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)

Clinic - The Return Of Evil Bill (Domino, 2000)

Compulsive, knockabout Freakbeat magic from the mysterious Clinic.

I haven't really kept up with Clinic since this album even though it's a doozy. I did catch them live last year is an armpit of a venue and they blasted out a mighty set. In scrubs and surgical masks. Quite a sight.

Clinic deal in a hybrid of Freakbeat, indie, Krautrock and, on this occasion, dub-style melodica. It's a heady, potent brew that rides in on the melodica before making off on a lively, one-note riff.

'The Return Of Evil Bill' could be an alternative theme for the sixties version of Batman. A version of Batman where someone has put Harpic and/or Brasso in the water. Time has become elastic and the walls start to bleed as mini-skirted dancers 'cut a rug'. Or something like that.

Well worth a listen as a taster for a great album.

Download Clinic 'The Return Of Evil Bill' (garage, alternative, mp3) (Mediafire)

Sebadoh 'Soul And Fire' (Sub Pop/Domino, 1993)

Heartbreaking poignance indie rock style.

Back when it started out - before the Franz Ferdinand, Wild Beasts, Arctic Monkeys et al - Domino was just a cool label licensing singles and the odd album from the US indie rock underground.

Domino introduced us to Pavement, Plush, Gastr Del Sol, Papa M/Aerial M. And they gave the UK indie underworld this Sub Pop single by Sebadoh, the band Lou Barlow formed after being dumped out of Dinosaur Jr.

'Soul And Fire' is an almost tortuously sad slice of heartbreak indie (is that a genre? It is now!). The guitars veer from sweet to gently serrated, the drums mark out a gentle pace and the vocals are resigned. Sad rock.

Download Sebadoh 'Soul And Fire' (indie rock, indie mp3 download) (Mediafire)