Skinny Jean – ‘Aliens‘

My world is ending, how ‘bout you? / I’ve got a million things to do.

So begins Skinny Jean’s “Aliens”, a song about singer Shem Allen’s ex-workmate’s bizarre but firm belief in alien rescue from the impending end of the world.

Allen’s performance unashamedly channels Thom Yorke and Jeff Buckley but his songwriting is so mature and the band so tight  you barely notice.

Skinny Jean’s debut album Dolce Doggerel is one of the best releases to come out of the river city this year. Get your hands/download quota on it.

www.myspace.com/skinnyjeanband

Jonathan Boulet – ‘A Community Service Announcement’ (mp3)

For the longest time, I avoided listening to Jonathon Boulet (self-produced solo artist outta Sydney’s Bible-Belt) purely because I had some bizarre aversion to his name. God, what was I thinking? He’s amazing.

myspace.com/jonathanboulet

Bearhug – ‘Snow Leopard’

I was initially excited about this track because it shares a name with the opening track off Shearwater’s excellent album ‘Rooks.’ Fortunately, Sydney’s Bearhug manage to effortlessly shrug off the weight of my perhaps unfairly-imposed expectations with the nonchalant, crawling bassline that opens ‘Snow Leopard.’ Shortly thereafter the lo-fi drums, wavering vocals and trebly, fuzzy guitars are introduced and imbue the song with an early 90s slacker charm and aesthetic. Feeding into the endearing simplicity is the measured, repetitive structure of the song, effectively built around glimpses of memorable and aching post-Yellow falsetto lines. Perhaps the track’s biggest strength is that the last minute somehow builds to a climax without breaking from the same unforced and modest shuffle of the first two.

There’s a big difference between not trying and not caring and Bearhug manage to embody the right side of both, creating a yearning song of effortless beauty that I hope gets the coverage it deserves. Definitely one that you’ll find yourself hitting ‘repeat’ on.

http://www.myspace.com/bearhugtheband

The Drones – ‘You’re Acting Like The End Of The World’

So The Drones are possibly my favourite band. I say ‘possibly’ because I don’t necessarily feel comfortable being held to such a grand statement but I’ve seen them live more than other band (around eight times) so they’re coming out on top on paper at least.

Their last album Havilah was great, as were the albums before it.Funnily enough, the latest single off it is ‘You’re Acting Like The End Of The World,’ which is possibly the least Drones-esque song in their oeuvre. They’ve done acoustic stuff before but this is more rollicking and less sinister than what fans might be used to. I kinda prefer my Drones a bit looser and darker but that’s mainly because it’s an aesthetic they’ve perfected rather than a reflection of the quality of this song. Get set for The Drones in jaunty mode – not as odd a match as you might expect.

They’re about to set out on tour so maybe sure you see them if you haven’t already – one of the best live shows for any band, not just an Australian one.

www.myspace.com/thedronesthedrones

AMERICA: I Guess I’m Floating

4 Thing One – Mop Yards

New Jersey’s Thing One have been on my radar since last year when I first heard a few tracks from their debut album You’ll Be Fine. Mop Yards brings traces of The Smiths and ELO into the new millennium with strange electronic warbles and dancey synth patches. Singer Joey Palestina creates a veritable summer anthem with the repeated line, “The heat is non-stop, hide the women in cop cars”. Whatever that means, Joey, I feel ya.

ARGENTINA: Zonaindie

4 Chau Fan – Boletos De Tren

Chau Fan is a boy-girl indie folk (or anti-folk?) duo from Buenos Aires, starring Micaela Quinteros and Marcelo Lares. They both sing and play acoustic guitar, and in this particular song Micaela does a charming harmonica solo. Boletos De Tren will be part of Zonaindie’s new compilation which features five songs from artists who have never had the chance to record in a professional studio (we invited them to the studio and helped them record). So consider this a MAP exclusive premiere.

AUSTRALIA: Who The Bloody Hell Are They?

4 Lisa Mitchell – Coin Laundry

So, yeah, this could easily be an iPod Nano commercial, but catchy accessibility is hardly a terrible quality for a song to have. Who really expected a former Australian Idol finalist to produce anything of worth? This is a lovely song and I hope it gets overplayed.

BRAZIL:Meio Desligado

4 Hurtmold – Música Política Para Maradona Cantar

There is no other band like Hurtmold. You have to listen and feel it. It’s more than music, it’s an experience.

CANADA:I(Heart)Music

4 Dinosaur Bones – NYE

Dinosaur Bones are currently attracting all sorts of interest on the back of their debut EP, and this song makes it easy to see why. They blend together The National’s world-weariness and a very English-sounding pop sensibility, with the end result something that’s entirely their own.

CHILE: Super 45

4 The Same Sky – We Sleep Under The Same Sky

The Same Sky is the music project of Joseph Simon, a 15-year-old Chilean who was born in Canada. It is precisely this biographic fact that can define his music – warm guitar sounds of slow rhythm alongside a smooth voice heavily influenced by bands such as Beirut, Arcade Fire and The National. The recent release of his first album (Two Hearts / Apart Under The Same Sky) supports this feeling of songs as a perfect soundtrack for winter days spent at home, enjoying the natural melancholy.

DENMARK: All Scandinavian

4 Ruhan Daisy – We Know You

There’s quite a bit of post-rock going on in Scandinavia these days, one brilliant act being this Danish quintet. It’s grandiose, funky with bits of (acid) jazz thrown into the mix and sports an equilibristic sense of detail. Ruhan Daisy’s crowning achievement, however, is their catchy pop sensibility driving the complex compositions out of nerd-country into the mainstream. At least that’s how it should be.

ENGLAND: The Daily Growl

4 Alessi’s Ark – The Horse

Alessi’s Ark is west London teenage sensation Alessi Laurent-Marke and here is the single version of The Horse from the Mike Mogis-produced new album, out next month.

FINLAND: Glue

4 Palma – Ride Around

After a couple of years in the making, Helsinki band Palma recently released their debut album Be Bold And Mighty Forces Will Come To Your Aid. Palma refers to an old soda drink in Finland and the band, indeed, produce some refreshing indie-pop songs, rooted in the classic sounds of the 70s, and with a danceable groove. It’s retro and modern. For fans of The Soundtrack Of Our Lives and Supergrass.

FRANCE: SoundNation

4 Sundogs – So Close

Sundogs are a French band who live in London but play in both England and France. The group is made up of two guys – bassist Jeff (“le petit blond”) and Pierre on guitar. The other musicians are French or English guests, depending on where they are playing.

GERMANY: Blogpartei

4 Lali Puna – Nin-Com-Pop

Lali Puna is another band from the great Weilheim circle led by Valerie Trebeljahr. Established in 1998, I consider them to have a higher creative potential than recently featured The Notwist, where her boyfriend and Lali Puna fellow Markus Acher is playing. Nin-Com-Pop is a song from their second album Scary World Theory. A new record will be released later this year.

ICELAND: I Love Icelandic Music

4 Lay Low – Last Time Around

Lovísa Elísabet Sigrúnardóttir is a 26-year-old half-Sri Lankan, half-Icelandic singer, born in London. She sings under the name Lay Low and her music is a combination of blues, folk and country. This year, Lovísa has already supported Emiliana Torrini on tour and signed a record deal with Nettwerk. Last Time Around is on her third solo album, Farewell Good Night’s Sleep.

IRELAND: Nialler9

4 202s – Ease My Mind

There was a general air of being caught unaware in the Irish media and bloggers when this duo’s debut landed on their desks. Without any gigs and already signed to French label Le Son Du Maquis, their charming Primal Scream and Broadcast-indebted indie-pop has skipped a few hurdles without skipping on the tunes.

ITALY: Polaroid

4 Gazebo Penguins – Wallabees

A punk band that quotes Alfred Korzybski? Yes, please. The Name Is Not The Named is the title of Gazebo Penguins’ new album and it’s full of powerful hardcore in the style of At The Drive-In, with a nod to Motorpsycho. Sharp guitars, heavy rhythms, driving choruses and smart attitude.

MEXICO: Club Fonograma

4 Mexican Institute Of Sound – Reventon

Mexican Institute of Sound is a solo project by the multi-talented Camilo Lara. He just released his third album Soy Sauce, another celebration of Mexico’s traditional music fused with funky tunes, electronica and the genre that’s getting ready to shake the world again, cumbia. MIS is an explosive adventurous musical ride of our rich culture. They are preparing to perform at this year’s Coachella festival and with songs like Reventon, it is sure to get the fiesta up in wild spirit.

NEW ZEALAND: Counting The Beat

4 Three Legged Horse – Red

Red is the opening track on Down, the debut album of Three Legged Horse, a trio from Waiheke Island, around 20km offshore from Auckland. The band bring together the grungy dark introspection of lyricist/vocalist Bede Taylor, the smooth powerful vocals of Gina Higham and the musicality of Aaron Carpenter into a combination much greater than the sum of its parts. Red is a good intro to an extraordinary album that melds acoustic country blues with dirty guitar and vocal grit and growls.

NORWAY: Eardrums

4 Dylan Mondegreen – Animal (Hiawata! cover)

For this month’s MAP I will present not one Norwegian act, but two. The performing artist here is Dylan Mondegreen, one of my absolute favourites in Norway. He is currently working on his second album, which should be released later this year. The song he sings is written by another favourite of mine, an indie-pop band from Oslo called Hiawata!. Mondegreen’s cover of their song Animal was a b-side on Valley Boys, the first single from their second album, These Boys And This Band Is All I Know, due out soon on SellOut! Music.

PERU: SoTB

4 Autobus – Volver

Autobus formed in Lima in 2006 and released their debut album last year. Although they have a clear rock essence, they have electronic influences and a pop touch which sets them apart from their peers, so much so that many people are surprised by where they come from. They have made a good impression abroad, achieving their aim of drawing attention to the local scene.

PORTUGAL: Posso Ouvir Um Disco?

4 The Clits – Lay Low

If there was a such a genre as electro-psychic-punk-rock-pop, The Clits would be the kings. It all started in 2006 when Carlos (guitars, keyboards and backing vocals) invited Ana Leorne (vocals) to form an electro-punk project, influenced by the riot grrrl movement and some of their favourite artists such as Joy Division, Bauhaus, Nina Hagen and Suspicious (another Portuguese electro-punk project). Their first record, The World Is A Mess But My Hair Is Perfect EP, was released in December 2007.

ROMANIA: Babylon Noise

4 Persona – Momentary Lack Of Passion

Inspired by Ingmar Bergman’s movie Persona, this band belongs to the new generation of Romanian musicians that bloomed after the anti-communist revolution of December 1989. The group’s members have been involved in the music scene since then, playing in several acts before forming Persona. Their music is, indeed, one of British influence but cannot be strictly labelled – the musical background and influences of each of the members, refined by experience and artistic maturity, blend together in the Persona genre.

SCOTLAND: The Pop Cop

4 There Will Be Fireworks – Foreign Thoughts

Bands of the calibre of There Will Be Fireworks are far too rare, but that’s not a bad thing because you’ll end up appreciating them all the more. Although TWBF seem like the perfect new students in Scotland’s renowned post-rock school, their take on the genre is far more moving and lyrically impassioned than anything that has gone before them. Foreign Thoughts, taken from the Glaswegians’ forthcoming eponymous debut album, has the beautiful intensity of a Band Of Horses classic and will stay with you long after its three-and-a-half minutes are up.

SINGAPORE: I’m Waking Up To…

4 Astreal – Snowflake

Some may say that when you’re in love, the stars align. For Astreal, love is more of a cosmic collision course between stars and planetary bodies. In the unassumingly titled Snowflake, there lies so much destructive potential in a love so intense that, yes, even “the stars, they burn for you”. Taken from their second album Fragments Of The Same Dead Star, the song combines the melodic infatuations of shoegaze with the aural impudence of noise-rock for a blistering and haunting love song that almost borders on maniacal obsession. Is this love? That’s for you to decide.

SOUTH KOREA: Indieful ROK

4 Toxicbiasfleurivy – Parallel Assembly

GDM duo Toxicbiasfleurivy might not be the obvious choice for MAP but their latest album, Particles, provided an interesting exception from my usual listening when it was released late March. Electronic, experimental and pretty much the opposite of easy listening, the listener is advised to enjoy astral emotions while digesting this music inspired by quantum physics.

SPAIN: El Blog De La Nadadora

4 Anntona – Nunca Es Tarde

Apart from his membership in the band Los Punsetes, Manu has a solo project called Anntona, in which he makes the best pop songs imaginable. He has just released his second album, En La Cama Con Anntona (“In Bed With Anntona”) which contains 10 fizzy and addictive pop pearls such as opening track Nunca Es Tarde.

SWEDEN: Swedesplease

4 The Late Call – Linnea

The Late Call is really just one guy (and friends) from Stockholm named Johannes Maye. His debut album, Leaving Notes, chronicles the long distance relationship he had with his girlfriend. The record and this song has an organic feel on account of the mostly acoustic instrumentation. Linnea is a perfect example of the gorgeous pop you can expect from The Late Call.

To download all 25 songs in one file click here.

Talons – ‘Keys & Codes’

Our friends over at Polaroids of Androids have been talking up this band for a while. I’ll admit that I took a while to warm to them but there’s only so long that Talons could exist in my periphery before finally catching my attention. This is my favourite track of theirs so far. In a few words? Unrelenting. Aggressive. Engrossing.

Not nearly as atonal as some have labeled them, Talons produce traditionally constructed, concise songs – the tension is in the distortion, thumps and shouts that they smear their tracks with. There’s hooks in this song if you listen close enough and the guitar itself isn’t nearly as overdriven as you might expect, which suggests a more considered ferocity than many of their contemporaries.

Consider me officially on the Talons bandwagon.

http://www.myspace.com/talonsband

Red Riders – ‘You’ve Got A Lot Of Nerve’

Sydney’s Red Riders return like some ragged, four-headed phoenix with ‘You’ve Got A Lot Of Nerve’ – the first single off their forthcoming second album, Drown In Colour.

Seemingly signaling a shift in musical direction from the nocturnal dance-floors aesthetic of their excellent debut Replica Replica, ‘Nerve’ instead gives us big, blissed out guitar-pop, built around an ostensibly understated chorus that I’ve had stuck in my head all day. Like, all fucking day.

www.myspace.com/redridersmusic