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.

Welcome To The Room... Paloma Faith

There is something so filmic about Paloma Faith's voice that whenever she sings it is easy to imagine her sitting atop a piano in a smoky bar and serenading the crowd. Though she has garnered comparisons to Amy Winehouse and Duffy, Paloma’s music is more alluring than the former and less one-dimensional than the latter.   

Blair Mackichan, the man responsible for producing Lily Allen and Sia's UK debuts, also twiddled the knobs on Paloma's first album. Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful? is modern pop once again looking to the past, but in a refreshing display of individuality Paloma chooses sophisticated jazz-tinged tunes over 80s pastiche.    

Yes, she shares the same flame-red hair as La Roux, yet her music couldn't be more different. First single Stone Cold Sober is a bold introduction, reflecting her dramatic appearance and style of the album. Her debut is a strong, lovingly-crafted set and one of the classiest of 2009.