Florrie | Little White Lies

Florrie has been on the periphery of pop since 2010. Her first release, Introduction, was released non gratis that year, followed by 2 more self-financed EPs. The extended vanity project came to an end earlier this year when she signed to Sony, which is good news for the singer/songwriter/drummer on Girls Aloud's The Promise because her sideline in modelling can't fund a music career forever (as I'm sure Karen Elson and Milla Jovovich will tell you). It's either a coincidence or the sign of being on a major label that Little White Lies is her punchiest offering to date. Get punched:

The plastic bags in the video finally answer Katy Perry's immortal question from her hit Firework, and I'm sure the environmentalists among you will be up in arms, but so will her fans, as LWL is an arms-in-the-air, hips-in-the-next-room, boobs-in-the-pantry pop smash in the waiting. And it's out next month. 

Jessie Ware | Tough Love

Jessie Ware escapes the second-album slump with a masterclass in the no-chorus technique: new lead single Tough Love channels the slow-burning groove of Running, with smooth, bruised vocals backed by drum machine stutters and gentle synths reminiscent of Prince's 1983 hit Little Red Corvette. I'm sure he's on the phone to her as we speak, whether it's for a duet or a lawsuit - time will tell. Hear the similarity:

Disclaimer: the thunder in the video isn't included on the studio version - clearly the directors, BRTHR, were inspired by the clip for First Aid Kit's My Silver Lining, which uses the same trick. TL is definitely a grower, so it remains to be seen whether or not it will be a hit. Buy it on 3rd August.

Welcome Back... La Roux

La Roux is back and just as 80s as ever, but with a twist: singer Elly Jackson has not only jettisoned the over-the-top vocals and over-the-top production, but also her former producer/bandmate/general no1curr Ben Langmaid. She's also recently confessed to a fear of fame (a la Sia) and has adopted a sad-disco sound, so she's right on trend on all accounts. 5 years is a long time in pop, but the elusive chanteuse's half-decade hiatus has brought us a more mature and confident artist, best showcased on promo single #1 Let Me Down Gently:

Promo single #2, Uptight Downtown, is a more instant affair. Whilst LMDG takes you out for a cigarette, drunkenly confesses everything to you, then pulls you back inside for a spot of crying-at-the-discotheque action, UD drags you straight to the dancefloor and never you mind about that drink you just ordered. Conjuring the spirits of David Bowie's Let's Dance, its highlight is surely the portentous trumpets at the end of the pre-chorus:

If we've learned anything from all this, aside from Elly still thinking she's Tilda Swinton's daughter, it's that at least one thing hasn't changed about her - that trademark look of disdain. Thank goodness her new music is just as superior as her snarl.

La Roux's 2nd album, Trouble In Paradise, is set for release on 21st July.

First Aid Kit | My Silver Lining

First Aid Kit last featured on this blog back in 2012, and admittedly I kind of forgot the band existed until they swung back onto the scene with My Silver Lining. Best described as Dolly Parton wagoning down the French Riviera, the sisters from Sweden add a new dimension to their country-pop leanings with the inclusion of lush, filmic strings. It looks odd on paper, but MSL is deceptively catchy and the mix has paid off - their latest (and 3rd) album Stay Gold made it to #11 on the UK charts last month. Prepare to be hooked:

Petula Clark | Cut Copy Me

The awkward, irrelevant computer reference aside - Cut Copy Me is a surprisingly cool track, with the veteran star sounding vulnerable yet vibrant.  The video is an ode to ancient PC technology that's right on the vintage imagery trend, but thankfully the track itself is fresh without trying to be too hip and/or happening. Okay, so there's just the slightest hint of auto-tune, but we're not talking Cher levels here. 

I must admit - I spent the entire viewing experience wondering if Petula herself would wander in and start typing an email to her beloved grandchildren, one rheumatic finger at a time - an icon for silver surfers everywhere. Alas, no such luck, but the clip does match the wistful nature of the song. 

Cut Copy Me may not be as instant as that hit of hers, and it may not take her back to the top 10 like the remix of said hit did in 1988, but it's an endearing preview to her new album Lost In You, which is out this week. 

Welcome Back... Agnetha Fältskog

It's been 30 years since Agnetha Fältskog, 1 quarter of ABBA, went back to her solo career, and with recent rumours spreading about her return to the studio at the age of 62, it's the perfect time to tackle her back catalogue.

Other female quarter Frida was the first to release a post-ABBA solo album in 1982, and whilst she was experimenting with the edgy rock of Phil Collins and the on-trend synths of Giorgio Moroder, Agnetha was taking a middle of the road approach. Wrap Your Arms Around Me, her first English-language album, has aged badly, with the sensual strut of Can't Shake Loose and the epic, sprawling title track proving to be the standout songs.

As though her record label were trying to market her as the Swedish Olivia Newton-John, the album is a prime example of playing it safe - i.e. innocent pop with a subtle hint of sexuality. For instance, titles such as Take Good Care Of Your Children are best reserved for charity school choir specials, and the self-penned Man is an exercise in schmaltz. Wrap... was met with a lukewarm critical and commercial response, which is no surprise seeing as it didn't stray too far from the ABBA sound, at a time when their popularity had faded. 

Curiously, despite Agnetha co-writing most of her Swedish-language material, the only other credit of her English career is on her second album, Eyes Of A Woman. Released the same year as Frida's sophomore album, it packs more of a punch than her own debut, but is still a lot less modern than her former bandmate's second effort. The album highlight is One Way Love - a synths ahoy, arms in the air loner's anthem.

Meanwhile, I Won't Let You Go (the aforementioned 2nd credit, lyrics by 10cc's Eric Stewart), storms in with its rollicking rhythm. Lyrics like "Some girls want to play with you" could have easily made Agnetha a star of an 80s-set Grease 3. Things trail off towards the second half of the album, as it starts to lead towards the mushy, romantic side. 

She took a darker turn on her third album of the 80s - I Stand Alone - to date her last original album, released in 1987. Produced by Peter Cetera of 70s cheese rockers Chicago fame, it gave Agnetha's soft-rock leanings an American sheen. The title track recalls the brooding atmosphere last heard on The Day Before You Came, and is a prime example of mature pop.

Meanwhile, I Wasn't The One (Who Said Goodbye) - a duet with Cetera - doesn't quite live up to the dramatic flair of its title. Let It Shine is by far the cheesiest cut. Released as the third single -  it was her last stab at the GB market for many years. 

She returned in 2004 with My Colouring Book, an album of 60s covers, in a wave of publicity. her much-heralded 2004 comeback,  album of 60s covers. It finally gave her a hit on these shores - If I Thought You'd Ever Change Your Mind peaked at #11 and even made its way onto a Now! album.

It's telling that she had her biggest success with songs written for other people, and suggests that for her upcoming 5th English-language set she ought to be more selective, or better still write it herself. Everyone is familiar with her voice, and now that ABBA are much more treasured by the general public, she owes to herself and her fans to step up her game. The new piece is rumoured to have a Springtime release date (well she's missed Mother's Day), and in a year when octogenarian superstar Petula Clark is returning, it could be the dawning of a new era of oldies. Someone call Madonna. 

Welcome To The Room... Josephine

Poor Josephine Oniyama is half a decade too late for the 60s soul trend - Amy Winehouse is dead, Duffy has disappeared into obscurity and even Mark Ronson has ditched the brass and emigrated to the modern world. Yet, the smoothness of her voice is reminicent of Rumer, and her sound a close relative of Ren Harvieu - both of whom enjoyed top 10 success last year, so perhaps all is not lost.

Singing by her first name alone, Josephine hasn't so much been hotly-tipped as luke-warmedly acknowledged. There's no wave of hype, no big budget promotion - even the delightfully simple video for new single Portrait has less than 5,000 views. The track may at first seem unremarkable, but it is in fact deceptively catchy and the call-backs in the verses add a sense of cosiness to proceedings. 

These days it's hard to get noticed without being endorsed by the BBC Sound of... competition, or having a BRITs Critics' Choice Award slung at you - but that's not to say she isn't worthy of a second listen.  The confident swagger of What A Day, sounding instantly familiar, recalls early Amy Macdonald, and in a world full of wailers such as Emeli Sandé, Josephine's breezy tunes are a breath of fresh oxygen.

Both tracks are taken from her upcoming debut album, also titled Portrait (naturally), which without any fanfare could easily go unnoticed like the unfortunate Candie Payne when she threw out an album during the heady days of 19602007. Still, Josephine is currently on tour with Paloma Faith, so fingers crossed that Radio 2 will snap her up at some point.

Chvrches | Recover

Glaswegian do-it-yourself outfit Chvrches automatically score points for their old-fashioned U, which was last seen on a Victorian headstone near you. Unsurprisingly, their alphabetic symbolism matches the gothic synthpop of their sound - they make the kind of downbeat 80s balladry that Hurts, in their Coldplay/Take That mimicry, neglected to include on their latest outing. 

Lead singer Lauren Mayberry's imploring, girlish vocals may take some time to get used to, as they are literally soaking in her native accent (think the incomprehensibility of Cocteau Twins' Elizabeth Fraser meets the shrillness of Altered Images' Claire Grogan). It doesn't help that lyrics on their new single Recover (from the EP of the same name), are sung in a stop-start fashion to compliment the juddering, Dan Black-esque GarageBand production. Stick with it though - once you work out what she's actually singing, it proves to be quite affecting:

Recover is out on the 25th of March - by which time everyone will be calling it Recouer because of that pesky v. But wait! Recouer is also a word that is, bizarrely, an archaic version of the word recover. Huzzah!   

Welcome To The Room... Wild Belle

Pretty sure I've seen him in a Kooples ad. 

With just 2 singles released, new sibling duo Wild Belle are already proving to be masters of modern rocksteady. Think Santigold using the same vintage filter employed by The Asteroids Galaxy Tour and Alice Gold - the result is a pair of head-naggingly breezy hot jams.

Chicagoan siblings Natalie and Elliot Bergman mix the former's decadent vocals with the latter's bold saxophone, evoking a live quality in their recordings; best showcased on the strutting first track It's Too Late:

The pair have recently enjoyed exposure from having new single Keep You featured in the surprise hit film Pitch Perfect. Creepy Turn Of The Screw-style barrier crossing in the video aside, it's a memorable tune of  disappointment akin to original rocksteady pioneer Dawn Penn's You Don't Love Me (No No No).

There's something endearing in the simplicity of their lyrics - it's clear that they're not trying to impress you, and that's what's so impressive. The lack of breakdown or big chorus makes them the definition of a grower, and as you can hear, they'd be the perfect accompaniment to long Summer evenings.

Unfortunately, Wild Belle's debut album Isles is due out in March, so grab the parasols and flip flops and let's have a barbeque in the rain.

Alison Moyet | Changeling

It's been 6 years since Alison Moyet's last album, and despite now being in her 50s she's looking younger than ever. She's sounding younger than ever too, with new track Changeling containing hints of a No Doubt-esque rhythm mixed with the darker diversions of fellow 80s survivors Depeche Mode. 

Moyet's voice is a lot smoother than usual here, as she adopts a post-Red Shoes Kate Bush purr to tackle the mundanity of commuter traffic in the verses, before whipping out some unexpected high notes in the spellbinding chorus. With a fresher vibe and Guy Sigsworth taking care of production, upcoming 8th set The Minutes promises to be something of a mature soirée - downstairs at Eric's. 

Welcome Back... Natalia Kills

Yorkshire's finest Natalia Kills' comeback single Controversy could not have been a better way to describe her career to date. After reinventing herself from TV show starlet and one-time rapper to so-called "darkpop" trendsetter, via allegations of being a budget Lady Gaga, her new alter ego came not without its fair share of criticism.

Despite support from big names such as Akon (producer on her "first" single Mirrors), and will.i.am (her mentor, and collaborator on Free), Kills - real name Natalia Cappuccini - became pop's newest laughing stock. Having moved to the States and adopted a faux American accent a la Joss Stone, her debut album Perfectionist flopped in the US and didn't even chart in her homeland.

Full of references to death, beauty and dollars, the plot wore thin quickly as it was a set full of as much filler as killer. Still, she had her online fanbase to fall back on, and what better way to hit back at your critics than by returning with a song that "isn't a song"?

That's right. When asked in an interview about what inspired Controversy, she replied: "It's not exactly a song... more of a list of everything fucked up with our generation... nothing is shocking or controversial any more". Well, she summed up her new single immaculately - it's neither shocking nor controversial, but without any of the mischievousness that makes similarly scathing Marina & The Diamonds so appealing.

Notwithstanding such desperate attempts at catching the zeitgeist, her delivery of The List is just too similar to Janelle Monae's Many Moons breakdown. Also - who gives a monkeys about the Kool-Aid? What is this, ghetto Alice In Wonderland?

Speaking of ghetto, there's also a whiff of the Lana Del Reys about her in that she also has a dubious, Verbalicious past. The problem here is that it's the only time she's come close to getting a hit (Don't Play Nice, #11 GB).

However, whilst Lana has been a Europe-wide smash, regardless of her insistence on being portrayed as a a poor little rich girl who grew up to be the "gangster Nancy Sinatra", Cappuccino has only had mild success in Germany and Austria.

It's no surprise, then, that newly-leaked track Problem apparently samples the distinctive hollers that pop up in many of Lana Del Rey's offerings.

It all reminds me of when Lady Gaga first came out, and she referred to her sound as "pop music that's meant for the Louvre". While it's just as arrogant a comment to make, the difference is that Gags has shown to have both mouth and trousers by having hit after hit. 

It's hard to say who Natalia is trying to be, but whoever it is, it doesn't seem to be herself. Brits don't like popstars who jump ship, and Americans are loving British acts right now - so why she keeps up the accent is a mystery.

Besides, this is the sort of music anyone could be making, and unless she pulls an identity out of the bag (or at least something more like Wonderland), she'll be adding her own career to that pathetic list of hers. Her 2nd album, Trouble, is due out later this year.