Black Sabbath have collated fourteen of their greatest ever hits for a ‘best of’ compilation, which they’ll release to coincide with their international reunion tour.

The previously reported outing has been rebranded as an ‘Ozzy And Friends’-type affair, in part due to a dispute with drummer Bill Ward, but primarily because Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi’s ongoing cancer treatment means he is unable to commit to such a lengthy live run. All being well, the band will still play a headline date at this year’s Download festival.

‘Iron Man: The Best of Black Sabbath’, as the ultimate hits collection is titled, is out on 4 Jun.

Tracklisting:

Paranoid
Iron Man
Changes
Fairies Wear Boots
War Pigs
Never Say Die
Children Of the Grave
The Wizard
Snowblind
Sweet Leaf
Evil Woman
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Black Sabbath
NIB

Having freed up her busy schedule by cancelling a ton of festival appearances, it seems Azealia Banks now has the time and inclination to release a new single, video and mixtape – and aims to do all this before her forthcoming debut album, ‘Broke With Expensive Taste’, is even out.

The ’212′ MC shared news of the audiovisual exclusives via her Twitter account, first confirming that her previously reported and much-delayed ’1991′ EP will be released “this month”. She went on to discuss a new mixtape titled ‘Fantastic’, which is set for issue this summer, tweeting: “I’ve been working on SOOOOO MUCH FLY SHIT. I have enough material to drop a mixtape before my album! YAY!”

New track ‘Jumanji’, as features on said tape, previews today.

As for video updates, Banks says she is re-shooting a promo for her Lone-sampling single ‘Liquorice’ with famed photographer Rankin.

A list of artists featured on ‘Rebirth Of Detroit’, a forthcoming homage to hip hop icon J Dilla, has been shared by the album’s makers.

Marking the late producer’s fifth posthumous LP release since his death in 2007, it will match archive Dilla beats to brand new lyrics from such Detroit-based rappers as Danny Brown, Amp Fiddler, Phat Kat, Chuck Inglish of Cool Kids, and Dilla’s brother Illa J.

Speaking about the wider significance of the project, Dilla’s mother Maureen ‘MaDukes’ Yancey says: “This will bring together artists that have drifted away from one another and haven’t been able to work with each other lately. It’s a healing process for the city. For individuals, it’s going to bring back the love and the passion for the music and for what hip hop has to offer”.

Watch a trailer for the album, which is released via Yancy Media Group on 12 Jun, here, and then check out Detroit’s civic symbol du jour, aka Danny Brown, guesting on ‘Jay-Dee’s Revenge’:

Given the commercial success of Brit bands The Wanted and One Direction over in the USA, it stands to reason that affable ‘X-Factor’ alumnus Olly Murs might sell well in America too. His people seem to think so, anyway, and are looking to orchestrate a trans-Atlantic Murs breakthrough with a release of the singer’s Samuel Preston-penned single, ‘Heart Skips A Beat’.

Unfortunately for Brighton duo Rizzle Kicks – who appeared on the original – guest rap duties on the US version will instead be carried out by Philadelphia rap-pop pairing Chiddy Bang, who should seemingly prove more popular with an American audience.

Olly, of course, has been selected to support during One Direction’s impending US tour, which should spur on his American campaign quite nicely.

Sidestepping the Rizzle Kicks issue, Murs says: “Hopefully I can convert them [One Direction fans] into the Murs army and the Ollyettes so if they can be converted, that will be great. There’s always room for everyone, but for me, America is just a good challenge and fingers crossed the song does well and if it does, it will be amazing!”

Speaking of things that are amazing, here’s the all-American Chiddy Band remix of ‘Heart Skips Of A Beat’:

Guillemots this week released the first of four albums in a series to be released over the course of this year. All albums will be available as downloads and on CD from the band’s website – www.guillemots.com – and will be collated into a boxset once all four have become available.

Produced by Jonas Raabe and recorded in Norway, you can stream the first album in the series, ‘Hello Land!’ below. Frontman Fyfe Dangerfield has also written a letter explaining more about the project, and you are welcome to attempt to read his handwriting here.

Six months since releasing their debut single, psychedelic garage sect Novella are to loose an eponymous debut EP via the Italian Beach Babes label, also home to Mazes and Dirty Beaches.

Produced by ex Test Icicles man Rory Attwell, it’s out on 28 May, and will carry the following tracklisting:

Eat Yourself
He’s My Morning
Don’t Believe Ayn Rand
Strange Things
You’re Not That Cool

In lieu of seeing the band’s not-quite-finished-yet video for ‘He’s My Morning’, have a listen instead to ‘Don’t Believe Ayn Rand’. Or, for context, read this Wikipedia entry on Russian-American novelist and author of ‘The Fountainhead’, Ayn Rand.

Instrumental rockists Fang Island have announced that their second album, ‘Major’, will be released on 24 Jun via Sargent House. Explaining their ethos, guitarist Jason Bartell said: “One of our core ideas has always been that our songs would be all of your favourite parts of the song that other bands make you wait eight minutes to get to. We wanted to be the band that’s nothing but your favourite hooks back to back”.

Meanwhile, fellow guitarist Chris Georges provided a list of reasons the band chose to call the album ‘Major’:

- Major key (the first song is minor though!)
- Valley girl colloquialism
- Because we are on an independent label
- Because the rank under Sargent (House) is major
- It sounds like a constellation
- Steely Dan’s ‘Any Major Dude’ was in rotation a lot during the sessions
- The record is packaged to look like stone because it’s ROCK. I really wanted people to hold a piece of rock when they picked up the record.

And here’s a short teaser trailer that we can all enjoy:

And finally, here’s the tracklist:

Kindergarten
Sisterly
Seek it Out
Make Me
Never Understand
Asunder
Dooney Rock
Regalia
Chompers
Chime Out
Victorinian

Noise rock pairing Run, WALK! have announced the release of their long-awaited debut album, whilst at the same time deciding to split. Alas, they giveth, and they taketh away. The LP, at least, will be released on a limited basis, with Holy Roar having pressed only 200 twelve-inch vinyl copies for issue on 16 Jul.

A statement from the band explains all: “I can’t believe I’m sat here writing this. About three and a half years ago Run, WALK! first come into fruition. We had the common goals of travelling as far as we could, touring as much as possible, playing super loud and having fun”.

It continues: “Sadly as time went on our common goals became harder to maintain. Real life began to take its toll as we grew up, however, as long time best friends and being devoted to playing our music we made it work for a long time but sadly it can’t go on forever”.

The first of the band’s farewell dates falls on 12 May at The Great Escape, with a tour with DZ Deathrays and further festival appearances at Brighton’s NWFA and Cheltenham’s 2000Trees also booked.

In the mean time, listen to fated album track ‘Black Dreams’ here:

Pop poppet Kylie Minogue is to release a collection of 21 of what are deemed to be the ‘greatest’ hits of her career. She last released such a compilation in 2004, and has since accrued several extra hits in ‘All The Lovers’, ‘Wow’ and ‘In My Arms’. As well as those, the new LP has that Robbie Williams duet and ‘The Loco-motion’, though no ‘Where The Wild Roses Grow’, which is a shame.

Still, life must go on. Featuring a respectable eighteen UK top five singles and five number ones, ‘The Best Of Kylie Minogue’ will be available to purchase in all good record stores and supermarkets as of 4 Jun. A DVD featuring music videos to match all 21 tracks will also be released that same day.

Maybach Music mogul Rick Ross has at last appointed a date for the release of his much postponed new album, ‘God Forgives, I Don’t’. As previously reported, the LP (and Ross’ health) have stood various complications, not least the two seizures the rapper suffered – he says, due to lack of sleep – last October.

Ross appraised the long player whilst appearing beside label affiliates P Diddy, Wale, Meek Mill and new signing Omarion at a Maybach press conference last week, saying: “This is my best body of work yet. It’s a very dark story, it’s extremely lyrical. The music is next level”.

‘God Forgives, I Don’t’ will be released on 30 Jul. And meanwhile, Rozay will also be collaborating with Reebok Creative Director Swizz Beatz on a ‘big and tall’ line for the sportswear brand.

Says Swizz: “You have someone that’s into fashion like Ross… instead of just doing regular sneaker, we give Ross his big and tall line to express all his fashion, all his fly, and keep it popping… Ross has the open portfolio to do whatever he wants to do with that”.

This topic, and others besides, are kept popping in Pitchfork’s highlights of the aforementioned Maybach conference, so watch those here:

Having posted a precedent in ‘Snow Drift Love’ back in March, the CMU approved Becoming Real has shared notes on the mini-album from which that track was taken, aka his forthcoming release ‘Solar Dreams/Neon Decay’.

Out on 28 May via Not Even, it will feature the following:

Snow Drift Love
Lady Lazarus
Work Me (feat Lady Chann)
Equinox
Anthropology
Slow Memory (feat Sunless 97)
Zoning

Listen to the above listed ‘Work Me’ here:

All but silent release-wise since 2009′s ‘Only Revolutions’, Scots rockers Biffy Clyro have announced a double-strength resurgence in the form of two-part LP ‘The Land At The End Of Our Toes/The Sand At The Core Of Our Bones’.

Drummer Ben Johnston says of the record, which is set for release this summer: “We don’t want to pigeon hole it as a ‘big rock album’, so we’re trying to make a diverse collection of songs”.

Not only are Jedward representing Ireland in Eurovision again this year, but the be-quiffed twins are also doing their bit for their home country’s football team via new charity single ‘Put The Green Cape On’.

Actually recorded to the tune of the teen brothers’ 2011 Eurovision smash ‘Lipstick’ (but with new lyrics written by radio DJ Colm Hayes, who’s sort of Ireland’s domestic version of Terry Wogan) it’s been designed as an ‘unofficial’ rallying cry for the Irish soccer squad’s Euro 2012 campaign.

Proceeds from sales of the single, which is released today, go to the ISPCC, so it’s all fine. Saying that, the video does feature Louis Walsh and Zig & Zag. But it’s all for a good cause, so why not preview (and subsequently purchase) ‘Put The Green Cape On’ right now:

So, Cheryl ‘No, Not Cole’ Cole has unveiled the 100% complete video for her new Calvin Harris-produced single ‘Call My Name’, as is first chosen for release from the on-off Girls Aloud star’s imminent new LP, ‘A Million Lights’.

And what a vid it is, particularly if you’re partial to seeing statement jackets, the reservoir racetrack from ‘Grease’, and MC Hammer-style dance moves done in MC Hammer-style Hammerpants. And tribal tattoos. And the odd dramatic ‘mirror sequence’. It has all of those things in it, in lurid abundance.

The promo was filmed in LA by Anthony Mandler, who also directed Rihanna’s controversy-causing ‘Man Down’. But who cares about that, here’s Cheryl’s vid:

‘Middle class’ dub merchants Sly And Reggie have heralded the release of ‘Dub Save The Queen’, their alternative Diamond Jubilee single. Out on 28 May in honour of our reigning monarch’s 60th year pon de throne, it features a traitorous dancehall remix of the National Anthem.

Preview the track here:

Hyped dubstep type Jakwob has made a ten track mixtape featuring Ghostpoet, Kano, Roses Gabor and Mr Hudson available for free on his website.

‘The Prize’, as it’s titled, is streaming directly beneath these very words, and should precede producer/instrumentalist James Jacob’s tbc debut LP, as is tentatively set for release before the year is out.

Jacob says this of Mr Hudson’s guest role on the mixtape’s title track: “He soulfully talks about a fairly dramatic incident in his life and yet keeps it energetic and hooky. I love the contrast between shimmery tremor strings and the weighty bass. I love how cinematic it is”.

Here’s the full tracklist for the mixtae:

Turn To Stone
Slaves  (feat 14th
Sailing (feat Roses Gabor)
Stay
Island (feat Ghostpoet)
Please (feat Kano)
Erupt (feat Youngman)
Let It Fall
Feeling The Desire
The Prize (feat Mr Hudson)

Pop auteur George Lewis Jr is to release a second album, the successor to 2010′s ‘Forget’, under his Twin Shadow alias. ‘Confess’, as the new LP is titled, derives certain themes from a dawn outing Lewis Jr took on his motorcycle, having crashed one several years previously and not ridden since.

A quote from Lewis (read the much extended version here) relates the revelatory trip: “I pulled back slowly on the throttle with my right hand, and felt the bike start to come to life. My head was still crystal clear… nothing. The engine jack-hammered under my legs. I inched toward 100 on the speedometer and punched the last five. TON UP! My mind is filled with words. My heart is full of love. This is where I want to be. I want to stay here, and I want to tell you everything”.

4AD won’t release ‘Confess’ til 9 Jul, but in the mean time take a free copy of third-placed track ‘Five Seconds’ via this widget:

Tracklisting:

Golden Light
You Call Me On
Five Seconds
Run My Heart
The One
Beg for the Night
Patient
When the Movie’s Over
I Don’t Care
Be Mine Tonight

An inter-generational duet of a distinctly metal ilk now, as Converge announce a split seven-inch set with genre veterans Napalm Death.

With each act taking responsibility for two tracks, Napalm Death will add value to the collaboration via ‘Will by Mouth’ and ‘No Impediment to Triumph (Bhopal)’, while Converge contribute new original ‘No Light Escapes’ plus a cover of Entombed’s ‘Wolverine Blues’. The split will have a vinyl/digital release via Converge’s label Concult, though the issue date is still tbc.

Taking a break from his coffee and condom enterprises (yes, really), singer-songwriter Will Oldham, aka Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, has announced he’ll release brand new EP ‘Now Here’s My Plan’, via Domino on 23 Jun. Domino will also reissue six of Oldham’s vintage solo records from 1996 to 2004, these latter releases falling on 30 Jun.

The six-track EP is out in tandem with ‘Will Oldham On Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy’, a book consisting of various conversations held between Oldham and writer/musician Alan Licht. If you can stand to note another release date, that’s available as of 4 Jun.

Tracklisting:

Don’t Belong to Anyone
Beast for Thee
No Gold Digger
After I Made Love to You
I See a Darkness
Three Questions

Electronic odd-pop trio Micachu & The Shapes have detailed their second studio LP, ‘Never’, which will be released via Rough Trade on 24 Jul. It follows the band’s 2009 debut, ‘Jewellery’, and will bear the following tracklisting:

Easy
Never
Waste Sick
Sick
OK
Low Dogg
Holiday
Heaven
You Know
Glamour
Top Floor
Fall
Nowhere

Minus her Shapes, a solo Mica Levi has also partnered with Kwes on volume two of their ‘Kwesachu’ mixtape series, the first edition of which dates back to 2008. You can exchange an email address (preferably your own) for a free download of the new mix, which features Speech Debelle, Dels, Elan Tamara and Ghostpoet, here.

Or just listen to it:

Mica will appear twice at the forthcoming Great Escape festival, both as a DJ and fronting The Shapes. The band are also booked at the Camden Crawl, which takes place across the upcoming Bank Holiday weekend.