Hot Snakes–Thunder Down Under–(Swami)
You may have heard that Hot Snakes were one of the few bands that perfected the minimal rock formula in ways that have remain untouched for days. Well, after their untimely break-up, the San Diego troupe gives us one last treat manifested as a live performance in Australia. This record is raw, gritty, and filled with the angst that sets this band apart from the punk norm.

Michael Mayer–Immer 2–(Kompakt)
Following his last compilation Immer, the “archangel of house,” also known as Kompakt co-founder Michael Mayer, is back with a lo-fi, spacey offering for the dance-ready masses. Featuring killer tracks from Lindstrom, Crowdpleaser & St. Plomb, and a 13+ minute odyssey from Geiger, this year in the making mix will get you all tender and shook to hell.

The Knife–Deep Cuts–(Mute)
Quite possibly one of the best electro-pop albums known to man, our homies at Mute have done the right thing by reissuing the Swedish duo’s anthemic masterpiece Deep Cuts, complete with a bonus DVD disc and remixes from Rex the Dog, Dahlback, and Milo. This is the sound of Salivation.

Various–Dubstep Allstars Vol. 4: Mixed B DJ Hatcha–(Tempa)
It’s the fourth installment of Tempa’s Dubstep Allstars compilation series and it’s amazing. This time around, DJ Hatcha showcases some of the deepest, darkest beats from the likes of Digital Mystickz, Skream, and Loefah to name a few. This two-disc gem will keep the office busy for a damn long time.

Swan Lake–Beast Moans–(Jagjaguwar)
Swan Lake is a beastly trio featuring an all-star line-up comprised of members from Wolf Parade, The New Pornographers, and Frog Eyes. Beast Moans is a pastoral, post-pop record that falls somewhere in between The Arcade Fire and dangerous amounts of Moonshine and Xanax. Band incest never sounded so right.

Dax Pierson/Robert Horton–Pablo Feldman Sun Riley–(Nosordo)
The Bay Area is infamous for taking experimentation in music to the next level. On their debut collaboration, Dax Pierson (Subtle) and Robert Horton (Appliances) pay homage to the experimenters that paved the way for the duo’s blend of space and melody.

Menomena–Friend and Foe–(Barsuk)
Rarely do spooky songs rooted in piano and subtle electronics end up as impacting as those on Friend and Foe. At times epic and others charmingly melodic, Menomena is the beginning of something quite special down at camp Barsuk.

L. Pierre–Dip–(Melodic)
It’s a total bummer that Arab Strap no longer exists, but there is a Brightside–namely, L. Pierre. Aidan Moffat’s colorful side project reflects the quiet side of nature through his use of intrinsic vocal harmonies and lots of pretty field recordings that sound like the beach, forest, and desert all at once. It’s not Arab Strap, but it’s impressive and sonically satisfying as all hell.

T. Raumschmiere–Random Noize Sessions–(Shitkatapult)
T. Raumschmiere has gotten a bit mellow on us with his newest long-player on his very own Shitkatapult imprint. Complete with Pan Sonician analog bass threads and fuzzy percussion of all types, Random Noize Sessions is an awesome addition to the madman’s cannon.

Black Strobe–A Remix Selection–(Playloudrecordings)
You may not know Black Strobe if you’re not a connoisseur of Parisian, dark dancefloor hits. But if you’ve been to a club that is honored by dudes with v-necks and pointy shoes and legions of tattooed girls with boots, then the odds are you’re familiar with Black Strobes remixes. This mix of various singles from Bloc Party to The Rapture to Tiefschwarz is the definition of raging.