Manda Rin - DNA

It's become a backhanded compliment to say a band is "big in Japan," but Bis really were much bigger in the Far East than they ever were in Scotland, despite that incredible 1996 appearance on Top of the Pops while they were still unsigned. Manda Rin, Bis' memorably excitable wee singer, is finally about to release a debut album, and DNA is the lead single. The bubbly synth lines dancing around a funk bassline are present and correct, but lines like "hey, are you watching me? Attention's what I seek" and "Why won't you look over here, you can't be bored of me" sound like the desperate pleas of a rejected pop idol; and Manda shouldn’t be reinforcing that image. [Ally Brown]