Alsarah & The Nubatones - "3yan T3ban (Oddisee remix)"

I've already written about Alsarah and the Nubatones and Oddissee individually before, so it shouldn't be a surprise that a collab between the two via an Oddisee remix of a cut from Manara would end up here. The duo have already collaborated previously and are linked by Sudanese heritage so it's a comfortable relationship and Oddisee honours the source material. Can't wait to hear the rest of the remixes on the record, though it's nearly a whole month away.

You can pre-order the album now and it's out September 22nd on Wonderwheel Recordings (which also released recent killer EPs from El Búho).

Sagamore - "Pearl of the Sky"

It pays to amble around the pages of Bandcamp and click on things with interesting album art. Granted, it's a bit of "judging a book by its cover" but it can certainly lead you to check out something from an act you'd never heard of before. I didn't know a thing about Sagamore (who turn out to be from Melbourne much like a lot of other artists I've enjoyed of late) before seeing their cubist cover art and checking out "Pearl of the Sky."

Ringing guitar lines set the table for a dream-pop song, but then the percussion goes all Afro-beat, in service of slackadaisacal vocals. Maybe this is Australia's answer to Vampire Weekend.

Shannon Lay - "The Moons Detriment"

There's only one song streaming from the Living Water LP on Shannon Lay's Bandcamp right now, but my god what a voice. "The Moon's Detriment" is carried by her mellifluous singing and supported by gentle finger-picking and cello accompaniment. Can't wait to hear more.

Jordan Rakei - "Nerve"

The whole notion that you need to learn to love yourself before you can truly love another is something Rakei tackles in the lyrics on new single "Nerve" from his forthcoming Ninja Tune LP, Wallflower. "How can I find a reason to love you, when I don't love myself," is the simple, but not simplistic chorus to this wobbly tune. No surprise it's delivered with trademark Rakei-nan soul.