La Roux

Elly Jackson (vocalist and co-writer for Brixton synth pop revivalists La Roux) comes across as utterly desperate on her band's self-titled debut. Not in a needing someone to love her way, as La Roux's shit-hot status in the UK will no doubt provide sufficient adoration. No, Jackson's desperation falls more in line with the panache that made groups like Buzzcocks and Rip, Rig + Panic sound so important three decades back. Songs like "In for the Kill" and "Bulletproof" are written the way bona fide hits should: with slicked-out, bouncy beats and "sing along the first time you hear it" choruses. Comparisons to Yaz and Annie Lennox will be made; British tabloids will name Jackson the coolest person in rock; and North Americans will raise nary an eyebrow. Like fellow British new-new romantics the XX and the Big Pink, La Roux never let the beat get the best of them, rather focusing on melody and technique, generating the dreamiest batch of synthy love this side of Martin Gore.