The former member of The Pipettes brings a confident edge to the sleek electro-pop of her sophomore LP.
Rose Elinor Dougall / Stellular
Originally known for being a member of '60s pop-inspired girl trio, The Pipettes, Rose Elinor Dougall ditched polka dot dresses and synchronised choreography in 2008 to carve a name for herself. Following her departure from the band, she put out her largely underrated solo debut record, Without Why, and then went on to collaborate with producer Mark Ronson on his third studio outing, Record Collection, and tour as part of Ronson's Business Intl band. In the meantime, she continued to foster her solo career with the release of subsequent EPs, 2012's The Distractions and 2013's Future Vanishes.
After nearly four years of playing in several backing bands and releasing no new music of her own, Dougall finally returns with her long-anticipated sophomore LP, Stellular. Working with Boxed In's Oli Bayston, she's fulfilling her wish of making an album that's more assertive than her debut. Already this is evidenced by the lead single/title track, an immediate-sounding and wonderfully bass-driven cut that finds her relishing in a newfound confidence as a solo artist. It sets things up nicely for the rest of the album as she sings about cosmic feelings to the backdrop of quirky movie effects and iridescent new wave grooves.
Opener Colour of Water is a terrific blend of moody psychedelia and shimmering synths. Closer further showcases the singer's assertiveness with snide lyricism ("I don't care about your band/ It's 3.45am but I'll be your biggest fan tonight"). The mood is more or less echoed on All at Once, a synth-laden number co-penned with Montreal singer-songwriter Sean Nicholas Savage. In fact, Savage is not the only co-writer here-- Miike Snow's Andrew Wyatt also contributed on Answer Me, an indie ballad that pushes Dougall's regal vocals to the forefront.
Strange Warnings and Poison Ivy seem like a filler which, in a way, makes sense considering both tracks previously appeared on the Future Vanishes EP. These, together with Dive and Closer, represent the album's weaker moments. However, as we arrive at the final tracks, Space to Be and Wanderer, Stellular regains its strength. The former, in particular, stands out with the poignant chorus "I want a love to lift me up high/ To wreak havoc on this heart of mine" followed by a glorious guitar solo. It's a perfect melange of sophisticated production and intelligent, slightly dark-hued songwriting.
Despite its forgivable minor flaws, Stellular sees Rose Elinor Dougall returning to the music scene fully formed as a solo artist. Her overdue confidence comes through beautifully here, thanks in part to Bayston's adept production that fuses electronic elements with radio-ready pop sensibility. If Without Why heralded her foray into an introspective solo career, Stellular marks her impressive metamorphosis into a wholly more ambitious, daring pop queen -- one worth keeping an eye out for.
THE PLAYLIST
The Charapaabs/ Alzheimer
Bangkok-based concept band The Charapaabs return with yet another single pertaining to those advanced in years. Alzheimer, following the lead of their previous elderly-themed releases Sala Kon Sao (Funeral Party) and Annual Checkup, sees the indie quartet incorporating real-life stories from loved ones who are suffering from dementia to a downbeat lo-fi backdrop. Described by the band as "testimonial rock," this compositional approach results in the most emotionally affecting piece of music we've had the pleasure of hearing this year.
Conor Oberst/ Napalm
Bright Eyes singer-songwriter Conor Oberst is putting out a companion album to last year's Ruminations, a solo work consisting of just a piano, guitar and harmonica. The new LP will feature full-band versions of the ten songs from Ruminations, plus seven additional tracks -- all with help from The Felice Brothers and guest contributions by Jim James, Blake Mills, Maria Taylor, M Ward and many more. Here, we have Napalm, an exhilarating new track in which Oberst returns to being bitingly political ("Oh, I'm Billy Pilgrim, you're a Dresden doll/They carpet bomb the city/Thank God they spared the mall").
Spoon/ Hot Thoughts
They say men think about sex every seven seconds. As apocryphal as that may sound, Spoon seems to take this idea and turn it into the basis for their latest single, Hot Thoughts. The track, taken from the group's forthcoming ninth studio album of the same name, finds vocalist Britt Daniel getting all hot and bothered at his salacious thoughts, singing: "Hot thoughts melting my mind/Could be your accent mixing with mine/You got me uptight, twisting inside." With its persistent disco groove and a sporadic hand clap, the song is the most dance-oriented one the Austin band has put out to date.
Priests/ Nothing Feels Natural
The Washington DC punk quartet are gearing up for the release of their debut full-length Nothing Feels Natural with the poignant title track which arrives after previous excellent cuts JJ and Pink White House. Introduced by a New Order-esque intro, the song swells into a full-fledged post-punk number with sullen bass and reverbed guitars. Sounding less shouty here, vocalist Katie Alice Greer gives a subdued commentary on anxiety and depression: "This is when I'd give a god a name/But to people in sanctuaries/All I can say is you will not be saved."
Milky Chance/ Doing Good
Hot on the heels of lead cut Cocoon, German duo Milky Chance drop another single from their upcoming record, Blossom. Titled Doing Good, the song features the pair's signature bouncy guitar groove bolstered by isolated drums and a supple bassline. The overall lyrics don't make that much sense ("Calling you lovable, how are you feeling now?/Making it all above, falling for you somehow"), but according to the band, the song talks about how we tend to resort to that reflex response of convincing others we're doing good even when that's not necessarily the case.
