Bodysnatchers, the Santa Barbara, CA production duo of Richie Rivera and Steven Romeo, recently released a killer three-track EP called Diskonect. What the release lacks in length it more than makes up for in expertly crafted vibe: retro and simultaneously modern. Stream the title track "Diskonect" below, and download the EP from Bandcamp for a price you decide.

Souls of Mischief/Hieroglyphics member Opio has teamed up with L.A. beat pioneer Free the Robots for an upcoming collaborative EP called The Subconscious Mind. Check out the abstract, psyched-out video the pair dropped for the lead single "Let the Bass Go" below, and be sure to grab the EP when it comes out on March 3.

It was 2011 when Guillermo Scott Herren last released new music under his Prefuse 73 moniker with the brilliant LP The Only She Chapters. This year, Herren will be making up for lost time with three releases on record label Temporary Residence. Two EPs called Forsyth Gardens and Every Color of Darkness will be released on April 28 and July 14, respectively, and will be centerpieced by the LP Rivington Não Rio, coming May 12. Check out the track "Infrared" (featuring Sam Dew) off Rivington Não Rio on Soundcloud (below). You can read more about Forsyth Gardens and Rivington Não Rio and pre-order them on CD and vinyl from Temporary Residence.

Nosaj Thing has a new album in the works called Fated, from which the track "Medic" (below) was previewed recently on BBC Radio 1. The followup to Home, Nosaj Thing's excellent 2013 release, Fated will be out April 22 on Innovative Leisure records.

Kieran Hebden, best known by the pseudonym Four Tet, has occasionally used the alias Percussions over the past handful of years, most notably with the release of a pair of 12" split singles last year on his own label Text Records. This week, Hebden put out a proper (more or less) Percussions album 2011 Until 2014, which includes the tracks from the aforementioned 12" releases (available digitally for the first time) along with a bunch of previously unreleased tracks made between 2011-2014. Stream it below or purchase the album from Bandcamp.

Even though the blog may not have been updated for the past month and a half, the music hasn't stopped. The goal has never been to post any and every new piece of music that pops into into the world, but to share an inspiring discovery or moment when it strikes. One such moment is now, here at the dawn of a new year, as Astral Cat looks back at the incredible music of 2014. As always, there are no rankings or commentary involved, and, while diversifying the selections wasn't a concern, a variety of genres are represented nonetheless. Also enjoy the Spotify playlist at the bottom of the page containing a sampling of most of the albums listed here. Happy 2015!

The lovely and engaging "Silk" is off Australian producer Thrupence's new mixtape Lessons, available now digitally on Bandcamp, or on vinyl from Future Classic. The track's easygoing melodicism is a welcoming summer vibe on this chilly fall day. Listen below, and grab Lessons from Bandcamp here.

D/P/I, which, according to his (I'm assuming-it could be a her) Bandcamp URL is a stylized abbreviation of DJ Purple Image, recently released a full-length called MN.ROY. The release comes on notable LA producer Matthewdavid's label Leaving Records, which has now put out over 50 releases by artists that include Jonwayne, Ras G, and Odd Nosdam. Check out a sample of the album with "012" below, which is one of the more unique tracks I've heard lately. If you like what you hear, head this way to purchase the album digitally or in limited edition CD format.

Lapalux is English producer Stuart Howard, whose highly textured, maximalist work has been released by Pictures Music in the UK and Brainfeeder here in the States. Howard has followed up his 2013 debut full-length Nostalchic with the syrupy thick single "Movement I, II, & III" (below). Stream it below, or hit up iTunes for the download.

Here's what I know about Weith, and it's from Bandcamp:

On this self-titled EP, the Swiss producer combines atmospheric ambient influences with instrumental electronic hip-hop in the vein of Boards of Canada or QPE.

I also know that the track "Imminence of Change" (below) is really cool, and that the Weith EP is available on Bandcamp as a name-your-price download or on CD in superb looking handmade packaging.

Preview the first track off Aphex Twin's new record Syro, which comes out later this month. If you pre-ordered (which is, of course, a no-brainer), you can log in to Bleep and download the track now, ahead of the release. "Minipops 67 [120.2][source field mix]" is a relatively accessible track, with shades of "Windowlicker," and it's instantly one of the best things I've heard all year.

Digital Saboteurs are a pair of producers from Sarasota, Florida who recently self-released an EP of breezy, vibey hip-hop beats. With a total running time of under 15 minutes, it's enough to set a mood, but leaves the listener wanting to hear more. Check out the track "ガラス" (glass, in Japanese) below, and grab a slice of the Sunshine State by downloading the EP for free from Bandcamp.

TOKiMONSTA's (real name: Jennifer Lee) LP Desiderium, her first release of new music since the excellent Half Shadows album, will be out on September 23 via her own imprint Young Art, but she took to Facebook the other day to drop this preview track "Steal My Attention."

Forward-looking trio The Bad Plus gained attention early on by transforming classic rock and pop hits into powerful and wonderfully freaky jazz explorations, but their most interesting and enduring works have always been original compositions. The group's tenth studio effort, Inevitable Western, is out this week, and continues the trend of focusing on original works that began with their previous albums Made Possible and Never Stop (their album interpreting Stravinsky's Rite of Spring obviously an exception). Check out "Gold Prisms Incorporated" below, a tune by drummer David King that puts the quintessential Bad Plus on display: at times poignant and lyrical, at times whimsical and inventive, and at times earth-shatteringly robust.

New York producer Drew Lustman, aka FaltyDL, has a new LP out now on Ninja Tune called In the Wild. Of the handful of preview tracks posted to Soundcloud recently around the release, "Heart & Soul" is the one that stands out (although that's obviously not meant to discredit the other tracks in any way--listen to those too). Check it out below, and find In the Wild available in various formats at Ninja Tune.