The latest from DMX

DMX, ”WE IN HERE”
He’s produced six No. 1 albums, gained international fame, and earned enough money to hire several of the world’s best dog trainers — so it’s tough for DMX to feasibly justify his black-hole angst. But back he comes, with the same scowl, the same barks, and the same blunt, rage-inspired delivery. Still, when the old mutt references cheesy senior-citizen home appliances on this comeback single (”Put niggas lights out [clap sound] / Clap on!”), his unchanging worldview is kind of comforting. Buy the track on iTunes.

BOARDS OF CANADA, ”DAYVAN COWBOY” (VIDEO)
With their oddly beautiful electronic music so prone to vivid mental imagery, it’s hard to believe this stunning music video is the first official clip from the Scottish duo. Spliced together from old documentary footage, the mesmerizing short shows an astronaut descending from high above Earth before splashing down into a vast ocean and resurfacing as a fearless surfer. At once disorienting and peaceful, the video is an apt match for Boards of Canada’s otherworldly elegance. Watch the video for free courtesy of Warp Records.

VOXTROT, ”MOTHERS, SISTERS, DAUGHTERS & WIVES”
Considering this indie-rock quintet has only released two five-song EPs thus far, their tight songs, bristling confidence, and complete sonic identity are staggering. Voxtrot’s sound — scruffy, danceable drums, high-pitched vocals, darting guitars — may be familiar in the age of the Shins and Belle & Sebastian, but they overcome the copycat tag with fully formed songs that rival such established acts’ better work. Download the excellent title track from their new EP for free, courtesy of the band’s website.

STEREOPHONICS, ”A THOUSAND TREES (LIVE)”
These working-class Britpop B-listers follow up their lackluster fifth album, last year’s sluggish Language. Sex. Violence. Other? with Live From Dakota, a two-CD concert opus that thankfully finds them revisiting their less pretentious (and remarkably catchy) early work. Taken from their 1997 debut album, Word Gets Around, this power-pop battering ram, prominently featuring singer Kelly Jones’ croaking croon, is probably the group’s finest moment. Stream the track for free here or buy it on eMusic.