J Dilla

"Possibly the best posthumous rap record since the final releases of 2Pac and Biggie," says Rolling Stone. Helmed by Ma Dukes (J Dilla's mom) and legendary DJ Pete Rock, Jay Stay Paid is a trip through 28 unreleased Dilla beats, featuring guest emcees like The Roots' Black Thought, DOOM, Raekwon, Blu, M.O.P., and more. This is how his family and friends think he should be remembered, so you know it's legit.

For fans of: Slum Village + A Tribe Called Quest + Common

Faux Hoax

Faux Hoax (pronounced "folks") is a new band from Gang of Four's Dave Allen, Menomena's Danny Seim, and producer John Askew (Tracker, The Dodos). The title track of their debut release is a spoken-word monologue over a stoney indie jam session; one Amie Street member calls it "a trippy conversation that you might have with your brain," and Absolute Punk says it's got a "laid back, deliriously homegrown feel." Definitely play this one in your mom's basement.

For fans of: Pavement + Gang of Four + Pixies

Butterfly Boucher

A long time in the making, Australian singer Butterfly Boucher's second album saw its first single "A Bitter Song" featured on Grey's Anatomy back in '07. Since then, she's opened for Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan, leaving Geffen Records to put out Scary Fragile on Canadian label Nettwerk. Get the album for only $5, with a complimentary download of the single "Gun For A Tongue"!

For fans of: Michelle Branch + Ingrid Michaelson + Alanis Morrissette

The Seldon Plan

Baltimore's The Seldon Plan pretty well nail the "grown up emo" sound -- call it comfort indie rock. Lost and Found and Lost, their third album, will sound great in your car stereo at sunset, whether you're parked with a crush or cruising and reminiscing. Get started by picking up the complimentary title track!

For fans of: Nada Surf + Death Cab For Cutie + Matt Pond PA

Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women

After a gig together at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, California musician Dave Alvin joins an all-female backing band to perform a stellar selection of originals and covers. From an old-timey take on "Marie Marie," originally performed by The Blasters (Alvin's first band in the '80s), to a honky-tonk cover of Doris Day's "Que Sera Sera," this album is a ton of knee-slappin' fun. Country/folk website Twangville says it "might be the best Dave Alvin record to date... an album that's greater than the sum of its parts."

For fans of: Joe Ely + T-Bone Burnett + Ry Cooder

Fink

"If John Legend went folk." That's not actually too far out: John Legend did co-write two songs on this UK musician's third album (after Fink worked with him on Evolver). This is just the type of acoustic album you'd expect to see on hip hop/dub label Ninja Tune: a sort of urban folk, like looking out at a cold, dark cityscape from a fireplace-heated apartment. The BBC calls it "an idea-laden, sublime study in the art of pleasing yourself without drowning in indulgence."

For fans of: José González + Dntel + David Gray

Hugh Masekela

South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela has played with Dizzy Gillespie, Fela Kuti, and Paul Simon (on his historic Graceland tour), and in 1987 had a hit single that became the anthem of the movement to free Nelson Mandela; Allmusic calls him "one of the earliest leaders in the world fusion mode." The CHISA Years 1968-1975 is a collection of rare and previously unreleased material from Masekela's Motown-affiliated record label, and is a solid collection of African funk, jazz, and groovy pop.

For fans of: Fela Kuti + Abdullah Ibrahim + Miriam Makeba

Flevans

Multi-instrumentalist Flevans is back with his third album, this time eschewing samples entirely for live, high-energy, breakbeat jazz. Every note and drum hit on the album was played by Flevans himself, supported only by the vocal talents of Sarah Scott and Shona Foster. Set your alarm clock to wake you up with this album, and you won't need coffee in the morning.

For fans of: Bonobo + Quantic + Mr. Scruff