Damon Albarn and his cartoon pals, Gorillaz, return with Plastic Beach. The so-called virtual hip hop is as catchy as ever, with the album’s many guests (including Lou Reed, Mos Def, De La Soul and the ever grumpy Mark E. Smith) turning in top performances. But adding in the visuals really puts the project over the top, as always the videos are stunning, but this time there’s even a game. What band could more embrace media than a band made entirely of media?

If you, like me, have been enjoying Jack White’s side projects (The Raconteurs, Dead Weather) but have been longing for the simple old days of  the one guitar, the one drum set and three colours approach of The White Stripes I have good news. Under Great White Northern Lights is a 92 minute tour doco that follows Jack and Meg through an exhaustive tour of Canada. They play favourites old and new in bowling alleys, fishing boats and daycare centres, then they package it with a CD to boot. Treat of the week!

Self-described “troublegum” purveyers The Mint Chicks released Screens late last year and now the library has it. You’re welcome. After listening to the always great art-pop on the CD, head over to their website and have a go at designing a t-shirt for them and you could win prizes. Sweet, sweet prizes. They get my vote for best band going in New Zealand at the moment.

I Like Turtles is a mix put together by the omnipresent tastemaker, Diplo. It’s designed for the dancefloor and includes remixes of tracks by The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Nirvana, Queen, Mr. Vegas, Sizzla, Bart Simpson and others. Bart Simpson you say? Well, back in the days of cassettes he had a hit single with Do The Bartman, reaching number one in New Zealand. Here’s the video for anyone who wants to relive the wackiness that was 1990.

Californian metallers Atreyu say their latest Congregation Of The Damned is “darker” and “heavier” than albums previous they also say “it makes more sense” than earlier efforts. While coherence isn’t a necessity for a good metal album, darkness and heaviness certainly are. If you never heard Atreyu before, but fancy you some rifftastic loudness, this is a good starting point.

Also, two soundtracks and a compilation; Avatar : music from the motion picture and Fame : original motion picture soundtrack along with Now that’s what I call music 32