The Bonus Track: Ramona Lisa, Icona Pop, Jakwob, Gil Scott Heron and Paolo Nutini

Ramona Lisa smile

Chairlift’s Caroline Polachek has been busy. As well as writing the track “No Angel” for Beyoncé’s latest album, she’s been studying how to sing arias, performing with an all-girl Brooklyn acappella group and releasing a debut solo album under her alter ego Ramona Lisa. Watch her bizarre video for “­Backwards and Upwards”

It’s their party

Swedish DJ duo Icona Pop have released a song sampling Lesley Gore’s 1963 classic “It’s My Party”. With rapper Ty Dolla $ign waxing lyrical about “molly” and “spray tans” and the girls’ suffering a party wardrobe malfunction, it’s a far cry from the Johnny and Judy scandal of the original

https://soundcloud.com/iconapop/its-my-party-feat-ty-dolla-ign

Jakwob’s ladder

Producer and DJ Jakwob is fast turning into the British Pharrell. He’s officially the go-to man for everyone in alt-pop now, having worked with Laura Mvula, produced the whole of Kyla La Grange’s album, ­collaborated with Charli XCX and Ghostpoet and done remixes of Ellie Goulding, Lana Del Ray and Usher. Watch the video for his new single “Somebody New”

The grateful dead

After Johnny Cash’s posthumous offering Out Among The Stars comes the news that Michael Jackson will release a new album from beyond the grave -Xscape, out 13 May. Plus, Gil Scott Heron’s ­previously unreleased recordings are getting an outing for World Record Day on 19 April, aptly titled Nothing New. Listen to his track “Alien (Hold Onto Your Dreams)”

Next week’s biggie...

It’s been five years since raspy purveyor of blues-lite Paolo Nutini released an album and his last effort Sunny Side Up sold 1.9 million. Kevin Harley reviews Caustic Love next week. Watch Nutini perform new track “Iron Sky” live