Sound Check

There's a lot of new music out there, and OndaRock's Spotify playlists are the map we offer to help you chart a course through recent releases. This month, as every month, our writers give you a taste of rock in flux, the moods of the most current pop, the pulses of electronic music, the stories of singer-songwriters, the ideas of experimental music, the shades of jazz, the talent of the Italian scene, and a dive into darker, more intense sounds. A practical and, we hope, intriguing way to discover some of the most interesting releases out there right now - though not necessarily the most high-profile. Enjoy the listen.

Rock and Beyond

New music from Model/Actriz (second album out May 2), Turnstile (album coming in early June), Ty Segall, Arcade Fire, Viagra Boys, Momma, Postcards, Deafheaven and many more. There's something for every taste from the frantic world of “rock-and-beyond” (Claudio Lancia)

Pop Muzik

While veteran outfits announce their comeback (Pulp, Stereolab), Addison Rae is chasing her next viral hit and Alison Goldfrapp is giving the solo route another shot: will it go better this time? Meanwhile billy woods keeps churning out excellent singles and Maria Somerville has crafted one of the dream-pop albums of the year… (Daniel Moor)

Dark Corner

We open with this month's dark highlight, a track taken from the surprising new record by Sardinian muse Dalila Kayros. The new additions to the playlist don't stop there: a new single from Marilyn Manson (taking on a successful Phil Collins cover), the promising ideas of Chalk, Crush Of Souls and French act Blind Delon, plus the return of Perturbator and Rhys Fulber (here teaming up with Qual). In the corner reserved for extreme metal, Rome's Svnth pop up with their accomplished and inspired post-black metal. (Paolo Chemnitz)

Electronic

The likes of Barker, Djrum, DJ Koze, Sandwell District (OndaRock's April Album of the Month) and Kassian are among the albums of the moment in the international electro scene. Before them, you can listen to the new singles from Avalon Emerson and Bambii. After them, a run of excellent productions by women artists: Marie Davidson, Yaeji, Amelie Lens, Charlotte De Witte, Aya, FKA Twigs, Ela Minus, Rose Gray and Oklou. Music to dance to, and not only that. (Claudio Lancia)

Songwriter

This month's playlist is dedicated to Lana Del Rey and her upcoming album: with a single like “Henry, come on” we're once again expecting great things! (Daniel Moor)

Among the new arrivals, the brilliant return of Kara-Lis Coverdale stands out, currently our Album of the Month. Also worth noting is the long-awaited full-length debut of Sara Persico – among this month's section picks – and the solid showing from Lucio Leonardi aka Pluhm, the not-quite-convincing comebacks of Yann Tiersen and The Album Leaf, as well as the new chapter of the Earthphonia series produced by Max Casacci. We also feature excerpts from the upcoming albums by Nils Frahm, Goldmund and Lyra Pramuk. (Peppe Trotta)

Italy

A/lpaca, Fulminacci, Giorgio Poi and Dreamlike Sound Duo open our selection dedicated to the best Italian artists, followed by recent releases from Messa, I Cani, Populous and Gaia Banfi. A strong showing too from a host of interesting female voices, from La Nina to Giungla, from Joan Thiele to Laura Agnusdei, from Giulia Impache to Angela Baraldi. Enjoy the listen. (Claudio Lancia)

Jazz

Between highly anticipated upcoming releases (GoGo Penguin, Calibro 35, Maurice Louca) and recent new arrivals (Phresoul, Daniel Herskedal, Knats, Erlend Apneseth), this month is rich with potential discoveries. The resulting map is wide-ranging and irregular, with a fondness for border territories: from the most contaminated strains of nu jazz to fusion drift, from voices that expand jazz's vocabulary by drawing on other geographic and cultural contexts to intersections with tradition. Then again, it's precisely from the margins that the impulses driving the language's renewal most often emerge. (Marco Sgrignoli)