GRINDERMAN (AUS/UK/US) was born in 2007. The band consists of members of Cave's faithful backing band The Bad Seeds, and the side project's sound is differently coarse.

Nick Cave has not sounded as raw and vital since his early punk days in The Birthday Party. Who knows, perhaps the superstar and his henchmen will also play a couple of songs from their big back catalogue?

Digital beats and soul With the Grinderman announcement, this is another red-letter day for the rock people. However, we also have some treats from other parts of the genre spectrum.

DIGITALISM (DE) kicks in the door between the rock club and the house party like Daft Punk and Justice have done. Look forward to dance-punk filled with pumping house rhythms and disco refrains.

DUFFY (UK) is Great Britain's new soul diva who belongs alongside other great talents such as Adele and Amy Winehouse. She has a register that controls both the emotional purring notes and the big vocal explosions.

HOT CHIP (UK) is known by many on the basis of the hit "Ready for the Floor". In the course of three albums, Hot Chip has given its smart and fun examples on how a genre-less band can handle everything from R&B to indie rock.

MGMT (US) sounds like an electronic version of The Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev but also draws on glittered 70s' glam and 00s' dance rock. The winning pop song "Time to Pretend" has already been an international hit.