This simple mouthpiece-and-keyboard reed-free aerophone has an analogue charm that can bring a surprise solo or drone texture to a song. But where does it appear and when does it work best?

A huge subject, population, history and rich culture, how can you capture this great city in song? Londoner MussoliniHeadkick presents a fabulous set of lists spreading far and wide, especially south and east, inspired by last week’s topic

From inner London’s famous sites to the suburbs, its a melting pot of people, culture and music, of fame and fortune, fires, pioneers and history’s rebuilding. It’s time to go metropolitan and capture this great city in song

Indian classical to the ‘67 Summer of Love, psychedelia and into the beyond, this beguiling instrument has coloured eastern and western music for decades. Guest playlister Nicko plucks out many magical sounds from last week’s theme

What’s that sound? It is most associated with a master of Indian classical, but this week we also explore how the sitar has crossed into western and other genres, including electric and electronic recreations

New album: Mesmerically skilful, oddly beautiful expressive and sometimes powerfully disturbing experimental instrumental folk and bluegrass by the debut South Carolina trio of fiddler Courtney Werner, guitarist Evan Morgan and bassist/banjoist Michael Devito, together weaving extraordinary sounds within and beyond traditional on a dark and tragic ecological theme

New album: Classy, catchy psychedelic rock and 60s blues grooves come thick and fast in this sixth LP from the British band fronted by Barrie Cadogan, and their first under their name since the death of drummer Virgil Howe in 2017

New album: A mystical, spiritual fusion of jazz, soul, electronica and spoken word poetry in this second LP by the Los Angeles writer, poet, performer and activist, filled with sensual sounds and personal mantras to political and social commentary about her country and beyond, her delivery particularly reminiscent of the smooth and smoky Dana Bryant from the 1990s

New album: Beautifully evocative instrumental interpretations of older folk tunes from Southeast Asia, the USSR and the Arabic and Islamic regions of the world, all areas subject to US conflict since 1970s, brought by by the American guitarist from the private 78rpm archive of the late Harry Smith

New album: A surprise release but a very welcome one from the Merseyside band, following 2021’s hit LP Coral Island, with songs that slip effortlessly out, deceptively simple and catchy, with elements of Jamaican rocksteady, ska and Ethiopian jazz into their familiar psych-indie-pop sound

Song of the Day: Breezy, gently wistful and witty, warm and dreamy 70s-style pop about career ladder confusion with orchestral strings and flute by the London-based singer-songwriter, heralding her upcoming second album, Kismet, out on 4 September

Song of the Day: A stirring, catchy, rousing indie rock number with a video inspired by local community football club in this single by the Manchester band, heralding their forthcoming debut album It Goes On, out on 21 August via Island Records

Song of the Day: Flamboyant, panache-filled art-pop, new wave, and 1980s glam post-punk by the Glasgow five-piece band with singer Jocelyn Potter having some stylistic echoes The Associates and the great Billy Mackenzie, it follows their 2024 album The Warping.

Song of the Day: An unusual experimental mix of jazz nd electronica with chopped classical strings, thumping breakbeats and Jersey club bass rhythms, by Glasgow’s multi-instrumentalist producer, composer and performer Liam Shortall, out on Ninja Tune

Song of the Day: Rapturous soaring pop and soul with luscious orchestration by the London artist, heralding her upcoming album So Help Me God, out on 12 June via Dirty Hit Records