"Them That Do Nothing" - Field Music

“Them That Do Nothing” is taken from Field Music’s fourth full-length studio album, Measure. Although the Sunderland quartet have been compared to Futureheads and The New Pornographers in the past, “Them That Do Nothing” could be C&V’d straight from A Hard Day’s Night.

The vocals, guitar and trademark baseline are undeniably McCartney/Starr/Lennon/Harrison-inspired, but not in the faux-Fab Four tradition of Oasis; this is tastefully played with a poise that has become a signature-mark of this indie band. Aside from the Beatles’ parallels, the song also invokes Rumours-era Fleetwood Mac – the twitches of acoustic guitar and sporadic electric improvisations are highly similar to Don’t Stop or Never Go Back Again.

Genius recommends; XTC, The Police, The Left Blanke, The Shins, Correcto

"Norway" - Beach House

“Norway” by Beach House is a psychedelic, soft-edged hybrid of chamber-pop, art rock and electro-indie from their debut album Teen Dream. Bearing forth with MGMT or Cajun Dance Party style dual-vocalists, and melancholic Hawaiian-esque synths, Norway is a floating, humid track with obviously dilated pupils. The current trend in US indie music to stand away from urbanite influences is alive here in the band’s name – and in their musical contemporaries, Woods.

As well as following this burgeoning movement, Beach House have taken clear stylistic footnotes from Fleet Foxes’ hymnal eponymous debut in 2008. Norway is trippy, emotive and kaleidoscopic - and hauntingly, colourfully, beautiful. This is transporting, intoxicating and dream-inducing music at its best.

Genius recommends; My Bloody Valentine, Volcano Choir, Best Coast, Wild Beasts, Real Estate

"When You Walk In The Room" - Fyfe Dangerfield

Fyfe Dangerfield, owner of the world's coolest name (aside from maybe, Ron Burgundy) and lead singer for Guillemots has embarked on his first solo outing, and "When You Walk In The Room" is his opening broadside. A rolling, spiralling tale of unrequited adoration, this is quite frankly, solid gold. Fyfe's roaring, growling, Mercury-esque vocals chime perfectly with the jaunty, off-kilter clockwork intro, and accompanied with his signature piano handshake combine for a catchy, outside-of-the-box leftfield indie track.

Fan or not of Guillemots' maddenning pace, this is a more refined, polished version of Dangerfield; reloaded with strutting confidence and an art-rock swagger, "When You Walk In The Room" feels real, raw and pure. This is a concentrated shot of indie-rock/electro-pop crossover, what the label "avante-garde" was made for. Although off the beaten pop track, this is undeniably addictive, illuminating and above all, fantastically upbeat music. I just hope that the rest of the new album, "Fly Yellow Moon", can match this brilliant benchmark.

"This Momentary" - Delphic

Delphic are one of the most hotly-tipped bands for 2010, praised by the Guardian, NME and Radio 1's Zane Lowe to name but a few. The latest offering from Manchester's hotbed of musical talent, they seem to be taking over the electro-pop reins previously held by MGMT and 2009's Passion Pit - so expect eternal summers and pulsating hedonistic excess with unrequited loves abound. "This Momentary" is a heady mix of ambient club beats and abstract, mesmerising vocals. Add that to sutble touches of guitar (Akin to The xx, maybe?), and you have on your hands an excellent, if templated electro-indie crossover track. Sure, Delphic are the pick of the bunch, the leaders in this new psychadelica - they're hypnotic, fresh and different. But even by the first minute, "This Momentary" drifts into clubland territory, a concession to mainstream dance and flatpack indie.

If Delphic could refrain from pandering to non-indie fans, they could be one of the best electro-indie acts ever; they could make it as a serious, purist independant artist. "This Momentary" is still a great song, but its failures highlight the pitfalls of Delphic's sunny reverb. Where Passion Pit and MGMT soared on electronic thermal drafts, Delphic merely glide.

Genius Reccomends; White Lies, Chew Lips, New Order, Friendly Fires, Crystal Fighters

"Killing In The Name Of" - Rage Against The Machine

I won't be reviewing any new Free Singles until the holidays end, I need a break like everyone else. Someone else deserves a break; Zac de la Rocha. If RATM weren't already awesome enough, this time they've slain Simon Cowell. So adding to their "kill list", which I guess includes the US government, capitalism and the KKK, is the X Factor. Thankyou, Tom Morello - your revolutionary's anthem has saved British music for us all. Only in Britain could a screaming, bawling, flaming metal song that ends in a scorching crescendo of earthquake guitars and the immortal line "fuck you I won't do what you tell me", reach number one to defy the pop puppetmaster. It didn't have to be a "good Christmas song" (do those exist? Are you one of those people who actually likes "Mistletoe and Wine"?!), but it was the perfect song for the occaison. But enough waffling, here's my Christmas present; a damn good Christmas Number One.

"No Time" - The Heavy

No Time is a biting, growling, whiskey-sodden tune, a delicious rock song with an ice cold southern drawl. Fans of The Black Keys, early Kings of Leon and The Dead Weather will feast on this gorgeous rock and roll treat. Taken from their second album, The House That Dirt Built, "No Time" tears its way through the air to land in your ears with a crash. Southern blues, made punch-drunk and mixed in with sharp acid funk give this track a modern twist on blood n'tears brawler rock.

With fast, lyrically fireborne vocals juxtaposed to the introductory riff and percussion, funky horns and brass, and eardrum-crunching guitar, Kelvin Swaby's first haunting wail fires the starting pistol for Dan Taylor's opening guitar salvo. Overall, No Time is delicious. It's got a fanstastic, uplifting chorus that blends heartache and alcahol-blurred rock, and is a thouroughly enjoyable track for followers of that rockin', rollin' star in the sky.

Genius reccomends; The Go, The Black Angels, Port O'Brien, Marmaduke Duke, Drummer

"Pon de Floor" Major Lazer & Vybz Kartel

The collaborative project of DJs Diplo and Switch, Major Lazer is - apparently - a veteran of the secret Jamaican zombie war of 1984; he rides a hoverboard, battles nocturnal nasties such as vampires and the undead, and "parties hard". Moving aside from the musical persona of the Major, the duo have just ended a US tour and were nominated in the MTV Video Awards for Best Breakthrough Video (for Hold The Line)

Taken from the debut album "Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do", Pon de Floor is remeniscent of Basement Jaxx, Santigold or Chemical Brothers; catchy repetetiveness hooked up to an beat. If you wanted more of a sound compass, vocalists such as Santigold, Vybz Kartel, Ward 21, Busy Signal and Nina Sky. Pon de Floor is a turbulent, choppy track, slipping in and out of consciousness - a rolling, thunderous electronic sea. It should be used as the soundtrack to a mobile phone advert. Basically, if Mr T was into dub, this is what he'd come out with.

Genius Reccomends: T.O.K., Chase & Status, Diplo, Turbulence, Vybz Kartel