Albums
She & Him - Volume One (Double Six)
A rare example of a record by an actress (Zooey Deschanel) that isn’t rubbish.
Vile Imbeciles - Queenie Was A Blonde (Tea Vee Eye)
The consensus on a band that’s doing genuinely original stuff (a tweaked hardcore/black-jazz/sick-funk crossover in the Vile Imbeciles’ case) is often that it’s good that they are.
SonnyJim - Trading Standards Mixtape (Dented Records)
The West Midlands battle rapper brings forth his debut with a mixture of skits and guest appearances with a Brummie twang.
Sir Smirf Lil - Candlelight (YNR Productions)
Having cutting his teeth opening for the likes of Jehst and De La Soul, Hackney-born Sir Smirf Lil is firmly establishing himself on the UK hip hop scene.
The Shortwave Set - Replica Sun Machine (Wall of Sound)
London’s soft-psych popsters The Shortwave Set had almost finished recording this second album, then Danger Mouse called and asked them out to Los Angeles to do the whole thing again.
Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles (Last Gang)
Live, Crystal Castles’ singer Alice Glass holds the attention, but generally it’s machines man Ethan Kath who calls the shots.
Dagha - The Divorce (Lewis)
Skits from films and TV shows, A Tribe Called Quest-like jazzy productions cooked up by DJ Real and that easy, round rhyming style… The Divorce is a real early nineties-style second album and it’s a real fine one.
David Karsten - Daniels Fear of Flying (Fat Cat)
A talented songwriter who largely escapes being po-faced because he always has something to say.
