Polly Scattergood

Unlike so many of her contemporaries, English singer Polly Scattergood (her real name) doesn't lean on retro hooks or calculated sass to propel her music. Rather, the Essex native looks north to Scandinavian singers like Annie and Robyn for electro-pop inspiration, carving out her niche in the female pop singer field. Björk is probably the easiest point of reference for her voice, although Scattergood lacks the Icelandic chanteuse's range. Songs like "Please Don't Touch," "Other Too Endless" and debut single "Nitrogen Pink" could easily crash the top 40, giving the Lilys and Amys of the world a run for their money. Throwing her into that lot suggests there's a disposable quality to Scattergood's music but the depth of material on her debut suggests her eyes are set on a career as an album artist rather than chart ascendancy.