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Texan dance/noise rock band The Octopus Project at right, and soon-to-be household name, Rafter Roberts at left.

We begin our lucky 13th Podcast with the terrifying sounds of Judy Garland’s shattered dreams. This rare reprise of “Over The Rainbow,” which Dorothy was supposed to sing in despair after being locked up in a tower, was excised from The Wizard of Oz for its obvious creepiness. Then, from rising label Italians Do It Better, I present to you a Kate Bush cover by Chromatics. My friend Mya is obsessed with the concept of “rainbows in the dark”— a rather abstract idea to consider in terms of a musical recording— until you listen to Chromatics’ Night Drive.

Holy Ghost!’s “Hold On” is one of the danciest songs of the year, and Lee Hazlewood’s “Elusive Dreams” is the centerpiece of this mix. Only Nancy and Lee could nonchalantly throw the death of their imaginary toddler into a travelin’ song and make it work. Sufjan Steven label-mate Rafter is one of my favorite new artists, and his album Sex, Death, Cassette is sure to climb the proverbial charts in January.

At left, Jeanette Dimech is English-born, American-raised, and daughter of a Belgian-Congolese father, who somehow became a Spanish pop star. At right, the chilly yet seductive lead singer of Portland-based Italo Disco band Chromatics.

I also included a rad song from John Cale’s early solo career, that I saw Final Fantasy’s Owen Pallett cover at the Troubadour not long ago. There’s a brief excerpt from the 1989 Martika hit “Toy Soldiers”— just the good part, really— and a fresh tune from rising indie rock stars Black Kids. The podcast wraps up with new tracks from Nellie McKay, Tim Kasher side project The Good Life, and Mexican sensations Café Tacuba. To bring our journey to a close, please enjoy a loving (but sorrowful) parting thought from classic Spanish pop songstress Jeanette.

Track Listing: 1. Judy Garland - Over The Rainbow (Outtake) 2. Chromatics - Running Up That Hill 3. The Octopus Project - Mmaj 4. Holy Ghost! - Hold On 5. Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra - Elusive Dreams 6. Rafter - Casualty of BOC 7. Mùm - I Was Her Horse 8. Sébastian Tellier - Wonderafrica 9. John Cale - Paris 1919 10. Ariel Pink - The Birds They Sing In You 11. Martika - Toy Soldiers (Excerpt) 12. Black Kids - Hurricane Jane 13. Nellie McKay - Identity Theft 14. The Good Life - Keely Aimee 15. Café Tacuba - Volver A Comenzar 16. Jeanette - Oyé Papa, Oyé Mama

Sébastian Tellier, seen here working intimately on a collaboration with Daft Punk.