Shuffle: Less opaque offerings from Villagers and an overly Tame Impala

Sun Kil Moon - Ali/Spinks 2 
Songwriters pursue their craft for different reasons. Some compose songs to move or amuse audiences, others to tell important stories or induce large-buttocked ladies to wiggle their posteriors in a provocative manner. Sun Kil Moon's Mark Kozelek has set rather different goals for his career. "I write songs that make people laugh, cry, happy," he sings here, "and songs that make grown men shit their pants like little babies." That would equal a feat previously only accomplished by Hideo Nakata's 1998 cult horror classic The Ring and a certain fast food chain's cheese and taco fries.

Villagers - Hot Scary Summer
Conor O'Brien is sometimes guilty of being a little too opaque. But not on this, the second song released from his forthcoming Darling Arithmetic album. It's the wistful tale of two young lovers, kissing on cobblestones, dodging roaming packs of homophobes and revelling in a blissful relationship that feels like it will never end. Performed on an acoustic guitar with minimal accompaniment, it is a song that is both beautiful and heartbreakingly sad.

Tame Impala - Let It Happen 
The first single from Tame Impala's third album is being hailed by many as potentially one of the singles of the year. And I will concede, it has a pretty impressive breakdown section right in the middle, where it really sounds like your laptop is on the fritz. That wonky interlude aside, this is all a little too Kula Shaker for my tastes.

Blooms - Fall
London-based Mayo native Louise Cunnane is an electronic artist who first came to public attention last summer with the excellent If EP. She plays at Twisted Pepper in Dublin on April 25th, with support from Laura Sheeran and Dublin producer Kobina.