Compilation of 12-inchers by London producers

Cultured NZ pop from Boy George's label

Rarities from sometime St Etienne crew

Debut album from Italian house man Stefano Fontana

New Yorker Carter Burwell scored Velvet Goldmine, which would be a coincidence (see above) if I didn't diligently plan these things ahead. He's also done most of the Coens' movies and, as he beautified Being John Malkovich, lands the return gig on the new Jonze-Kaufman headfuck. His new-school, indie sensibilities show from the dark opening title piece (remixed by Fatboy Slim), and he relishes working with titles like "The Slough Pit Of Creation" and "The Unexpressed Expressed" (who wouldn't?).

Double CD of best tracks from celebrated Sourcelab compilations

Romantic tunes played a big part in British reggae charts in the late '70s and early '80s as a new generation of aspirational, British-born black kids abandoned roots reggae in favour of our first indigenous black pop style—lover's rock. Many of the tunes were nothing more than insipid cover versions of UK pop or US soul hits, but the movement yielded a clutch of genuinely moving songs such as Sharon Forrester's "Silly, Wasn't It?" (incidentally, Melody Maker's reggae single of 1974) and Janet Kay's 1979 Top 3 hit "Silly Games", both featured here. More recent

Accompanied by bassist Jimmy Bond and drummer Albert "Tootie" Heath the 24-year-old Simone works her way confidently through a program of 11 numbers, every aspect of her highly personal style already in place at the very start of her career. The album includes her hit version of "I Loves You Porgy", the track that drew Colpix to sign her up for the early-'60s.

Scousepunk reworking of classic revenge tale

By the early-to-mid '80s, Nico was holed up in Manchester on the comeback trail junkie habit in tow. A live performance at the Library Theatre, Heroine is a funereal study of stark cool, drawing on The Velvet Underground—"All Tomorrow's Parties", "Femme Fatale"—alongside rather less celebrated fare from Camera Obscura (1985) and Drama Of Exile (1981). The inferior An Underground Experience places her in a nameless club—haunted, drawn and distant.