John Maus

Left-field psych rock artist John Maus is getting set to release his first album since 2011′s terrific We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves, and even though it’s just a collection b-sides and rarities, any new Maus is something to celebrate. A Collection of Rarities and Previously Unreleased Material is out July 17th on Ribbon Music, featuring a collection of 16 different track that span all the way back to 1999. “Mental Breakdown,” originally recorded in 2004 is the same warped, dripping psych song that put Maus on the spot with Ariel Pink in 2010 after Haunted Graffiti. The first 500 orders will be pressed on translucent pink vinyl, so preorder limited edition now.

Bam Spacey

Swedish electronic producer Bam Spacey’s latest, Land EP, came out May 22nd on Ceremony Recordings. This video grows with the song; the sloppier the milk-drinking, the fuller the song. Expect another track from Bam Spacey in an upcoming REDEFINE mixtape, and you can stream the entire EP on Fader HERE. It’s highly recommended.

Shit Robot

Marcus Lambkin’s debut record From the Cradle to the Rave was a long time in the making, over a decade in fact, but since then the German producer has had his foot on the gas. After a string of excellent singles and remixes in support of the album, Lambkin returns to Shit Robot in 2012 with a brand new 12″ and the announcement of a singles series. “Space Race/Teenage Bass” is the first single in the Green Machine series, a line of brand new tracks from Lambkin. Although no specific timetable has been set for the releases, it’s a sign of commitment to new music from this incredibly talented producer, and I’m all for that. “Space Race” is a pure house track, a booming trip through late-90′s and early-00′s dance music. It’s a return to his roots in a sense, as it’s the kind of music Lambkin was making when he first got together with James Murphy and company over at DFA Records. “Teenage Bass” follows a similar patterns, a track molded from a singular beat extrapolated over seven tense and twisting minutes. Although this 12″ doesn’t match some of From the Cradle to the Rave’s often goofy nature, this new release is certianly worth checking out. Green Machine vol. 1 is out this week on DFA Records, and you can listen to both tracks HERE.

Nicolas Jaar

New York by-way-of Chile producer Nicolas Jaar took everybody by surprise in 2011 with Space is Only Noise, an amazingly poignant and minimal electronic effort, a record which still sounds effortless yet will ultimately become timeless. Jaar recently delivered the newest BBC Essential Mix for the British radio program, and to say that it’s essential would be redundant but it shouldn’t lose its meaning; this mix is amazing. Don’t mind the *NSYNC track; Jaar even manages to make the boy band cool again. Everyone from Aphex Twin to Feist, to Marvin Gaye and Jay-Z are included on the mix, so you know Jaar’s influences don’t side with a specific era or genre. Stream or download the entire show below, and head over HERE to read the entire tracklist.

Slam Donahue

With their latest offering to the internet masses, their Big House Nice Dreams mixtape, Slam Donahue sound a bit like all of their posi Cantora Records counterparts (MGMT, Bear Hands, Emil & Friends), minus the polish. These guys are absolutely bursting with personality through their lo-fi pop jams, with so much bounce in their musical step they might shake themselves into having some sort of complex. Feed that pop-loving juvenile left in you with Slam Donahue! They’ll scream their way into your heart with absolute disregard for adhering to one convention.