Highly anticipated New album from Hercules And Love Affair - Blue Songs out this week. But this time out, No Antony Hegarty and the band have gone in a different direction. Andy Butler's NYC disco collective have pulled off another quality album that harks back to 80/90's dance music but still keeps an firm foot in 2011. This tune, the title track is completely different to the disco-led tunes of the debut LP, clarinets and marimbas lead us into a tropical mix with soft loose funky beats. Elsewhere on the album, it's a much more diverse musical palette, Kele Okereke lends his vocals to hip house of Step Up and there's big dancefloor fillers in My House and Visitor.

This is a serious love affair!

Nice remix of Lykke Li's I Follow Rivers by Dave Sitek. Original version is from her forth-coming album entitled Wounded Rhymes, the enigmatic Swedish indie singer/songwriter returns with her trademark ethereal sound. set for a March 1 release via Lykke's own LL Recordings. With this track and the amazing Get Some it's already shaping up to be one of the most anticipated releases of 2011.

Great track here from the excellent new album Kiss Each Other Clean from Iron & Wine aka Sam Beam. Monkey Uptown is a real feel-good folk-funk tune. The whole album has a certain funky vibe to it compared with Beam's simpler more folky material. It's a gentle record with some excellent, well crafted songs that burst with soaring harmonies and lush melodies. Recommened

Like this? Try: Simon & Garfunkel, Midlake, John Grant, Fleet Foxes

Buy it on itunes

This week we can't get enough of Jamie xx's remixed album of Gil Scott-Heron's I'm New Here, retitled as We're New Here. This track I'll Take Care Of U is an absolute stormer with added rave piano riffs and Hawaiian melodies. Buy this album, you need it in your life!

Find out more at the official website werenewhere.com

Mesmerising new track, I Mind taken from James Blakes debut album.

2011 is going to be a great year for James Blake, following the success of last years mostly instrumental EP's CMYK and Klavierwerke. His self-titled debut album is released in February. Being touted as the one to watch this year, already receiving rave reviews for his minimal and tense cover (and first single) of Feist's Limit To Your Love with it's heavy gut-pounding bass. His debut is a full-on vocal affair with all the quality instrumentation he showed on previous work. James' vocal has a warm, delicate and fragile quality, reminiscent of Anthony Hegarty. Often singing just one line and repeating it while shifting in pitch. Blake's sound is stark and minimalist with the same haunting qualities of Burial, but make no mistake this is a unique sound all of his own that future releases will be measured against. The intimate nocturnal vibe swells with an intensity that captivates with every piano key and digital effect. It's often the patches of intense silence that leaves you hanging on every note. Definitely one for the late night chill with a big pair of headphones. Recommended.

Buy on iTunes, Official website

Like this? Try: Bon Iver, Anthony and the Johnsons, Fever Ray, Burial

New long player Ventriloquizzing from Fujiya & Miyagi is released this month, follow up from 2008's - Lightbulbs. I don't think they have quite captured the top form of their 2006 defining album, the brilliant Transparent Things. However there are a handful of tracks that match their best work, namely this track - Pills has all the hallmarks of a top F&M tune. There have always been the Hotchip comparisons and this track certainly does have a sprinkling of Hotchip flavourings. What sets them apart is F&G's influence of old 60's soundtrack composers, nuances of Quincy Jones, Serge Gainsbourg, Piero Umiliani and Marc Collin mixing it up with a Krautrock proficiency that takes in Can, Neu!, Kraftwerk and Tortoise. 

Ventriloquizzing is good set of songs from the Brighton band and grows with every listen, well worth checking out.

Buy it on iTunes, bands official website

I love this old 60's tune, Rosso was a great trumpeter and this has a real quirky flavour. Like an italian Herp Albert. Raffaele Celeste "Nini" Rosso 1926 – 1994 was an Italian jazz trumpeter and composer.

Born in Turin, he soon became one of the best-known jazz trumpeters in Italy, reaching the crest of his popularity in the 1960s. He became known in the UK in 1962 when his recording of "Concerto Disperato" was covered by Ken Thorne and his Orchestra and became a hit under the title The Theme from The Legion's Last Patrol. 

His 1965 worldwide hit Il Silenzio went to #1 in Italy, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and sold over five million copies by the end of 1967. It was awarded a gold disc. Rosso died of a tumor in 1994, at the age of 68.

Some funky soul from Little Esther, this is a great version of Bill Withers Use Me. Taken from her 1972 album Alone Again (Naturally). Sit back and soak it up. 

Esther Phillips (December 23, 1935 – August 7, 1984) was an American singer from Galveston, Texas. She's up there with best soul diva's ever.

New album from Mogwai is amazing, epic tracks that build up into a nerve-shredding frenzy. Their ninth LP, mostly instrumental, it's a real return to form.

Mexican Grand Prix is a pummelling captivating track, play it loud!

Get the lowdown at mogwai.co.uk, Pre-order on iTunes

Like this? Try: Fuck Buttons, Holy Fuck, Emeralds, Primal Scream

Perfect Sunday evening chill-out album from Gayngs… a great album from last year.

When Ryan Olson decided to make a record with Solid Gold members Zack Coulter and Adam Hurlburt, it was clear to them what the result would be: a collection of drugged-up keyboards and slick bedroom production almost exclusively inspired by 10cc's "I'm Not In Love." To be fair, they weren't entirely off.

What they didn't know was that it would spiral into a project of epic proportions, enlisting the talents of over 25 musicians from various scenes around the country, relocating the base of operations from Olson's Minneapolis bedroom/studio to the Wisconsin-based studio April Base, and the genesis of a musical family, GAYNGS.

Bands place in MySpace

More from Jamie xx this month, I first heard this on Jamies mix for Benji B's Radio One show. The 12" vinyl is out now and I've tracked down an mp3 of it. Adele's vocals are well fucked about and it sounds wicked with the handclaps, wonky tambourine beats and marching drums. It's all a remix should be, it transcends the music to another place and makes another tune. Jamie xx is so on the money right now.

After doing Neoloop's albums of the year for 2010 I've been giving the selection a good airing. The one that I keep coming back to is John Grant's Queen of Denmark. Every track offers something different and grows with every listen. From powerful americana ballads to quirky leftfield pop. Grant's extraordinary vocal range is accompanied with a songwriting talent of highest quality. Witty lyrics are given an exuberant backing by the band Midlake. It's an eclectic array of music and on the first few listens your just in love with the richness of it all. Further investigation reveals the lyrical diversity in the strange and dark subject matter - tortured confessions of lost love and addiction. It's moving and funny at the same time and is a credit to Grant's songwriting prowess. 

He recently launched his career as a solo artist after being persuaded by Midlake by offering him their services, having previously been lead vocalist with alternative rock band The Czars. Releasing Queen of Denmark LP back in April 2010. Highly Recommended.

John Grant's website, buy it on iTunes

While driving through the French countryside of the Dordogne region at night with just the light of the sat-nav glowing on the dashboard, you need a suitably dark and mellow soundtrack for such a drive and Arthur H's Pour Madame LP from 2000 fits perfectly. Arthur's husky croon creeps in and out of the subtle beats, sometimes singing or whispering or just the spoken word of a man possessed. Haka Dada has the hypnotic groove of a snake charmer. Great album and a French classic.

Arthur Higelin (born Paris 1966), better known under his stage name Arthur H, a pianist, songwriter and singer. He is the son of the French singer Jacques Higelin. Drawing on such influences as Thelonious Monk and Serge Gainsbourg he's a bit of legend in France.

Official site, Buy it on iTunes

Following my recent visit to France I came back with some cool new tunes. Village-Joie by Thomas Dutronic comes from Dr. Tom Ou La Liberté En Cavale, an album of various artists tribute to French composer Franck Langolff. Langolf wrote most of Vannessa Paradis early albums including breakthrough debut Joe Le Taxi. The LP gathers renound artists such as Vanessa Paradis, Alain Souchon, Natalie Dessay, Ours, Arthur H, Thomas Dutronc, Claire Denamur, Liza Manili, Renaud, Yannick Noah, Cécile Cassel and Raphaël. There is also an animated film of the music too!

Check it out here

Late night listening don't get much better with the haunting new remix from Jamie xx of Gil Scott-Heron's NY Is Killing Me. Originally appearing on Scott-Heron's superb LP I'm New Here (One of Neoloop's choice albums from last year) The xx man's gone and remixed the whole album, an inspired move as it turns out. Following Jamie's brilliant 'In the Mix' for Benji B's Radio One show he's proving to be one to watch. Not content with making one the best LP's of the decade with The xx, he's now shined his magic on Gils comeback masterpiece and made an entirely different record with it. Titled We're Here Now, The album sees Jamie xx remixing thirteen tracks from the original I'm New Here album sessions. Listen to more tracks here.

The Top 21 Albums of 2010.

Another great year for music, here's our top picks!

1. The Black Keys - Brothers

2. Charlotte Gainsbourg - IRM

3. Caribou - Swim

4. Beach House - Teen Dream

5. Aloe Blacc - Good Things

6. Hot Chip - One Life Stand

7. Pantha Du Prince - Black Noise

8. Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest

9. LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening

10. Matthew Dear – Black City

11. Gonjasufi - A Sufi And A Killer

12. John Grant - Queen of Denmark

13. Broken Bells - Broken Bells

14. Flying Lotus – Cosmogramma

15. Lindstrøm & Christabelle - Real Life Is No Cool

16. Four Tet - Love Cry

17. Delorean – Subiza

18. Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here

19. Warpaint – The Fool

20. Emeralds – Does It Look Like I Am Here?

21. Sun Airway - Nocturne of Exploded Crystal Chandelier

Bubbling under...

Neil Young - Le Noise, Paolo Conte - Nelson, Holy Fuck - Latin, The National – High Violet, MGMT – Congratulations, Tame Impala – Innerspeaker, Midlake - The Courage of Others, Janelle Monae – The ArchAndroid, Crystal Castles – II, Arcade Fire – The Suburbs, Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, dOP - Greatest Hits, Jamie Lidell - Compass, !!! - Strange Weather, Isn't It?, The Roots - How I Got Over, Gayngs - Relayed, Spoon - Transference, Oneohtrix Point Never - Returnal, Vampire Weekend - Contra, Wavves - King of the Beach, Gorillaz - Plastic Beach, Avey Tare - Down There, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Before Today, Sleigh Bells – Treats, Foals - Total Life Forever, James Blake – Klavierwerke EP and CMYK EP.