Wild Nothing - Chinatown 9.5/10

Wild Nothing is the indie guitar pop project of Jack Tatum from Virginia, USA. This track is taken from his album Gemini which was released by Captured Tracks Records in 2010. The song begins with a lush arrangement of flute-like synths hovering at the margins before a steady rhythm of light percussion and a mesmerizing bass line make an entrance. The thickness of the production needs to be complemented since the myriad different layers going on in this track never overlap or sound muddied, they are all given room to be heard separately. There are enough different sounds that headphones are strongly recommended to catch all the different parts, particularly the depth and complexity of the superb bass line. The moody, longing atmosphere is matched by Tatum's lyrics, where he exclaims "I need to keep you here/I need to picture you still/I need to clear the fog", expressing yearnings for a lost companion. This is Wild Nothing's finest moment to date, a track where all the best features of Tatum's style came together in something timeless.

Women - Eyesore 8.9/10

Women is an art rock band from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. This track is taken from their album Public Strain which was released by the label Jagjaguwar in 2010. As the final track on Public Strain, the last two minutes of Eyesore act as the outro to the album as a whole, and does so to spectacular effect with a guitar riff that will get stuck in your head for weeks. Heavy reverb effects on the vocals and guitars hark back to 1960's psychedelic bands, while the lyrics are almost unintelligibly buried in the mix. Like many songs by Women, Eyesore begins with a familiar rhythm that abruptly shifts halfway through into a new vocal melody and guitar chord pattern that lead to a satisfying conclusion. Guitarist Chris Reimer died in February 2012, and the band has been on hiatus since then although no official breakup has been announced by their label Jagjaguwar.

The Ruby Suns - Cranberry 7.9/10

The Ruby Suns are an experimental indie pop group from Auckland, New Zealand. This track is taken from their album Fight Softly which was released by Sub Pop Records in 2010. Lead singer Ryan McPhun may originally be from California, but this band's Kiwi credentials show in the playful touches and rhythms that suggest a summer beach party in the Bay of Islands isn't far away. The track begins with a tromping marching beat which abruptly fades out to be replaced by electro keyboard hits, then gradually builds into an all-out rumba party with wavy marine flourishes. McPhun's lyrics describe childhood fears of swimming in deep water and anxieties about the future, though the exuberant atmosphere of the track never gets weighted down by such concerns. This is a song to put on by the pool on a hot day with a chilled lemonade in hand.

Reading Rainbow - White Noise 7.9/10

Reading Rainbow is a psychedelic pop band from Philadelphia, USA. They have recently changed their name to Bleeding Rainbow. This track is taken from their album Prism Eyes which was released by Hozac Records in 2010. Crunchy guitars and pounding drums are the order of the day from this boy/girl duo, who both share vocal duties as well. The main riff is fuzzed-out bliss, but the real draw card is the vocal harmony they produce singing the verses together in unison. This is sugary goodness reminiscent of twee bands from the 1990's like Rocketship and Tiger Trap, but for most listeners the main comparison will be to late 1980's Scottish band The Vaselines who utilized similar boy/girl harmonies with clever lyrics. This excellent track from Reading Rainbow matches up well in such illustrious company.

Geographer - Verona 8.7/10

Geographer is an indie electronic pop band based in San Francisco, USA. This track is taken from their EP called Animal Shapes which was released by Tricycle Records in 2010. Although the song Kites from the Animal Shapes EP is better known, I've always felt this was the superior track from the EP and the best song so far produced by Geographer. The genius of this track is all in the subtle touches and the timing; take for example how lead singer Michael Deni slows down his delivery of the line "You told such simple lies" at the end of the chorus (at 2:04 and again at 4:36) while the synth beats stop just long enough to let his words sink in before starting up again. The counterpoint percussion used during the verses also adds some depth to offset the trance-inducing rhythm of the synth beats. This is chillout music to put on and fall asleep to after getting home at 3am, a late-night lullaby to play on repeat.

Les Sins - Youth Gone 8.5/10

Les Sins is a side-project of Chaz Bundick from South Carolina, USA, better known for his music released under the name Toro y Moi. This track is taken from a two-track single released by Carpark Records in 2010. The style of Les Sins has faster, heavier beats than the chillwave vibe he creates as Toro y Moi, and this song is intended as an intelligent floor-filling club track. A sample of what sounds like a trumpet is sliced and diced into a rapid, rollicking beat, leading to a well-constructed break point at 1:40 which gives way to a shift in the beat pattern and tempo which clearly announces 'this is the time to start dancing'. The track has no lyrics, but the gradual shifts and glitches in the beat patterns make this complex listening for what at first seems like a straight-up electronic dance track.