It’s a close call this week. Depends on whether you want a chill-out album (Lindstrom), some feel-good pop (Ladytron) or a quiet session with a pint and a few friends (Giant Sand).

Giant Sand I’ll listen to loads for a few weeks before I get fed up and put it away for a year. Ladytron are best in short bursts and I know I’ll stick with the singles in a month’s time or so. There’s a hands-in-the-air Ed Banger style remix of ‘Ghosts’ on the 7″ vinyl that’s worth having!

That leaves us with Lindstrom. You might find the prospect of three lengthy instrumental Cosmic Disco pieces a bit underwhelming, but the music will stick with you. It’s difficult to overdose on Lindstrom’s subtle, unobtrusive tracks. Every month, I still dig out the ‘Lindstrom & Prins Thomas’ album from three years ago.

Lindstrøm ‘Where You Go I Go Too’
Hans-Peter Lindstrøm is the king of Cosmic Disco: Slowly undulating electronic jams somewhere between blissed-out Trance and 1970’s Euro Disco. The title track is a smiley, uplifting opus that clocks in at 29 minutes of bliss. Lindstrøm combines the anticipation and euphoria of a Trance track with the rambling electronics of, say, Jean-Michel Jarre.

‘Grand Ideas’ (10 minutes) and ‘The Long Way Home’ (16 minutes) are more direct and owe as much to film music as they do to Italian and French Disco records from the 1970’s. Think ‘Magic Fly’ by Space or Giorgio Moroder’s album side length excursions into mood music.

Video Corner: Lindstrøm ‘The Long Way Home (Prins Thomas Edit)

All in all, you get 62 minutes of cool instrumental music across four tracks (55 if you don’t count the remix). Play this album and enhance the atmosphere in loungey bars, cafes with sunset view, slinky boutiques and relaxed dinner parties.

Listen Here to excerpts from ‘Where You Go I Go Too’ and buy the album from iTunes. We don’t charge you any extras, just pay the regular iTunes Store price.

Giant Sand ‘Provisions’
Few play rock with a widescreen Western flavour with more credibility or style. Giant Sand mastermind Howe Gelb and an ever changing line-up of fellow musicians have been making strangely spiritual, laid back Rock music for over two decades. Long before Country and US Folk influenced Rock became hip, Giant Sand developed the blueprint for what is now often referred to as Americana.

What you get on ‘Provisions’ is very straight, honest music with one foot in Alternative Rock and the other stuck deep in all sorts of American roots music. The majority of numbers here has an overwhelming feel of music for propping up late night diner counters (’Increment Of Love’, ‘Stranded Pearl’, ‘Without A Word’).

Video Corner: Giant Sand ‘Increment Of Love’ (Live in Denmark)

Fans of Micah P. Hinson, The Tindersticks, Bonnie Prince Billy, Lambchop, Wilco and Nick Cave should give ‘Provisions’ a listen. You might find a new favorite act in Giant Sand.

Listen Here to ‘Provisions’ and download the album from iTunes. We don’t charge any extras, just pay the regular iTunes Store price.

Ladytron ‘Velocifero’
This is Ladytron’s fourth album and it’s like the band picked the strongest bits off their previous three - Pop, Electroclash and Indie Rock - and knocked them into a new shape. The result will be familiar to those of you who grew up with 1980’s radio: Visage, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Simple Minds… you get the drift.

It’s all swooning and swirling chords, icy vocals and mid- to uptempo dance beats. ‘I’m Not Scared’ and ‘Ghosts’ - classic New Wave chord changes. ‘Deep Blue’ and ‘Runaway’ - pure Visage style pop.

Video Corner: Ladytron ‘Runaway’

Thankfully, ‘Velocifero’ is not a pure 80’s revival album. The way Ladytron tackle their songs shows that they have 20 years of other musical influences in their heads.

Ladytron are on tour this autumn. Check dates and buy concert tickets online!

Listen Here to ‘Velocifero’ and download the album from iTunes.