We’re halfway through March which means time for another installment of the World’s Greatest Mixtape – brought to you by the Music Alliance Pact. This month we’re welcoming Israeli blog Metal Israel to the ranks which takes the number of contributors to an amazing 36, offering more than two hours of free music. As usual you can download each song separately or all in a single zip-file by following the link at the very bottom. Enjoy!

Update: Check out this nice article on the Music Alliance Pact by Henry Barnes from The Guardian: How to put blogs on the MAP.

ARGENTINA – Zonaindie

Who: Modular (MySpace)
Song: Femme Fatale (Right Click to download)

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Listening to Modular’s music is like a journey back to a time when lounge and space-age pop were present on almost every soundtrack and TV show. This track is their own rendition of the great song ‘Femme Fatale’ by The Velvet Underground, taken from a recent free EP called ‘Yoga Para Extraterrestres’ (which you can download from here). Don’t miss ‘Requiem Para Robert Moog’, another great track from this EP.

AUSTRALIA – Who The Bloody Hell Are They?

Who: Otouto (MySpace)
Song: Astronauts (Right Click to download)

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Exciting new trio Otouto from Melbourne have released a new single called ‘Astronauts’ on their own artist collective label Two Bright Lakes. You may recognise singer Hazel Brown’s voice from Whitley’s song ‘Killer’. So catchy.

BRAZIL – Meio Desligado

Who: Eddie (MySpace)
Song: Gafieira No Avenida (Right Click to download)

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One of the founders of the mangue beat movement in northeast Brazil in the 90s, Eddie play a mixture of frevo (a kind of folk music usually related to carnival), rock and jazz. ‘Gafieira No Avenida’ is taken from the band’s latest album, ‘Carnaval No Inferno’ (“Carnival In Hell”) and highlights some of Eddie’s influences, such as Fela Kuti and Lee Perry.

CANADA – I (Heart) Music

Who: Yukon Blonde (MySpace)
Song: Rather Be With You (Right Click to download)

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There are all kinds of great power-pop bands from decades past that could be referenced when talking about Yukon Blonde. But you know what? As songs like ‘Rather Be With You’ show, Yukon Blonde are a lot more than their influences, and it’s not hard to imagine that it won’t be long before future bands are referencing them as an influence.

CHILE – Super 45

Who: Inverness (MySpace)
Song: Nubes (Right Click to download)

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Inverness has its heart divided between Santiago and England. The band flirts a lot with shoegaze revivalism but succeeds in avoiding a lame emulation of the sound, instead delivering a rich, lyrical world full of dreamy scenes. Their second album ‘Illuminaciones’ was inspired by the far-away landscapes of southern Chile and received massive critical acceptance last year. The band faces the challenge of doing it again for the release of their next album this year.

CHINA – Wooozy

Who: PB33 (MySpace)
Song: Dance With Me (Right Click to download)

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Formed in 2005, PB33 independently released their first album ‘Disco Boys & Girls Night Out’. It’s about youth, happiness, love, life, friendship and party. They are a band with a punk attitude. Are you ready for them?

COLOMBIA – Colombia Urbana

Who: ChocQuibTown (MySpace)
Song: En Circulo (Sa Rissa) (Right Click to download)

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ChocQuibTown is the most successful urban fusion group in Colombia with two Latin Grammy nominations. The band try to mix hip hop music with native sounds of the Pacific coast. Their new album ‘Oro’ has just been released.

DENMARK – ALL SCANDINAVIAN

Who: The Bronson Brothers (MySpace)
Song: Ancient Land (Right Click to download)

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Pop, decadence, France and the 1960s are keywords when it comes to Clyde and Ted Bronson’s musical universe. The excellent ‘Ancient Land’ is taken from the duo’s freshly-released debut album ‘The Melody Bronson’, the title a nod to the 1971 concept album ‘Histoire De Melody Nelson’ by Serge Gainsbourg, who is also found among The Bronson Brothers’ influences.

ENGLAND – The Daily Growl

Who: Stairs To Korea (MySpace)
Song: All Of Your Friends (Right Click to download)

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The awesome one-man band and king of the offbeat tweets, Stairs To Korea is a battery of lo-fi electronic effects, good tunes, wry lyrics and ace guitar solos. And behind his bushy beard there’s a reluctant rock god edging his way out. His new single ‘All Of Your Friends’, on the excellent Brainlove Records, is another in the gradual drip-feed of fine releases which should eventually see him with one of the best singles compilations of 2012.

ESTONIA – Popop

Who: Honey Power (MySpace)
Song: Get Country (Right Click to download)

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This light, fresh and melodic indie tune from four-piece Honey Power carries a real country vibe and, as an early taste of the Tartu-based band’s long-anticipated second album, demonstrates good taste and an impeccable arrangement.

FINLAND – Glue

Who: Flannelmouth (MySpace)
Song: Sharp Paper (Right Click to download)

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‘Sharp Paper’ gently opens Flannelmouth’s second album and leads the Helsinki indie band into a collection of intense and diverse pop songs, with intelligent arrangements and a good sense of melody, underlined by the dominant voice of vocalist Tuomo Kuusi. Rather than limiting themselves to the classic four or five-piece band template, Flannelmouth draw their songs with a diverse palette including subtle sounds of ukulele, pedal steel and a variety of other instruments to build an addictive romanticism.

FRANCE – ZikNation

Who: Saycet (MySpace)
Song: Easy (Right Click to download)

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Saycet is a French electronic artist made famous by his album ‘One Day At Home’ in 2006. Pierre Lefeuvre, the man behind Saycet, is a daydream music specialist. His songs carry the listener away in a cocoon universe where nothing can hurt you and every little noise is a delight.

GERMANY – Blogpartei

Who: Kissogram (MySpace)
Song: Rubber And Meat (Right Click to download)

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The death of German indie labels continues. This month Berlin-based Louisville closed its doors, leaving a bunch of the most influential and significant German bands on their own. One of these is Kissogram, whose last album ‘Rubber And Meat’ got a lot of positive reviews. To bid a fond farewell to Louisville, we are able to present its title track exclusively. Thanks for all the music!

GREECE – Mouxlaloulouda

Who: Electric Litany (MySpace)
Song: February (Right Click to download)

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Preferring patience and restraint over explosive blasts of atmospheric wailing, Electric Litany slowly build up tunes that glimmer with hauntingly melodic ideas and climax with rhythms that capture the traditional musical heritage of Eastern European countries. Their debut album, ‘How To Be A Child & Win The War’, offers a sonically cinematic experience that will leave you feeling both elated and emotionally drained. Gorgeous sounds are pulled from within the deepest recesses of the human soul, while vocals full of intuitive swells and fades rise over piano, synths and tremolo guitars. A work of mesmerising beauty, like a tender touch on a sad day.

ICELAND – I Love Icelandic Music

Who: Sometime (MySpace)
Song: Heart Of Spades (Right Click to download)

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Sometime, a band formed by Icelandic music veterans, puts catchy dance-infused songs on the menu. Ingredients are the strong voice of frontwoman Diva De La Rosa plus the inventive drums of TheDanni, flavoured by turntable whizzkid DJ Moonshine and manipulated by Oculus. You can taste it while listening to the single ‘Heart Of Spades’ from the album ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’.

INDIA – Indiecision

Who: The Circus (MySpace)
Song: FOPS (Right Click to download)

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The Circus are an alternative rock act from New Delhi. The band’s music is Incubus-inspired, effects-driven fuzz that makes no bones about what it is and where it finds its roots. ‘FOPS’ (an abbreviation of Full On Party Scene) comes from soon-to-be-released debut album ‘From Space’. It’s wholesome, angular alternative music executed without much fuss. Turn it up, get your party started.

INDONESIA – Deathrockstar

Who: Sajama Cut (www)
Song: Paintings/Pantings (Right Click to download)

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Sajama Cut are praised for their lyrics and unusual songs arrangements, with influences ranging from Echo & The Bunnymen, The Beach Boys, Guided By Voices, R.E.M. and tons of obscure singer-songwriters. ‘Paintings/Pantings’ comes from their new album ‘Manimals’, a record which has a varied approach in songwriting, with most of the lyrics taken from Marcel Thee’s journal.

IRELAND – Nialler9

Who: The Cast Of Cheers (MySpace)
Song: Derp (Right Click to download)

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The Cast Of Cheers came from nowhere last month and quickly became Nialler9′s favorite new band. Their downloadable album (get it for free here) is a fully-formed 33-minute blast of post-punk, looping post-rock, tightly wound songs with echoes of Battles, Foals and Death From Above 1979.

ISRAEL – Metal Israel

Who: Orphaned Land (MySpace)
Song: Sapari (Right Click to download)

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Orphaned Land’s latest album ‘The Never Ending Way Of ORWarriOR’ is a sonic tapestry that flies a completely different path than the usual Western metal fare of Europe and the States, though there are common threads. The influence of acts such as Paradise Lost, Iron Maiden and The Beatles are evident, but Orphaned Land weave elements together that run the gamut from blacker-than-black demonic intensity to let-the-sunshine-in hippie flamboyance. The band categorizes itself as Middle Eastern progressive metal with dreams of instilling peace through their music.

ITALY – Polaroid

Who: Heike Has The Giggles (MySpace)
Song: Robot (Right Click to download)

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Before you ask, the name comes from a character in an English grammar book the band used to read at high school. Heike Has The Giggles are three young kids who play sharp and dry rock ‘n’ roll in the vein of PJ Harvey and early Gossip. They just released ‘Sh!’, their forceful debut album, and you can’t listen to it without starting to dance and play air guitar.

JAPAN – JPOP Lover

Who: Omodaka (MySpace)
Song: Kyoteizinc (Video Mix) (Right Click to download)

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Known as an electro/techno artist, Soichi Terada teamed up with a few visual directors and has started the collaborative music project Omodaka. Omodaka’s sound is characterized by the seamless mixture of Japanese traditional Geisha songs and electro music. Omodaka will appear live at the Japan Nite showcase at this month’s SXSW and will also go on tour the US with Red Bacteria Vacuum and Okamoto’s.

MEXICO – Red Bull PanameriKa

Who: Los Macuanos (MySpace)
Song: Pueblo Muerto (feat. Scout Klas) (Right Click to download)

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Is there such a thing as ethno-dubstep? London’s urban soundscape has been well charted by dubstep – how about Tijuana’s? Los Macuanos are a duo formed by Moises “Moih” Horta and Moises Lopez, and this is their nu-electronic post-nortec mix of blurry Mexican folkloric crumbs with cyclic dubstep. ‘Pueblo Muerto’ was recorded by Moih and gloomy artist Scout Klas (from Sweden via Vietnam) in his recent visit to the Red Bull Music Academy in London. The song portraits the hypnotic fumes spreading from ghost town Tijuana to the whole stratosphere.

NETHERLANDS – Amsterdam Event Guide

Who: The Stutters (MySpace)
Song: Starlight Love (Right Click to download)

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Top musicians as well as first-class artists, this three-piece group have it all going for them in 2010: new songs, more gigs, screaming fans and some very fancy dancing. After the critically acclaimed first EP back in 2008, their 2010 release ‘Viva La Stutters’ has got a lot of people excited. First listens see the trio go for a slightly heavier feel than their previous singles but they still stay true to their indie-rock sensibilities, keeping it very rock ‘n’ roll and danceable. Make sure you catch them on their European tour scheduled for early June – we’ll be at the front!

NEW ZEALAND – Counting The Beat

Who: An Emerald City (MySpace)
Song: Seizuretron (Right Click to download)

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An Emerald City’s first album ‘Circa Scaria’ is the stuff of legend, being recorded in a cave on a storm-swept coast. Even without that back story their music is memorable for combining a traditional rock line-up with lute, violin, tablas, violin and sitar. Their songs start off quiet then build in scale and grandeur to create huge Eastern-influenced instrumental soundscapes. Surprisingly, ‘Circa Scaria’ reached the New Zealand Top 40. After a few months in Berlin, An Emerald City have released ‘Seizuretron’ as a taster for their forthcoming second album.

NORWAY – Eardrums

Who: Solvor Vermeer (MySpace)
Song: Final Hour (Right Click to download)

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Three years ago, I stumbled upon Solvor Vermeer’s music. I was amazed by the delicate and fragile beauty she managed to create with only her voice and the piano as her tools. Since then, Vermeer has developed her sound. She has a rare gift for composing and can make something really complex become catchy and accessible. On her upcoming four-track debut EP, her sound is richer and more orchestrated, with her musician friends having added strings, horns, layered vocals, glockenspiel, etc. The EP will be released this spring on her own Bloksberg Music label in partnership with UK-based Lazy Acre Records.

PERU – SoTB

Who: Pipe Villaran (MySpace)
Song: Sinnerman (Right Click to download)

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When members of the band Los Fuckin Sombreros went their separate ways, Pipe Villaran began to compose new songs, preparing for what would be his new project, called Long Player. His style is still rock ‘n’ roll, to which he has devoted his whole life, influenced by classic rock and some blues touches. ‘Sinnerman’ is a preview of the direction his new band will take when their debut record is launched in May.

PORTUGAL – Posso Ouvir Um Disco?

Who: Peltzer (MySpace)
Song: A Story To Tell Me (Right Click to download)

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Peltzer used to be Rui Gaio’s one-man band. Today, there are more members but they continue with their electronic sound and cite the new wave movement, Mercury Rev and The Flaming Lips as their influences. They have released tracks digitally and on three Portuguese compilations. ‘A Story To Tell Me’, from their new ‘Outdated EP’, is an exclusive MAP download.

ROMANIA – Babylon Noise

Who: Hot Casandra (MySpace)
Song: Chroma (Right Click to download)

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Hot Casandra is a new project behind which we can find Paul Ballo (the drummer of last month’s featured band, Kumm). It’s a personal playground, where no compromises will be made and everything will sound as wanted. The first song, ‘Chroma’, is a dark electro track with beautiful, haunting vocals.

SCOTLAND – The Pop Cop

Who: Admiral Fallow (MySpace)
Song: Squealing Pigs (Right Click to download)

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It’s hard to say what Admiral Fallow’s greatest strength is. It could be the luscious melodies which burst out of their songs, or the thick Scottish brogue that defines Louis Abbott’s strikingly unhurried delivery, or perhaps it’s the fact they have the sort of craft and invention their peers could only dream of. MAP exclusive download ‘Squealing Pigs’ whisks through the speakers with a bundle of verve and is taken from the band’s forthcoming debut album ‘Boots Met My Face’, which at times sounds a lot like Elbow.

SINGAPORE – I’m Waking Up To…

Who: Sidd & His Self-Esteem (MySpace)
Song: Occupation (Right Click to download)

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I’ve been informed that the frontman of Sidd & His Self-Esteem is a nervous individual, so much so that it inspired the naming of the band. Well, if Sidd finds his solace in the sheer gregariousness of his other band members, then this must surely be a case of strength in numbers. All inhibitions seemingly fall away as they deliver brilliantly on this stellar Led Zeppelin-esque track, with confidence swelling in each instrument and the vocals deliberate and full of conviction. ‘Occupation’ pays homage to lo-fi garage rock, with the mix perfectly balanced for your ears to take in everything.

SOUTH AFRICA – Musical Mover & Shaker!

Who: Will Mono (www)
Song: Seks Vir Plesier (Right Click to download)

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What Will Mono does when making music is slightly different to most – he collaborates with other artists by adding their vocals to his music. In this case Will Mono worked with Jan Joknie and ‘Seks Vir Plesier’ was born. It is Afrikaans electro-pop at its best. Draw conclusions where you will with regards to the content but as for the song as a whole, it’s catchy electro genius.

SOUTH KOREA – Indieful ROK

Who: 3rd Line Butterfly (www)
Song: Nine Days (Right Click to download)

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3rd Line Butterfly has been one of the most loved Korean indie-rock bands since 2002, when their music became known through drama series Ruler Of Your Own World. Following the release of their third album in 2004, the band went on a long hiatus, returning only late last year. Earlier this month, their out-of-print albums were rereleased in remastered versions, but ‘Nine Days’ is a beautiful, melancholic Americana-style folk track from new EP ‘Nine Days Or A Million’.

SPAIN – Oscuro Magazine

Who: The Closers (MySpace)
Song: Come Down (Right Click to download)

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The Closers are an industrial rock band from Zaragoza similar to Nine Inch Nails or Filter. Their first work was called ‘The End’ and is a preview of four songs from their forthcoming debut album. It is a very catchy and addictive work that could make a real impact beyond our borders. ‘Come Down’ has touches of Primal Scream, but the powerful guitars and killer choruses are more like the best works of Trent Reznor.

SWEDEN – Swedesplease

Who: Holy Family (MySpace)
Song: Whatever There’s To Know (Right Click to download)

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Holy Family is an electronica trio from Gothenburg. The fuzzy beats and glowering vocals on their song ‘Meathooks’ remind me of some of the heavy industrial music from the late 80s and early 90s, while the lighter, more accessible sounds on ‘Whatever There’s To Know’ hint at a band that could expand their sound and possibly cross over.

UNITED STATES – I Guess I’m Floating

Who: Javelin (MySpace)
Song: Vibrationz (Right Click to download)

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Javelin are an eclectic duo currently residing in Brooklyn by way of Providence, Rhode Island. Their electronic jams have been turning heads for quite some time, yet their upcoming LP, ‘No Mas’, and tour dates with Yeasayer will catapult this funky duo to the forefront of independent acclaim.

VENEZUELA – Barquisimeto Musical

Who: Los Paranoias (MySpace)
Song: No Sueltes Al Murcielago (Right Click to download)

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Los Paranoias have a sound that resembles the 80s post-punk and 60s Britpop scenes. ‘No Sueltes Al Murcielago’ is the second single from their album ‘Aqui Fue’, which was inspired by the troubled times our country is going through. The song is a happy rock ‘n’ roll tune with a contagious rhythm – a symbol of Venezuelan optimism.

DOWNLOAD ALL 36 SONGS IN ONE FILE HERE!