Singles: Out To Download Now

Alesha Dixon – To Love Again

There's something about Alesha Dixon I find horribly annoying; if I was sat in front of her at the cinema, I'd impale her with a box of popcorn before the end of the trailers. This song does little to endear herself to me - it's a piano ballad by numbers, offers no personality, and is a cynical effort to market The Alesha Show: The Encore in time for Christmas. If she brought out something new, I'd probably be more accommodating but on this offering, she's better off judging middle-aged has-beens dance the tango.

www.myspace.com/aleshamusic

Au Revoir Simone – Another Likely Story

Like everything great, this song takes its time in getting going, but when it does, it's a joy. They have such a quintessential Brooklyn sound going on: hushed dream like vocals, synths and organs playing that waiting game, as you get to the end cresendo, which by its denouement is barely a cresendo at all, merely an understated salute. Beautiful. Check. That. Out. Denouement and cresendo in the same sentence. That word-a-day toilet paper pays for itself.

www.myspace.com/aurevoirsimone


Rihanna – Russian Roulette

Is Russian roulette the type of thing you want your pop stars sing about? Gambling on ones life, one bullet, to the temple, Christopher Walken-eyes? As a comeback single, it's not great, to be honest. Rihanna does these kinda of atmospheric ballads, and it's not dissimilar to Unfaithful. Although considering whats gone on with her in the last few months, coming back with something more upbeat could be misconstrued.

www.myspace.com/rihanna


Performance - Reptile

Why does this, a debut single, sound more 80s than anything Brandon Flowers could ever dream up? It's equal parts INXS, Duran Duran and Visage, but with a twist that makes it perfectly contemporary. The guitar lines could have been written by a teenage Johnny Marr, but lead singer Joe Stretch has a vocal style that's unique, worn out and tired, some would say typically Northern, I'm thoroughly enjoying this song, and you can enjoy it too, as they are giving it away, fo' fwee! Click here to download it.

www.myspace.com/weareperformance


Roisin Murphy - Oral Fixation

Roisin Murphy's return lit up music blogs during the week, lauded by most of the tastemakers, and it's easy to see why, as it's very erm....bloggy. Electro beeps, airy vocals, this song is grown in a lab, in a petri-dish labelled Disco Internet Pop. Lady Gaga may be stealing every one of her looks, one day at a time, but Roisin Murphy will always have a nasty habit of dropping a bigger tune.

www.myspace.com/roisinmurphy

Marina & The Diamonds – Mowgli’s Road

Dressed like a horse, opening line "Cuckoo, cuckoo!!" - I love it, this is what we need, more popstars with personality, geniune oddballs, who, if they're easy on the eye, well all the better. Everyone who listens to this will say "Kate Bush for the....erm 10's?" Anyway, I applaud it, this song is catchy, has a little bit of gypsy vibe to it, and has gotten me a lottle (yes lottle) bit excited for more. Check out the video below.

www.myspace.com/marinaandthediamonds