Every week sees a flood of new music arrive in the shops, both online and on the highstreet. Some of it we've been waiting to get our hands on forever, some we've hardly even heard of, and all of it is just waiting to find its way onto our mp3 players and CD racks. But with so much coming out each week it can be hard to keep track of what's new, so we do it for you, presenting 20 of the most significant new releases in one easy-to-listen-to playlist.
Launch the pop-out player below, take a listen, and let us know what you think in the comments at the bottom!
--- May 21st 2012 - Single Releases ---
1. Deaf Havana - Little White Lies
British band Deaf Havana leave the world of post-hardcore punk behind them for the kind of melodic alternative rock that has seen You Me At Six become such huge successes.
2. Murray James - In The City
Soul-boy Murray James proves that Maverick Sabre isn't the only man in town with deliciously smokey-vocals on his new, string-laced single In The City.
3. Of Monsters And Men - Dirty Paws
Icelandic indie-folk band Of Monsters And Me carry faint echoes of Arcade Fire on Dirty Paws, the second single from their debut album My Head Is An Animal.
4. Paloma Faith - Picking Up The Pieces
Paloma Faith - the queen of classy, dramatic pop - is back with another emotionally-charged belter with Picking Up The Pieces, the first single from her forthcoming second album.
5. Paul Weller - When Your Garden's Overgrown
Having dismissed jokes about a midlife crisis on recent single That Dangerous Age, The Modfather tells a tale of a man fleeing rainy Britain for the bright lights of Europe on new single When Your Garden's Overgrown.
6. Rumer - PF Sloan
Jazz-pop singer Rumer returns after two years with PF Sloan, the first single to be taken from her second album Boys Don't Cry, which is a collection of covers of male songwriters.
7. S.C.U.M. - Amber Hands
Cult indie band S.C.U.M. - often compared to The Horrors - re-release fan-favourite Amber Hands, taken from their widely-praised debut album Again Into Eyes.
8. School Of Seven Bells - The Night
Shoegaze, chill-pop, indie-electro... whatever you want to label them School Of Seven Bells continue to deliver their brilliantly bright melodies swathed in layers of textured sound.
9. Sylver Tongue - Creatures
Sylver Tongue is the new project of Charlotte Hatherley, formerly of Ash. She's ditched the punk-rock for synthpop, but the irresistible melodies remain. No news of a full album as yet.
10. The Black Keys - Dead And Gone
American blues-rock band The Black Keys show they're still at the top of their game after seven albums with ebullient new single Dead And Gone, from their 2011 album El Camino.
11. We Are Augustines - Juarez
Indie-rock newcomers We Are Augustines summon up the atmosphere of the Old West on new single Juarez, furnished with rattle-snakes, sun-scorched earth and the devil.
12. White Rabbits - Temporary
Brooklyn band White Rabbits introduce their third album Milk Famous with new single Temporary, replete with tight vocal harmonies, angular guitars and an agitated beat.
--- May 21st 2012 - Album/EP Releases ---
13. Admiral Fallow - Tree Bursts In Show
Featured track: Beetle In The Box
Scottish band Admiral Fallow release their debut album, a combination of indie and folk songwriting with male-female vocal harmonies and some woodwind thrown in for good measure.
14. Amon Tobin - Amon Tobin Boxset
Featured track: Carry On Marmaduke
The don of electronic experimentation issues a career-spanning boxset of predominantly unreleased material spread over six 10" vinyl, seven CDs and two DVDs.
15. Airbird - Trust EP
Featured track: Trust
Joel Ford (of Ford & Lopatin) releases an eclectic five track EP under the guise of Airbird, his new outlet for funk and pop-infused, ambient electronica.
16. Joe Bonamassa - Driving Towards The Daylight
Featured track: Driving Towards The Daylight
Blues-rock/country guitarist Joe Bonamassa's eleventh album is predominantly made up of covers of his rock and roll idols.
17. Cold Specks - I Predict A Graceful Expulsion
Featured track: Holland
London-based singer-songwriter Al Spx releases her debut album of old-school, deep south soul and blues under the name Cold Specks.
18. Fixers - We'll Be The Moon
Featured track: Majesties Ranch
Brian Wilson-worshipping psychepop band Fixers finally release their debut album after a series of successful singles and EPs.
19. The Enemy - Streets In The Skies
Featured track: Gimme The Sign
Rock trio The Enemy release their third album Streets In The SKies, which they told us is the first of their albums that they have been truly happy with.
20. Tom Jones - Spirit In The Room
Featured track: Tower Of Song
Spirit In The Room, the new album by Tom Jones, is very much a companion piece to previous blues album Praise & Blame, but this time Sir Tom covers a selection of his favourite songs.
