Last year's brilliant Polly has three new friends in the Parisian foursome's new EP. The single is still their stand out track but Baden Baden, June and Rocky showcase Koko Von Nappo's bubbly, hyper-electro sound. Dagger shaped synths and dreamy electro loops make for a distinctively French sound that borrows from Le Tigre's sassy, confident yelps and early Ladytron's Kraftwerk-esque spook-pop. A refreshing thorn in the uber-cool electro scene's side.
Vagabond Don't Wanna Run No More, Single, Geffen, August 3 **** Fresh from a support slot with The Script and boosted by tabloid gossip surrounding singer Alex Vargas' nights on the town with Alesha Dixon, the group touted as the new Simply Red release their first proper single. The comparison doesn't do them justice – they're fresher, cooler and a damn sight better looking. A gospel-tinged, soulful track that was an obvious single from the second they launched into it at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire show, it's an immediate feel good anthem that hits the notes the likes of James Morrison et al can only dream of.
Julian Plenti Julian Plenti Is Skyscraper, Album, Matador, August 3, ** Julian Plenti's press release is a mysterious one, detailing a sabbatical from 2001-06, but keeping schtum about what he got up to in that time. But there was no lounging around or being forced into a 'real' job for Plenti – real name Paul Banks – he founded and fronted his better known project, Interpol. Returning to his pre-Interpol roots, he's resurrected his alias for a more earthy, folk-rock sound. Clearly relishing his new found freedom, he's gone all experimental on us and has thrown in an orchestra worth of instruments – there's brass and strings coming at all angles. It's interesting and the Bowie-ish tinges to his vocal get a full work-out but there's nothing that quite matches the dark, brooding art-rock genius of Interpol.