Seasons
The Verses
Warner
Remember Killing Heidi? Brother sister duo Jesse and Ella Hooper are back and have reinvented themselves as The Verses. Gone are the rock electric guitars and catchy as hell hooks that embodied their youthful energy of that time. This is a more mature, acoustic, country-tinged offering. Very easy listening and still catchy with a Fleetwood Mac, Ryan Adams kinda feel. – Nat Ripepi
Body Talk Pt. 1
Robyn
Konichiwa / Island
Robyn is officially Sweden’s resident ingénue. The first part of this three part recording project is an assortment of diary entries, incredibly vulnerable on the whole. Opening track Don’t Fucking Tell Me What To Do is epic as Robyn lists in detail all of the things that are metaphorically and physically killing her, from the mundane to the sublime. Elsewhere and she’s a Fembot while Dancing On My Own is an iconic sleeper hit with queer undercurrents. While not blindingly brilliant, this polished gem is sure to set an inroad into securing Robyn’s broader international success. – Scott-Patrick Mitchell
The Distance Between Two Truths
Mark Sholtez
Warner
This album is a much more acoustic, alt-country textured offering than his 2006 jazz infused debut ‘Real Street’. Mark’s voice sits somewhere between Paul Simon and Jason Mraz. His songs have heart and melody, with beautifully sparse production and co-writes from Alex Lloyd, Iain Archer (Snow Patrol), Matt Hales (Aqua Lung) and Shane Nicholson (Kasey Chambers). This album showcases Mark as a fine singer songwriter and should successfully shift the new Rat Pack crooner’ label he was lumped with after his debut. – Nat Ripepi
I Believe You Liar
Washington
Universal
‘Sonic polariods’ is the term Megan Washington has dubbed the bevy of pop-laden tracks that make up her debut album, ‘I believe you liar’. And she’s right: her lyrics etch out scenes of pretty little romances from her simple yet cryptic language. Covering themes mostly relating to love, 24-year-old Washington continues to craft her niche in the pop genre, leaving her contenders in the dust. Like her previous EPs, the singer songwriter has claimed this raw, authentic sound. The keynote to this collection is that she is unlike any other female singer songwriter on the scene. Case closed. – Benn Dorrington
The Runaways
Various
Atlantic / Warner
The Runaways were the first all girl rock band from the 70’s whose story has now made it to the silver screen in a bio drama featuring Kristen Stewart (as Joan Jett) and Dakota Fanning (as Cherie Currie) in the film of the same name. This soundtrack is a nostalgic and rocking mix of original Runaways classics and new versions performed by Fanning and Stewart, plus influential songs from the era including David Bowie, Suzi Quatro, The Sex Pistols and The Stooges among others. Chics in leather with guitars – what more could you want? – Nat Ripepi
In The Club! Vol. 2
Goodwill & Sam Lamore
Ministry of Sound
Ah, Ministry. You make me feel like dancing, dance the night away. I must admit Disc 2 here has the more familiar tracks, Sam La More bringing together Uffie’s new muffie, Dizzee Rascal’s disgustingly decadent disco blitz and that moody little pop wonder from Ou Est Le Simming Pool, Dance The Way I Feel. Disc 1, remixed by Goodwill, has its moments, but doesn’t reach the peak of the second disc. Oh well, it’s still a fantastic mash of current dance faves, all brought together in seamlessly flawless MoS fashion. Grab your dancing heels! – Scott-Patrick Mitchell
Dance Love Pop
Agnes
Warner
Dance Love Pop is definitely just that: a dance/pop album. But to write it off purely like that is to do it an injustice. Seventeen tracks make up a playlist containing certified No 1 hits like Release Me, On and On and Love, Love, Love. A pick-me-up winner for the winter blues, you just feel like dancing to this Swedish canary. Often described as a mix of Stefani, Aguilera and Morissette, this Swede will definitely have a long shelf life on the CD stacker! – Terry Larder
