america - 'a horse with name'

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Anyone who tells you the 70s was a barren time for music is talking out of their arse. Proof is right here, one of the finest songs ever written.

lady waks in da mix #277

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I'm such a big fan of Lady Waks and it's obvious from her many mix shows why she's one of the top breakbeat DJs around. Here's her latest and it's a killer.

thievery corporation - 'depth of my soul (feat. shana halligan)'

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This ever so classy tune has finally been given a video to match. What's to say about it? It's Thievery Corporation so comes with excellence guaranteed. They've not lost their ability to make exquisitely good downtempo music. This is a slight departure with a more classic orchestral feel, almost a 60s jazz/soul track. It's beautiful. 

papa had some disco bones (temptations edit)

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Oh my word! A disco edit of the Temptations classic and it sounds as hot as hell! Great stuff.

project fresh socks" ja ja ja mixtape #6

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Norwegian DJ pair, Project Fresh Socks are the resident DJS for the Ja Ja Ja Music Night in London bringing to the capital, the very best in Scandinavian music. I really, really must get round to going. This mixtape is brilliant and just makes me kick myself more that I keep missing it.

gonga (feat beth gibbons) - 'black sabbath'

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Erstwhile(?)  Portishead singer, Beth Gibbons has contributed to metal band, Gonga's cover of 'Black Sabbath' by err...Black Sabbath. To be honest, it's not so much heavy metal as heavy rock and even then it could easily have been the accompanying track to Machine Gun off their last album. I suspect it's toned down slightly from Gonga's usual output so that Ms Gibbons' voice doesn't get drowned in a guitar/drum maelstrom.

The video is a bit of fun too, it's synched with the 1963 horror film that lent its name to one of Britain's finest rock bands.

pedro ojeda's rareza colombian mixtape

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I lifted this from the very excellent Sounds and Colours website where you can read all about this superb mixtape. Seriously, if you have even a passing interest in music or culture from South America then this website should be your first stop. Check it out here.

be - 'hello'

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Oh, now this is very nice. They hail from Detroit and do a very good line in sexy downtempo/trip-hop/mellow electronica. This is just what I needed to hear after spending 2 hours on the train after work in London. It's almost entirely instrumental, with a lovely dark retro feel to the keyboards but the incidental sounds bring it bang up to date. Fans of glitch hop will probably like this too, there's so much going on but at no time does it become too fussy. Just the right balance.

I mentioned that they're from Detroit and I must say it surprised me, the attention to detail, the subtlety, minimalism and exquisite layering would have place it in my mind in Germany, one of the Kompakt Records stable for sure, even the great Robag Wruhme himself. The entire album is available for free download too so what's keeping you from giving your ears and brain some much-needed tender loving care?

hercules and love affair (feat. john grant) - 'black belt'

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Returning the favour after Hercules and Love Affair remixed 'Black Belt' from his last album, John Grant guests on this cracking tune. 

The subject matter deals with becoming HIV positive and I do wonder if John Grant is painting himself into a corner with his choice of subject matter. Fair play to the chap for coming out and being so honest about his sexuality and the struggles that he and others have faced but if I can draw parallels with Antony and the Johnsons it has started to define who he is as a singer/songwriter and he is so much more than that. I'd really like to see him lighten up a bit more with a few disco tracks where he's taking the pee and smiling. 

Taking all that into account, this is still a cracking tune and Grant once again delivers a monumentally good performance.

little dragon - 'let go'

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It's out on the 12th May but here's a stream ahead of the launch.

mazzy star - 'i'm less here'

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The guitar sounds a lot like a certain Unkle track, a particular favourite too, and there's a certain ominous undercurrent that helps makes this Mazzy Star song an instant classic. Fans of Mazzy Star will know that they've played this live for years but only just got round to releasing a video for it, in time for Record Store Day. 

fleetwood mac - 'big love'

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Top, top tune in any language.

gil scott-heron - 'b-movie'

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The first thing I want to say is "Mandate? My arse."

embrace - 'all you good good people'

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One of my favourite Brit Pop tunes that just seemed to sum up that time musically. 

hafdis huld - 'queen bee'

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My favourite Icelander is back and she's got a brilliantly quirky video to accompany her new song...and tour dates confirmed too. Yes, I am very excited by this news.

conor oberst - 'governor's ball'

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Hopefully, with his recent horrific personal problems of recently far behind him, Conor Oberst can get on with making great music. This is from his new solo album and speaking of which, I notice First Aid Kit are mentioned as collaborators on the long player. Mt interest is well and truly piqued now. I must go and get this album.

jamie xx - 'sleep sound'

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Here's the new Jamie XX single. What's to tell? Well - it's very 'XX' and by that I mean understated, subtle, ever so slightly laid back, almost ambient and catchy as anything.

new order - 'drop the guitar'

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Their first new track for 9 years and they played it live at the Lollapolooza Festival in Chile last night. Apparently this is the first from the new album, the first without Peter Hook. As ever, Bernard Sumner sounds terrible live (he always has done) and the quality of the live video is a bit iffy but am I excited by all this? You bet I am.

the black dog - 'bass mantra (original mix)'

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Stuart Maconie played a track from their 'Spanners' album on his radio show the other week and I had clean forgotten just how good The Black Dog were. They bubbled under the radar with lots of critical acclaim but not so much commercial success. This (not from that album) is my favourite track of theirs.

sun girls - 'crocodiles'

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I'm extremely pleased to see that the band Sun Girls come from my hometown of Brighton. Especially so, considering just how good this track is. Laid back doesn't even begin to describe it, sort of Beach Boys/Beatles at their most languid and very heavy on the bassline. Top marks all round.