Ladytron | Gravity The Seducer

Coming just months after their greatest hits collection, Ladytron's 5th album ushers in a wistful, downtempo era, and in a move last seen with Britney Spears's Radar single - Ace Of Hz, a new track made for Best Of 00-10 - has disappointingly crept onto this album's tracklist as well.  

Admittedly, it fits in better here than amongst the gothic bombast found on the compilation, but added to the three instrumentals, one of which is an elevator-esque version of the above, there's a distinct air of filler on Gravity The Seducer. 

Official first single and opener White Elephant sets the tone with its dreamlike quality, wafting through its 4-minute duration like a debutante at a party. It completes the transition from the rock-influenced tones of their last album, making it clear that this release is a gentle tap on the shoulder compared to the winning punch of Velocifero.

Second single Mirage picks up the pace a little, and Ambulances is a captivating mix of trip-hop and melancholia, not too far from Mono's Life In Mono. 

The majority of tracks are sung by de facto frontwoman Helen Marnie, so it's a shame that Bulgarian singer Mira Aroyo (the group's unique selling point), has just a measly 2 tracks here. The set's midpoints are the brooding Moon Palace and Altitude Blues, and prove to be album highlights.

Overall, the tracks are noticeably shorter than on the band's previous efforts - a relief as oftentimes great tracks like Ghosts or Seventeen have suffered from repetition and overly-long instrumental segments. A sci-fi feel prevails - indeed many tracks sound tailor-made for a galactic video game. Even the album cover looks like a snapshot of a faraway planet. 

Basically...

Ladytron's softer approach doesn't quite pay off. The poetic, obscure lyrics and Helen's cool, disaffected vocals keep proceedings familiar, although none of the tracks are as infectious as Blue Jeans or Destroy Everything You Touch. The ethereal harmonies and enigmatic themes are a bit like Enya in space, and whilst the cosmic riffs and twinkles work well, the intricate production somewhat drowns the vocals. A real change of pace would have been a happy, upbeat and accessible piece. As it stands, their 5th album in just over a decade harbours no surprises. 

Welcome To The Room... Kimbra

The accomplished, diverse sounds of Kimbra Johnson (for that is her full name) make it hard to believe she is only 21. Drawing comparisons to Nina Simone and Florence + The Machine, her music takes in polished, bouncy pop with Cameo Lover...

...to the Imogen Heap-esque kook of broody number Settle Down. 

She's currently heading up a promo campaign in the US with the Settle Down EP, yet she diversifies further with the current (and third) Australasian single Good Intent; a slick film noir of a track with references to harlots and infidelity. 

It's a jazzy piece with a spike that's missing from her mainstream soulful contemporary Caro Emerald's output - an edge that has helped propel Kimbra's debut album Vows into the top 5 in both Australia and in her Kiwi homeland. 

With features on Miami Horror and Gotye tunes also under her belt, and American promotion well underway, it shouldn't be long until the musky tones of this musical chameleon come wafting onto European shores as well. 

Welcome To The Room... Electra Hart

You may be forgiven for thinking that this "new" artist looks rather familiar, and you'd be right. Introducing the new alter ego of Marina & The Diamonds, whose jaded return marks a surprising, yet strangely not unexpected, change in sound. 

Electra Hart embodies "the lies, illusions and death of the American Dream". The emotional first track, Fear & Loathing, has the world-weariness of a gambler who's lost all her money in Vegas, while the video suggests that Marina (sorry, Electra) has returned to the casino's hotel.  There, she cuts her hair just short of Britney-esque levels in a bid to escape herself. 

The transition continues as the next song sees Ms Hart heading to the dancefloor, with the polished and upbeat, yet still idiosyncratic, Radioactive. There's something off-putting about the sudden shift in pace - the song is produced by Stargate (Norwegian knob-twiddlers for Rihanna, Ne-Yo) and is clearly a calculated stab at nabbing a David Guetta-style chart hit at last. 

Even though there's a different vibe, the song's lyrics are classic Marina, chronicling a fear of love and a relationship breakdown - another chapter in the life of a singer whose unique selling point is her proud self-awareness.

It's undeniable that Marina/Electra has one of the best set of pipes in pop music today, yet there's something unnerving about her dogged introspection. It would be refreshing to hear her move away from her neuroses and cover new ground. 

Despite those drawbacks, the Electra Hart enterprise could give her the success she needs. After coming 2nd on the BBC Sound of 2010 list (behind Ellie Goulding), her debut album The Family Jewels slid down the charts without providing any smash hits. 

The name thing is confusing mind,  but fear not! Her official releases will still come under her usual moniker, so no messy scrobbles on last.fm. For those of you after a more familiar recording of Radioactive - there's an acoustic version available to download for free on her website now. The original is released on 3rd October. 

Florence + The Machine | What The Water Gave Me

Florence + The Machine whirls back onto the scene with a flick of the lace and a whiff of granny's perfume. Not much has changed here - the lead single from the upcoming (and so far untitled) 2nd album has Florence Welch getting in touch with her inner Virginia Woolf, accompanied by the usual references to drowning and mythical beings. Although What The Water Gave Me (inspired by the Frida Kahlo painting of the same name) starts with a familiar sense of foreboding and builds into a satisfying finish, there's also a distinct lack of stylistic progression. Let's hope the album has something new to offer. Until then, here's the video:

St. Vincent | Surgeon

After 2009's Actor was inspired by Woody Allen and Disney films, it seems St. Vincent is this time taking in James Bond movies for her upcoming 3rd album Strange Mercy. With a hummed intro reminiscent of You Only Live Twice by Nancy Sinatra, the Manhattan-based baroque pop favourite (real name Annie Clark) is up to her usual tricks again. Surgeon lulls you into a false sense of security with comfy vocals, before warped guitars signal a drastic change of pace. Aside from that and the worrying refrain best call a surgeon / come cut me open, it's a kooky but pleasant affair. Listen up below:

Tove Styrke | Call My Name

Following the moody, chic High & Low from earlier on in the year, Swedish Idol 2009 finalist Tove Styrke is taking another stab at UK chart success with Call My Name. Think Robyn's pulsating beats making friends with Sky Ferreira's effervescent charm. The best bits are the echo segments, and there's something strangely reminiscent of Seven Wonders by Fleetwood Mac in the electronic bleeps and bloops of the chorus. Frolicking on with the 80s feel, I'll be two steps over the water is a cheeky reference to Hounds Of Love by Kate Bush. There's no video as yet, but you can satisfy your ears at least:

Charlotte Gainsbourg | Terrible Angels

The Anglo-French daughter of the infamous 60s smoothie singer Serge Gainsbourg returns this week with the first cut from her upcoming 4th album Stage Whisper. Terrible Angels (no, not a CocoRosie cover) is worlds away from the casual strut of Heaven Can Wait, with all the stomp and circumstance of a Supernature-era Goldfrapp hit. The track, like her last album IRM, is produced once more by Beck, and packs almost as many punches as there are in the video:

Lana Del Rey | Video Games // Blue Jeans

Smokey-voiced American chanteuse Lana Del Rey has all the orchestral drama of Florence + The Machine and the brazen, pouty attitude of Gwen Stefani. Her videos are a mish-mash of movie footage and shots of Lana while her soulful vocals ratchet up the melancholic feel. The lyrics mingle passion with slang (think Littlest Things by Lily Allen), making for a heady concoction of emotion and street smarts. The double A-side single is available for pre-order on her website now, but if you just can't wait 'til the release on 16th October, then keep hitting those Youtube play buttons!

Check out the oddly uplifting Video Games:

And the unexpectedly wistful Blue Jeans: