Various
Get Lost 03: Mixed By Dinky
Crosstown Rebels

While most would agree Dinky is one of the shittiest artist names imaginable, Alejandra Iglesias makes up for it with a profound understanding of producing and mixing killer techno tracks. For the third installment of Crosstown Rebels’ Get Lost series, the Chilean DJ/producer gets heavy with mind-numbing tracks from Radio Slave, Cassy, Mountain People, and three of her own exclusive triumphs. It’s no surprise this girl ran a monthly with Magda, recorded for Sven Väth’s Cocoon label, and continues to destroy dancefloors worldwide. Father

Cex
Exotical Privates
Automation

Cex has returned to his experimental Chicago indie roots with Exotical Privates, a four-song remix EP that is as guitar-friendly as it is club-worthy. “Cocceesville” sounds like Apparat reinterpreting the most epic of Cepia tracks, while “Hamilton” sounds like a DJ Funk’s booty-house beneath an emo opus. Gone are the days of silly white dude party rap, as Cex continues his mission to create dynamic, original, and introspective music that has no boundaries. Father

David Shrigley
Worried Noodles
Tomlab

Visual artist David Shrigley penned a book of song lyrics that were eventually set to music by the likes of Grizzly Bear, YACHT, Deerhoof, Franz Ferdinand, and Tussle, and the result is this double-disc release of darkly humorous tracks. Lyrics like “Hey you with the fist!/Come bang it on my head” and “Cute little kittens drowned in a sack” are spread over light, poppy melodies that make the compilation an interesting set of paradoxes and should give every emo band on the block a run for its money. The Ambassador

Rocko feat. Young Jeezy
“Umma Do Me (Remix)”
Bootleg

Taken from the 17th installment of DJ Drama’s Gangsta Grillz mixtape series, “Umma Do Me” is Jeezy at his best. Featuring plenty of references to house shoes and success despite a high school education, this is the hustler’s guide to self-empowerment. Not to mention, Rocko is R&B sensation Monica’s old man and one hell of an MC to boot. You can live in Montana and still feel like a badass with this track rattling your trunk. Father

Imagination
Just An illusion Burnin’ Up
Juno

The last EP I heard on Juno was the Cybotron “Clear” remix CD, and that kind of blew my mind. Now, Juno has rounded up Dimitri From Paris and Lindstrøm to take on Imagination’s early-’80s Italo-pop masterpieces “Just An Illusion” and “Burnin’ Up.” Both of these outstanding producers put their shimmering, beyond-cosmic synth skills to use here. You can’t go wrong with tons of outer-space sounds, Detroit piano stabs, and enough delay to freak out any stoner or sober dude alike. Father

Various
The Biggest Reggae One-Drop Anthems
Greensleeves

The latest compilation from Greensleeves–which is celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year–showcases not only the hottest reggae artists of the moment, but also the sounds of one-drop, which, as noted recently, is the foundation of the genre’s sound. Buju Banton, Beres Hammond, Sizzla, Jah Cure, and Lutan Fyah all make appearances here, in addition to a 10-track bonus DVD featuring standout videos from Alborosie, Nesbeth, and Pressure, to name a few. The Ambassador

Pole
Steingarten Remixes
~scape

In order to enjoy the subtleties of micro-master Pole, sometimes it’s necessary to have some of the world’s gnarliest dubstep and techno producers step in and play tour guide. On Steingarten, Skull Disco shreds the track “Achterbahn” into a demonic bass séance, while Monika Enterprise founder Gudrun Gut produces a spooky vocal mix of “Mädchen” that’s got Muslimgauze and Kompakt written all over it. Oh, and Deadbeat, Ghislain Poirier, Dimbiman, Mike Huckaby, and others kill it too. Sheesh. Father

The Rapture
“The Sound Remixes”
Throne of Blood

While the original track kind of blows (unless, cowbells and mediocre, overproduced disco-rock is your jam), the “MaxPask Horrorshow Mix” redeems this single as an industrial-electro thumper. Heavy, reverberated drums and blistering synth lines converge with subtle, effected vocals that are nowhere near annoying as Luke Jenners’ original take. Not unlike the last Throne of Blood Rapture remix EP (which featured Claude VonStroke and Simian Mobile Disco), “The Sound” converts an otherwise un-enlightening disco-punk anthem into leftfield dancefloor gold. Father

Teargas & Plateglass
Black Triage
Waxploitation

When a group goes on a mysterious three-year hiatus, you would hope that the album it re-emerges with would be somewhat epic and worth the wait. This is true of Teargas & Plateglass’ follow-up to 2004’s self-titled debut. Somber, intricately arranged keyboards, beats, and vocals resonate beneath melancholy strings and groaning organs, and the band has also accomplished the feat of exploring themes like genocide without sounding preachy. T&P prefers to educate the listener subtly, and succeeds admirably here. The Ambassador

PJ Harvey
White Chalk
Island

The pixie-ish Polly Jean Harvey finally makes the return we’ve been waiting for, this time in the vein of her sparse Dance Hall at Louse Point record. White Chalk‘s similarly minimalist approach looks not to harsh guitars and feedback, but rather dark ballads, windswept mysticism, and the English folk tradition. Amazing from start to finish. Jeb

Photo of Pole by Kai Von Rabenau.