Laika - If You Miss (Laika Virgin Mix) (1995)

Burbling, dubbed out dub indie.

This remix version of 'If You Miss' from Laika's debut album, throbs will sampled tones creating a woozy setting for Margaret Fiedler's hazy vocals.

Download Laika 'If You Miss (Laika Virgin Mix)' (Too Pure, Post-Rock, Dub, mp3) (Divshare)

These New Puritans - Numerology (AKA Numbers) (Angular/Domino, 2008)

Edgy, angular post-punk.

These New Puritans have yet to receive widespread acclaim but have turned in a couple of great albums so far. 'Numerology' is a slice of widescreen post-punk that fuses Gang Of Four martial shrillness with an epic chorus.

It opens with an ominous, restrained drumming before clipped guitars and percussive clattering joins in. The vocals are barked and the overall effect is one of veiled threat and menace. The chorus bursts across the soundfield with spirals of delayed guitar before paring back to the terse verse.

Download These New Puritans 'Numerology (AKA Numbers)' (Post Punk, mp3) (Divshare)

The Cribs - Back To Black (Amy Winehouse Cover) (Q Magazine, 2012)

Surprisingly good cover by The Cribs.

Opening with some 'Baby Love' xylophone augmented by angry-sounding guitar clang, The Cribs deliver a moody, desolate cover of Amy Winehouse's 'Back to Black' for music mag covermount.

Having never quite been taken in by The Cribs, this is a pleasant surprise. Phil Spector producing Babes In Toyland while Steve Albini abuses a guitar in the background.

Download The Cribs 'Back To Black' (Amy Winehouse cover mp3) (Divshare)

Elvis Costello and The Attractions - I Want You (Single Version) (Imp Records, 1986)

Unsettling, sinister, spartan.

Strikingly creepy and vitriolic single from Elvis Costello. The vocal is close and breathy, sounding like he's in the undergrowth outside her house. The backing is restrained and edgy with some nice tremolo guitar flourishes and a simmering organ. Reminiscent, in fact, of Talk Talk's 'Spirit Of Eden'. (Less uplifting, admittedly. And not an instrumental.)

Download Elvis Costello and The Attractions - I Want You (Single Version) (mp3) (Divshare)

Codeine - Kitchen (Demo) (Numero Group, 2012)

Not-so-slow demo from the pioneering Codeine.

I am waiting with baited breath for my copy of the Codeine boxset so I can relive the slower-than-slow sounds of the groundbreaking Codeine.

Active for only a few years around the turn of the nineties, Codeine were the epitome of slowcore, glaciers forming in the space between the notes on tracks like 'Realize'. Some notable bands like Mogwai, Low, Slint and Red House Painters forming in those gaps too.

'Kitchen' is an acoustic guitar and vocal demo that whets the appetite for the box's bonus material.

Enjoy.

Download Codeine 'Kitchen (Demo)' (Slowcore, Post-Rock, Sub Pop, mp3) (via Stereogum)

Kenickie - People We Want (EMIDISC, 1997)

Loud-quiet indie melancholynonchalance.

The Eat Junk Become Junk blog recently posted Kenickie's 'At The Club' album and reminded me what a great song 'People We Want' is.

'At The Club' is a genuinely good record with the bubblegumpunk of 'Punka' and lots more besides. 'People We Want' is a shimmering vignette of regret, faded glamour, lost love, tears and Cinzano. It fizzes along on a loud-quiet guitar attack, underpinned by some Pulp-y synths. Perfection.

Download Kenickie 'People We Want' (indie mp3) (Divshare)

 

Hood - The Lost You (Domino, 2004)

Glitch-y, Shoegaze-y, Post-Rock-y delights.

Definitely one of the most under-rated bands of recent times, Hood seemed to combine disparate influences - Post-Rock, Shoegaze, glitchy techno, ambience, leftfield sound collage and found recordings - into a thrilling soundscape.

Their best work runs along a similar line to Bark Psychosis and Disco Inferno where conventional instruments are merged with effects and entwined with samples and atmosphere. The likes of Trophy Wife are trading in a similar sound to the mighty, but now disbanded, Hood.

'The Lost You' kicks of with some glitched up beats, delivering a driving, staccato groove. A pale, translucent vocal comes in and the track builds up a clattering momentum before dubbing out into an extended break with delicious tones and piano, the treble whacked-out like on one of those Filter Disco tracks from the 90s. The vocal comes back and the tracks explodes in all directions, refracting sound like a post-rock mirrorball. 

Download Hood 'The Lost You' (post-rock, glitch, mp3) (Divshare)

Trans Am - Outmoder (Thrill Jockey, 2004)

Angular, moody post-rock instrumental.

'Outmoder' is a taut slice of instrumental post-rock soundtracking. It sounds like an American TV theme tune. It would be perfect for something like CSI:Galapagos where a robot tortoise in Ray Bans leads a crime lab inundated with cases of death caused by stray military hardware.

It begins with the sound of a helicopter taking off before a martial drum comes in along with a clipped, distorted bass riff. The guitar is choppy and restrained, cutting loose in the wordless chorus.

Download Trans Am 'Outmoder' (post-rock, mp3) (Divshare)

Maps - It Will Find You (Mute, 2007)

Luminous electronic Shoegaze

Maps is the nom-de-Shoegaze of solo artist James Chapman. 'It Will Find You' was a single of no little shimmering beauty from his 'We Can Create' debut album.

It builds layer-upon-layer of gauzy melody around a puttering drum pattern. It has the open space and stately grandeur of Slowdive's classic 'Catch The Breeze' but is machine-based Shoegaze rather than guitar-based. So maybe it should actually be called Fingergaze instead?

Download Maps 'It Will Find You' (shoegaze mp3) (Divshare)

Phelan Shepherd - Weaving Song (Leaf, 2006)

Luminous, angelic folktronic instrumental

Listen closely to this delightfully finger-picked folky tune and, amid the sweeping cello, pootling tones and gorgeous ambience, you can hear the sound of someone tapping away at a keyboard.

Peculiar. A comment on the replacement of weaving with more desk-based workforms? Who knows.

Download Phelan Shepherd 'Weaving Song (Leaf, folk, mp3) (Divshare)

Cat Power - The Greatest (Matador, 2006)

Sweet, resigned, Dusty-style ballad-ing

Real fans of Cat Power probably hate this album as it smooths her idiosyncracies into a 'Dusty In Memphis' sweep of country-soul.

The title track and album opener, is a piano led essay in wistfulness and gentle regret. It sparkles with Cat Power's insouciant charm, meandering along behind sparse drums and an almost drunken violin.

Download Cat Power 'The Greatest' (Matador, indie, mp3) (Divshare)

New Order - Here To Stay (Full Length Vocal) (London, 2002)

The last great New Order record?

It's all got a bit messy in New Order land but this track from the '24 Hour Party People' soundtrack can hold its head up against former glories courtesy of some production magic from The Chemical Brothers.

A gleaming, chrome-plated synthesis of alternative rock and dance with no bobbins lyrics, glorious propulsive beats, Barney's trademark guitar and some fine bass runs from Hooky.

Brings a tear...

Download New Order 'Here To Stay (Full Length Vocal)' (indie dance, mp3) (Divshare)

Moonshake - Home Survival Kit (Too Pure, 1992)

Nick Drake-sampling dub soup.

B-side action from the peerless Moonshake sees NIMBY-bating lyric pitched against a soupy dub that incorporates pattering percussion, scraping guitar and a Nick Drake sample.

Download Moonshake 'Home Survival Kit' (Too Pure, mp3) (Divshare)

Drop Nineteens - Winona (Hut, 1992)

Shifting, droning, soaring slice of preppy Shoegaze.

No big fanfares seem to be marking the twentieth anniversary of Drop Nineteens' debut album but 'Winona' is a thrilling piece of slidey-guitared Shoegaze business.

Obviously in thrall to 'Loveless', Boston (USA, not Lincolnshire) band Drop Nineteens rise above their influences with the dreamy, melodic noise pop which sounds like about three records playing at once. The vocal and drums hold it all together as guitars churn and spin around, mixing sweetness with dischord.

Download Drop Nineteens 'Winona' (Shoegaze mp3) (Divshare)

Supermarket - Supermarket (Felt, Lawrence) (Icerink, 1992)

Minimal vocoder pop classic.

Somewhat like 'Around The World' by Daft Punk, this vocal of this record features only the word "Supermarket" repeated ad infinitum. Apparently, "around the world" is repeated 144 times in the Daft Punk classic. I haven't counted how many times "supermarket" is repeated.

Delightful, checkout-friendly spartan pop from the Saint Etienne-curated Icerink label. The story was that Supermarket was two boys from Denmark but it was, allegedly, Lawrence of Felt, Denim and Go-Kart Mozart fame.

Download Supermarket - Supermarket (Icerink, Saint Etienne, mp3) (Divshare)

Included in the 'We Are Icerink' compilation which is featured over on Archive:Live+Rare.

The Young Knives - The Decision (Transgressive, 2005)

Post-punky indie pop delight.

From the once-mighty Transgressive Records, came this little 3" CD gem. Just two tracks but when one of them is the XTC-ish spiky pop of 'The Decision' that'll do.

It rolls and clanks, loping along on a dragging drum beat, all yelping vocals and twisty-turny, nonsense lyrics.

"I'm the Prince Of Wales, I'm the Prince Of Wales, And if all else fails, I am that Prince Of Wales."

Good tune though.

Download The Young Knives 'The Decision' (indie mp3) (Divshare)

The The - Uncertain Smile (12" Mix) (Some Bizzare/Epic, 1982)

More classic angst.

Beginning like Steve Reich gone bendy, 'Uncertain Smile' soon settles into a rolling, indie lilt with a milkman-friendly melody. Matt Johnson mumbles the words like he's talking to himself on a bus, drawing you in to listen closer.

'Uncertain Smile' has a folksier feel to it than the more aggressive sound of the later 'Infected', 'Sweet Bird Of Truth' and so on. This 12" mix drifts gently across ten minutes, taking in long instrumental sections and building in intensity.

Download The The - Uncertain Smile (12" Mix) (Some Bizzare, mp3) (Divshare)

Clinic 'The Second Line' (Domino, 2000)

More twisty psyche business from Clinic.

Irresistable, twisty lo-fi ear-worm from Clinic, riding on a bouncy groove. Vocals are quietly intoned over a ticky-ticky guitar scratch and some halucinogenic organ pulses the song to its conclusion.

It's what The Horrors think they sound like.

Download Clinic 'The Second Line' (Psyche, indie, mp3 download, 2000)

The Flaming Lips - God Only Knows (Beach Boys cover) (Mojo, 2012)

More delights from the Mojo 'Pet Sounds Revisited' tribute.

Fractured, radio-broadcasts-in-space version of one of the most beautiful songs/records ever made.

Wayne Coyne coos the song as he floats, untethered through space, watching Earth float away from him.

Download The Flaming Lips - God Only Knows (Beach Boys cover, mp3 download) (Divshare)

The The - Sweet Bird Of Truth (12" Mix) (Epic, 1987)

Groundbreaking global political commentary.

It's hard to believe this is now 25 years old - not just from the point of view of how much time has passed but how relevant Matt Johnson's commentary on global politics and religion remains today.

'Sweet Bird Of Truth' is a brooding, desperate plea for absolution from a GI in action over the Gulf Of Arabia as "all the planet's little wars start joining hands".

Released as a single from the equally brooding and political 'Infected' album, this version stretches the menace out to eight minutes with pilot-to-control dialogue (requesting authorisation to use Napalm) and dubbed out sections highlighting the clanking, relentless moodiness.

Download The The - Sweet Bird Of Truth (12" Mix) (Epic, mp3 download, 1987) (Divshare)