What happens when you don’t feel comfortable settling down on a record label and signing away all your creativity/dignity to them? Well you start your own label of course. At least if you’re Julio Bashmore that is, who has just announced the launch of Broadwalk Records, with the first material being this rather lovely new track of his own titled Au Seve. It’s a club banger in waiting, and a surefire hit at this summers festivals if I ever heard one. Check it out below.

At 19:00 this evening, Sigur Rós will stream their sixth studio album in it’s entirety, both via their own website and the widget below. Valtari is set to be released on 28 May, and has been described by the group as “ambient” “introverted” “floaty” and “minimal”. Previously heard tracks include Dauðalogn, Ekki Mukk and the Record Store Day exclusive Kvistur.

So, whatever you’re supposed to be doing at 19:00 GMT, scrap it, and join us here for what Sigur Rós are dubbing ‘Valtari Hour‘. Tune in and share your thoughts below.

Valtari Tracklisting

1. Ég Anda

2. Ekki Múkk

3. Varúð

4. Rembihnútur

5. Dauðalogn

6. Varðeldur

7. Valtari

8. Fjögúr Píanó

9. Logn (Pre-order Bonus Track)

10. Kvistur (Pre-order Bonus Track)

In news broken just under half an hour ago by celebrity gossip website TMZ, they revealed that five time Grammy Winner Donna Summer passed away at her Florida home earlier this morning. She was 63 years old.

While details of her death are still few and far between, it’s believed that she had been battling with cancer for at least the last year, although had wanted to keep her illness out of the mainstream media and was intent on finishing off her next album.

Her biggest singles include the likes of Bad Girls, Last Dance and No More Tears (Enough Is Enough), a collaboration with Barbra Streisand.

The Queen Of Disco, as she was affectionately known, was born LaDonna Adrian Gaines on 31 December 1948 in Boston and rose to fame with her debut album Lady of the Night (1974). She is survived by her three children Mimi, Brooklyn and Amanda.

Elite Gymnastics may well have just ‘won’ the title Best Beat of 2012 with this hypnotic, trance inducing new track Life / Trap. Featuring the ever-lethargic vocals and with CFCF on production duties, you can guarantee that you’re on to a winner. Oh, and as always, they’re in an ever optimistic mood; ‘you think your life’s a circle but it’s a decline’. Brilliant. Life / Trap features on RUIN 4 which was released on 8 May available to purchase here.

Comprised of New York based duo known simply as Holly and Andy, Weeknight create the sort of languid, obfuscous pop that swirls slightly menacingly through your eardrums. The interlocking male-female vocals contain both beauty and enigmatic characteristics, whether it be the bass heavy Devil or the glitchy Dark Light (Warrior), the crackling guitar lines and other-worldly lyrics elevate Weeknight above many of their synth-led contemporaries. Whilst it’s clearly lacking big budget production, the Depeche Mode vibes are prominent throughout, as are the loosely scattered shoegaze percussion sections. All in all, this debut EP entitled Dark Dark Lights is an extremely accomplished trio of tracks; I just wish they were called Weaknight instead…

Comparisons in music are inevitable, and in some ways, entirely necessary, mainly for those who aren’t as keen on purely delving into new sounds without prior knowledge that it may clash with their current listening patterns. However, that’s not to say they should be taken too seriously and unless the artist approaches their creation with the intent of simply replicating (Oasis – Viva Brother anyone?), certainly shouldn’t define said artist. It’s for this very reason that I sympathize hugely with Californian troubadour Flatsound, a hugely talented songwriter in his own right, yet constantly and unfairly tarred with the Conor Oberst brush… or maybe it’s just a testament to the impact of Oberst that any emotionally connected male guitarist finds themselves stuck with slightly lazy comparisons.

Now seven releases into his musical career, Mitch Welling aka Flatsound has slowly but surely built a loyal and engaged following, with the individuality, consistency and frequency of physical material being a contributing factor to this success. Most recent release Sleep is a record of two halves, one focusing on intimate, poignant songwriting, flourishing lyrically allowing the listener to develop a deeply personal relationship with Flatsound whilst the second half finds Welling experimenting with ambient, atmospheric sounds.

Texturally it’s bliss, effortlessly utilizing the lo-fi aesthetic that numerous other acts strive for, but comes so naturally to Flatsound; no surprise really given that his bedroom doubles as his recording studio. If you’re looking for a record to perk you up, then Sleep may not be for you, with it’s dark imagery and almost obsessive nature (“and this is where I die, oh I thought i was the best part of your life“), yet there’s no doubting the solace many will find in the album. To See You Alive is a personal highlight of Side A, a track so desirably relatable whilst clearly only having real meaning for Welling.

As with Flatsound’s previous releases, the DIY aesthetic suits the album perfectly, and with Sleep being released on cassette, the drone inspired latter half to the record works sumptuously. While it’s immediately apparent that tracks 1-7 will cut straight to the core, the likes of You Know How To Make A Man Feel Useless and Consciousness require repeated listens before they truly burrow into your thought processes. Now it’s not for lack of trying that I’ve written far less about the ambient tracks on Sleep, more that they are experiences, that defy simple explanations and insist upon full listens. With Sleep, Welling has shaken off any demons of unwanted comparisons, and has crafted an entirely unique, immersing record.

Sleep is released 10 June via Flatsound’s bandcamp, check out a couple of highlights below.

Fantasy Rainbow, or Manchester native Oliver Catt, has some of the best record titles ever. Fact. Most recent effort No Hope. Not Ever was prefaced by festive single It’s Christmas and I Fucking Hate Myself. You see where I’m going with this.

With Girls having topped a bunch of ‘…of the Year’ lists in 2011, and everyone suddenly remembering how fuckin’ rad Dinosaur Jr. were before frantically scouring eBay for a ‘Hi, How Are You?’ t-shirt, self-effacing slack isn’t exactly having a tough time of it right now, but few do it with Catt’s awkward charm and tunefulness. He closed his Great Escape set at the Loft last Saturday with the resigned, Weezer-tinged title track to No Hope, the video for which is chock-full of appropriate imagery – a lone couple slowdancing in a desolate hall, Catt’s unenthused visage – and is available for your viewing pleasure below. Disengaged has rarely sounded this gorgeous.

He has all the sites.

A tinkling Perfume Genius-esque piano, a tender, sombre female vocal and a haunting sense of despair. Whilst Milan isn’t known for it’s thriving indie scene, in combining all of the aforementioned elements, Silvia Tofani aka Sylvia is going some way to changing that. On her debut EP Musica Da Camera she’s found remorseful, guilt-ridden and wallowing in lust, all backed by intimate, sparse keyboard sections and choppy beats. The likes of opener Found Desert and EP highlight I’m Not Your Mom see Sylvia slip effortlessly into her finest ballgown, pirouetting without any inhibitions. Check out the entire EP and grab a free download if it floats your boat.

As Savages continue to develop a sterling reputation for their live performances, it won’t be long until they finally release some recorded material for all of us to marvel over. In the meanwhile you can listen to an interview I did wit the band prior to their Manchester show, and watch a video of that very same performance.

Having made his mark way back in 2006 with his self-titled debut album, Kristian Matsson aka The Tallest Man On Earth has slowly but surely built a loyal following for his Americana inspired folk. With his third LP The Wild Hunt proving his most refined and critically successful work to date, anticipation will be higher than ever for his newly announced next album, There’s No Leaving Now, set to be released on 12 June. Preceded by lead single 1904 which continues in a similar vein to previous work, with the ever present tinges of Dylan and even Lou Reed amongst the sultry, unique tones. Check out 1904 below and pre-order There’s No Leaving Now here.