Headline-grabbing personal upheavals turn into introspective surges on Homogenic, the third album by Icelandic singer Björk. Driven inward after a bizarre year accented by a much publicised mail bomb, airport cat fight and brawl between ex-lovers Tricky and Goldie, Björk gets lost in a wash of strings and minimalist techno patterns on her latest outing. The eccentricity and stylistic schizophrenia of Debut and Post have been cast away in favour of darker, more sublime edginess. Filled with songs about paranoia, heartbreak and lost faith, Homogenic not only showcases more mature themes, but a more uniform mood. Notch that up to Björk's decision to produce the album herself. Aside from a few nominal collaborations with Mark Bell of obscure techno outfit LFO and the Icelandic String Octet, this is the purest representation of the artist's vision. Little did we know that such a quirky personality would have such a bleak world view. Homogenic is almost too heavy to take in sitting, and songs, like the grating "Pluto", are downright unlistenable. But there are moments of inspiration that burn through the dark clouds, particularly on the contemplative "Joga" and the uplifting "Bachelorette". -Aidin Vaziri.

In places, the strange Scottish duo known as North London Spiritualist Church vaguely remind one of the more accessible moments of Americana psychedelic gods Flaming Lips; other times (see Michelle Conway's sultry harmonies on "Gin Palace") they simply disconcert with their musical sweetness. On Electric Music, the vocals are distant, almost ethereal. The instrumentation on this spiritual, haunted album is often much more earthy. A toy drum machine picks out the grooves to "Junked Power"; samples of a deep gospel voice finish up the otherwise spooky single "Psychics F. O. ", recorded at the old Cocteau Twins studio; vibes and a guest bridge vocal from dub king Bim Sherman colour "Baptised By The Piano King". Electric Music is one for all those who still miss the first High Llamas album. -Everett True.

Compiled by DJ Ritu, The Rough Guide to the Asian Underground gathers together most of that scene's prime movers, including State of Bengal, Joi, Fun-Da-Mental and ADF. Her selection opens with 1960s Indo-groover Ananda Shankar's "Streets of Calcutta", a kitsch forerunner of the more serious fusions to come in 1990s England. East London provided the mulching ground for most of these early experiments; Talvin Singh's Anokha club nights were the nexus for mixing tabla, sitar, bansuri flute and Bollywood strings with scratching, breakbeats and blubbery basslines. At first glance, he's the chief absentee, until we notice that Talvin's here in the guise of Mahatma T. All the set needs now is Nitin Sawhney and Badmarsh & Shri. As usual, the Rough Guide booklet includes an informative mini-essay, penned by Ritu, who also happens to include one of her own Sister India tracks. There is, however, a feeling that this compilation is arriving somewhat tardily, retrospectively gathering in the last decade. It's only Asian Dub Foundation who continued to be a strong force. This whole scene has now passed its media peak, but these influences have been absorbed into the general fabric, making a permanent dancefloor difference. -Martin Longley.

Almost as elusive as the act themselves, Twoism has been exchanging hands for anything up to £800 since its original 100 copy vinyl release back in 1995. Available for the first time on CD, re-cut and re-mastered, this near-mythical collection of minimal ambient treasure is as listless, pastoral and evocative as its follow-up, 1998's Music Has The Right Children and this year's Geogaddi. Even more understated than its successors, Twoism drifts with indolent beats and droning keyboard hooks. Hidden away in their remote Hexagon Sun studio in the highlands of north Scotland, Marcus Eoin and Mike Sandison inhabit a reclusive windswept world that is too damn cold to produce chill-out music. What you have here are delicate, deceptively simple, emotive soundscapes that bore right to the heart of the listener and refuse to be ignored. Broken into eight tracks but seemingly one continuous gentle sonic glide, Twoism opens with the mesmerising melancholia of "Sixtyniner" changing course only for "Basefree" with its restless itchy break beat and urban menace. At turns soothing and haunting it stirs feelings of desolation while somehow creating an intensely intimate feel. Laying the foundations for a career that has seen the duo become renowned exponents of blissful organic electronica; Twoism is an essential (no longer missing) link in the acts evolution. -Christopher Barrett.