Stream ‘em both below. Either I’m an idiot or The Guardian has a childish embed-embargo going on so you’ll have to click through. One day I’ll be calling the shots, you hear me? And you’ll have to watch your back Guardian (close-up of unblinking eyes for dramatic effect). Thin ice mate, thin ice.

Martyn – Ghost People LP Exclusive Stream by Mixmag

Rustie – Glass Swords Stream at The Guardian

Buy Ghost People at Juno

Buy Glass Swords at Juno

After their huge single ‘Without You’, that indeed topped RA’s list of the top 50 tracks of 2010, Art Department kind of blew up. So a full-length album is as close as you’re going to get to the next logical step, and it doesn’t disappoint. Sparse, echoing and predominately male vocals (whether courtesy of Kenny Glasgow himself, the infamous Seth Troxler or Soul Clap) play out over and under elongated 4/4 patterns that at no point feel rushed or frantic. Epic opener ‘Much Too Much’ is enough to have you sprawled out, mesmerised on your beanbag. I don’t know if watching a video of Art Department’s two club music veterans shooting the shit will be beneficial in your appreciation of their debut LP, but it’s not like I can invite you round, throw the album on the hi-fi and hush any of your inquisitive mutterings. So here’s a couple of samplers and said video. Live long and prosper.

CRMCD014 01 Much Too Much by Crosstown Rebels

CRMCD014 07 Vampire NightClub (Album Version) by Crosstown Rebels

Art Department at Tic Tac Toe, Glasgow from EQTV.DJ

Buy The Drawing Board from Juno Records.

Apparently, this LP wanders off in a completely new and different direction, away from any of his previously known work. And it definitely wanders, with an epically simplistic style reminiscent of one N. Jaar. Lonesome kicks and claps glue the sonic narrative together, sometimes explicitly and others not so. Although Stimming was in a dark place when making Liquorice (see Defected for more if you care), it is not a sinister album. More deep, pensive and care-free. An abundance of field recordings and samples entwine with the loose synth/beat patterns to create something atmospheric and real that resonates. It’s a weird album for sure, and if you want proof, check out ‘Don’t Touch This’ below. Absolutely glorious.

Instead of getting mad when the vending machine spiral doesn’t turn enough to let your chocolate fall, buy Liquorice from Juno.

‘Nowness are currently hosting a short film by Antony Crook (who did the photography for the new album) called Thirty Century Man and it features a version of one of the new tracks from the record called How To Be A Werewolf. You can check it out via Nowness’ website here.’

An extensive tour is also happening, hoorah. But what’s my nearest venue? Are they coming to Venezuela? Their official site has all the answers. Words are boring so here is the video to Batcat from 2008′s The Hawk Is Howling.

Buy Mogwai tunes at 7digital

The album, in its entirety, is available on The Guardian’s site. ‘So click on the widget [above] to stream the album from start to finish (and remember not to refresh the page as it plays!)’. I’m so glad they added the anti-refreshing reminder in there because I often find myself listening to a track online and then thinking ‘man, you know what, I’m going to express my positive feelings towards this piece of music by clicking refresh’. It’s just so confusing because the word ‘fresh’ is in there.

From start to finish is how an album should be played. There’s a whole load of guest appearances on Plastic Beach, details of exactly who are alongside the track listing, as per usual. Personally, I think you should just follow the link and quickly click PLAY without reading anything about tracks or ‘ft.s’ and then play the guessing game.

Listen to Plastic Beach at The Guardian