Chicane Far From the Maddening Crowds (Xtravaganza/Edel/Attic)

I've never been to Ibiza, but reckon this is what sun-crispy Eurotrash would listen to while watching the sunrise on one of those famous terraces. But who am I to trash hoover-snouted Londoners 'avin it in sarongs? Hell, I'd love to join them. But this is as close as I'll get for now: epic house bound straight for Sasha's decks; melodic synth blankets, whitewashed ethnica and slutty siren's songs over café society beats. And even if now and again Chicane (one Nick Bracegirdle) takes those horrid piano highroads the way Robert Miles does, the rest is so irresistibly dreamy (think Age of Love/Opus III circa 1993), that he's forgiven. 7.5/10 (Mireille Silcott)

Ratchet Orchestra self-titled (Musique Corporelle)

Experimental jazz noisescapes are a great deal easier to digest if they're done with a little levity. Fortunately, these locals wield their trumpet, sax, guitar and upright bass with appropriate good humour. Granted, there are some dark, creepy stretches ("Demi-Poulet"), but the freaky, cartoonish narratives this quartet squeeze out are remarkably user-friendly. An exercise in pleasant paranoia, perhaps? 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)

Animals on Wheels Designs and Mistakes (Ninja Tune)

Clickety white-guy D&B, fast and smart. The obvious Aphex/Paradinas comparisons can be drawn, but missing here are their wise-ass fart jokes and, to an extent, their extravagant brilliance. But Animals on Wheels (Andy Coleman) is nothing to sniff at. Because even if there isn't a beat here not snipped into a zillion shards, Designs and Mistakes is truly listenable: demurely jazzy and not in that "Look at my jazz samples!" way. Pretty enough that your friends won't ask you to turn it off before thinking you've got really intelligent taste in music. 8/10 (Mireille Silcott)

June Of 44 Four Great Points (Quarterstick)

Since first setting sail on post-rock's unchartered waters three-and-a-half albums back, they've proven themselves leaders of the rhythm-boy fleet. Now matching their Shellac elders in malevolence and velocity ("The Dexterity of Luck," "Cut Your Face"), their rock-bred dubbing and Moog-ing from bow to stern makes for an infinitely heavier trip than Tortoise. 8.5/10 (Lorrie Edmonds)