oi va voi, charlotte gainsbourg, panda bear, stinky munchkins and more - this week's singles

. ENVELOPES / LIFE ON THE BEACH (BRILLIE) Fuck a doodle doo these guys are scary – and brilliant too. This tune lurches around like one of the Droogs from Clockwork Orange, and you’d better hope it doesn’t rest its evil eye on you. Fans of Frank Black at his most loopy (see Pixies’ ‘Crackity Jones’) will be delighted. . CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG / 5:55 (BECAUSE) Lyrics by Jarvis Cocker, production by Nigel Godrich, music by Air… but sadly no doo-wop backing vocals from Jesus Christ. This tune is literally a huge vat of talent, and couldn’t have been anything but a little bit special. So we get hazy strings, sexy whispering and piercing electronic drums – all over a beautiful and moving melody. I’ll be getting this one out for the barbeque… . HATCHEM SOCIAL / TILL THE DAWN Any tune that comes with a press release declaring that it features “sleeve artwork by Faris from The Horrors!” is likely to make me come out in a rash and flee for the hills. Luckily, this single is better the lame doodle that plagues its sleeve. Egyptian guitars scratch their own backs while a Jefferson Airplane vocal shimmies over the top. Acid rock: if it’s back, why did it ever go away? . PANDA BEAR / TAKE PILLS (PAW TRACKS) Taking its cue from Andy Warhols production of the Velvets, this is a relaxing and pleasingly experimental cut from Panda Bears forthcoming LP ‘Person Pitch’. The atmosphere is all echo chamber and surf harmony, whist a sample of machinery provides the rhythm section without disrupting the dream state. Anyone who digs ‘Warmth of the Sun’ will fall into this like a sleeping bag. . STINKY MUNCHKINS / RELEASE THE LIONS (ART GOES POP) Respect to Art Goes Pop and all, but this sounds like Fischerspooner screwing up the third electroclash revival from the sun. If your mate created this in his bedroom while he was on a speed and absinthe cocktail, applause would be due. But loopiness aside, this hits its own roof pretty quickly.