It was Auckland's Arch Hill Recordings that became the flagbearer for much of indie rock in New Zealand through the 2000s.

Paul's purple patch.

It starts very distinctively Kate Nash: all pretty piano, stirring strings, claps, and her voice - sweet as pain au chocolate.

Tyson Smith's debut album comes about after a fair bit of traveling and he alludes to its intercontinental feel with the image on the cover.

On Diamond Eyes Chino is back to his shrieking, yowling, and soaring best with a unique voice that sounds like he's singing through a loud hailer.

There's a toughness to Lewis McCallum's music that makes it resonate and shine.

Not since Shihad's Killjoy has a New Zealand album - or many other albums for that matter - lurched with the power, brutality and beauty that Arc Of Ascent's Circle of the Sun does.

Recent Sub Pop recruits Dum Dum Girls reference the Iggy Pop's track in their name and, it's a good starting point to their sound.

Of course it would feature screechy stage voices, young girls punching the air and gyrating in ridiculous pointy bustier and fishnet costumes.

Even something as mediocre as the most recent Hot Chip album would be interesting.

Mark E. Smith of Britain's marathon-running post-punk agit-prop outfit The Fall, is nothing if not consistent.

Singer Sharon Jones and band the Dap-Kings have made a name for themselves by reviving the essence of funk and soul music's heyday from the 60s and 70s.

Originally from capital city Freetown, Allstars founder Reuben M. Koroma and his wife found themselves in a refugee camp in neighbouring Guinea during the late 90s.

On his seventh album Nathan Haines is a hardened jazz head, a seasoned rump shaker, and sometimes, a purveyor of fine elevator jazz.

All systems go on solo outing by Sigur Ros frontman.

Infectious US guitar pop-rock which connects with Dunedin and elsewhere.

Take a freaky spin on a carousel.

Hyperion's Romantic Piano Concerto series has made its reputation tending to such forgotten masters as Bortkiewicz, Goedicke and Melcer-Szczawinski.

Slash has roped in many of his accomplished and famous mates to create an album that is often inspired but at times weak.

The second part of hip-hop-soul diva Erykah Badu's New Amerykah series is a far more soulful and subtle offering than 2008's 4th World War.

Opening with a quick tempo and dusty vocals that could have been plucked from a 60s track, It's Working is the first sign MGMT no longer see themselves as a New York pop duo on a sugar-high.

Still sounding like AC/DC, with hints of Iron Maiden and Motorhead, and a small dash of sweaty Australians, Cold Chisel and the Angels.

There was a time when Black Rebel Motorcycle Club were a hazy and psychedelic rock band, then they became porch song bluesmen on Howl before ramping it up again on Baby 81.

After a string of EPs and vinyl releases, globe-trotting Wellington four-piece So So Modern - who recently completed a six-week jaunt around Europe - have come up with their debut album.