Monday’s generally suck, not least in the wintertime, but luckily this February combine Monday with Music Alliance Pact day, giving you The World’s Greatest Mixtape as welcomed relief with 35 free songs from all around the planet. As usual you can download each song separately or all in a single zip-file by following the link at the very bottom. Enjoy!

ARGENTINA – Zonaindie

Who: Eloisa Lopez (MySpace)
Song: Espiral (Right Click to download)

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This is one of Zonaindie’s favorite tracks from 2009. It was taken from Eloisa’s third album, ‘Por Un Paisaje’. Maybe we like her so much because she manages to elegantly combine acoustic textures with native South American percussions and digital sounds. ‘Espiral’ is a great example of this, and yet an unbelievably catchy tune that has Leo GarcÌa as a guest vocalist. What else could you ask for?

AUSTRALIA – Who The Bloody Hell Are They?

Who: Kite Club (MySpace)
Song: Royal Gums (Right Click to download)

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‘Royal Gums’ is one of those tracks that grabs you straight away and drags you along for three minutes thanks to its chanting hooks and penchant for large-scale production. It opens with a beat lifted from Psychocandy and an explosion of layered vocals but then settles into a calming, meditative refrain, just letting the melody and harmonies carry the song. Kite Club (aka Nicholas Futcher) marries the laptop trickery to the tune without letting it control the song nor detract from its melodic core.

BRAZIL – Meio Desligado

Who: Barulhista (MySpace)
Song: Indieota (Right Click to download)

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When it comes to avant-garde music in Brazil, Barulhista (which means something like “noise follower”) is certainly an artist to keep an eye on. His electro-acoustic sounds encompass experimental electronica and more concrete music both in his solo songs and in the soundtracks he composes. ‘Indiota’ (a mix of “indie” and “idiot” in Portuguese) is as close to pop as he has ever been.

CANADA – I (Heart) Music

Who: Novels (www)
Song: No Hard Feelings (Right Click to download)

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A supergroup of sorts featuring members of Born Ruffians, Tokyo Police Club and Will Currie & The Country French among others, Novels quietly released their self-titled debut EP into the world around Christmas. As ‘No Hard Feelings’ (not to mention the other four tracks) demonstrates, it totally lives up to its pedigree. The album is full of catchy, 70s-inspired pop and it makes the EP well worth a (free!) download.

CHILE – Super 45

Who: Moreno (MySpace)
Song: Pica (Right Click to download)

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Moreno is the new darling of Chilean indie-rock. With a powerful and psychedelic sound, Giancarlo Landini’s project – he plays every instrument on record and has a backing band for live shows – is inspired by lo-fi legends such as Lou Barlow (Sebadoh), J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr) and Robert Pollard (Guided By Voices), with a classic flavor.

CHINA – Wooozy

Who: Mosaic (MySpace)
Song: Sunshine Train (Right Click to download)

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Mosaic are one of the new generation of bands from Chengdu. They were called GT6 before they changed their name in 2008. At the end of last year they successfully completed a tour of China through 10 cities. Although they haven’t released a full-length album, they are definitely worth a listen.

COLOMBIA – Colombia Urbana

Who: Rayo y Toby (MySpace)
Song: Manitas Magicas (Right Click to download)

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After trying with different partners, Rayo and Toby finally realized they themselves were the perfect combination. The duo mix good urban music with a shot of melody and their approach is both fresh and unsettling.

DENMARK – ALL SCANDINAVIAN

Who: Before The Show (MySpace)
Song: Gabriel (Right Click to download)

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Before The Show was originally a solo project by multi-instrumentalist Laurids Smedegaard, who often worked on his own songs just hours before he went on stage with any one of the numerous other bands he’s involved in (hence the band name). Now a quintet, Before The Show are working on getting their debut released and until that happens we can all enjoy this excellent taste of whatís to come.

ENGLAND – The Daily Growl

Who: Jose Vanders (MySpace)
Song: For Now (Right Click to download)

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Jose Vanders is a piano-playing chanteuse who is less eccentric than Regina Spektor and smarter than Kate Nash, but with even more doe-eyed, curly-haired cuteness. ‘For Now’ shows off her gift for melody and picture-book lyrics, albeit on a ukulele instead of her usual piano. Jose has released three exquisite EPs in each of the past three years, aged 17, 18 and 19. Surely fame beckons at 20.

ESTONIA – Popop

Who: Barthol Lo Mejor (MySpace)
Song: Windshield Pfeiffer (Right Click to download)

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Barthol Lo Mejor makes popdada music – experiments with electro rhythms and unconventional sounds including pieces of conversations, cliches, old movies and anime cartoons. His music is considered effective for recovering from hard drug addiction. Windshield Pfeiffer is part of the ‘K8 MOSH EP’, available for free download here

FINLAND – Glue

Who: Kiki Pau (MySpace)
Song: An Old Song (Right Click to download)

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After their well-received debut ‘Let’s Rock’, Kiki Pau return with a fantastic sophomore album to be released in early March. A MAP exclusive, ‘An Old Song’ is the opening track of ‘White Mountain’ and shows a more guitar-driven band with uplifting spirits. Those following the Nordic indie scene will hear about this band quite a lot this year because the whole album is a keeper that channels the classic sound of T.Rex, The Velvet Underground and left-field US guitar gods such as Pavement and Guide By Voices without forgetting a twist of Finnish pop.

FRANCE – ZikNation

Who: Satine (MySpace)
Song: Iron Gum (Right Click to download)

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Drawing inspiration from northern poptronica (Under Byen, Múm, Efterklang) and electro rock bands (Radiohead, The Notwist), Satine gave birth to their first intimate yet powerful tracks in 2004. Live, the band unfolds a dreamlike visual universe with video projections and light shows that make every concert a unique experience. But it’s always deep, beautiful and organic.

GERMANY – Blogpartei

Who: Napoli Is Not Nepal (MySpace)
Song: People Call It Mantra (Right Click to download)

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Napoli Is Not Nepal is the solo project of Cologne-based Hendryk Martin. What he calls “electro nihilism”, I’d call outstanding ambient electro with some eclectic moments. Although ‘People Call It Mantra’ was released in mid-2009 as part of the album ‘Boredom Is Always Counterrevolutionary’, it’s still quite a statement for the growing influence of music that sits between ambient and indie.

GREECE – Mouxlaloulouda

Who: Etten (MySpace)
Song: Clockwork Skies (Right Click to download)

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Etten, former lead singer of the Greek band Film, weaves her tales of hope and dreams in a warm bearskin coat of pop sensibilities. Her voice offers the moods “light and shade”, while production touches colorfully paint enchanting pictures. Dark, but never needlessly so, ‘I Know You’re Behind Me But I’m Not Scared’ is an intoxicating, addictive debut that offers a rich, distinct world of lullabies, spacey timbres and ghostly beauty. It blends brittle, 80s-influenced electro and Knife-inspired synths with buzzing basslines, guitars and samples in a sound that’s both atmospheric and richly textured.

ICELAND – I Love Icelandic Music

Who: Mammút (MySpace)
Song: Svefnsykt (Right Click to download)

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Mammút were formed in 2003 by two boys and three girls, aged 14-16. David Fricke of Rolling Stone magazine called them “a really good band”. They played SXSW in 2007 and toured with dEUS in Iceland and Germany. In 2008, Mammút released their second album, ‘Karkari’, through Icelandic label Record Records. ‘Svefnsykt’ was its first single.

INDIA – Indiecision

Who: Noush Like Sploosh (MySpace)
Song: 3 Act Circus (Right Click to download)

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Noush Like Sploosh is one of the most promising hopefuls of India’s growing, urban singer-songwriter scene. Armed with a dry wit and a musical sensibility falling somewhere between Regina Spektor and Imogen Heap, Noush Like Sploosh’s music is refreshing indie-pop that’s lyrical yet largely accessible. ‘3 Act Circus’ brings together myriad references, a laid back ambient pop vibe and Ms Sploosh’s positively delectable vocals.

INDONESIA – Deathrockstar

Who: RNRM (MySpace)
Song: Zsa Zsa Zsu (Right Click to download)

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RNRM are one of the finest electronic acts to have emerged from Indonesia’s underground and have earned praised in several music scenes, from punk-rock to high-class dance clubs. Their latest record, ‘Outbox’, was listed as one of the best albums of the last decade by Deathrockstar.

IRELAND – Nialler9

Who: Autumn Owls (MySpace)
Song: Raindrops In The River (Right Click to download)

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Autumn Owls are a Dublin four-piece who have been honing their brand of nocturnal atmospheric rock songs since 2006. With two burgeoning and impressive EPs released and a debut album on the way, the band will travel to Austin this year to play the SXSW festival. Watch out for these guys in 2010.

ITALY – Polaroid

Who: København Store (MySpace)
Song: Strangers (Right Click to download)

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The main quality of København Store’s music is its ability to build a layered and monumental sound with an incredibly strong emotional impact. There is something vast about the band, as if they could throw their songs for miles and miles. ‘Strangers’ is taken from the forthcoming release, ‘Hi’. The new album will be the first chapter of a trilogy.

JAPAN – JPOP Lover

Who: LITE (MySpace)
Song: The Sun Sank (Right Click to download)

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LITE are one of the most enthusiastic live bands in Tokyo. They are often compared to Battles and Mogwai, and combine math-rock power and precision with emotionally-charged compositions. They will be doing a U.S. west coast tour with Mike Watt & The Missingmen in March. ‘The Sun Sank’ is taken from their latest EP, ‘Turns Red’.

MEXICO – Red Bull PanameriKa

Who: Furland (MySpace)
Song: Quiero Ser Un Color (Right Click to download)

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Furland are famous for having a huge grass-ball on stage, this Mexico City quartet dream of tripping to a place where strawberry fields stretch forever. On their debut proper, ‘La Historia de la Luz’, they explore the eternal message of love through light, sound… and a banjo. ‘Quiero Ser Un Color’ is the first single off a 360-degree work filled with lush orchestrations, majestic vibes and acidic lyrics stuffed with cotton candy – food for thought.

NETHERLANDS – Amsterdam Event Guide

Who: Moon & Sun (MySpace)
Song: Ashes (Right Click to download)

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To escape from the harsh winter we need some music that draws pictures of summer hazy beaches, endless days and warm nights. Enter the gorgeous Moon & Sun from Amsterdam. Their whimsical, sexy sound merges with a slightly more eerie tone of the vocal melodies and harmonies between frontlady Monica Tormell and her accompanying musicians. Playing a mix of piano, drums, guitars and steel drums, Moon & Sun have definitely got the 2010 sound down with their Caribbean sensibilities.

NEW ZEALAND – Counting The Beat

Who: Pumice (MySpace)
Song: Greenock (Right Click to download)

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New Zealand’s best one-man band multi-instrumentalist psych-noise outfit is Pumice, the pseudonym of Stefan Neville. One of Pumice’s best albums, 2007′s ‘Pebbles’, is about to get a vinyl release on Soft Abuse Records. Wheezing organ and guitar feedback combine in album centrepiece ‘Greenock’, named after the Scottish village Neville’s ancestors originated from.

NORWAY – Eardrums

Who: Team Me (MySpace)
Song: Weathervanes And Chemicals (Right Click to download)

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Team Me play warm and rich orchestrated pop music in the same vein as Sufjan Stevens, Efterklang, Hjaltalin or Sigur Rós. This used to be Marius D. Hagen’s one-man band – a recording project where he could play the songs that didn’t fit in his other bands. But Team Me has grown into a seven-strong orchestra and the fragile acoustic songs Hagen used to play have been transformed into a much larger and richer sound. Hagen is also a member of alternative rock band Jaqueline and half of semi-electronic pop duo SiN along with Tord Øverland Knudsen of English band The Wombats. SiN will release their debut album later this year and hopefully we’ll also get a release from Team Me in 2010.

PERU – SoTB

Who: Rafo De La Cuba (MySpace)
Song: Freak Profesional (Right Click to download)

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Rafo De La Cuba has left anonymity to become an idol of Web 2.0. His home demos skip from ear to ear so it was no surprise that someone so talented could not stay hidden. Influenced by The Beatles, his songs tell simply of life – intimate stories turned into melancholic, but not sad, poetry. Hopefully we won’t have to wait too long to hear new material, with his debut LP due to be released soon.

PORTUGAL – Posso Ouvir Um Disco?

Who: Jasmin Jones (MySpace)
Song: Lost In Rainbows (Right Click to download)

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Jasmin Jones, whose mother is Portuguese, was born in Australia and lived in different countries during her childhood. She is a surfer and nature lover. Her debut album ‘Beyond The Clouds’ will be released this year, even though she didn’t find a label to represent her. Jasmin currently lives in Lisbon and besides her solo career, she is the vocalist for Triplet, a rock band.

ROMANIA – Babylon Noise

Who: Kumm (MySpace)
Song: Pop Song (Right Click to download)

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Kumm started 12 years ago as an art-rock band. Much like their influences, Sonic Youth and Spritualized, they have developed a new approach to rock by constantly experimenting with various sounds and styles. Their latest album, ‘Far From Telescopes’, is a refreshing pop experience, a new episode of their music journey – far from their roots and closer to simpler things. This is a band that has grown up by getting younger.

SCOTLAND – The Pop Cop

Who: Werd (MySpace)
Song: Breakdown (Right Click to download)

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Even if you’re just a casual hip hop listener, you owe it to yourself to give Werd a spin. The 22-year-old’s rhymes are as cunningly creative as they are uncompromising and he executes them with such furious, stylish precision. You can (and should) download everything the Edinburgh rapper has done for free from his Bandcamp page. In the meantime, the irresistible force of sub-two-minute track ‘Breakdown’ will leave you wanting more… which is the point, yes?

SINGAPORE – I’m Waking Up To…

Who: Stellarium (MySpace)
Song: Chocolate & Strawberry (Right Click to download)

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Stellarium are a shoegaze band, and that’s all you need to know. Instead of updating a familiar sound, they do something even more commendable by playing shoegaze as if it never went away. The moment the fuzz bass comes in during ‘Chocolate & Strawberry’, you’re caught in the band’s intricate web of white noise, ghostly reverb and cryptic vocals. Overall, the whole thing sounds like a long shutter exposure speeding past bright lights. Bliss.

SOUTH AFRICA – Musical Mover & Shaker!

Who: Dans Republic (MySpace)
Song: Afrikaans (Right Click to download)

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Dans Republic is the coming together of two groups – Flash Republic, a band with the ability to set the dancefloors alight, and Foto Na Dans, who are breaking the boundaries of Afrikaans music with their own signature style. Their electro-tinged song Afrikaans showcases and merges the English and Afrikaans genre. It blends their unique styles seamlessly into something that is dreamy, indie, rock and electro all at once, yet never compromises each band’s sound.

SOUTH KOREA – Indieful ROK

Who: The Pony (MySpace)
Song: Disturbance (Right Click to download)

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Four-member indie-rock band The Pony released their first full-length album, ‘Pony’, last year. Full of well-produced tracks, it offers plenty of variety. ‘Disturbance’ is a catchy, energetic song with great hooks to keep the listener coming back for more.

SPAIN – Oscuro Magazine

Who: Estereotypo (MySpace)
Song: The Big Fake (Right Click to download)

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Estereotypo are one of those pop-rock bands with which you can’t remain indifferent. It’s best to see them live, where their power and presence are reminiscent of bands like Franz Ferdinand, The Faint, Foals or Delorean. Based in Santander, their second album, ‘Love Your City’, is out this month and ‘The Big Fake’ embodies the powerful sound of this great indie band.

SWEDEN – Swedesplease

Who: Staphan O’Bell (MySpace)
Song: On The Rooftop (Right Click to download)

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This song is great example of romantic swirling pop á la Rufus Wainwright. It’s one of three songs that are available from Stockholm resident Staphan O’Bell’s forthcoming album. If ‘On The Rooftop’ is any indication then that album will be one to keep an eye out for.

UNITED STATES – I Guess I’m Floating

Who: Toro Y Moi (MySpace)
Song: Thanks Vision (Right Click to download)

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Toro Y Moi is the solo work of South Carolinian Chaz Bundick. Hailing from the college town of Columbia, Bundick creates distorted lo-fi pop music that warmly floats between your ears like something beautiful you’d stumble across while sifting through static radio waves.

VENEZUELA – Barquisimeto Musical

Who: Atkinson (MySpace)
Song: Pais Tropical (Right Click to download)

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Wincho Schäfer, Erik Aldrey and Rafael Cadavieco are musicians from famous Venezuelan bands Desorden Publico, Zapato 3 and Amigos Invisibles who decided to join talents in this interesting project called Atkinson. They launched their first production last March and since then they’ve been touring the country amazing new fans with smart lyrics and clean but catchy pop-rock. ‘Pais Tropical’ is a musical explanation of the sociopolitical particularities of Venezuela.

DOWNLOAD ALL 35 SONGS IN ONE FILE HERE!