Caught in the Net - Four into one – Deerhunter

(Getty)

Twice before I have written about the prodigious output of members of Deerhunter in their various side projects, but now all four members of the band are back as one. Following the 'Microcastle/Weird Era Contd', double-album of sorts – one of the best releases of 2008 – the band will put out the 'Rainwater Cassette Exchange EP' on 8 June. The Gorilla Vs Bear blog has a track from it at http://tinyurl.com/dkkpxv, which sees the band continue their rich vein of good form, with clanging guitars and percussive clicks coming to the fore.

Not that a return to full band duties will deter frontman Bradford Cox from indulging in others ideas. On Deerhunter's blog – http://deerhuntertheband.blogspot.com – he recently posted, 'Time Warp' – another of his two track "virtual 7in" releases from his Atlas Sound solo project. Also on the blog, Cox wrote a brief review of The Breeders' latest EP. "It rules" was his succinct appraisal of the four track "Fate of the Fatal" record. The EP was released in mid April and the lead track is a free mp3 at http://fatetofatal.com.

Art to remember

Lancashire musician and artist Richard Skelton started his Sustain Release Private Press label in 2005 as a tribute to his late wife: he has since produced a slew of music – under various guises – released alongside her wonderfully crafted artwork. Under the moniker A Broken Consort, his latest album, 'Box of Birch' contains more beautiful artwork. Aside from the packaging though, the music, a haunting and sublime melange of instruments, is worthy of attention. One track can be found at http://tinyurl.com/d9dj3z , while an oblique video (with equally oblique sounds) for another can be seen on The Wire's site at http://tinyurl.com/ch2ejb

Beauty between Bjork and Bush

One to watch is Glasser – aka the LA-based singer Cameron Mesirow (right) – who is crafting a fine sound: mixing electronics and live instruments, it is interesting and experimental without being inaccessible. Mesirow's voice is also a thing of beauty – somewhere between Bjork and Kate Bush. The "Apply" EP is on the way – a track from it can be downloaded at http://tinyurl. com/c5g7x3, while more songs and a remix can be heard at http://www.myspace.com/glasssser

A mixed bag of blog house

The defining feature of "blog house" is the manner in which the music – mixing French house with the outer reaches of electro – has been disseminated and heard: via blogs. "It Came from the Blog" collects 17 tracks of this music together at http://lowlifeinc.blogspot.com. There are good tunes on it, but it's a mixed bag: to these uneducated ears, much of it sounds rather like those "Futurism" electro-clash compilations that were big for a minute or two in 2002.

Memories of RnB

While Vampire Weekend work on a second album, Rostam Batmanglij, the band's keyboardist and producer distracts himself with a side-project; teaming up with Ra Ra Riot's Wes Miles under the name Discovery. Two tracks have emerged from the duo – download them at http://tinyurl.com/d67svu. Both feature synth driven electro-pop but the drum machine loop on one, "Orange Shirt", calls to mind modern RnB with vocals by a beta-male indie singer rather than a crotch-thrusting "slow jams" crooner. Which brings us aptly to R Kelly, whose new song "Superman High" can be found at http://tinyurl.com/czh8aa. As ever for Mr Kelly, things sound a touch crazy but undeniably catchy.