Irelands Dublin Duck Dispensary are back with some more glorious indiepop. With the EPs artwork featuring an English cartoon character from the 1970's called Mr. Benn, then it is no surprise that the album opens up with a track that could easily find its way being played on a stereo somewhere in Candlewick Green, or Trumpton Town.

As the EP evolves, the fun nature grows even stronger. Only Dublin Duck Dispensary could write a song called Murder Music, and make you want to dance.

The final song brings us back to Mr. Benn, he never spoke on the show (it was narrated), but the final song (The Costume Shop) is mostly written from his perspective.

Today, Dublin Duck Dispensay should be going into the costume shop, and coming out a fully fledged rock and roll star.

Rob Bridgett returns to Rack & Ruin, with another glorious soundscape. This eight track offering, is often as dark as the ocean it represents. Haunting tracks of drone-based ambience, with glacial drifting tones and soothing waves of sound that wash over you.

Some tracks, such as the glorious "All Fields", add more instrumentation, with eastern like influences, which contrasts from the crackling drone of the previous "Cirque" track. This ensures that the album, that clocks in at just over 50 minutes, has enough on offer for all sorts of listeners.

As with the previous offering, by the time the beautiful Dekay finishes, with its blissful opening, to its corrosive and spectacular finale. You are left wanting more.

Put on your headphones, and let Pacific drown over you.

When asked to describe their music, 14 year old Sam Hartung, said that this release had more Folk-punk, and dark ambient leanings. My curiosity got the better of me, and so I hit PLAY.

After the opening bars, and heavy static lo-fi recording, I had no idea what to expect. I upped the volume, and was soon drawn in to a weird and wonderful trip. There are more twists on turns in the opening track than a lot of bands take in an entire EP.

It is often hard to describe the undescribable. It is often hard to explain how something that can disappear into a million tangents, can somehow come together, and leave you lost for words. How a song can start sounding like a lost track by The Shadow Ring, and then end in a screamalong folk-punk song is beyond me. Lyrically, it often makes for uncomfortable listening, and yet it only adds to the passionate feeling of this recording.

This is exciting. This should not be missed.

This EP is a connector between the last ambient guitar album "Ambient Guitars : Winter 2006" and the upcoming album "An Audio Attack On A Visual Existence."

These songs are meant to show the direction that Memoirs of a Fallen Bomb, are heading with this album series, more melody, a tad more structure, more improvising, and more emotion.

Calmly plucked guitars, and lost disappearing sounds that disappear off into the distance like vapour trails. Also within the EP, comes a video for the opening track.

Memoirs of a Fallen Bomb, plan to have the new album released by July or August this year.

The long awaited debut EP from Canada's DaNile, instantly has been well worth the wait.

This gorgeous effort, that echoes sombre guitars, followed by, often hushed vocals, is reminiscent of outsider Slowcore/Sadcore, even Shoegaze acts. Certainly upon first listen, the sombre downbeat swirling guitar will instantly assure the listener, that this is going to be an upbeat indie pop record.

The second track, "At Your Feet", is surprisingly one of the most upbeat, and yet on first listen, it reminded me of The Unicorns played at half pace, and having forgotten their anti depressents. That is not to say that this is not fantastic, as these are the elements as to what makes this track so fantastic!

Often hushed, quiet, mumbled vocals, sometimes hidden behind guitars, and then pushing out into the light. Not unlike what you may hear from the dearly departed Bunkbed. The EP ends with a beautiful instrumental final track, "You will never be enough", which encapsulates the whole mood of the EP to perfection.

If the following sentence, "sumptuous drone-like ambient soundscapes" whets your appetite. Then look no further than Detroits excellent, auger shell.

This debut Rack & Ruin offering, comes in the shape of a four track double EP, entitled "holdstill ocean".

The shimmering electrical sounds, cut through the drone to produce a beautiful uplifting record, almost like Belong's "October Language" minus the feedback.

This is the first of three EPs to be released in the coming weekd on Rack & Ruin, and a fantastic introduction, that is sure to leave the listener looking forward to further offerings.

Hold the shell to your ear, and listen to the beauty within.

A true sign of a great artist is the ability to create music that sticks within their ethics, and yet is as innovative, and equally on a par with their other offerings.

Roger Haddads newest work "27 White Miles" (RRR023) was a harsh blast of noise, with hidden beauty simmering through the solid textures.

This earlier offering from 2007, entitled "Vernal Equinox" could not be much more different if it tried. Quiet, often disconcertingly so. This mesmerising, serene effort will lull you in with its calm ambient call.

On occasion, the calm is threatened, but quickly restored, as the restraints are put on. A total contrast to his other Rack & Ruin release, but equally as awe inspiring.

Glitches, orchestral flourishes, brittle beauty and gleeful nastiness! The death of barra EP is a haunting collection of tracks that'll have you grinning like a loon whilst nervously looking over your shoulder. Harold Nono has perfectly captured the sound of a travelling orchestra that has run away to the mountains and shacked up with a wandering band of scratched records.

Harold nono is a busy man, and this Rack &Ruin EP is just one of a few releases that he has been working on.

Harold nono's album, "To The River Lounge" is available from Bearsuit records alongside his earlier albums. Another album, with Berlin musician Me Raabenstein - which was recorded under the moniker Taub, will be released in September on Nonine Recordings. And finally an album he recorded with Japanese composer Hidekazu Wakabayashi will also be released by the end of the year.

Artist notes:

More Things: Singles, B-sides & Oddities is a collection of recordings that were made before, during, or a little bit after Things .  They've been collecting digital dust until now.  Some are proper songs that were never connected to an album, some didn't make the Things cut, and the rest are ideas that never took shape (though they still might).  It's a collection of doodles, really.  So look at my doodles until I finish my next full-length.

- Jason (the Swamp)