19 of the best songs from the last two weeks. Stunning returns for Bloc Party and Of Montreal plus new psych pop, indie rock, electronic pop, alt rock, country blues, dreampop and soft rock. Tracks bearing the influence of everyone from the early-70s triumvirate of Bowie, Bolan, and the Rolling Stones to The Kills, M83 and 80s futurists.

Bloc Party ‘Rachet’
“Tell your bitch to get off my shit, smokin’ on that homegrown”
Best thing they’ve done since about 2005. The spiky energy of ‘Banquet’ updated for 2013. Brilliant rave-aping guitar, toy gun sounds and one of Kele’s best vocals.
[Bloc Party]

Of Montreal ‘Fugitive Air’

“Mother always like you best, liked your teeth upon her breast”
The first track to surface from Of Montreal’s forthcoming Lousy With Sylvianbriar album finds Kevin Barnes finding inspiration in the early 70s. Gone is the falsetto and indebtedness to Prince of recent albums to be replaced by some Rolling Stones slide guitar and David Bowie-circa-Hunky Dory tuneage. That post-Velvets louche side of sleazey-glam-rock n’ roll is a bit of a trend in 2013 (cf Foxygen, Saint Rich).
[Of Montreal]

Cosmonauts ‘Shaker’
“It is getting raw so we better cut it off”

Like The Kills with a lof-fi Velvets/Krautrock/80s Flying Nun feel.
[Cosmonauts]

Daughn Gibson ‘Kissin’ On The Blacktop’
“Someone I knew in middle school told me a great big lie and asked to be my friend” Twangy blues rock with electronic underpinning and baritone vocals (like an indie Eliminator-era ZZ Top fronted by Johnny Cash) from Sub Pop signed former trucker from Pennsylvania.
[Daughn Gibson]

Sam Smith ‘Safe With Me’

“Don’t you know your secret’s safe with me”
Superior electro r n’b pop from Cambridge singer best known for featured vocals on Disclosure’s ‘Latch’.
[Sam Smith]

Lloyd Cole ‘Love Like This Can’t Last’
“She’s going to love me ‘til tomorrow, then, well, she’s only human”
Classic jangle pop from LC. This could easily reside on Rattlesnakes.
[Lloyd Cole]

Saint Rich ‘Officer’

“Why do you look so mad, you always look so fucking angry”
More of that post-Velvets / early 70s Bowie / Stones vibe with a hint of Marc Bolan vibrato.
[Saint Rich]

Vulkano ‘Vision Tricks’

“Endless nights of fun fun fun, I lose the grip and I’m on the run”
Swedish angular electronic indiepop from Cissi and Lisa (ex of Those Dancing Days).
[Vulkano]

TRAAMS ‘Flowers’
“I don’t even know your number, and you don’t even know my name”
Second tune from Chichester indie rock trio (‘Low’ was featured back on ITP#36). This one is less spastic guitars, more groove based in an angular 80s post-punk-funk kinda way.
[TRAAMS]

Andy Bull ‘Baby I Am Nobody Now’

“I could be one in a million baby, but I’m nobody now”
Catchy and uplifting analogue electronic pop with r n’b overtones from Sydney alt pop dude.
[Andy Bull]

Elf Power ‘Sunlight on The Moon’

“Transfiguration made me whole now, illumination let me see, I was no longer in control now” Elephant 6 veterans return with 60s indebted psych pop.
[Elf Power]

Pink Frost ‘Ruins’
“So bleed while you can”

Chicago band with a bombastic 90s alt.rock vibe. Like the more melodic bits of …Trail of Dead meets Jane’s Addiction with hints of Smashing Pumpkins.
[Pink Frost]

The Orwells ‘Who Needs You’

“You better count your blessings, kiss your mom and pop, you better burn that flag, cos it ain’t against the law”
Strokes-stomping anti-authoritarian indie rock from the young Chicago band produced by Dave Sitek.
[The Orwells]

Colette ‘When the Music’s Loud’
“When the music’s loud, I don’t think about you”
Thumping stadium electronic retro pop with an M83 vibe from Chicago Dj / prodcuer / vocalist inspired by 80’s futurism, shades of Italo-disco, house and electronica.
[Colette]

Jackson Scott ‘Together Forever’

20 year old guy from North Carolina channels Terry Jacks / Syd Barret / William Blake for swampy, swirling psych pop.
[Jackson Scott]

Army Navy ‘Crushed Like the Car’

“I would like to fall right off the planet, but something is holding my feet down”
LA Powerpop devotees.
[Army Navy]

Keep Shelly in Athens ‘Recollection’

Electronic dreampop from Greece.
[Keep Shelly in Athens]

Jackson and his Computerband ‘Arp’
Second track of instrumental analogue spacetronica from French dude’s forthcoming album on Warp (‘Vista’ was featured on ITP #37).
[Jackson and His Computerband]

Ariel Pink and Jorge Elbrecht ‘Hang on to Life’

“You screwed the pooch now face it, the truth is in the sky”

70s soft rock vibes abound on this one off collaboration between the two art poppers.
[Ariel Pink and Jorge Elbrecht]