Emma Lock – Shooting Star (iTunes)

If you took a dose of Joss Stone and mixed it with some Evanescence, and possibly a twist of Kate Bush, you’d have a fair idea of Emma Lock is coming from. She’s from Cornwall, looks amazing and this is her first set of songs. You can hear extracts at myspace.com/emmalock and her own www.emmalock.com. While some tracks struggle to find a shape and purpose, Transindental and Stepping Stones are wild, accomplished showcases for a great emerging talent. ***

Madness - Singles Box Sets Vol I & II (EMI)

If you’re looking to build a complete digital music collection of Stiff Records or their leading lights, Madness, then you can get a step closer this month. EMI’s 04 December release makes all of the Madness b-sides available for download for the first time ever. The Stiff era singles are included, as are later tracks like Uncle Sam and (Waiting For The Ghost Train). There are 32 tracks in the Vol. 1 package including the rare Don’t Quote Me On That promo disc. Although whether this is the version that only ever originally appeared on 12”, or the standard Work Rest & Play EP version used in the ‘physical’/CD Singles Box Set Vol. 1 that was released in 2003 remains to be seen…***

Moby – Go (Downloadable Deluxe Version) (Mute)

The promotion and marketing of Go – The Very Best of Moby has been a complete fiasco. With different track listings for at least six countries and various online ‘exclusives’ popping up all over the place, it’s been impossible to keep track of. Even Moby himself realised and made a special blog posting on Halloween to try and clear things up. You can read it yourself at www.moby.com/journal/2006-10-26/confusion_around_go_the_very_best_of_mob.html. The bottom line for download collectors? Get the Downloadable Deluxe Version – “a/k/a iTunes plus more stuff,” as Moby called it – for seven bonus tracks including a 2006 remake of Go, a Murk remix of Porcelain and possibly his greatest track ever, God Moving Over The face of Waters. **

David Bowie - Black Tie White Noise Extras (EMI)

This digital only release has 12 tracks from Bowie’s 1993 return-to-form album that reunited him with Nile Rogers and Mick Ronson. All sorts of remixes, off-cuts and oddments are here. Like Real Cool World (from the Cool World soundtrack), the Rock and Brothers In Rhythm 12” remixes of Jump They Say and a remix by the much missed Moodswings of a track called Nite Flights. If you only download one, make it the Dub Oddity version of Jump They Say or, as a reserve, the curious Indonesian Vocal Version of Don’t Let Me Down and Down (Jangan Susahkan Hatiku). ****