FROM A HEIGHT IMMEASURABLE.

The Great Escape had no shortage of delights on offer last weekend in Brighton, but for us there was perhaps none greater than Clock Opera at Hector's House on the Saturday. We've been fans of the group from square one, having put on one of their first ever live shows last July and given them their first remix commission (and we all know how that one turned out), but even we weren't prepared for how far they'd come in the last 12 months.

With an arsenal of new tracks mixed by Dan Grech - fresh off his amazing work with previous Neon Gold all-stars Sound of Arrows and Penguin Prison - and a completely revamped live show, they're one of the most exciting new acts in the game right now. For proof of their progress, look no further than new single "A Piece of String", out next month on new French imprint Maman. Our favorite track from them to date, it finds the group at their absolute best as frontman Guy Connelly's haunting vocals take centerstage while a wire sharp synth riff cascades back and forth across a melange of chopped up guitar and strings samples. Coming off like Antony & The Johnsons collaborating with Four Tet, it's something strange and wonderful and entirely their own, and just one of many reasons they're one of the most exciting acts to grace our radar in ages.

MP3: "A Piece of String" - Clock Opera

LIFE ISN'T MEANT TO DRAG US DOWN.

Fyfe Dangerfield is one of our all-time favorite musicians and one of the nicest people we've ever met in this industry, so when he finally broke into the UK Top 10 last week with his breathtaking cover of Billy Joel's "She's Always A Woman" (as featured on this phenomenal John Lewis advert), we couldn't have been happier for him. Now at long last he's bringing his debut solo album Fly Yellow Moon over to the states for release on Downtown Records, preceded by a string of North American dates this week, launching at Joe's Pub in NYC and rounded off by dates in Philadelphia, Toronto and Los Angeles.

Fyfe put on one of the most brilliant performances we've seen this year at our SXSW showcase, highlighted by a cover of Girls Aloud's "Call The Shots" (live footage here), that's simply one of the most intense and visceral interpretations of a Top 5 pop smash we've ever heard. Sadly there's no studio recording of the track yet, but in the meantime there's no shortage of brilliant Fyfe material to tide you over, like "Headache", an absolutely immense B-side off the deluxe UK edition of the record that's been on repeat around Neon Gold HQ all spring. Get into it.

MP3: "Headache" - Fyfe Dangerfield [exclusive]

LET'S TAKE JESUS OFF THE DASHBOARD.

Surf noir. We've no idea what it is really, but still it seems a pretty apt description for NYC via New Jersey songwriter Lana Del Rey. All femme fatale lyrics and rampant nostalgia for the kitschy Americana of yesteryear, Lana's tracks hook you with a sultry approach to pop songwriting that sets her apart from her peers in this city. The icing on the cake is her homemade music videos, which unravel like a parade of influences that serve as a mission statement for what it is Del Rey's all about, and you can view the clip she's put together for "Diet Mtn Dew" - our favorite track of hers to this point - above. While it's clear she's still trying to find her sound and pin down her sonic identity, "Diet Mtn Dew" shows she's got all the necessary components to turn serious heads in the months to come, and those at The Great Escape next week would be amiss not to check her out at the Gold Dust showcase Thursday night. She's also going into the studio with our dudes The Knocks upon her return from the UK and, as anyone whose heard their recent output knows, that can only mean good things. Watch this space.

MP3: "Diet Mtn Dew" (Demo) - Lana Del Rey [exclusive]