Hip Hop: Galapagos4 is the little indie Chicago label the could, putting out consistent, quality, creative Hip Hop. They just put out another Qwazaar & Batsauce project. SelfJupiter (Freestyle Fellowship) also reappears with a new album as Burgundy Fats. Buck 65 drops another quirky, not-in-a-box Bike For Three! one.

Electronic, Atmospheric, Geeky, Synthesizer: Illum Sphere and Poemss are two groups I’m unfamiliar with but am a bit excited about. And I’m really excited about Tinariwen, a band that had to leave Mali and recorded this in the states, just go listen. For the synth fans and geeks, Solvent’s album is music from the documentary I Dream of Wires.

Singer/Songwriter, Quirky, Electro-pop, Indie, Jazz, Blues, Psychedelic: Nostalgia 77 and Zara Macfarlane are on some contemporary but throwback Jazz and Blues that I’m really digging. Same for Temples with their 60s, Psych sound. There’s also some more moody, creative, singer/songwriter type joints that aren’t usually my thing but hey, good music is good music.

There’s also a pretty great Punk compilation that focuses on across the pond, the first one did the same for stateside.