After the amiable lo-fi debut If I Am Only My Thoughts, Loving makes a self-proclaimed “sonic leap” on sophomore stunner Any Light. Of course, this seamless transition to the studio is a credit to the Canadian duo’s charmingly unwavering formula. With delayed vocals that don’t kick in until nearly two minutes, the gentle acoustic strum of the title track sets the perfect tone for this remarkably intimate collection of songs.

Diamond Jubilee feels like a throwback to a different, weirder, cooler, better era in independent music. An era where a record such as this one — a record not available on streaming services, that can only be listened to on YouTube and via WAV files available for purchase on the artist’s website, and which was birthed into the world with no advanced single or press, that eschewed the long and laborious album rollout, and so felt like an artifact from space crash landed onto Earth — wasn’t so tragically uncommon.

Had The Carnegie Hall Concert been released in 1971 when it was originally commissioned and recorded by Impulse as a double live LP, it would undoubtedly rank among the all-time holy grails of live jazz, no, live music, period.

somesurprises began modestly, but with the band’s latest record, the excellent Perseids, they’ve moved into a positively widescreen space. It’s a dreamy sound, occasionally reminiscent of such legends as Stereolab, Grouper, Mazzy Star or Yo La Tengo. But it’s not just dreamy. Beneath the gorgeous drones and sweet motorik pop-rock, there are plenty of sharp edges, both sonically and lyrically.

On his second live release this year, Villa Maximus sends jazz pianist and synthesizer maven Greg Foat to Mykonos with his frequent collaborators guitarist Warren Hampshire of the Bees and drummer Ayo Salawu of Kokoroko. But the real wild card here is stellar Greek reedman Sokratis Votskos, who adds flute and bass clarinet to this already formidable unit. The thrilling results range from deep space ambient jazz exploration to funky krautrock blowouts.

Prior to founding Zelone Records and becoming the emperor of mellow groove, Shintaro Sakamoto fronted Yura Yura Teikoku. A scrappy psych trio with humble origins in the Tokyo’s DIY underground, the band cut a unique trail guided by an eclecticism that pushed their sound ever further to new heights.

It is perhaps at the peak of his unhinged behavior in the mid-70s that Martyn stumbled into his creative apex. Solid Air confirmed that the chops were there, but it was with One World that the artist cemented his potential for crafting masterworks that transcend the folk-singer moniker.

Rosali’s Merge debut Bite Down already has the makings of classic summer album. Bursting with singalong choruses, big barroom rave-ups and bleary confessions of both love and doubt, this is one that everyone can find a way into.