La Roux – Old Flames
Back with her first new music in six years, La Roux's new sound explores facets of R'n'B and Europop to varying degrees of success
La Roux is back with a new sound and minus Elly Jackson’s gravity-defying quiff. While her perennial hits Bulletproof and In For The Kill have kept the Grammy-winner’s streaming revenue strong, this is her first new album in six years.
Dealing with the end of a relationship and wanting to recharge La Roux, the album still has the synth pop Jackson calls “neon” but the sound has been warmed up with R'n'B beats. Old Flames begins strongly with a scene-setting intro, car wipers in the rain washing away the old La Roux and her relationship. Then it’s the album’s highlight – Cabin Fever has the sexy vibes and lyrical spice of The Weeknd including this humdinger: 'Careful what you’re spreading round making my toast'. Lose Myself and Falling could be 90s angst-ridden Michael Jackson.
The album then takes a surprising turn. The Europop beats of Ace of Base can be heard on To Make Our Love and Final Fantasy while Your Lover could be a Girls Aloud track, but there’s too much of this in lieu of the album’s earlier R'n'B sound. Still, there's enough of Jackson's old edge on Old Flames to reignite your passion for La Roux.
Listen to: Cabin Fever, Lose Myself, Falling