My Plastic Sun - Caught in a Wave

With each new track they unveil, it's becoming harder and harder to pin My Plastic Sun down. If you thought they were the wistful, melancholic post-Radiohead ponderers as heard on "Give It All Away" and "Falling Awake", you're right. If you thought they were the post-punk, psychadelic rockers of "Silicone Junkie", you're right. If, for whatever reason, you ever had an inkling they'd unveil a sunny Coldplay-sized summer anthem, awash with joyous synths and huge hooks, you can now tell all your friends "I told you so".

Sounding more straight-up audience friendly than ever before, but still with the progressive streak (check the Genesis-happy synth lead in the middle 8) that clinches it as still 'their sound', "Caught in a Wave" is yet another reason to check out My Plastic Sun, and yet another facet to add to their ever growing sound-repertoire.

Best New Music - 4/06

Alexandra Burke - Heartbreak on Hold LP
Despite low expectations due to the cringeworthy sub-eurovision "Elephant", the rest of this album, by today's standards, is a fairly pleasing collection of commercial dance tracks. Highlights for me include the delightfully gay-disco friendly belter of a title track, which reminds us just what a set of pipes Burke has on her, and also funky iTunes bonus track "Devil in Me", which allows Burke to give us a little bit of grit and gurn through the medium of soulful house.




Bright Light Bright Light - Make Me Believe in Hope LP
Well spoken emo-synthpop singer/songwriter/producer Bright Light Bright Light has been releasing one deliciously retro dance single after another over the last 18 months or so, so it's great to hear a full album finally emerge. The great thing about BLx2 (apart from the fact his stage name is easy to abbreviate) is that the music is full on guilty pleasure, but the words are heartfelt. This makes songs like the euphoric "How to Make a Heart" and the 90s-house "Cry at Films" so hard to fault. If you ever thought a cynical Brit could never bring melancholy to the dancefloor, then think again.




Disclosure - The Face EPSuddenly catapaulted to the forefront of the UK bass scene, youthful London duo Disclosure's latest EP is nothing short of magnificent. We've all heard the haunting "Boiling" and the seductive "What's In Your Head", but the manic "Lividup" and the sharp 2 stepping "Control" are hardly b-sides, both living up to the dizzying addictive heights of what Disclosure have already proved they are reliably capable of.



Loui & Scibi - Giving You The Light (feat. Nathalia) (Shane D. Remix)
(Taken from Hed Kandi Beach House 2012)Most of the latest Hed Kandi house compilation is a fairly standard day at the office for the label, but opening Disc 1 with this brilliantly uplifting cut is a smart move.

SUMMER IS HERE.

Catcall - "The World Is Ours" & "That Girl"

As Ladyhawke's new album is promising to be a sad disappointment, lacking in the big tunes and colourful 80s new wave of her debut, it is the perfect time to introduce yourself to CATCALL. The Australian singer, real name Catherine Kelleher, was previously in a band called Kiosk, who supported The Gossip at one point, and is now out on her own as a big, bolshy pop/rock tour de force. Single "The World is Ours" is her "My Delirium" and then some, with a summery, gorgeous chorus, driving guitars and gutsy cheerleader chant vocals. Album track "That Girl" is also a perfect pop gem, with an uptempo 80s new wave drive that Bananarama would've killed for in their heyday.

Her album "The Warmest Place" is out now.

FOR FANS OF: Ladyhawke, Dragonette, Girls Aloud