Atsuko Chiba: Atsuko Chiba

Montréal based experimental post-rock Atsuko Chiba went into the studio without a set course or even half finished compositions when they went to work on their fourth album. That could have led to endless tinkering, but they quickly discovered a common ground: to go for sprawling songs without a big, look-mam-no-hands finale. The six tracks are mood pieces about subjects that are close to their heart, with subtle rhythmical shifts, vocals buried in the mix, and a prominent role for the bass to keep it altogether.

It must have been a liberating experience for the band that this free-flowing approach paid off so well. Making it a self-titled album was a good choice. It is both a fresh start and the culmination of their career until now. There are no rules for being creative. If 70s Krautrock had been sprinkled with a seasoning of 80s leftfield New Wave and early Porcupine Tree, it would have sounded like this.

Gabriel Vicéns: "Vejigante" video

Composer and guitarist Gabriel Vicéns has unveiled a video for Vejigante, a track from his new album Niebla: "Throughout the album he mixes abstract bits with almost easy on the ears melodies. Niebla might mean "fog", but Vicéns and his musicians share a joint clear vision: to create music where tone and risk taking are equal partners to create a mesmerising listening experience. Feel free to wander around in his world and get lost in a good way." The animation was made by Poli Marichal.

Alien Chicks: 5/4

The cover art for London-based progressive power-punk trio Alien Chicks's new single 5/4 is a dead giveaway. Yes, after a bunch of well executed mayhem they switch to an off-kilter bit of Teddy Bears' Picnic. Why? Well, because they can, and because getting their audience on the wrong foot is very much part of their avant-noise idea of having fun and making sharp left turns whenever they feel like it. Most of the song is played in 5/4 obviously, but they mix it up with 6/4 as well to frustrate the people who are trying to dance to it.

Graham Parker & The Goldtops: Soul Shoes (live)

English soulful garage rocker Graham Parker released his first album 50 years ago, which will be celebrated with a live LP recorded at the Brook in Southampton later this year. He leads his current band The Goldtops through on point rendition of Soul Shoes, with his long time collaborator Brinsley Schwarz acing the lead guitar part.

Dr. Strangely Strange: Heavy Petting (55th Anniversary Edition)

When Irish psychedelic folk band Dr. Strangely Strange released their second album Heavy Petting in 1970 it sort of fell in between the cracks. Music was getting louder and playing in bigger venues as an acoustic act did not work. Half-heartedly they tried to insert the use of electric instruments into their new material, but somehow it failed to gel. Being rooted in tradition was all fine and dandy, but adding a burst of guitar played a very young Gary Moore and organ (think Deep Purple Mk I) every now and then felt awkward. In hindsight, it is obvious that they were scrambling and missed their window to become a big act like Fairport Convention or that band's most notable off-shoot Fotheringay.

Heavy Petting is not a bad album as such by any means, never mind its lack of a cohesive approach. Had they built upon the stand-out track, the sprawling Sign On My Mind, it would have become an instant classic. If anything it offers a glimpse into their modus operandi and with the release of the expanded 55th Anniversary Edition the tracks sounds clearer and have more punch.