Trip the Light Fantastic

The faultless reputation of Sophie Ellis-Bextor

A straggle for living in the female higher pop league is a cruel game. Every one who tries to cross the multi platinum threshold of the star elite house should be aware of it. Just get relaxed a little and this is it – you're no longer pop diva of today, but a past time prodigy left to watch rivals' backs. Luckily Sophie Ellis-Bextor has some experience in the tactical straggle. She has entered into a direct chart-confrontation with ex-Spice Girls member Victoria Beckham as far back as 2000 when both of them released their first singles. It must be said that Sophie has won that battle but since then the two are known as rivals to each other. Actually Sophie was never doing wrong steps in her career – her albums and singles has always been well accepted by the audience. Having released only two discs at the dawn of a new century she has almost neared to a status of British pop icon – faultless, gorgeous and enshrouded in a mist of purely English charm. But nevertheless the issue of her third album has lingered for four years. It is a pretty long break for the conditions of strict competition. But the time wasn't spent for nothing, even if Sophie has lost some of her show business positions her new album Trip the Light Fantastic will not just win them back but will force many to yield the right-of-way to the chart's highest points.

Sophie didn't change the stylistics of her music

Judging by Sophie's previous works she always was a single oriented artist. Her albums were great indeed but her fame is based mostly on the separate songs. However, it seems like this time around she will be able to fix the situation. Trip the Light Fantastic sounds very (even awesomely) good. And in this sense, by the way, the four years gap may act in her favor. The hit-single stereotype she was associated with in the past has somehow worn out and now craving for qualitative albums public will finally have a chance to appreciate the entire work. Luckily, Sophie managed to get ready for it. She didn't change the stylistics of her music; simply the correlation of hit and transient material is obviously inclines towards the former. The album's official singles are Catch You and Me And My Imagination; both of the songs are great dance floor anthems, pretty up-tempo and catchy. Catch You is simply one of the best songs here, it has a nice guitar driven intro, irresistible dance spirit and a catchy verse. While Me And My Imagination has a more Madonna like appearance and retro disco feel mixed with modern sound massiveness.

Trip the Light Fantastic is simple, accessible and catchy

Aside from the official radio hits the album offers piles of really catchy things. New York City Lights and Today The Sun's On Us form an unofficial singles block. They sound just beautiful. The songs have some rock music influence yet the arrangements are still dwells on dance music. The best of those songs that comprise the meat of the album are probably If You Go, which is really poppy and simple and mid tempo The Distance Between Us that has heart beat samples in the chorus. However, Sophie is trying to expand her stylistic boarders. China Heart for instance is a separate hit; it sounds a little bit different from the rest of material and has a slight melancholic feel. As for Sophie's vocal abilities, let's put it like this - singing is her calling. She doesn't amaze your mind with a high range of notes but her voice is very addictive, it sounds silky and scorched at the same time and it makes her timbre unique. Trip the Light Fantastic is definitely one of the best pop releases of the current year. It is simple, accessible, catchy and what is the main thing here it really suites for party nights.