28/02/10: DIANA VICKERS- Once

If you were on this planet two years ago and you didn't hear a mention of Diana Vickers, then what rock were you sleeping under? In case you haven't a clue of this sultry solo singer, Diana was featured on The X Factor and made it down to the final four. However, although failing to bag the winner's position, people saw big talent in the unconventional Vickers and she was swiftly signed up to RCA Records and began working on her new album, entitled 'Songs from the Tainted Cherry Tree'.

The first song from this album, titled 'Once', certainly shows that there is a lot of promise in Vickers. When Diana was on The X Factor, her voice was unlike any other contestant, and luckily that original voice plays a huge part in this track. With a killer hook ('I'm only gonna let you kill me once') and lyrics penned by Cathy Dennis and Eg White, the song incorporates elements of synthpop, a sound that is growing in the UK music scene. At times- especially when the word 'Once' is repeated over and over- the song sounds a little samey and too much pop for liking, but it must be stated that this certainly differs from the route other X Factor contestants have taken. Winners such as Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke have gone for mainstream sounds, but Diana's seems pretty original and quirky in nature.

The song is released on April 19th, one week before Vickers releases her debut album. Today's music scene is packed to the brim with fresh new sounds from female artists, with the likes of Florence + The Machine, Marina and The Diamonds and Ellie Goulding seeing hoards of success. It is yet to be seen whether Diana will see as much success, but this song certainly has the makings to provide the first stepping stone.

24/02/10: GENERAL FIASCO- Ever So Shy

In today's music industry, you have to work hard to get your name above the others, especially when you consider that indie music in particular has some very strong competition. So allow us to introduce General Fiasco, a band from Northern Ireland, who after many demo's seem to have now found a song to introduce themselves to the world.

'Ever So Shy' is a pretty stereotypical indie track, with a stereotypical meaning- boy likes girl, boy points out qualities in girl and so on. However, although it's nothing new, the song is attractive to the ears due to its sing-along nature. Many indie songs plough the airwaves and are instantly criticised as being depressive, but the guitar riffs in this tune prevent that thought from crossing your mind. The vocals of this track come courtesy of lead singer Owen Strathern, whom at the beginning of the song sounds a lot like Placebo's Brian Molko before exploding into a new range that makes the band challenge the likes of The Kooks and Razorlight. Sure, they might not be as good, but this song really sets new heights for the band.

After forming three years ago, General Fiasco have been hanging around behind the scenes with little chart success. However, 'Ever So Shy' has all the makings for General Fiasco to have their name circulated, and if this is to occur, then the band deserve all the success they may get. Their debut album, 'Buildings', is out later next month.

22/02/10: THE COURTEENERS- You Overdid It Doll

It's been quite a while since a great indie track has come about, so allow Mancunian indie band The Courteeners to grace your eardrums with this sensational new track. Following on from the success of their UK top 5 album, 'St. Jude', in 2008, the band are back and starting things off with new material from their second album, 'Falcon' which was released today.

To get things started, 'You Overdid It Doll' is a perfect indie song. But then again, perfect is what you can expect from The Courteeners, whose name rings many bells across the Northern music scene. The track is probably so good as The Courteneers have only slightly altered their much celebrated sound from a few years ago. And they've altered it in a very subtle way, with the backing sound behind Liam Fray's vocals being quite dark, but in an alternative dance kind of way. It's also probably a lot more catchier than previous tracks, with the 'You Overdid It Doll' hook ringing in your ears long after you've finished listening to the track. Also, still on this track is Fray's husky voice which made songs such as 'Not Nineteen Forever' so big across the indie scene.

Change isn't always a good thing for bands, and it's welcoming that this track shows that The Courteeners have only slightly altered what was already pretty perfect. 'You Overdid It Doll' is a brilliant first track to release off the band's new album, and it's already making a huge mark across radio stations across the UK.

21/02/10: CHEW LIPS- Karen

A big name in the UK's underground scene, Chew Lips have seen most of their success through the form of the internet. Last year, tracks such as 'Solo' and 'Salt Air' were widely circulated around sites such as YouTube, Myspace and Lastfm, yet the band were rarely critically acclaimed. However, this year may see that all change, especially following the release of their debut album, 'Unicorn', a month ago.

And with the new album comes the latest release, titled 'Karen.' If you've heard Chew Lips' material before, then this track seems a little more sombre and less catchy than what they have produced previously. However, this is not always a bad thing. 'Karen' incorporates some chilled out electro beats and really highlights the voice of lead singer Tigs. Although this eccentric female's voice isn't the strongest in the pack, it certainly isn't terrible as she sings the beautifully composed lyrics pretty well. The backdrop sound of drums, synths, keyboards and guitars all play a part in Chew Lips' exciting music, and on 'Karen' this is luckily no exception.

When Chew Lips released 'Solo' back in the summer of last year, some critics went as far as saying that the band had produced one of the most exciting hits of the year. 'Karen' clearly isn't as good as 'Solo' as it's a more chilled-out track, but upon listening it clearly proves that Chew Lips deserve to be up there with the best.

20/02/10: ALPHABEAT- Hole In My Heart

Danish pop band Alphabeat haven't been around for a little while, working hard on their newest album to hit the shops, 'The Beat Is...'. This comes after the huge success the band created over in the UK in 2008, with their best-selling song 'Fascination' rapidly becoming an infectious hit. But now, Alphabeat are back, and the first song to come from the band in 2010 is this inspiring track.

'Hole In My Heart' is nothing new in terms of pop music, but Alphabeat certainly have changed their sound over the course of two years. It wasn't entirely necessary that they needed to, but this song gives a new darker, atmospheric twist to Alphabeat's music. Heavily influenced by mid-90's dance acts, 'Hole in My Heart' incorporates some infectious piano beats and the whole feel of the track is Europop. The lyrics are a bit over-repetitive, but this song has the right feel of a dance hit, so expect it to hit the clubs soon.

So, this song certainly brings a new style to Alphabeat, and the band said themselves that their new album sees the loss of the pop roots that dominated their debut album. It's difficult to see whether many people will take notice of the new style, and whether the Danish band will be as successful as they once were, but 'Hole in My Heart' is a very decent- if mediocre- effort of a club hit.

16/02/10: DELPHIC- Halcyon

Alternative dance/indie band Delphic may not have made much of an impact on the UK chart scene with the hotly anticipated 'Doubt'. Although being highly promoted and favoured through a number of radio stations, the song failed to enter the top 75. However, what it did do was show that Delphic were an enchanting band, and their new release 'Halcyon' proves this point furthermore.

Perhaps more radio friendly than 'Doubt', 'Halcyon' starts off with soothing synth sounds before exploding into some serious dance beats. What's welcoming to know, however, is that Delphic are not your traditional dance band. With many dance songs, lyrics are repetitive, lousy and hardly very well strung together. But Delphic break out of the conventions, with the dreamy opening lines ('You said enough, you said too much, you focus solely on her touch, Halcyon') preparing you for a song that undoubtedly blows you away. The song is so amazingly produced that it's also surprising that it was recorded in a small Berlin studio, as the track sounds like serious stuff.

This certainly isn't the last we're going to see of Delphic. Their debut album recently managed to creep into the UK top 10 and the band are acquiring a cult following by the day. Whether this song will catapult Delphic to the fame they achieve is anyone's guess, but 'Halcyon' certainly has all the conventions to do so.

07/02/10: ELIZA DOOLITTLE- Skinny Genes

A few years ago, the UK Charts were bustling with a large number of quirky songs, mainly orientated by the likes of Kate Nash and Lilly Allen. Now, here in 2010, with Nash recording her second album and Allen threatening to leave the UK scene, someone needs to fill the gap. So along comes Eliza Doolittle, whose debut track is set for release in the near future.

'Skinny Genes' basically comments on a relationship, with the track's overall feeling being of a love-hate romance. The lyrics are pretty simple but very cleverly strung together, and the music is whistle-along fodder. Eliza's voice is also pretty strong and within it you get the sense of a 'mockney' accent which boosted Nash and Allen to fame. And that is in no way a bad thing. The sleek piano playing that hides behind Doolittle's voice also works in this track, making the song a chirpy track that will be stuck in your brain for days to come.

Whether this track will boost Doolittle to fame, however, is yet to be seen. She has the voice, the style and the quirkiness, but yet is still very underrated. However, this track is feel-good stuff, and is pretty difficult not to bop along to.