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)

OMD - Genetic Engineering (312mm Version) (Virgin, 1983)

Speak'n'Spell electro pop classic.

Before the advent of widespread sampling, playing a Speak'n'Spell* machine into a track was probably about as clever as it got.

'Genetic Engineering' is my favourite thing by OMD because it blends pop sensibility with a minimal approach to building a track and a degree in sociology.

Download OMD - Genetic Engineering (312mm Version) (Speak'n'Spell, FuturePop, mp3) (Divshare)

Check-out this cool Speak'n'Spell simulator.

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)

New Music - Neneh Cherry & The Thing - Dream Baby Dream (Smalltown Supersound, 2012)

An unexpected treat.

I have to say I wasn't expecting something as good as this. The Thing tone down the skronk and dial-down the energy to create a meandering cradle of gentle, sax-led jazzing. They mutate this Suicide song so it sounds like a lullaby written by Albert Ayler.

And over that Neneh Cherry - rather than busting rhymes about nasty girls sucking beer through straws (admittedly, that was twenty-odd years ago) - lets loose a soothing stream of the title's repetition.

The whole thing just builds and winds until it feels appropriate for the sax to cut loose with some gentle squall as a sweet trumpet anchors the track around the relentless, Jaki-Liebzeit-on-tranquilisers drumming. It reaches fever pitch before coming quietly to a stop.

A total f-ing triumph.