Cut Copy “So Haunted” Modular
Cut Copy’s “Hearts on Fire” was a pretty infectious single, which is hard to admit with all of the sax solos and trance synths thrown in. Now, the Australian group jumps in the studio with DFA’s Tim Goldsworthy to create the Arcade Fire-influenced, electro-pop anthem of the year, “So Haunted.” CC’s fusion of indie rock and trancey electro-pop will absolutely make the band Modular’s most listened-to and respected outfit yet. FM

Shout Out Louds “Impossible (Studio Remix)” Merge
Sweden should be named the pop epicenter of the world. Between breeding Jens Lekman, El Perro Del Mar, and Shout Out Louds, the nation is killing it. Studio’s remix of “Impossible” is cosmic pop at its best. There’s no crazy dancefloor bullshit or chopped-up vocals–just clean, arpeggiating synths, deep drum sounds, and a Tears for Fears vibe that has got this writer in “I’m gonna play this all day” mode. FM

Kap10KurtDangerSeekers EP Plant
If you like your spacey disco-house punchy, filtered, and dancefloor-friendly, get thee to the upcoming DangerSeekers EP from Brooklyn’s Kap10Kurt. The original’s hot, but check out the remixes, too, from Tepr, Yuksek, and Shinichi Osawa. And then tell Mylo he can suck it. KT

Oren AmbarchiIn the Pendulum’s EmbraceSouthern Lord
Oren Ambarchi is no joke. When he’s not composing and performing the most brutal of doom-ambient metal with the likes of Sunn O)))’s Greg Anderson and Mayhem’s Attila Csihar as Burial Chamber Trio, he’s creating amazing textural drone under his birth name. In the Pendulum’s Embrace may not be for everybody, but for those that like their music dark and interesting, this album is top shelf. FM

VariousHeavy MetalRhino
Does a compilation title get any more forthright than this? Metal isn’t typically our XLR8R’s thing, at least not on paper, but the number of XLR8R staffers in metal bands could fill a small concert hall. That’s an exaggeration, but whatever, we still love the stuff. And on the Heavy Metal boxed set, it’s here in spades in the form of Rush, Sabbath, Maiden, W.A.S.P., Accept, and more. (Yes, Dokken, too.) We suggest cranking it to 13 (fuck 11!), starting with Judas Priest’s “The Ripper,” and ending the night with Metallica’s “One.” KT

Jay-Z “Roc Boys (And the Winner Is)” Roc-A-Fella
Jay-Z totally blew it with Kingdom Come. The Pharrell-produced “Blue Magic” (a.k.a. the first single from the forthcoming American Gangster) sounded like a predictable TRL hit at best. But the sophomore single, “Roc Boys (And the Winner Is),” finally gets back to the quality MCing we’ve come to expect. Produced by The Hitmen, this track returns to The Blueprint, but without all of the hustling references. It’s not the best of old Jigga, but it’s a damn fine track nonetheless. FM

Grizzly Bear Friend EP Warp
For fans awaiting another full-length from this Brooklyn indie-folk outfit, the Friend EP might not give you much a taste of what’s to come, but it’ll make the wait go a bit faster. With alternative cuts of tracks from their past albums and covers by the likes of Band of Horses and Atlas Sound, Friend showcases this band’s knack for all sounds large and small. RH

Chica and The FolderUnder the BalconyMonika
The second LP from Berlin’s Paula Schopf (Chica Paula) and Max Loderbauer (Sun Electric) finds the duo nailing the balance between pop, ambient, and minimal techno. With moods as varied as its styles (and languages), Under the Balcony feels like an entire night of walking aimlessly around a city by yourself; not quite sad, but not too happy either. RH

VariousLa Belle Epoque: EMI’s French Girls 1965-1968EMI
After devoting an entire issue (and plenty of late nights) to the city of Paris, we made a pact to do some fasting on the Frenchies. That was until we got a hold of this comp. Compiling 20 tracks of ’60s French female pop by the likes of Christie Laume, Alice Dona, and Les Roche Martin, La Belle is antiquated sexy pop at its best. RH

VariousKitsuné BoomBox: Mixed By Jerry BouthierKitsuné
Edinburgh’s BoomBox club night must be insane, because BB’s resident DJ Jerry Bouthier’s first mix for Kitsuné is pure fire. Featuring a number of blog-house remixes and edits that are so good even Steve Aoki could play them out and we still wouldn’t hate (see Feist’s “1, 2, 3, 4” and Digitalism’s “Pogo,” manipulated by Van She Tech and Shinichi Osawa, respectively). If legitimate French touch is your jam, get this for the quickness. FM

KH–Ken Taylor
FM–Fred Miketa
RH–Ross Holland