Percussionist and multi-instrumentalist Martin Dosh spent much of the past decade establishing himself as a skilled designer of electro-infused, loop-laden ambience and melody.

Over that time, his arrangements have become more complex, with instrumentation that has gotten progressively more diverse, often thanks to high-profile guests such as Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Andrew Bird, Odd Nosdam, and Fog.

For a good portion of his latest effort, variegated sounds create thoroughly layered material atop jumping drum kits and looped beats alike. Harpsichord, slide guitar, piano, and saxophone complement the usual armaments of Fender Rhodes, marimba, and samples, as tracks such as "Subtractions," "Number 41," and "Call the Kettle" (as well as the album's distorted conclusion) present new sides of Dosh. Tommy eventually settles into the down-tempo electro-acoustic tunes of yore, but never is the album dull or repetitive.

Dosh: "Subtractions"
Dosh: \"Subtractions\"

The Nels Cline Singers: Initiate (Cryptogramophone)

Gifted guitarist Nels Cline may be best recognized as "that really tall guy in Wilco," but his accomplished career spans decades as well as ravines of style. Free jazz, avant-rock, country, experimental — there aren't many modern guitar-heavy styles that Cline hasn't touched.

For his "full-time" group, The Nels Cline Singers (a purposeful misnomer), Cline commonly has traversed improvised terrain, but recent albums have presented a beauteous (and often acoustic) compositional side.

Initiate, a two-disc release that includes a live album, further angles The Singers towards accessibility. But fans of Cline's off-the-cuff abilities and technical prowess won't be disappointed, as the album strikes a perfect balance for the group, alternating between progressive jams, effect-laden tranquility, and alien "out-ness."

A squiggly, ambient, looping intro leads into a track of circular grooves that keep it steady for Cline's noodling solos and riotous effects. Other atmospheric pieces utilize Cline's playing in a lounge or jazz style, or simply use him as a swelling accompaniment to the endowed bass lines of Devin Hoff and percussive dynamics of Scott Amendola. All told, Initiate might be the trio's best and most symmetrical release to date.

The Nels Cline Singers: "Floored"
The Nels Cline Singers: \"Floored\"

Omar Rodriguez Lopez: Solar Gambling (Rodriguez Lopez Productions)

Released digitally late last year, the 13th solo album by The Mars Volta's mastermind sees a physical release this Saturday for Record Store Day. Ostensibly, Solar Gambling is a supplement to last year's Xenophanes, a masterful and approachable vocal-intensive album that featured the deft piano work of sibling Marcel Rodriguez Lopez.

This collection contains a familiar brand of progressive psych jams, and fans of Omar's monstrous output aren't likely to be surprised. However, whereas Xenophanes was a striking vocal "debut" by Omar, Solar Gambling fully features vocalist Ximena Sariñara, who supplied backups on the predecessor.

It's hard to believe that one man can produce so much quality music like clockwork, and Solar Gambling attains a perfect counterbalance — alluring vocals and rock grooves vs. polyrhythmic overdubs and exotic effects. Be sure to stream the whole album while you can.

Omar Rodriguez Lopez: "Un Buitre Amable Me Pico"
Omar Rodriguez Lopez: \"Un Buitre Amable Me Pico\"

Child Abuse: Cut and Run (Lovepump United)

A band as consistent in its own sound shouldn't be as indescribable as Child Abuse, which might be considered something to the effect of "death math punk." But that description, like many, is insufficient.

On top of punishing, Meshuggah-style beats, the trio heaps beastly fuzz bass, wailing keyboard noise, growls, and vocal weirdness. The most apt contemporary comparison might be Italy's Zu (also a three-piece) or Lightning Bolt (only a duo!), but these counterparts are actually easier to digest and easier for grooving along.

Cut and Run will strike many as abrasive and difficult, but for fans of complexity and noise, it will be another great disc from 2010.

Child Abuse: "Bebe"
Child Abuse: \"Bebe\"

Honorable Mentions

An Autumn For Crippled Children: Lost (ATMF)

Clutchy Hopkins: The Story Teller (Ubiquity)

Chris Burton Jácome: Levanto

Kaki King: Junior (Velour)

Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers: Agridustrial (Colonel Knowledge)

Lowness: Undertow (Ant-Zen)

Stanton Moore: Groove Alchemy (Concord)

Rafter: Animal Feelings (Asthmatic Kitty)

Supermachiner, the haunting, mostly instrumental side project from Converge members Jacob Bannon and Kurt Ballou, will soon have its complete 30-track, two-disc collection, Rust, available through Deathwish Inc. Listen to a few tracks here.

Big Business has announced the release of its new album, Mind the Drift, for April on Hydra Head. Listen to a new track, "Gold and Final," on the group's MySpace page.

Japanese post-rockers Mono have a new album, Hymn to the Immortal Wind, being released on March 24 on Temporary Residence. The album boasts guest contributions from a 28-member orchestra.

Seven Signs, the Southern culture documentary by J.D. Wilkes of Th' Legendary Shack Shakers, is now available on DVD.

Following the release of Old Money via Stones Throw on January 26, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez takes his group to Europe in March. Click here for a list of dates.

A new alt-metal super-group called Shrinebuilder is recording a debut album for Neurot Recordings, due this summer. The group consists of Wino (The Hidden Hand), Scott Kelly (Neurosis), Al Cisneros (Om, Sleep), and Dale Crover (Melvins) and will be in the studio with Toshi Kasai (Big Business).

Orange Tulip Conspiracy, the exceptional multi-genre new group led by Estradasphere guitarist Jason Schimmel, will play a full US tour in May. If you're involved in setting up shows, you can help Schimmel fill in dates — head here for details.

Grandaddy singer/songwriter Jason Lytle has a solo debut album, Yours Truly, being release on Anti- on May 19.

Finger-tapping indie-rock specialist Kaki King is playing a "solo guitar and no other bullshit tour" in California from January 21-31. Head here for the dates.

Post-rock/jam keyboardist Marco Benevento plays a weekly residency in February at Yoshi's in Oakland in the middle of a handful of other West Coast dates. During the stint, Benevento will be joined by special guests that include Scott Amendola, Billy Martin, Reed Mathis, Jeff Parker, and Skerik.

California math-rock trio Tera Melos has a new EP of cover songs available to download for free. Band member Nick Reinhart also has new band with drumming wiz Zach Hill, called Bygones, that has a debut album set for release in March on Sargent House.

Starting today, the new Cattle Decapitation album, The Harvest Floor, is streaming in its entirety on buzzgrinder.com. The stream will run through January 19.

Thrash/punk four-piece Trash Talk has announced a handful of shows that span Japan, California, and Georgia (the state). The shows include performances with Fucked Up, Pig Destroyer, Converge, Torche, Mastodon, and Neurosis.

Hardcore tough guys Hatebreed have posted a cover of Sepultura's "Refuse/Resist" on their MySpace page. The cover is included in the soundtrack to Punisher: War Zone.

Dub Trio, photo by Bryan Sheffield

Heading the "mustn't miss" portion of our weekend, ALARM cover artists Dub Trio return to Chicago. If we have enough time (or the ability to clone ourselves), we hope to also catch Th' Legendary Shack Shakers, Calexico, the Melvins, Big Business, and a number of other musical talents.

Thursday, November 20

Melvins, Big Business @ Reggie's

When would music editor Jamie Ludwig ever miss an opportunity to see the Melvins? Big Business also crushes as a drum-and-bass two-piece, and it seems that these groups haven't missed an opportunity to play together since the members of BB joined their powerful forebears.

Murder by Death, William Elliot Whitmore @ Metro

Minimalist singer/songwriter William Elliot Whitmore has an unmistakable voice. Armed with a banjo, a guitar, and his crackling, heartbreaking numbers, Whitmore fills one of the city's prestigious medium-size venues with the alt-country/gothic/rock sound of Murder by Death (a group that is named after the underrated 1976 film of the same name).

Friday, November 21

Dub Trio @ Subterranean

Released in January, Another Sound is Dying was a unanimous selection by our editors for ALARM's year-end list of favorites. Dub Trio's first full-length release for Ipecac cranked the instrumentalists' dub/rock amalgamations to a new level of heaviness, leaving jaw-dropped listeners in its wake. The group's live performance is not to be missed. Brooklyn three-piece Goes Cube opens with a dose of über-heavy rock and roll.

Read music editor Jamie Ludwig's cover story on Dub Trio.

Th' Legendary Shack Shakers @ Double Door

Led by vocalist / harmonica player JD Wilkes, Th' Legendary Shack Shakers lay down a psychobilly punk sound that touches on alt-country, blues, and polka. Seeing the group should be a raucous good time, and we're hoping to make it across the street from Subterranean to Double Door in time to catch the group's set.

Calexico @ Metro

Maybe we can clone ourselves (twice) to be at all three of these shows. Southwestern folk group Calexico tours again in support of its beautiful new album, Carried to Dust.

Saturday, November 22

Alfonso Ponticelli, Goran Ivanovic, Andreas Kapsalis, Jamie Gallagher, and Katerina @ Katerina's

A group of local talents gather for the Annual Dionysian Wine Fest at Katerina's. Known separately for their takes on swinging Gypsy jazz, Mediterranean music, and classical guitar, the members of this group should create a stirring blend of influences.

Cleaning

Sometimes spring cleaning gets delayed by 6-8 months. Sometimes online editor Scott Morrow moves and doesn't feel like unpacking his boxes.

Sunday, November 23

Dan Lippel with the International Contemporary Ensemble @ Uncommon Ground

Traveling from New York, experimental classical guitarist Dan Lippel joins the Chicago chapter of the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) for some innovative chamber music. This show celebrates the release of a new ICE album on New Focus Recordings with a free performance.