Flesh Tone

This is going to be massive. I assure you. Its exactly the kind of record that was begging to be made, and I'm glad Kelis NEARLY got there first.

I say nearly because a few years ago Madonna released the exact same kind of record (Confessions...), but (despite its success) nobody was as interested then as they will be now.

This is for the clubs. Which is very IN right now. No doubt about it. Every single track is a brilliantly produced dance-track that would appropriately soundtrack any dance floor littered with sweaty young-adults. It just never ends.

You want to move your feet as soon as it starts. And from then on its Amongst-the-smoke-machines-and-strobing-lights-at-3-am overload.

The songs are kind of hard to differentiate from one another at first, but the more you listen to it, the more you realise that's not the point. Its a continuous mix meant for some heavy rotation.

Kelis' breathy vocals fit in perfectly here. I've always felt a bit hit-and-miss when it came to her previous work, but I think this style suits her perfectly. And there's still enough of her personality visible to stop her from becoming "Featuring Kelis".

That said, the segues that appear after 6 of the 9 tracks are interesting. If you were listening to them in the context of some band, you'd happily bop along thinking "Bless them, having some fun with their instruments". But we're not listening to a band, we're listening to Kelis, and as far as I'm aware, she didn't play any of the instruments on this album. Its a small point I know, and I don't want to dwell on it too much because that seems a bit silly, but I have to admit it left me a bit disorientated the first time around. It's those small parts when it becomes too close to a dance compilation featuring Kelis here and there.

But once you get your head around that, and bear in mind that the songs will all sound the same for a while, you can just enjoy it. Of course I'm a bit biased because this clearly isn't a body work that is to be sat and listened to in headphones. We're supposed to take the disc out to a house party and play it in its entirety, or enjoy individual tracks on a night out. And we all know Acapella well enough to go absolutely crazy when it finally comes on.

So, all in all, the music is fantastic. Kelis is fantastic. The lyrics (designed to make the experience as creative as possible. Dance music usually always has the dullest and least inspiring lyrics) are fantastic. Flesh Tone is fantastic.

And my favourite moment is the rap/chant breakdown in Scream. Perfect.

Songs From The Tainted Cherry Tree

Another X-Factor contestant's debut album sitting comfortably at the top of the charts. Just what we need, right?

True, this album has a noticeable amount of commercial hits and is full to the brim of brain-invading melodies, but don't let that fool you. Vickers hasn't completely sold out on us yet.

First off, you can't escape the fact that this offering has an astounding party of collaborators. Ellie Goulding and Starsmith provide their famous folky-electro with tracks like the odd-yet-catchy Remake Me + You and You'll Never Get To Heaven, heavyweight Guy Sigsworth steps in on moments like the regrettably forgettable Notice and the summer-induced joy of Jumping Into Rivers.

Rather than churn out either some Alexandra Burke-pop or (heaven forbid) Eoghan Quigg-soft rock, Diana goes with her uniqueness that made her so apparent on X-Factor and seems determined to appeal also to the indie-folk. Devonté Hynes (better known as Lightspeed Champion) contributes silly acoustic number Me & You, and there's even a cover of The Sugarcubes single Hit, which sounds perfect with Vicker's odd vocals amongst dark, squealing-siren synths.

And whilst we're on the subject, let's talk about THAT voice for a second. Yes, she's still doing her breathy bleating that made her so Marmite on television, but then again artists like Shakira, Marina & The Diamonds, Florence Welch and even now Jonna Lee seem to be getting away with it, so why should Vickers attract any more criticism? It takes some getting used to, but it makes sense within the context of the music. Even so, the best moments are when she occasionally breaks out for a second into a heart-breaking falsetto, especially in the amazing Put It Back Together (written by Nerina Pallot - remember her?).

There are plenty of Dido, ballad-y bits, but in between all of that there are some really, really good stompers. Once (as we all know) is fantastic, and we can thank Cathy Dennis for that (you'll remember her from Toxic, I Kissed A Girl and About You Now), but there's also stuff like My Hip that will have you singing along in no time.

Album closer Chasing You (reminiscent of The Saturdays more romantic moments) and next single The Boy Who Murdered Love are definitely some of the most amazing tracks. It's hard not to get bogged down with all the desperate plea for indie-fan attention, but if you listen hard enough, you'll hear a girl with a great voice and a brilliant start to her career, even with its faults

Body Talk Pt. 1

Every few years there is a sudden huge trend in the music industry. It starts with a little bit of influence creeping into mainstream songs, then slowly but surely everyone starts to catch on. Eventually the charts are stormed by it, and later even more independent artists begin to grasp on to it.

At the moment, that trend revolves around an electro inspired pop, with dashes of the 80's here and there.

But then there are a select few artists that seem to exist outside of that trend, despite the fact that the music is pretty much in line with it. And Robyn is one of those.

Her last album was pure magic. Even though I have, it felt like I had never heard anything like it. This year she plans to release three mini-albums full of new material, and I'm happy to say she's exactly the same.

Body Talk (Part One) finds Robyn doing exactly what she does best. Every single track sounds fresh and is full of attitude. She doesn't need to explore new sounds, because she defies all musical expectations.

That said, there elements that sound familiar. For example, the repetitive, Peaches-style delivery of Don't Fucking Tell Me What To Do, the Rude Boy, M.I.A. Island-pop found in Dancehall Queen, and even the Björk-esque lullaby that is Jag Vet En Dejlig Rosa.

But somehow, Robyn makes all of this her own, and never comes close to sounding like a rehash. Her style is effortless, her hooks inescapable.

The album talks a lot about technology (expected), most obviously in the dangerously catchy Fembots (single material for sure). But the most prevalent of all is Robyn's juvenile identity.

Despite her age, Robyn is still eager to come across as the kind of woman who will go out and party, not for the simple teenage rebellious fun, but in order to FEEL something. "You can cry when you get older" she warns at one point. The difference between her and the younger kids in the clubs is made clear many more times throughout the record, particularly on throbbing floor-filler, None Of Dem. "None of these beats are raw/None of these beats ever break the law" she sings, perhaps also commenting on how the style of music she has been dabbling in for some time now, has since become more and more commercialised and diluted.

But what really sets this album apart from any other competition, is the maturity. She knows she will always be seen as the outsider, and there's a dark, melancholic undercurrent deep within each song's core. New single Dancing On My Own is the wiser, older sister of Be Mine!, and is just as touching as the piano-led moments of previous songs like Eclipse.

And then of course we have Hang With Me. the "Acoustic" tag is a little misleading, suggesting a guitar driven version of something previously pop, but instead what we're subjected to is a PROPER BALLAD. Stirring strings? Check. Tinkly piano? Check. Vulnerable falsetto? Check, check, check.

Experimenting every now and then with flashes of other genre and style, Body Talk Pt. 1 is a welcome return. Splitting the release into three, bite-size parts is pure genius. No filler finds its way onto this disc, and it stands to reason that the next two parts will be just as impressive.

Trendsetter? Not a chance. But an example of a perfect pop artist? As close as you can get.