Ange

Definitive collection honouring late rap pioneer

Veteran outfit still going strong

Latest from thriving '60s jazz veteran

Fully expanded reissue of Love brilliance culled from band's Elektra period

Reissue of blonde wonders' five studio albums. In other words, Sting when he was good

Riding the ever-popular straight-man-gay-world comedy wave (see Happy, Texas, Three To Tango, In And Out), debut writers, actors and co-producers Jennifer Westfeldt and Heather Juergensen add a distaff twist with their tale of a bi-curious gallery manager and her impulsive fling with a neurotic Jewish copy editor. The lines are witty, the nods to Annie Hall ubiquitous, though the resolution is strangely conservative.

New Yorker Carter Burwell scored Velvet Goldmine, which would be a coincidence (see above) if I didn't diligently plan these things ahead. He's also done most of the Coens' movies and, as he beautified Being John Malkovich, lands the return gig on the new Jonze-Kaufman headfuck. His new-school, indie sensibilities show from the dark opening title piece (remixed by Fatboy Slim), and he relishes working with titles like "The Slough Pit Of Creation" and "The Unexpressed Expressed" (who wouldn't?).

Seattle rockers' first and fifth albums reissued at mid-price

British-born producer of the Roots returns to jazz roots with a hip hop twist

'Godfather of goth' hires former Birthday Party producer Nick Launay for 'urgent' 12th album