This is music

Three more new releases below the mass critical radar to highlight and post mp3s from? That's how we swing it.

For maximum enjoyment it's probably best to overlook the anchoring idea behind Dirty Projectors' Rise Above (8th October in the UK through Rough Trade), it being a "reimagining" of two thirds of Black's Flag hardcore landmark 1981 album Damaged, an album David Longstreth claims not to have heard since middle school. Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor produced and it reflects some of that band's ambitious scope - like Yellow House, it's a multi-layered album that rewards extra listens - with room for a mildly more linear form of Animal Collective's avant-artpop and the stereo-spanning brainstorms of Todd Rundgren if bred on psych-soul. Purists will (and do) hate it, everyone else will struggle to hang on but be glad they did so.

Dirty Projectors - Thirsty And Miserable

While we're on far too clever for their own good one man bands, we like to think we've had a long and fruitful association with the now Cardiff-based Pagan Wanderer Lu, in that he contributed to Songs To Learn And Sing last November. His 2005 album Build Library Here (Or Else!) was reissued last week on Brainlove Records, demonstrating his growing prowess (there's an earlier version of The Memorial Hall, standout from last year's The Independent Scrutineer EP) at welding together smart DIY electro, scratchy lo-fi folk and deft lyricism. One big push and a proper cult following is his for the taking.

Pagan Wanderer Lu - At The Hairdressers...

We've lost the press release that came with the new self-titled album (their second, and their first was eponymous too) by Toronto's Holy Fuck so can't tell you when it's out in the UK - October 23rd, America - but we do know they specialise in making electronically inclined instrumental dance-punk that actually features no programmed elements at all, developing songs live without rehearsal and recording them immediately after coming off tour. That they're touring Europe soon with !!! gives a good indication of where they're coming from.

Holy Fuck - Milk Shake