Hotly tipped indie popsters Run Toto Run are a Manchester based three piece whose billing as one of XFM's top 20 artists to watch in 2010 rightly poises them on the verge of big things this year.
Dealing in slinky pop grooves that are camped equally in electronica and twee indie grounding, this is an outfit who can deftly conjure images of the Scissor Sisters, Metric, The Knife, Passion Pit and Goldfrapp.

Portland, Oregon's Blitzen Trapper are a band who've quietly been building quite a repertoire of material over the years. With album number five, the ambitious sounding DESTROYER OF THE VOID they continue to blend Americana genres and styles with giddy abandon, not afraid to experiment, happily combining folk, country, blues and prog rock into one glorious sounding whole.

Opener and title track here, DESTROYER OF THE VOID is a clear indication of what you're in for with Blitzen Trapper, an epic tour de force by the band that sees them throw just about every musical trick they've got into the mix, lurching from Queen style prog operatics to Crosby Stills and Nash harmonious country balladeering to Dylan like folk at random intervals. It's a brave move as your opening gambit, not the most radio friendly or accessible of launches to an album, a clear indication that Blitzen Trapper are a band not afraid to take chances and assault the senses.

BELOW THE HURRICANE and THE MAN WHO WOULD SPEAK TRUE are more settled and relaxed sounding songs, gentle folk numbers that showcase front man Eric Earley's winning way with a lilting harmony, stark guitar work and a lone harmonica letting his voice provide the heart and soul, in the process revealing Earley as a singer/songwriter in the vein of other modern Americana troubadours such as Connor Oberst, Jim James and M. Ward. LOVE AND HATE is a more rocking entry, Blitzen Trapper showing a certain affinity for glam rock amidst the bluesy bluster, a curious blend of T Rex, Roxy Music, Led Zeppelin and The Black Keys; Earley's vocals taking on a definite Marc Bolan twang.

HEAVEN AND EARTH begins in a melodramatic flourish of piano chords before settling into a pop ballad groove hinged around the “heaven and earth” refrain. Subtle orchestral swells and warm guitar work add extra sonic texture and colour, another example of Blitzen Trapper's willingness to blend styles and genres to achieve wonderful results.
Duetting with folk siren Alela Diane on THE TREE, Eric Earley delivers another delicious sounding performance, this time around wearing his Bob Dylan influences the strongest, a stark folk ballad that takes its cues from The Times They Are A Changing, twisting it into something equally delightful. EVENING STAR is a bluesy pop song that feels like one of the album's more radio friendly moments, a clear contender for breakout single from the band. Whilst the more experimental edges have been reined in briefly, Blitzen Trapper feel none the less hampered for it, delivering a tune that puts them alongside bands such as Band Of Horses and Fleet Foxes in the quality Americana category.

Closing with the piano ballad SADIE, Blitzen Trapper climax in suitably rich and textured fashion, Eric Earley adopting an aching croon whilst gentle drum patterns and piano chords clatter, and guitars rise and fall, this a band who continually keep you musically on your toes.

A beautiful sounding record, DESTROYER OF THE VOID finds Blitzen Trapper in the finest of creative forms, effortlessly blending styles and genres, unafraid to pepper everything they do with a brave experimental edge and in the process delivering the best album of their career so far.

Thoroughly electronic and what I can only think of as the 'sci-fi' of the music world. Combining the sounds of the Chemical Brothers and the Afro Cult Sound System, whose influence can be noticed at times during this album, although with limited 'vocals' and the same series of electronic tones in every piece, resulting in an album which lacks variation.

Some reviewers would probably classify this as 'experimental', however this completely electronic and repetitive sound was probably overdone in the '90s, rendering the term 'experimental' ineffectual. It sounds like the mixers and producers are trying to add an alternative angle by using ever so slightly eerie vocals in places, but it has just all been done before and, perhaps tellingly, was never hugely popular among a widespread audience.

Most people would quite rightly associate electronic music with the '80s, however the difference between those unforgettable '80s hits and this '90s reminiscent 'trance'-type electronic music is that the '80s songs were just that – songs – not just a series of electronic beats and sounds put together with the intermittent computer generated noises I would hesitate to call 'vocals'.

I know there must be people, remnants of the bygone Trance era, out there who would willingly listen to Filterwolf and enjoy it, so all I can say to them is if you like what I can only term 'electro-funk', you may want to  give Filterwolf a chance and a listen, even after reading this review.

You can sense when a band are truly special sometimes, especially when their debut single manages to floor you on first listen, like was the case with PLANET from post-rockers Kyte. An epic, majestic take on swooning post-rock, PLANET was seven minutes of pure sonic bliss; subdued and beautiful in places, searching and angst-ridden in others. Equal parts Doves, Slint, Mogwai and Sigur Ros, Kyte weave spidery guitar lines across a landscape of militaristic drum patters and gorgeous piano chords.

Fast forward a few years and the Leicestershire four-piece are releasing their first full-length debut album, DEAD WAVES, a record that proves Kyte have lost none of their magic and majesty since that very first single.  As epic, majestic and just plain special as ever, Kyte swoon their way through an albums worth of songs guaranteed to mesmerise and entrance; taking the subdued majesty of bands like Sigur Ros and The Postal Service and weaving that into something they can call their own. Singer Tom projects a half whispered croon whilst the rest of the band deliver waltz like post-rock beauty, stealing your hearts in the process.

Opener THE SMOKE SAVES LIVES immediately earns your adoration and heart, equal parts subdued introversion and epic bluster, Kyte transport you to glorious new highs, cascading synthes swirl gorgeously around fragile beats as vocalist Tom projects a half whispered croon reminiscent of Ben Gibbard at his most stripped bare and delicate.

Songs like ifnfsa, YOU'RE ALONE TONIGHT, DESIGNED FOR DAMAGE and LIKE SHE SAID continue to mesmerise and delight, Kyte weaving majestic sonic magic from their musical pallet of cascading synths, spidery guitar intricacy, fragile beats and bruised melodies.

For all this hyperbole and praise though, DEAD WAVES does suffer a touch from a lack of deviation from the formula and an almost too blissfully beautiful sonic lushness. These are songs that can tend too blend far too seamlessly into each other at times, Kyte perhaps a band who'd benefit from the odd musical curve ball or left turn every now and again; something to break up all the breathless intensity and hushed majesty, perhaps a little fun amidst all the heartbreak and hypnosis.

Still, at what they do, Kyte are an absolutely wonderful and brilliantly realised operation; as the likes of GUNS AND KNIVES, FAKE HANDSHAKES, EARNEST SMILES, EACH LIFE CRITICAL and FEAR FROM DEATH wash over you and instantly take your breath away, leaving you in awe struck wonder, there's no denying that this is a band able to weave magic from the ether, the perfect middle ground between The Postal Service, Mew, Maps and Sigur Ros.

Kyte have returned here with another beautifully realised collection of music that mesmerises from start to finish, DEAD WAVES is very special indeed, an album you really need in your life.

Until now I hadn't realised it was humanly possible to find such an eclectic mix of genres in one album! Reggae, blues, hip-hop, break beat, pop, electro; the list really does go on. It was only recently, upon listening to Let's Go To War for the first time, that I heard this truly unique sound. Yes that's right; the long awaited debut album from the Canadian band has finally arrived! The group, who have already produced songs for the likes of Fefe Dobson, D.O.E. and the unforgettable Britney Spears, are currently signed to Last Gang Records, home of fellow electro band Crystal Castles.

As 2009 came to a close, female music artists were really making an impact on the British public. Not only by selling the most records, but by being different and original compared to their predecessors – Gaga and her outrageousness, Florence Welch and her gothic imagery, Marina Diamandis and her outspoken feminism. Another artist who turned a few heads was American songstress Kesha Sebert, or Ke$ha.  Her debut single, Tik Tok, stormed the charts worldwide in November, reaching number one in nine countries and number four in the UK. The song was a massive hit in the UK - on the radio and in the clubs - as its witty lyrics applauded the one thing we all know what to do – Party!

Ke$ha’s highly anticipated debut album, Animal, was released three months later in February 2010. Sounding like the work of Taylor Swift’s ASBO older sister, ‘Animal’ is packed full of girl power anthems for the 21st century. Dripping with attitude, this album almost acts as a how-to guide on how to be a real party ‘Animal’.
On the surface, Ke$ha might be brushed off as another preppy pop clone; a middle ground between Avril Lavigne’s harmless teenage pop and Lady Gaga’s extreme, over-sexualised lyrics. But lyrically, there is some magic here. Many critics have branded her lyrics as corny and hilarious, but the truth is, Ke$ha’s lyrics paint a brutally honest picture that young girls will relate to in ways middle-aged, male critics cannot. Hungover, for example, is a lovesong that negates itself in the chorus through Ke$ha’s confession, “Now my heart is broken/ Like the bottles on the floor/ Does it really matter/ Or am I just hungover?” The lyrics of Boots & Boys however, won’t be forgiven by even the most liberal of critics (‘Boots & Boys/ they bring me so much joy’).

It becomes apparent however, that Ke$ha’s appeal lies solely in the rebelliousness and sassiness of some of her lyrics, because the calmer, more ballad-like songs on the album – ‘Stephen’, for example – come off as boring and unappealing.
If the key to success is making edgy pop tracks that can be remixed to death and then played in nightclubs every Friday night, then the majority of Animal will cash in. A number of tracks, like ‘Your Love is my Drug’ and 3OH!3 collaboration, Blah, Blah, Blah’ imitate the catchy pop feel and super cool production that made Tik Tok a success.
Tik Tok however, set a very high standard of attitude-ridden, raunch pop that her debut album, Animal, never really manages to recreate.
To put it bluntly, you’ll probably love this album when you’re on the dancefloor and full of vodka, but up until the moment - it might prove just a little too girly, fluffy and bittersweet for you to find bearable. Imagine if someone wrote a musical based on the film, Mean Girls, and then played the soundtrack over and over again to you. That’s what reviewing this album has felt like.
A good effort from an artist that you know has it in her to make smash hits, but with all the Gagas and Marinas ravaging the charts at the moment, Ke$ha’s ‘Animal’ won’t stand a chance.

Hot Chip have never been an in-your-face band. Successful, yes; but they never embody the raucous, attention grabbing nature of their contemporaries, simply because they don’t have to. They are one of few revolutionary, genre-crossover bands who have managed to stay relevant and interesting seven years after their 2003 debut, ‘Coming on Strong’.  The British 5-piece seem to effortlessly make music for themselves with no real focus for the mainstream.  Lucky for them then, they get there anyway through the sheer brilliance of their music.
Hot Chip’s unique mix of disco beats, acoustic guitars and piano dips into so many different genres that it is impossible to pigeonhole them, and latest offering ‘One Life Stand’ is no exception to that. Released on February 1, the album was preceded by the single of the same name; a track that some critics heralded Song of the Year before 2010 even had the chance to take off.

But did the album live up to expectations?
First track, ‘Thieves in the Night’ doesn’t hesitate to show what Hot Chip are capable of. Embodying all the catchiness of the band’s popular singles, it is the perfect introduction to exactly what we were hoping for – addictive yet unadulterated disco pop.
Hand Me Down Your Love adds strings to Alexis Taylor’s high-pitched croon and a funky beat. “I’ve known for a long time, you were my love life”, Taylor wails. If it wasn’t for the drum machine, this would be the stuff of emo-folk bands like Mumford & Sons and Bon Iver.
‘I Feel Better’ sounds like the sister track to ‘One Life…’. Auto tune comes into play in the verses, sounding more Calvin Harris than Mumford & Sons, but then Taylor’s heart-wrenching vocals (“I only want one night/ Together in our arms”) come in for the chorus and Hot Chip’s brilliance is undeniable.
In context of the album, lead single One Life Stand sounds as glorious here as it does nestled in the charts. The best sort of love song is one you can dance to, and Hot Chip manage to deliver this over and over again on this record.
Brothers and Slush are a pair of digitalised ballads that might be a little hard to stomach for even the most weathered Hot Chip fans. Brothers is a very soppy ode to male friendship and Slush sounds like Alexis Taylor’s answer to Unchained Melody. On Alley Cats, Joe Goddard takes the vocal reign and his low, near-rasp vocal style is the perfect compliment to Taylor’s vocals.

The last few songs on the album seem to shy away from mainstream appeal, devoid of memorable hooks or beats, which probably explains why this album has fallen shy of full marks in other reviews.
The secret to Hot Chip’s success is making records that suit the 5am comedown as much as the dance floor. Their songs combine the adrenaline of piano power ballads and the fervour of house anthems to create a truly unique, unrivalled sound. Hot Chip’s genre-crossing allows them to be dispensable to a whole assortment of tastes, which results in the fans at their gigs rubbing shoulders with folk they wouldn’t normally have anything in common with musically.

Although some of the album tracks can sometimes miss the hit factor, One Life Stand proves Hot Chip to be revolutionary music-makers who’s latest offering is a strong contender for the best album of 2010.