Kelly Clarkson‘s come a long way in just under a decade.

After becoming the first (and let’s be real, still easily the best) winner of American Idol in 2002, the singer first made her official mark with 2003′s Thankful, a debut collection complete with safe-yet-amazing post-Idol balladry (“Anytime”), soulful R&B-pop offerings (“Just Missed The Train”) and slightly rambunctious, attitude heavy pop-rock anthems, including “Miss Independent” and “Low.”

The runaway success of the latter two singles quickly helped to sculpt the sound of what would become Clarkson’s grand opus in 2004: Breakaway, one of the most defining pop records of the ’00′s–a pristine collection of electrifying pop-rock anthems produced by Max Martin, Dr. Luke and Ben Moody including “Behind These Hazel Eyes” and “Since U Been Gone” that officially shed the singer’s Idol image and quickly made Clarkson’s name synonymous to any and all things angst-pop.

Following the record-breaking success of Breakaway came My December in 2007. Generally dubbed as Clarkson’s “rebel moment,” Kelly opted to breakaway (pun!) from the familiar pop mold of her past and go a slightly less radio-friendly route, penning tougher, darker, and more revealing rock tracks than ever before. The album’s development led to a very heated, very public head-to-head power struggle between Clarkson and Sony BMG label head Clive Davis, who very openly professed his lack of faith in Clarkson’s upcoming release. And while My December–which spawned “Never Again” and the devastating power ballad “Sober”–was by no means a failure (in fact, it was generally received more favorably by critics than Breakaway), its performance was ultimately underwhelming.

In 2009, Clarkson returned once more with her fourth studio album, All I Ever Wanted. It was another strong release (as with every Clarkson album) and a smash hit, although marked with a certain by-the-numbers familiarity, including safe, radio-friendly anthems (“My Life Would Suck Without You”) and Katy Perry album rejects (“I Do Not Hook Up”). The album’s own cover painted the album’s narrative perfectly, featuring an uncomfortable Clarkson forced to half-smile against a schlocky, candy-coated Photoshop background. It was, in effect, a quiet acknowledgement that Davis had won this round.

Two more years have passed since then, leading to Clarkson’s fifth studio release: Stronger–the most perfect representation of harmony achieved.

Combining the power-pop anthems and radio friendly accessibility of Breakaway with the darker confessional appeal of My December, Stronger plays like the perfect marriage between artistic intent and label demand. It’s an effortless combination–counterbalancing the threat of overindulgence by an artist gone unchecked and the “sell-out” sound of a label with too many hands in the cookie jar–resulting in one of the strongest, most triumphant and wholly satisfying records of the year.

To craft Stronger, Clarkson and her team enlisted a solid collection of tried-and-true songwriters (Bonnie McKee, Ester Dean, Busbee) and incredible pop producers, including Toby Gad, Oligee and Greg Kurstin–the man responsible for the album’s three most major moments: “What Doesn’t Kill You (Stronger),” “Dark Side” and “Honestly,” which isn’t just an album highlight, but one of the most haunting songs Clarkson’s ever recorded.

“Could you love somebody like that?/Could you attract someone like that?” Clarkson slowly croons above a chilly, swirling electronic undercurrent, all complimented by a teary-eyed piano-led bridge, chilling howls in the background and some of Clarkson’s most devastating vocal delivery to date. It’s an utterly awe-inspiring number, the album’s greatest departure musically, and a particular highlight on the record.

“Dark Side” is another instant favorite: From the ingeniously twisted toy box introduction to the almighty crashing chorus (“Everybody’s got a dark side/Do you love me?/Will you love mine?”), the Kurstin-produced track is the very definition of a Breakaway-meets-My December brand of brilliance.

More than ever before in Clarkson’s discography, Stronger relies heavily on live instrumentation and unpolished vocals to emulate the concert experience. Similar to what Beyonce hoped to achieve with 4 earlier this year, Clarkson made it clear that her new album would include plenty of live instruments and forgo excessive Auto-Tune and vocoders in order to, in Clarkson’s own words, avoid the “compressed” sound of some of her older hits from a mixing standpoint. “I wanted this record to sound like my live vocals,” she told Metro.

Countless moments throughout–the jam session flow of “Hello,” the unrestrained emotion-wrought yelps of “Honestly,” the furiously storming bridge of “You Can’t Win”–surge with the same kind of raw energy you’d expect to hear at any Clarkson concert.

Interestingly, the album’s Brian Kennedy-produced lead single “Mr. Know It All” is probably one of the album’s riskiest single selections (and truthfully, one of its weaker moments). Like “Breakaway,” the song is breezier than the rest of the accompanying album’s contents, floating along a delicate melody recalling Bruno Mars “Just The Way You Are.” The song is thoroughly gorgeous, but despite my initial thoughts about the song, it’s admittedly nothing that would ever inspire much enthusiasm outside of Clarkson’s devoted fan base.

But if “Mr. Know It All” is Stronger‘s “Breakaway,” then “What Doesn’t Kill You (Stronger)” is the album’s “Since U Been Gone”: Set above a cool stream of synthesizers, Stronger‘s title track is easily the album’s most instantaneous, explosive anthem: “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, stand a little taller, doesn’t mean I’m lonely when I’m alone,” the singer yelps as the song lurches into its massive, fist-pumping chorus. “Stronger” is Stronger‘s strongest, most empowering moment–a fitting focal point, no doubt.

And while Stronger‘s brand of empowerment isn’t so much in the sense of embracing yourself as it is about, say, about dusting yourself victoriously after a broken heart, there’s still one incredibly satisfying number included that does directly address that flaws-and-all attitude: “You Can’t Win,” an anthem that more than a few of today’s pop stars probably wish they could write.

Instead of patronizing listeners with trite “feel good”-isms, Clarkson cleverly goes in from the opposite end: “If you’re straight, why aren’t you married yet?/If you’re gay, why aren’t you waving a flag?/You can’t win,” the singer angrily recounts. It’s the same message with a refreshing spin: People won’t just judge you for being you, but for not being you enough. You’ll never win, so just do you!

“Let Me Down” is yet another incredible moment; a sauntering explosion of crashing drums and guitars that remains as unbelievably listenable as it did back when it leaked back in early July. “You’re only gonna let me down/When it counts, you count down,” Clarkson unleashes with an earth-shattering roar during the chorus as her frustration mounts.

Then there’s “You Love Me,” one of the album’s most anticipated tracks after Clarkson first declared it to be her favorite song she’s ever recoded during a live stream Q&A with fans earlier this summer.

Set on top of a strumming beat that brings both The Police‘s “Every Breath You Take” and The Sugababes greatest non-single of all time “Ace Reject” to mind, Clarkson spouts out against the guy that’s done her wrong for almost a decade and counting: “You said you love me, but that I’m not good enough,” she bitterly barks as she spills her heart out on top of the ’80′s-esque beat. And while it’s not my favorite of all time (yet, anyway), it’s certainly an incredible song that finds Clarkson exploring new musical ground–all the more impressive given that she apparently wrote the song in 15 minutes.

Further into the album, Clarkson sinks her teeth into ballad territory. And while the album’s true highlights are the uptempo tracks, its the gorgeous comedowns in between–including the stunning “Standing In Front Of You” with its nearly Imogen Heap-like chorus and the Country-tinged album closer “Breaking Your Own Heart”–that prevent Clarkson’s mighty flame from burning too quickly.

If Stronger ever really falters, it’s lyrically–as with “Einstein,” which suffers from a bout of mathematical metaphor overload (“Simple math, our love divided by the square root of pride”) and a particularly cringe-worthy chorus (“Dumb plus dumb equals you”). While the song’s soulful swagger (which brings Thankful‘s “You Thought Wrong” to mind) is completely spot-on, the lyrics are slightly too juvenile in comparison to the rest of the record. And I know Kelly ain’t Shakespeare, but silly metaphor plus silly metaphor equals…well, kind of hard to take seriously.

The occasional lyrical misstep aside, Stronger remains an absolute victory, and the powerhouse singer still sounds just as flawless as she ever did before. Clarkson’s rich, melodic vocals continue to prove why she stands several rungs above every other modern female pop star, ranking her amongst the very greatest singers of our time, including Whitney Houston, Celine Dion and Mariah Carey, but without a trace of ego: She is, essentially, the ultimate non-diva diva.

In today’s climate “It Gets Better”-style pop, music has come to feel more like a trendy marketing ploy than a genuine outpouring of concern. Yet Stronger stands a cut above the rest within today’s of-the-moment anthems, holding true to the same self-empowerment Clarkson’s harnessed since the early ’00′s–from the confident sass of “Mr. Know It All” to the soldiering “The War Is Over,” in which she defiantly declares: “All I have to say is you don’t deserve me.”

Despite the bumps and bruises along the way, Stronger wholeheartedly lives up to its title.

Stronger was released on October 24. (iTunes)

And now for something COMPLETELY AMAZING.

Kelly Clarkson has formed a (not-so-secret) band with her back-up singers, Jill Pickering and Kate Rapier.

WHAT? Yes. Thanks to some truly stellar investigative work this weekend, devoted Kelly stans quickly began to realize that her trip to Oklahoma on Friday to record with longtime back-up singers (and frequent songwriting collaborators) Jill and Kate was for something entirely unrelated to her upcoming fifth studio album–in fact, it’s for a new project altogether!

The newly unveiled side-project, called Already Famous (which the girls say is named after “the funniest nail polish name” they could find at Sephora), has begun their debut via a not-so-secret Twitter account and a sparse Facebook page. Only hours ago, the group themselves began fielding fan questions on Twitter.

So far the trio has already completed four songs including “I’m Not The Only One,” which they’ve just uploaded for preview in a tiny teaser video. The song sounds utterly gorgeous so far–with all those lush vocal layers, it almost sounds like an Imogen Heap production! Talk about a guaranteed addition to the nightly MuuTears playlist. (Not that I’d ever make that sort of playlist. Or listen to it. Or…LOOK, OVER THERE! IT’S JESUS!)

Kate, Kelly and Jill have written and performed dozens of tracks together in the past (many of which can be found on their joint YouTube account, JillAndKate), so it seemed like only a matter of time before the trio would come together up professionally to churn out their tracks in a studio setting.

While one of MuuMuse’s favorite soulful songstresses continues to trudge forward (despite buckets of leaks) with her oft-delayed, much anticipated fifth studio album (the lead single now due out in August, according to her latest tweets!), the good news is that there’s much more coming from Queen Clarkson in the very, very near future.

¡VIVA LA CLARKSON REVOLUCIÓN!

Thanks to MJSBigBlog and the ATRL Forums for pooling the latest updates!

I was first introduced–sorry, introduuced to Indiana-born singer Natalie Walker back in 2006.

Formerly a member of the trip-hop troupe Daughter Darling, Walker debuted amongst a surge of fellow indie-pop songstresses that dominated the blogosphere (not to mention the soundtracks of nearly every trendy television show of the time, including Grey’s Anatomy, Ugly Betty and The OC)–songstresses like Imogen Heap, Rachael Yamagata and Bat For Lashes.

Her 2006 solo debut, Urban Angel was a stunning showcase of atmospheric electronica and wisps of airy, romantic vocals, resulting in several successful soundtrack inclusions as “Circles” (Grey’s Anatomy) and the gorgeously lush Thievery Corporation remix of “Quicksand” (Sophia Coppola‘s Marie Antoinette). Quite simply, I was smitten.

Two years later, Walker released her follow-up effort With You, an equally mesmerizing release that came packaged with the same ambient sounds and hushed vocals as her debut, but bolstered with some slightly bigger, pop-focused productions. Walker once again received the soundtrack treatment thereafter with the album’s soaring title track “With You” appearing on several shows, including The City and 90210.

Now, she returns for her third solo outing: Spark, due to be released on June 7 on Dorado Records.

“Uptight” is the lead single from Spark; an intimate offering that finds the singer’s gorgeous voice floating between a lonesome guitar strum, tripping electronica and the same nagging sense of wanderlust that colors all of Walker’s discography. “I don’t want to fight tonight / Come here, warm me up inside / It’s wrong, let me make it right,” Walker sings, her delicate vocals enveloped by warm waves of strings and slow-burning electronica embers.

On April 26, Walker will release the second single from Spark–”Cool Kids,” as well as two new mixes through Beatport: The Linus Loves mix and the Remix Artist Collective (RAC) mix. In addition, the singer is currently offering a free download of the gorgeous upcoming album track “Mars” on her official Facebook page, which is an absolute treat.

Natalie Walker is one of those rare artists that manages to strike the perfect balance between consistency and a gradual evolution in sound. And judging by what we’ve already heard, Walker’s latest may just be her finest moment yet.

Spark will be released on June 7. (iTunes)

UK indie-pop darling Imogen Heap is no stranger to social media.

Between countless video blogs, live Ustream sessions, Twitter chats, meet-ups and even going so far as to wear a fully functioning ‘Twitter dress’ to the 2010 Grammy Awards, Heap has always been one step ahead when it comes to interacting with fans on an innovative level in the 21st century.

Now, Imogen’s about to take her fan interaction skills to the next level with her upcoming fourth studio album.

Starting tomorrow (March 14), Heap will begin crafting the very first song from her upcoming effort: Tentatively titled “#heapsong1,” the unique collaborative project will integrate sound, images, lyrics and videos sent in from fans, which will then be combined and crafted together into a brand new track.

This process will then be repeated every three months over the next 3 years until an entire studio album is complete.

From Heap’s #heapsong1 website:

Why am I doing this? Well, there’s so much going on in my life with touring, talks and tech that this was both a necessity coupled with my passion for collaborative, spontaneous and creative projects. I also love the idea of turning the tables in that the seeds of the song begins with you, making a full circle when you experience it as a finished piece.

Plus… I often thrive on a deadline (Speeding Cars + Can’t take it in both written / recorded in a week) and creative limitations (Glittering Cloud – a song about locusts using purely locust samples as the rhythm track!). I want to really put myself to the test and I’m going to have fun doing it, with you!

I wonder where your ‘seeds’ are going to lead me?

Fans will be able to submit their sound bytes (“seeds”) tomorrow to Heap’s SoundCloud during various time slots during the day. Heap will also be Ustreaming every day for the next two weeks, which you can catch according to this schedule.

To see Heap’s full proposal for formulating the new song, check out this interactive plan she’s laid out–leading all the way up to the song’s premiere and release party on March 28.

Insane? Potentially. Amazing? Most definitely. I can’t wait to hear it!

Go, Heap. Go!

Genre: Dream-pop, shoegaze, indie electronica
For Fans Of: Sally Shapiro, Late Night Alumni, M83, Imogen Heap

I first discovered Caroline Lufkin back in freshman year of college. I’d heard nothing about her, except that she was the sister of J-Pop star Olivia Lukin (who I absolutely adore). Knowing only this and nothing else, I took a dive and checked out her debut album, Murmurs.

As it turns out, the two couldn’t be more different: Olivia has a full bodied voice, while Caroline all but whispers with her high-pitched coos. Olivia’s music is much darker and rock-tinged, while Caroline delivers lush, angelic dream pop. And whereas Olivia is usually depicted in heavy black make-up and gothic fashions, Caroline is pictured looking natural, frolicking amongst flowers and smiling contently. Jessica and Ashlee Simpson? Sort of, anyway.

After hearing the gentle, hazy beauty of songs like “Bicycle” and “Pink & Black,” I was immediately enamored, and Murmurs was put on constant replay–especially as I was drifting off to sleep.

Time’s since passed, and it appears Caroline is finally preparing to release the follow-up to her fantastic 2006 debut.

“Gone” is the first single from Verdugo Hills, due out on January 25.

Keeping true to the sound of her debut, “Gone” is yet another gorgeous dream-pop production. Atop twinkling piano and a simple strumming beat, “Gone” plays like a gorgeous lullaby–even if the underlying message proves much more sorrowful than its warm, sleepy sound implies. “It hurts me now, when you’re so far away / Now that you are gone,” Lufkin sadly croons throughout. (LISTEN/DOWNLOAD)

“Swimmer,” another song from Verdugo Hills which can be downloaded for free at Caroline’s record label website (and is available to stream below), is another treat. Tripping electronica beats join together with warm synthesizers and light strings to envelop Caroline’s lush, layered hums, resulting in one truly mesmerizing love letter.

If “Gone” and “Swimmer” are any indication, it sounds like Verdugo Hills–like Murmurs–will have listeners hopping on a cloud and drifting far, far away.

Verdugo Hills will be released on January 25. (iTunes)

She just couldn’t believe that what we’d ended up completely doing in my bedroom…was going to become what people would say would be the sound of the following year.

If you’ve even been vaguely paying attention to the state of pop music in the U.K. at the moment, chances are you’ve heard of Starsmith.

In just under two year’s time, the 22-year-old producer has gone from crafting homemade remixes in his mother’s house to working on tracks with Diana Vickers and the Princess of Brit-Pop herself, Miss Kylie Minogue.

Starsmith’s brush with musical stardom came shortly after answering a MySpace message from then unknown indie-pop sweetheart Ellie Goulding. After several recording sessions in the producer’s bedroom, Goulding would somehow find herself topping the list of the prime honor for artists on the rise: The BBC’s Sound of 2010 Award.

Needless to say, it was a bit unexpected for the both of them.

Since then, Starsmith has been busy at work crafting tunes for the likes of media darling/ex-Aloud/X-Factor superstar Cheryl Cole, as well as paving the way toward his own solo effort. In fact, Starsmith’s solo venture has just began with the release of his French House-inspired double A-Side debut single, “Give Me A Break / Knuckleduster” on August 29.

With plans to work with both familiar faces (Goulding) and new collaborators (Imogen Heap; Xenomania‘s Miranda Cooper; Alphabeat‘s Stine Bramsen), the young producer’s upcoming debut album (due out in Spring 2011) is gearing up to be a full-on pop smash.

And for once, maybe a boy will get a shot at ruling the pop charts.

Click “Read More!” to see the full MuuMuse interview with Starsmith.

Hey, Fin?
Hey!

Hey, it’s Brad Stern from MuuMuse! How are you?
I’m very well. How are you?

So, the funny thing is I was preparing for the interview and I was looking through my email, and I remember like, a year ago, you’d sent me a remix of Katy Perry’s “I Kissed A Girl” and then…
Ahh, yeah! That’d have been like two years ago! Yeah, that would’ve been like the September before. The September/October before, yeah?

Yeah.
Wow, yeah.

And then I got an email from you for Marina & The Diamonds‘ “I’m Not a Robot”–it’s kind of insane how far you’ve come since then.
Yeah, it’s kinda quick.

Yeah!
It’s gone really, really quickly which is great, but it’s a bit stressful at times just ’cause you have to kinda look back on what you’ve done and everything coming up now, [and] what you’ve got to do in the future.

Of course. Does it feel like it’s only been a year though? Since you started doing mixes.

Yeah, it’s been about eighteen months, I think. Well, eighteen months since I met Ellie [Goulding], ’cause that’s when I kind of see myself actually really like, starting off, ’cause that’s when I got my first commissioned remix [for “My Secret Lover”], which was for Private.

And that was the first time I had a label actually offer. You know, “Hey, could you do us a remix rather than stealing one of our parts and doing it?” So that’s when I kind of see the start of my career. Yeah…it doesn’t really seem like that long. I think a year ago I was preparing with Ellie to go on the road with her. Like, this time last year. We were in rehearsals getting ready. Yeah, just to start touring, and we had the Little Boots tour off of that. That was a year ago. It’s absolutely mental.

It’s funny because in the email you said you’re working with a girl called Ellie and I was just like “Oh, okay..” [laughs] I didn’t know anything about her.

I think everyone was a bit like that [Laughs]. It was a bit–there could be so many people that people say “Hey, I’m working with this girl at the moment” and it means nothing to you, and then in a year you kind of look back and like, “Christ, it was that girl. I had no idea.”

Exactly. And all the sudden the Sound of 2010 win from the BBC and all of that. How has all the hype and everything, how has Ellie done with that and you as well? Sort of just bursting onto the scene like that..

Um, I think it caught both of us off guard initially. I think Ellie a lot harder than it caught me, because obviously it was her name on it. I was just the guy in the background.

So I think it hit her quite hard. It was more just like an awe kind of thing. She just couldn’t believe that what we’d ended up doing in my bedroom, a room in my flat–was going to become what people would say would be the sound of the following year. I found it so humbling to think that what I’d been doing at home was going to become that, but then Ellie, I think, started to think of what she was going to have to do with it. Like, she was thinking like “Right, I’m going to have to go on X amount of my own headline tours,” and at that point all she’d done is play like a couple of acoustic gigs here and there.

She’d never had a band before, so I think it was just a worry, like “I’m gonna have so much to do,” and she’d never experienced it before so, yeah, I think it kind of caught her off guard. But she got used to it so quickly and as I’ve got to go and see her live and stuff over the last 8-9 months. If you’d look at her now you’d have no idea that she was kind of sheepish to say anything to the crowd when she first got on stage–to now, where she comes fully engaged and exudes amazing confidence as well.

I think I’m a bit the same as well. I think I do a lot more confidence in my production and remixes and things and I take a few more risks, which is quite fun, than I did before. Yeah, I think it’s been great for us. That kind of initial shock was scary as hell, but it’s been really good.

Oh, good. Good. Actually–a question just came in related to Ellie: How long it took for you to produce and mix “Starry Eyed” in particular?

“Starry Eyed” is probably the quickest song that we did on the album.

Really?

Yeah, it was–I first met Ellie on like January 3rd or 4th or something last year, and it was really soon after her birthday. She contacted me on MySpace I think, on like New Years Eve? No, the day before New Years Eve, and I was at home for that holiday and I just said “Look, come around. I love your voice.” No one had ever contacted me to work with me before. I didn’t even really know what producing was and so I just said, “Come around next week,” so she came around a few days later.

“Starry Eyed” was the very first thing we did together. She sent me a demo on acoustic guitar–she sent me that and within two days we had the song. Um, and then from that track, which was made last January, came out on the album this March. The only things that are really different are like a couple of different vocal takes, a few more synths, just kinda–a lot more clarity, I knew a lot more of what I was doing.

So, it was definitely the quickest song on the album, because I didn’t have to look back at it again from like January of this year. And so we were like “Christ, there’s got to be an album version that’s got to be a little bit different,” so, I mean mixing-wise, that was mixed by [Mark] “Spike” Stent, so that was left up to him, but “Starry Eyed” was one of the first tracks that got mixed because it was the single and it was done.

I mean, the whole thing–out of all the days that was spent on it, it was probably less than a week, which is crazy for a pop song these days.

They always say that the ones that tend to be the smashes are the ones that took the least time.

That does tend to be the way, yeah. Like, “Guns and Horses” and “The Writer” took me so much longer to do because I didn’t, like–I loved the original versions of them, loved them, absolutely loved them. Like, the original “Guns and Horses” was done by John Fortis, and it didn’t sound much different than my version, but I think the label just wanted it to be a bit more coherent with the other sounds on there that I’d done.

And the original version of “The Writer” was just like Ellie on acoustic guitar and a bit of piano, and it was just so beautiful and I found it really hard to work with those tracks that I loved so much originally, whereas for “Starry Eyed”–literally at the start of the guitar, I could immediately hear what I wanted to do with it.

So, yeah, it’s the ones I think you have an immediate connection with that are done quicker. But, I think it really shows in the song, and I think that’s what people like and why they buy it.

Definitely. So, you were writing and recording with Ellie in your bedroom. Is it safe to say that you’ve since taken your production to an actual studio or um, you know, was Kylie [Minogue] singing in your bed?

[Laughing] It’s not in a bedroom anymore. I moved out of my Mom’s house, which we were doing that record in, last December when I signed my record deal to Island Records and I finally got a bit of money and I was able to afford to move out and get a little flat. I moved the studio out of the bedroom. It was still just in another room of mine–in my house, but, um, there was no bed on the other side of the room. Now, I moved again and I mean, I’m in a slightly larger house now as well.

It’s kind of a very open flat, so I’ve got a lot more room to play with. I mean, it’s kinda–my studio takes over the lounge. It’s like a studio with a TV and a sofa in it, so I don’t really use it as a lounge. It’s just a kind of studio for me, innit? And I say “Oh, look! I’ve got a TV in my studio as well.”

Sounds comfortable.

Oh, yes, it’s comfortable, ’cause I’m the only one that lives there, so it’s comfortable for me. But, um, I think if I had–if I was living with friends or my girlfriend or something, it would definitely be cramped. The setup I’ve got at the moment where it just keeps getting bigger and bigger I think it’d be a little bit cramped, but I’ve only got plans to be here for the next year and try and upgrade a little bit more. I think it’s just gonna be like that for the rest of my life. [Laughing]

[Laughs] Well, that works. That works. So, since then, obviously you’ve moved on to working with artists like Diana Vickers and Kylie. Let’s start maybe with the big one, um, how did you first get in touch with Kylie–or how did she get in touch with you, rather?

Um, [Laughs] Yeah, I didn’t look up her number. She heard “Starry Eyed,” I think, and she’d contacted all her managers who contacted my management because they’d found out I produced it and this was at the time when she was starting work on Aphrodite and that was I think initially what got her and company interested in me. Then we got asked to write for her and, yeah, that was it. It was kinda–I think she luckily heard Ellie, loved the song, loved what I’d done, and then wanted a bit of it on her own album.

Wow, that’s perfect. And then the song you ended up creating [“Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love)”] is such an anthem, sort of celebratory song. It fits her so perfectly as far as her vibe and everything she is.

Yeah, no and so did the record. I was so excited when I found out she was working on it, and it’s kind of–I knew it would be one of those albums of the year that I’d buy anyway just because I loved everyone I heard was working on it, and to be on the album myself was absolutely insane. So yeah, I think the whole album is an amazing achievement of hers.

Absolutely. You also did “You’ll Never Get to Heaven” on Diana Vickers’ album.

Yes, yes.

I love that song. How did that track come to be?

That was one of the very first sessions I did writing for other people after I’d been working with Ellie. I did that last summer I think, and, yeah, someone took a risk and was like, “Okay, I’ve heard a couple of demos you did with Ellie.” This was before Ellie was signed, and they’re like “Hey, do you want to come and work on Diana’s stuff?” and Diana absolutely loved it I think, and she had so much fun in the sessions that it gave me a lot more confidence to kind of get out there and start writing for other people.

So that, yeah, it was one of the very first tracks we did together–that before I’d never really done with someone else, I think.

Okay, yeah, I love that one. I think she sounds like a mini-Ellie really, sometimes.

[Laughs] Yeah, a lot of people think that.

I also really enjoyed her album.

Yeah, I loved her album as well, I think there’s some really brilliant people working on it. It was great that it went to number one as well, and she’s had a lot of success really. It’s been such a good year for both her and Ellie, really…and Kylie. They all had pretty great year.

Absolutely. And you’re a part of all of that.

Yeah, which is–I’m very fortunate to be. I just, I’d like it if maybe a guy would get in contact and want me to work on his stuff. [Laughs] I don’t think I’ve actually worked with any guys for their stuff though. I’ve worked with guys on my album, but not off anyone else’s. I don’t know…thinking I can only work with girl pop stars.

Well, maybe it’ll come soon. [Laughs]

Yeah! [Laughs]

So, now you’ve got your own solo career coming. You’ve got the double A-side with “Give Me A Break” and “Knuckleduster.” How would you describe the songs because, you know, I think one premiered on radio the other day but I don’t know that everyone got to hear it.

Yeah, Annie Mac [BBC Radio 1]–we kind of really wanted to give her the exclusive play of “Give Me A Break” and we thought it was perfect for her, and we really wanted to get her on board. Coming from us it was a bit of a risk, because she’s so influential in a radio kind of dance scene at the moment that we weren’t particularly sure she’d be going for the kind of stuff–like very commercial, sample-based dance track.

But, then we found out she got into it and it was amazing, so we gave her “Knuckleduster” as well, and it was just like an exclusive download off her website. But I mean, the tracks are quite different. I mean although they’re both very French-artsy, dancey, pretty gritty–they’re quite different.

I mean, obviously one’s got a big sample on it and the other one hasn’t, but “Knuckleduster” is really fun, and I had so much fun writing that track. I haven’t had that much fun kind of writing and listening back to a track as that. It doesn’t mean it’s my favorite, but it’s quite hard to top it in like, the amount of fun you can have in your own in a studio pretty much. But “Give Me A Break” was–it was born an accident. It was just one of these things like one night: Let’s just find a great sample and try and incorporate it in a track and in a couple of days I had “Give Me A Break,” and it didn’t really sound too much different–like “Starry Eyed” from what had ended up coming out to now.

So, yeah, they’re quite different, but I think they both appeal to the same audience, but they don’t necessarily give a direct example of what the whole album is gonna be like. I think there’s gonna be no more samples on the album. There will be a couple more instrumental tracks but it’s primarily–the album structure’s kind of changed. It’s really turned into something now where I’m primarily going to be singing on it–on most of the tracks and a few features on the rest of it.

Oh, really?

Yeah, I mean, it was originally going to be a featuring based album with instrumentals and then a few of me singing, but at the moment I’ve got like six or seven with me singing on it and then I think not much space for other things.

Oh, okay. Did you always have the intention to sort of, you know, go down the solo path?

No, no. Not at all.

What sort of inspired it?

Um, I was, I think–I thought I was able to kind of craft songs for other people, so I kind of wondered what it would be like if I did it for myself; what my own album would be like. It was more kind of an inquisitive thing rather than I always wanted to do it. I was quite happy staying a producer and a writer for the rest of my life–and I still am–but I really want to give the solo artist thing a go, and I think that my own tracks will allow me to show a different side–the side that likes to take a few more risks. Obviously with tracks you write for certain people, the labels want certain things from you. That’s why they come to you. They don’t just come to you randomly because you’ve got another hit.

They actually care about what you do these days, and also because they know what they want for their artist as well, so they’ll give you kind of a spec list as kind of a thing–the kind of sound they’re looking for. So for me there’s no holds barred. It’s like I’m not restricted at all. I can do whatever I want, which is great fun. It’s the first time I’ve felt like I’m gonna have a massive house piano track, or I’m just going to have this dirty sort of French housey track, or something like that. It’s really good fun.

That’s awesome. Who have you been working with on the record?

Um, well writing-wise I’ve been working with Miranda Cooper from Xenomania on a couple of tracks and that’s been awesome. I’ve really got a great bond with her, and I think we really get each other musically and that’s been a lot of fun. I’ve done stuff with Wayne Hector as well, but the majority of the album–like 75% or so–has been written by me.

I’ve found the tracks I’m most comfortable with are the ones I’ve had the main role in just kind of doing it all; just having complete control over it. I’m a bit of a control freak when it comes to tracks. I’m always open to other people’s opinions, but I like to kind of get the ground work done by myself.

But there’s features on there as well: I’ve got Ellie in to do a track in a couple of weeks. There’s a guy called Dailey who’s signed to–I think it’s Polydor [Records] over here, same as Ellie, and I’m due to be in with Imogen Heap too, I’ve had Stine [Bramsen] from Alphabeat. I think that will be the features for the album…so those four.

Oh, wow! Imogen!

Yeah, that’s also yet to happen because we were due to be in…in July, and she’s heavily rooted commitments. She’s doing amazing. She’s scoring songs for an orchestra, writing for film–all of it, so obviously she’s got these much higher priorities. It’s completely understandable, so it’s just quite hard to find a time which she’s actually got like a day or two to kind of squeeze in.

Yeah, she’s incredible.

Yeah, she’s been someone I’ve always had on my list to work with, and we know each other quite well and we’re both really up for it, but yeah, just finding the time..

Of course. So, producing and remixing-wise, which other artists would you love to work with, sort of moving forward?

Um, I would love to get in the studio with Robyn. I think that would be a lot of fun.

Well, your remix was incredible with “Hang With Me.”

Thank you very much. Yeah, that seems to have gone down really well. I loved that track when I first heard it. I’d love to get in with her. I’m trying to think who else…Yeah, I’m extended to guys as well because I feel that I’m going down this continuous route of working with girl pop stars. Maybe that’s just what people are buying at the moment, I don’t know [Laughing].

I think so. I can’t think of too many male pop stars right now on the charts.

Yeah, that’s true. There’s a lot of rappers–it’s a lot of rappers, I think. That’s what kind of covers the male side of things. Yeah, bands as well.

I think the next main project I do for someone else–I think I want to do a band thing and there’s a couple of people–a couple of things I have my eye on as well, which I’m looking for, maybe start early next year once my album comes out. But I’m open to all options really–not for the next few months–but I’m open to thinking what’s next.

Yeah, Now are you confirmed working with Cheryl Cole?

I am. Yeah, I was in LA with her a couple of weeks ago.

Okay. Are you doing a track for the new album, I think it’s coming out?

Yeah, it’s just the one track, yeah. No idea about singles or anything like that. I think it’s maybe early days for that. Yeah, I wrote that track with Wayne Hector and I was out there just recording the vocals with her. Began editing it last week, actually. That was amazing fun. We worked together earlier this year as well on like really quite early sessions for her, but that track didn’t really go anywhere, so we got asked to write another one for the album.

How is it working with her?

She’s so professional. She’s insanely professional. She’s so quick as well. She knows exactly what she wants to get out of her vocal performance and she comes up with brilliant ideas as well. I think it’s just been from years and years of being in Girls Aloud where that was quite–not dictated, what they do–I think in the later years it was more hands on, but obviously to begin with, it was probably quite like “We needed to do this, we needed to do this,” so she’s got an amazing work ethic. Really great, and as far as I know she’s just been solid working on the album out there, which is great.

That’s amazing. Yeah, I imagine it must be tough–she’s such a fixture in the tabloids and everything, it’s probably tough to sort of forge her own voice right now and face sort of–

Yeah, I think she’s going to take some more risks on this record as well. I mean I haven’t heard any other tracks, but from what I’ve heard from meetings and stuff–getting ideas and things–it looked like they were ready to kind of push the boat out a little bit more and do something a little bit different, which is brilliant.

But obviously, for someone with such a loyal fan base as a girl group and also being such a huge face, especially in the U.K., for like, for X-Factor, for different brands, I mean…it’s tough. You’ve got like a certain audience that you have to please before anyone else, so now she’s kind of done that album, and now I think she’s going to take some more risks, which is cool.

Oh, that’s very cool. I don’t want to take up too much more of your time, so I’ll just maybe leave off with music of the moment: What’s inspiring you right now? Either on the radio or just some tracks you’ve been listening to as far as influencing your sound and all of that.

Um, what’s inspiring me at the moment? Oh, Christ. Um…not necessarily new stuff. Hall & Oates–I’ve been listening to a lot. There’s a band in the U.K. called Everything Everything that I’m obsessed with. Another band in the U.K. called Fenech Soler as well, who are brilliant. I’ve been listening to their stuff–very infectious. Um, yeah, a lot of older house things, like a lot of the old Thomas Bangalter releases and things off Roulé, his label, kind of random little French House kind of tracks that never really got huge commercial release, but just massive kind of credit to them. So, I’ve just been kind of going back to things like that, and just trying to get a lot more authentic inspiration rather than what’s out at the moment.

Yeah, no that’s probably the best way to go.

Yeah. [laughs]

Alright, that sounds amazing. I’m very excited to hear tracks off the album and your work with everyone, really. You’ve got so much coming ahead.

Yeah, I know. I can’t wait for it all to be out there, especially my own stuff. I really can’t wait for that to kind of see the light of day. I was um–I’ve been mixing my next single tomorrow which will be out in January, I think? Yeah, January. The album is due to drop out in April, so they’ll be a couple more things about before the album so people really get a clear idea of what exactly is about to come and yeah, I love–it’s really exciting.

That’s awesome. Alright, well thank you so much for talking with me. It’s great speaking with you. You’re an amazing producer and I really look forward to hearing new things.

Yeah, and thank you for supporting me up until now and everything. It’s been wonderful. Your support has been brilliant. So, yeah, thank you so much.

I’ll talk to you soon. Bye, bye.

Alright. Cheers, bye.

Many thanks to RJ Kozain for providing the transcription of this interview.

Be sure to check out Starsmith’s officialMySpace, Facebook, and Twitter.

Well, the year is just about over now, which means that those “Best Of 2009″ lists just won’t let up anytime soon. Two weeks ago saw my “Top 40 Albums of 2009″ list. Now, it’s time to get down to the finest singles of the year. LET’S DO THIS.

All chart and sales figures provided by Wikipedia.

20. Mariah Carey – Obsessed (Listen)
It was the guiltiest, most quotable pleasure of the year: “Obsessed,” the so-bad-it’s-good, so-good-it’s-bad mid-tempo jam leading off the charge of Mariah Carey’s less than successful twelfth studio album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel.

You love it, you hate it, but there’s no need to get all fired up with your Napoleon complex; the only thing that could have made this song better would be if it came bundled with a George Foreman grill and a bottle of Windex.

“Obsessed” topped the charts at #7 on the US Hot 100, as well as #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs list and Top 20 in many territories around the world.

19. Beyonce – Video Phone ft. Lady Gaga (Listen)
Though it would be impossible to top the weave-tossin’, hip-poppin’ brilliance that is “Diva,” “Video Phone” is just about as close as you can get to replicating that level of fierce-nass. Already an instant classic off of I Am…Sasha Fierce, the injection of Lady Gaga‘s ridiculous, warbling verses and a tranny-tastic music video made the song damn near untouchable.

That being said, “Video Phone” generally failed to catch on with the general public, stalling at #65 on the Hot 100 with no sign of fueling back up again anytime soon.

18. Cheryl Cole – Fight For This Love (Listen)
It was the tensest moment on X Factor this year: The debut performance of a solo Cheryl Cole. What would she sound like? How would the song fare? Breaking out with a hip, sleek routine (once a soldier, then a samurai) and a nasty dance break sequence, Cheryl fought, fought, fought for the public’s love, effectively dominating the latter half of 2009 with her debut single.

Though not the strongest song off of her debut 3 Words, it’s certainly the most influential: “Fight For This Love” broke the record for the fastest selling UK single, debuted at #1 in both Ireland and the UK, and scored the highest first week sales for a single in 2009.

17. Ke$ha – Tik Tok (Listen)
It’s loud, it’s obnoxious, and it’s all I listened to during the summer: “Tik Tok” is drunk-pop revelry at its finest, and one hell of a way to debut.

The song as just hit #1 on the Hot 100, according to yesterday’s Billboard news.

16. Shakira – She Wolf (Listen)
If anyone else sung this, it would be a disaster. But it’s not just anyone–it’s Shakira, the lust-worthy Latina songstress capable of making a coffee machine in an office sound downright sexy. The release was aided by an equally weird/brilliant video, featuring the singer doing enough limb-bending choreography to have Gumby crossing his legs in pain while watching.

“She Wolf” and its Spanish counterpart “Loba” climbed to the #11 spot on the US Hot 100 and a #1 position on the Hot Dance Club Songs list, as well as dozens of Top 10 positions all around the world.

15. Madonna – Celebration (Listen)
Ringing in over twenty-five years of international success in the music industry as the world’s reigning Queen of Pop, “Celebration” had quite a bit of hype to live up to. While some criticized the singer for trying too hard to maintain relevancy, the song served its purpose and ultimately contributed to the Madonna legacy of pure, unadulterated escapism tacked to a disco dancing beat.

While “Celebration” stalled at #71 on the US Billboard Hot 100, the song took a Top 5 charting across most other parts of the world, including a #3 peak in the UK’s Single Chart.

14. Rihanna – Hard (Listen)
Leading off one of the year’s best albums, Riri goes harder than ever before with a cocky chorus and a newfound swagger and delightfully confident sexuality. Lots of brags (“The hottest bitch in heels right here”) and lots of burns (“Ain’t like me, that chick too phony”). And as for that personal shout-out near the song’s end? “Where dem blah-gahs at? Where dem blah-gahs at?” Yeah…bonus points all around.

“Hard” has since climbed to the #11 position on the US Hot 100, though it’s still too new to declare the song’s peak position.

13. Sugababes – About A Girl (Listen)
As the unexpected dawn of a new era began late this year with the departure of Keisha Buchanan and the arrival of Jade Ewen, haters and doubters declared the girl group officially dead.

As it turned out, the Sugas have never sounded sweeter. “About A Girl” was the defiant anthem the girls needed to survive, earning a #8 spot on the UK Charts and proving that Jade Ewen is a voice to be reckoned with.

12. Lily Allen – The Fear (Listen)
Leading off the campaign for her sophomore album, It’s Not Me, It’s You, “The Fear” took a wry stab at the socialite life. With Greg Kurstin‘s glittering electronic beats and that gorgeous, dizzying chorus, it’s not hard to miss out on Allen’s dripping sarcasm: “I’ll take my clothes off and it will be shameless /’Cuz everyone knows that’s how you get famous.”

The song took the #1 spot on the UK singles chart, as well as scoring the “Best Track” award at the Q Awards.

11. Natalie Imbruglia – Want (Listen)
It’s all that you could ever want, over and over again: A lush, disco melody on repeat, “Want” is the sugary surprise single that led the march for Imbruglia’s solid fourth studio album, Come to Life.

Sadly, the song was never quite given its due credit, eventually peaking at #22 in Australia and #88 in the UK.

10. Gossip – Heavy Cross (Listen)
Did any other song send a chill running down our spines this year quite like Beth Ditto‘s howl of “I choose you!” just one minute into “Heavy Cross”? Doubtful. The song itself is a rocking smash, complete with jagged guitar riffs and disco-tinged drum beats, but it’s the Fred Falke remix made this release truly sublime.

The single premiered quite well overseas, including the #2 position in Germany and Switzerland, as well as the #14 spot on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.

9. La Roux – Bulletproof (Listen)
Say what I have about Elly Jackson‘s nasty attitude or her oft-insufferable falsetto, La Roux’s debut provided some of the catchiest, hookiest tracks of 2009. Add some bright, colorful ’80′s-flavored beats to one unstoppably catchy chorus, and there you have it: “Bulletproof,” a track that more than validated all those “One to Watch” list predictions last year.

“Bulletproof” took the #1 position on the UK charts, a #1 slot on the US Dance Charts, and a gold certification in Australia and New Zealand, amongst dozens of other countries.

8. Annie – Anthonio (Listen)
With the 2008 Don’t Stop campaign at a halt for more than half a year, “Anthonio” was the much-needed reassurance that the Anniemal was still alive and well. Soothing, melodic italo-disco sweeps over the speakers as the singer recalls the tale of the no-good, dirt bag who left alone and pregnant. What more could you ask for?

While it never landed a spot on the main Singles charts, “Anthonio” climbed to #5 on the UK Indie Chart.

7. Girls Aloud – Untouchable (Listen)
The word epic is far overused in modern society, but this song cannot be properly described by any other term: Clocking in at just under seven minutes, “Untouchable” is the Girls Aloud’s own “Bohemian Rhapsody,” complete with euphoric flares of synthesizers and a classic Xenomania beat.

In the greatest Pop Injustice of 2009, “Untouchable” charted just outside the Top 10 position in the UK at #11, effectively ending the girl group’s run of twenty Top 10 singles.

6. Florence + The Machine – Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) (Listen)
I’d seen some references to Florence over the summer, but it wasn’t until her performance of “Rabbit Heart” on Later…with Jools Holland that I realized just how magical this witchy woman and her music actually were. Honorable mentions go out to the equally deserving subsequent singles from Lungs, including “Drumming Song” and “You’ve Got the Love.”

“Rabbit Heart” peaked at #12 on the UK Singles Chart.

5. Bat For Lashes – Daniel (Listen)
Haunting vocals, warm droplets of synthesizer, and an endless, searching sense of loneliness, “Daniel” quickly became the clear, crowning victory of Bat For Lashes‘ Two Suns sessions.

“Daniel” peaked at #36 on the UK Singles Chart.

4. Royksopp – Girl and the Robot (Listen)
Combine Sweden’s Pop Princess with Norway’s electro-geniuses, and you’ve got yourself the greatest robot love song from a Swedish chanteuse since Margaret Berger‘s “The Robot Song”…and that’s saying a lot.

The song took on the #2 position on the Norweigan Singles Chart and a surprisingly modest #25 position on the Swedish Singles Chart.

3. Britney Spears – 3 (Listen)
Considering it’s Britney (bitch), “3″ is pretty low on my “Best Of” list. With a less-than-stellar video (the director’s cut having redeemed the original), Britney’s ode to playing Yahtzee with a friend or two (or Freudian exploration of fantasy, depending on who you ask) walks the line between sexy and sleazy a bit too unevenly, at times coming off childish and tacky (which is why I’m ready for a break from further Max Martin collaborations.) Subject matter aside, it’s still an unbelievably catchy record, and one hell of a Britney classic.

The single was an instant success with radio, nabbing the #1 spot on US radio, as well as a position in Top 10 charts all across the world.

2. Ellie Goulding – Under the Sheets (Listen)
Up until a few months ago, newcomer Ellie Goulding had released nothing but a few demos and behind-the-scenes videos on her MySpace.

“Under the Sheets,” her debut release, is a gorgeous, multi-layered tapestry of hypnotic electronica and breathy vocals, not all that far from the major league stuff of Imogen Heap and Björk. The song’s replay-ready quality, coupled with a yelp-at-the-top-of-your-lungs harmonies has, for better or worse, sprinkled all sorts of high expectations around the upcoming release of her debut album in 2010.

“Under The Sheets” has since peaked at #53 on the UK charts.

1. Lady Gaga – Bad Romance (Listen)
A crashing anthem of a chorus. Hitchcock references. A vogue-ready middle eight. Hooks a plenty. Nonsensical syllables abound. Fame. Death. Sex. Love. I’m a free bitch, baby.

As the most powerful, raucous celebration of pop music in years, “Bad Romance” has finalized Lady Gaga’s transition from a flavor of the month to an icon in the making. Though she may credit “Speechless” as her greatest song to date, it’s “Bad Romance” that takes the title in my book blog.

The song took the #2 spot on the Hot 100, as well as a #1 ranking in several countries internationally, including Canada, Italy, Sweden and the UK.

As if there were any question, “Bad Romance” is the best single of 2009, bar none.

There are 109 categories of nomination for a Grammy this year. I gave them all a brief looking-over, and these are the few that sparked my interest and are therefore most relevant to MuuMuse:

• BRITNEY SPEARS GETS A NOMINATION FOR DANCE RECORD OF THE YEAR WITH “WOMANIZER”! Congrats, B! But there’s a catch–she’s battling MADONNA with “Celebration”! AND THEN IT GETS WORSE AGAIN…Lady Gaga‘s “Poker Face” and David Guetta‘s When Love Takes Over” featuring Kelly Rowland! Eep.

• Speaking of, Lady Gaga’s pulled in SIX nominations, including Record of the Year (“Poker Face”) and Album of the Year (The Fame). While Beyonce proves a worthy opponent with a score of nominations in all the same categories, it’s dark horse Taylor Swift that may pull away from the two pop titans after a wave of post-Kanye guilt washes over the Grammy committee. Muusers, pray for Godga and Beysus to shine through!

• Imogen Heap scores two nominations for Best Pop Instrumental Record (“The Fire”) and quite ironically, Best Engineered Album (despite Ellipse being one of the worst mastering jobs of 2009).

• Kathy Griffin gets another go for her run at winning a Grammy! Suckin’ It for the Holidays has scored a nomination for Best Comedy Album. Competition’s tight, though: She’s up against Stephen Colbert, Patton Oswalt and George Lopez.

• The Yeah Yeah Yeahs have been nominated for Best Alternative Album, though they face an equally up-hill battle: Depeche Mode, David Byrne & Brian Eno, Pheonix and Death Cab for Cutie meet them to the challenge.

• Liza Minnelli‘s Liza’s At The Palace got a nod for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album! Bitches ain’t got shit on Liza with a Z.

• Kelly Clarkson and Pink are due to duel it out for Best Pop Vocal Album.

• Pet Shop Boys get a Best Electronic Album nomination with Yes! Yes! But they’re facing Lady Gaga! No!

Let’s face it, though: This is the Grammy Awards, an honor that hasn’t been relevant since The Bodyguard. In the end, all of the awards will probably end up going to the fucking Black Eyed Peas.

In 2005, Imogen Heap released the widely acclaimed Speak For Yourself, an album that dared to combine the catchiest of melodies with intricately crafted, self-produced electronica, challenging the very boundaries of pop music production.

For Imogen’s next undertaking, she decided to return to the very beginning–her childhood home, in fact. Building a studio in her family’s cottage outside of London, Heap began collecting sounds from the home–odd clicks in the floorboards, squeaky chair grunts, or anything else that might sound nice as a looped beat. Stitching them together between piano melodies and flourishes electronica, she began work on what would eventually grow into Ellipse, released on August 25.

Arguably, Heap’s third studio album is also the first of its kind to embrace the ever-expanding nebula of social media–evidence of which can be both seen and heard in the making of Ellipse: From the background chatter hidden within album closer, “Half Life” (a recording from London’s Twestival event held for the Twitter-minded), to streaming piano sessions broadcast live from Hawaii, to the weekly vLogs posted on YouTube tracking her album’s progress. The influence of social media even expanded into the the album’s artwork, complete with the winning photos from a Flickr-run fan contest, which were then projected onto Heap’s body as she was photographed posing around her home.

Considering all of this–the album’s organic growth and deep-rooted nostalgia factor, as well as its persistent emphasis on fan interaction–makes it all the more difficult to come to terms with what I’ve ultimately come to realize: Ellipse isn’t really all that good.

Believe me, I’ve tried. But the more I began listening–really, truly listening to this album, the more I began to accept that Ellipse just wasn’t capturing my attention. The hooks are less radio-friendly, the music is more intricate and interwoven, and the lyrics far more sophisticated this time around–which all sound like the ingredients to a mature follow-up, right? Well, it isn’t working here.

Ellipse lacks the coy pop sensibility of “Goodnight and Go,” the intricate melodies of “Loose Ends” and “Headlock,” and the carnal growl of her early angst-ridden releases, including “Sweet Religion” and “Come Here Boy.” As a result, Ellipse is an exercise in art-pop that simply promises too much.

At least a handful of tracks prove nearly impossible to stomach: I’ve tried to find the patience to work through the goofy effervescence of “Earth,” failing each time the gleeful vocal layering comes pulsating into the airwaves. The same applies to “A-Ha!”, which has no idea what it wants to be; an ominous, sweeping taunt that comes off as a cross between a drinking song and a not-quite-there reject from the Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack.

Even the bark of “Bad Body Double,” Imogen’s personal Single White Female backhand that promises all sorts of excellence in print (“We look the same except she’s got some greys and a little extra weight on the sides and dimply thighs…I hear that stuff’s a bitch to get rid of”) just barely comes off as a whimper in song form.

The sound effects–the vocal layering which felt inspired and fresh on Speak For Yourself, now overload Ellipse with a certain degree of lameness; at times even providing the creeping suspicion that this album would be far better suited as the backing sound for a children’s TV show. In fact, the album’s mastering in general simply sounds mediocre in comparison. No matter what adjustments I’ve made to the volume, treble, or bass, Ellipse still sounds like being played just out of reach of the speakers.

This isn’t to say that the album is all bad. After all, this is still an Imogen Heap production, which guarantees a certain amount of inherent magic. For me, the most stripped-down album tracks happen to be favorites, including “Wait It Out,” “Tidal,” and even the all-too-short instrumental, “The Fire.”

“Canvas” is perhaps Heap’s most important show of growth: Maneuvering through the song with her most clever lyricism and a host of brooding, soaring piano and string melodies, the singer shines a light on the subjects of heartache and longing in a believable, brooding manner. The album’s more romantic melodies display a similar break in style, including as “2-1,” “Between Sheets,” and “Half Life,” which are nothing short of bliss; the latter of which proving to be on par, if not better, than her infamous ballad “Hide and Seek.”

Be it the fault of spending too much time micro-managing and nitpicking the same songs in her home studio over a three year period, or allowing too much input into the process from fans this time around, or simply as a result of “the hype,” Ellipse is not quite everything I’d hoped it to be. It’s listenable, and at times quite enjoyable at its beginning and end, but as far as developing, growing, and evolving as an artist, Ellipse more often than not comes off sounding like a side-step rather than a stride ahead.

Purchase Ellipse on iTunes | MySpace | Official Website

And now, Imogen Heap sketching a naked man covered in fruit in her childhood cottage.

If there were any interview from this era I’d suggest for you to watch, it would be this one. Oh, and that slapping sound in “Bad Body Double”? Ponder no more–Immi explains it all all here. (Hint: IT’S HER ASS.)

Now grab a banana and tune in!