP of strident, passionate, original alternative rock by the Ohio indie band decorated by the utterly unpredictable lyricism of frontman Robert Pollard
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Rian Treanor and Ocen James: Saccades
New album: A wonderfully original, vibrant collaboration between the Rotherham electronica experimentalist/producer and the Acholi fiddle player, inspired by a residency in Kampala and building on 2020’s album File Under UK Metaplasm
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The Murder Capital’s second album Gigi's Recovery
New album: Passionate, visceral and powerful, the new Dublin band’s follow-up to 2019’s When I Have Fears builds on their promise, aswirl with stark emotion, packed with strong perspectives and carefully hewn sounds in a journey of introspection, self-analysis and defiance
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John Cale: Mercy
New album: Slow, ghostly, challenging, droning, uniquely experimental, this is the 80-year-old former Velvet Underground member’s first original album since 2012, now with guests including Weyes Blood, Sylvan Esso, Fat White Family and Animal Collective
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Ladytron’s seventh album Time's Arrow
New album: With a title inspired by a Martin Amis novel, another cleverly crafted, catchy seventh retro synth-pop LP by the Liverpool-formed quartet, rich in influences from Kraftwerk and krautrock to Gary Numan and Stereolab
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Carnival of good will: Leila Moss’s Internal Working Model
New album: Passionate, powerful, eloquent, elegant and reflective, filled with beautiful musical texture, the former Duke Spirit singer’s third solo album ponders themes over society’s potential empathy against self-seeking global economics, and includes guests Gary Newman and Jehnny Beth
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Margo Price: Strays
New album: Country, pop, rock psych, and blues all merge seamlessly in this fabulous, defiant, soaring new LP by the Nashville star who wrote these 10 songs, after a six-day magic mushroom session with husband/collaborator Jeremy Ivey
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Gaz Coombes’ fourth LP Turn The Car Around
New album: The Supergrass frontman’s fourth solo album sees him on strong, refined, thoughtful form in soulful indie-pop songs recorded in his new studio next door to his home
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Billy Nomates’s second album Cacti
New album: A very strong second album by Bristol’s Tor Maries moves from her alt-punk debut to a darker, ironic, caustic anti-love set of songs bringing in more rock and pop styles
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Rozi Plain: Prize
New album: Beautifully textured, gentle, sensitive, understated, mysterious, stripped-back alternative folk by the English singer-songwriter, also joined by colleagues from This Is The Kit, saxophonist Alabaster DePlume and harpist Serafina Steer
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Iggy Pop’s explosive Every Loser
New album: Growing old gracefully? Not this 75-year-old, who after mult-genre collaborations including spoken word poetry (2019’s Free), explodes back with a full-on heavy rock and punk LP - lewd, loud, crude, satirical, sweary and angry
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The Nightingales: The Last Laugh
New album: The very best ‘til last for 2022? Quite possibly, with this absolute belter from Robert Lloyd, Fliss Kitson and co, this October release packed with superbly Beefheart-esque, stompy, infinite wit, riff and rhythm change
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ALASKALASKA: Still Life
New album: Released in October, some tastily original, intelligent, minimalist, atmospheric experimental electro-pop by the south London duo of Lucinda Duarte-Holman and Fraser Rieley in this sophomore LP to follow up 2019’s The Dots
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Fujiya & Miyagi
New album: Crisp, clean, refined, witty, cleverly pared-back electro-pop by the Brighton band of two decades and fronted by David Best with this very fine LP released in late September
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Santigold: Spirituals
New album: Inspired by African-American folk and gospel, this powerful, feverishly intense, emotional fourth LP released in September by the singer-songwriter brings an electric mix of punk, hip-hop, funk, afrobeat, electro-pop, and reggae wrapped in rage, anxiety and reflection
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Makaya McCraven: In These Times
New album: An intricately beautiful and mesmeric fusion of polyrhythm and melody by the Paris-born, Chicago-based percussionist and composer, bringing together cosmic jazz, hip-hop breakbeats, funk, classical and African influences on this sublime fourth album, released back in September
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The Bug Club: Green Dream in F#
New album: Out in October, following 2021’s Pure Particles, further wonderfully fresh, melodious marvels by the Welsh trio of Sam, Tilly and Dan, with wistful, romantic, upbeat, humorous indie rock with a splash of Jonathan Richman
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Perú Selvático - Sonic Expedition into the Peruvian Amazon 1972-1986
New album: An excellently colourful 36th compilation release by the Samy Ben Redjeb’s label Analog Africa features a wonderful sprinking of Amazonian cumbia - timbale rhythms, driven by spidery, treble-damaged guitar lines, and drenched in bright splashes of organ
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