3...2...1... A Rocket Girl Compilation

England’s Rocket Girl Records delivers a stellar compilation with this 2011 offering that compiles a whopping 27 songs culled from the label’s diverse roster of tasteful indie selections. Lilys kicks off the party with “A Diana’s Diana,” a four-on-the-floor flirtation with disco that deviates from the fuzz-box heavy indie-psych the band is best known for. The beautiful guitar wash of “Frozen Twilight” finds God Is an Astronaut playing the kind of post-shoegazing instrumental-ambiance reminiscent of bygone bands like Bark Psychosis and Mogwai. Speaking of ethereal guitar instrumentals, from the first few notes of “Love Never Dies a Natural Death” it should be obvious to anyone remotely familiar with Cocteau Twins that the heavily affected delay of dream-pop guitar strumming heard here belongs to none other than the genre’s pioneer, Robin Guthrie. There’s even something for diehard fans of the Rocket Girl Records roster as the second half of the compilation abounds with previously unreleased gems starting with laptop wizard Ulrich Schnauss’ gossamer remix of Howling Bells’ “Setting Sun” and ending with the womblike warmth of Fuxa’s “Bubbles and Flugelhorn.”