Lesbian Power Hor Holy Mountain
Although it’s far from a typical XLR8R Top Ten entry, Lesbian has made the cut. Power Hor is a four song journey into the hellish side of psychedelia, with layer upon layer of guitar distortion, prog-scales, and traditional metal drumming. Featuring cover art from Sunn 0)))’s Stephen O’Malley, Power Hor has us scared for our lives.

MilenasongSeven Sisters Monika Enterprise
Gudrun Gut’s Monika Enterprise imprint has outdone itself again. Milenasong is Sabrina Milena, a Berlin-based songstress with a voice from heaven and a passion for eerie, acoustic experimentation. Like Joanna Newsom jamming with Sol Invictus, Milenasong is folk-nouveau for the disenchanted.

Phat KatCarte BlancheLook
Detroit couldn’t be in a better position with Phat Kat in peak mode. With several tracks produced by the late J Dilla, Black Milk, and Nick Speed, Carte Blache is a grimey, electro-infused hip-hop enterprise. One should not sleep on this up-and-coming Detroit mainstay.

VariousBuzzin’ Fly Vol. 4: Ben WattBuzzin’ Fly
As one-half of downtempo pop legends Everything But the Girl and owner of the Buzzin’ Fly imprint, Ben Watt knows his shit. On Volume 4, Watt expands upon his house mixes with dark tracks from Abyss, The Green Men, and Justin Martin, amongst tons of other incredible producers. This is easily the best mix yet from Ben and friends. It’s so lush it actually kind of hurts.

CexSketchi Temporary Residence
White boy party rap isn’t dead yet–or is it? Chicago’s Cex has gone beyond his days as an emotional party-rap experimenter, moving toward a drone-powered dubstep sound that will shake any audience’s organs. Move over Skream, Cex has come for your life.

Scissors For Lefty Underhanded RomanceEenie Meenie
It’s hard to admit it, but sometimes we have to give it up to those acts that play pop music that demands dancing. San Francisco’s Scissors For Lefty do just that. Like Ace Frehley’s solo recordings and Blonde Redhead’s energy of earlier, noisier work, Underhanded Romance is pop that transcends anything comparable to the term cheesy.

Zeb Stop the Earth, I Want to Get Off!Wonderwheel
If you like Liquid Liquid, Thievery Corporation, or King Tubby, Zeb is your man. Dude creates some extremely funky, latin tinged post-punk that’s got us psyched. One listen to the track “Afro Disco,” and you’ll know what we mean.

Jasper TXA DarknessLidar
As the title indicates, Jasper TX’s follow up to 2005’s I’ll Be Long Gone Before My Light Reaches You, is, well, dark. Featuring cinematic guitar ambience, pretty piano accompaniments, and weird-ass field recordings, A Darkness shreds without actually shredding at all.

The Death of a PartyThe Rise and Fall of Scarlet CityDouble Negative
After a lengthy tour with Canada’s Metric, The Death of a Party are showing their goth-meets-Gang of Four wings on their debut for Double Negative. Between the jangling guitars, sassed-out vocals, and catchy bass hooks, there’s no way this will get out of your head.

Black MothSuper RainbowDandelion GumGraveface
Dandelion Gum is a concept album about witches who make candy in the forest. Whoa. But seriously, Black Moth Super Rainbow makes fuzzy, Air-esq rock songs unlike anything out right now. This rural Pennsylvania quintet fuses electro, synth pop, and San Francisco psychedelia circa ’68 for one weird ass foray into the magnificent Top Ten.

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