Bands to Watch #42: La Roux
As someone at work pointed out at the weekend, I’m a big fan of elfin looking girls. You already know that I love synthy pop. So combine the two passions and, well, I need a good lay down to recover my senses.
That’s what happened on Saturday evening – I got home to find La Roux‘ sampler CD on the doormat. I put it on, expecting the usual middle-of-the-road stuff that is alright but nothing to rave about, like most promo CDs. Then I had to lay down. Reminiscent of classic electro-pop pioneers like Eurythmics and Depeche Mode, it is still completely modern and is just perfect for a few remixes which would have the lips of the new school of club goers licking their lips. Really.
Synthy, poppy and catchy, 20 year old Brixtonite Elly Jackson just has a way of making her tunes sound so familiar yet completely original. Forthcoming “Quicksand” manages to combine Annie Lennox’ haunting (at times) vocals with a touch of Human League and Prince, yet manages to sound like it’s some throwback from 2010, rather than a dodgy 80’s revival.
Some tracks like “In for The Kill” have amazing choruses that just yell out for you to start dancing madly with mates… like Alphabeat’s guilty-pleasure quality, but not so guilty.
Thankfully, it’s not just me that’s been raving about La Roux – NME called her “the coolest voice to come out of UK club….’Let’s Dance’ era Bowie meets The Knife”… and bloggers have been having wet dreams over her.
The most sickening thing? Elly Jackson is younger than me. God only knows what she’s gonna have come out with by the time she’s 30 – it’s quite scary to think she’s nowhere near her creative best and can still pump out such amazing tunes. And only on a demo.
La Roux’ Quicksand is out on 1st December on uber-cool Kitsune records. Preorder from Rough Trade here.
4 Responses
17th November 2008
Hi
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All the best,
Mike,
Brighton
11th December 2008
[…] mentioned my love for La Roux (pictured right) before, and now that she’s on the BBC Sound of 2009 Longlist, […]
10th March 2009
Hi
Just stopping by to say La Roux is spectacular. So different. So catchy. They’re Going to be massive!
It’s a must!
18th July 2009
hi
I just wnted to agree with you all, shes great!
and shes is going to be a hit here in Germany 😉
(we also have a good taste…lol)
best greetz from germany
PS: I hope La Roux makes a lot more of this music..