Dubstep’s hard-edged North American producers have incorporated more aggressive guitar riffs into their sound and ’90s “nu-metal” embarrassment Korn are now making a dubstep album with obnoxious dubstep producer Skrillex. Try not to get sick in mouth.

Kyla La Grange

An English singer-songwriter (pictured) who has bubblin’ under for a while now, La Grange steps out into the light with the Fleetwood Mac-esque folk-rock of Been Better. It’s the sound of mid-90s AM radio updated for 2011.

James Franco’s new band

Yes, the actor James Franco. He’s teamed up with performance artist Kalup Linzy on a musical project called Kalup And Franco and guess what? It’s pretty good. Well, it’s better than his Oscars hosting performance. Boom! No seriously, it’s very indie R&B which is sooo hot right now.

Bon Iver covers Bonnie Rait

After he performed the song I Can’t Make You Love Me on Jimmy Fallon, Justin Vernon sat down at the piano in a studio and recorded a superior version complete with a detour into Raitt’s Nick Of Time.

Bob Dylan’s gonna knock you out
Dylan was joined by comedian Steve Merchant on his radio show recently and the two rapped through LL Cool J’s hip-hop classic Mama Said Knock You Out.

Delorean
Sunshine dance-pop with a Balearic twist from Barcelona, Delorean will release the superb vitamin C hit of debut Subiza in June. Pre-order it from Matador Records and you can get a free download of the album right now. More labels should do this please.
Listen at Nialler9

Two Door Cinema Club remixed
The Twelves’ disco-funk remix of the Bangor band’s Something Good Can Work has been climbing up the blog charts for the last two weeks.
Listen at Hype Machine

Bon Iver goes back to school
The bearded troubadour recently rejoined his first high school band – the Eau Claire Memorial Jazz Band, in order to raise funds for their annual trip to New York. The resulting concert of Bon Iver and Duke Ellington songs has now been released on iTunes. Listen to a song via I Guess I’m Floating.
http://short.ie/boniverband

Lonelady
Warp Records will release Lonelady’s debut album Nerve Up in February. Inspired by post-punk angular riffs, 80s pop and sounding like a combination of late ’80s/early ’90s female singers (Alanis Morrisette, Tori Amos, PJ Harvey), LoneLady is an intriguing proposition. Get the single for free.
http://lonelady.co.uk/

Remixes of 2009
Before the year was up, I selected my 35 favourite remixes of the year taking in reworks from Aeroplane, Joker, Classixx, The Horrors, Crookers, Rustie, Skream, Air France and Fake Blood. Listen to them on Nialler9.com.
http://short.ie/remixes09

Dead Man’s Bones
Actor Ryan Gosling’s musical project has been signed to Anti in the US and will feature a children’s choir throughout. There’s a definite Arcade Fire vibe to the songs released so far. Keep on ear out for these guys.
http://www.myspace.com/deadmansbones

The Drums
A Florida yet Brooklyn-based band who have come to blog attention thanks to their infectious summer tune ‘Let’s Go Surfing’.
http://www.myspace.com/thedrumsforever

New Radiohead track
“These Twisted Words” appeared on P2P networks last week without fanfare before the band released it officially on Monday through their own W.A.S.T.E store. A great track, it features Jonny Greenwood’s signature guitar sound and that trademark Radiohead dystopian atmosphere.
http://short.ie/tamtw

Mos Def – Auditorium
Whether The Ecstatic, the forthcoming album from Mos Def will re-establish the rapper as a great MC remains to be seen but this tune featuring production from Madlib and a verse from Slick Rock makes me hopeful.
Listen at Rappcats

Frankmusik – Confusion Girl (Don Diablo remix)
The original is an OK pop tune but this more euphoric remix by Dutch producer Don Diablo is infinitely more listenable.
Listen at the Hype Machine

The Radio Dept.
The Swedish band return with a third album on Labrador Records after a three year hiatus. The much-blogged taster from Clinging To A Scheme, ‘David’ is a twinkling, laid-back dreamy indie-pop tune.
Listen at Rock Sellout