Sophie Ellis-Bextor

With a wave of Britpop chicks currently conquering America, SEB may wish that she was born five years later. But given that she is neither dishwater dull (Bedingfield), comedy Cockney (Allen), nor certifiably insane (Winehouse) it’s likely that haughty chrome-finished disco might prove a little odd for the world’s stupidity capital. Like Goldfrapp’s less saucy little sister, Ellis-Bextor proffers lush, mechanical dance muzak, which is probably not what you want, so it helps that with the swooping ‘New York City Lights’ she is also delivering good pop songs. As pointlessly opulent as walking into a Walkabout pub and ordering a Cosmopolitan, and no less satisfying.

Pete Cashmore

6 out of 10