SINGLES

EMILIANA TORRINI: To Be Free (One Little Indian)-- Being both Icelandic and on the One Little Indian record label means it comes as little surprise this new artist has more than a few Bjork influences. But the dry lyrcis to this cold love song are strong enough to suggest this writer has huge potential. Emiliana's only drawback is that she sounds so much like her more-famous countrywoman she may just fail to make her own mark. (6/10) CL

FAT BOY SLIM, featuring Macy Gray: Demons (Skint) --Working with the eccentric Macy Gray is close to the best thing Norman Cook has done all year. Here Cook's understated DJing provides the perfect platform for one of the unique voices in pop at the moment. An excellent offering. (9/10) CL

KEITH 'n' SHANE: Girl You Know It's True (Polydor) -- Sadly, the Boyzone passengers of Keith and Shane are back to remind why they where ignored first time around. Proving that rapping is harder than it looks, their efforts really are laughable as they take a cheesy look at life in a boy band. And as they banter together on the sad Be Like Us Sound Like Us, the script could have been lifted straight from the Father Ted comedy series on telly. Someone should have the heart to point them back in the direction of their free meal ticket on the Boyzone bandwagon, where they can hide behind the slightly more talented Ronan. (1/10) CL

ALBUMS

VARIOUS: We Love Yule EP (We Love You) -- Here the indie label celebrates the end of it's first year with a festive sampler. But although the EP contains four artists, I am Kloot shine brightest with Sunlight Hits The Snow. Co-produced by Elbow's Guy Garvey, this is just another reminder of why Manchester's underground scene is attracting so much attention. (8/10) CL

SUGABABES: One Touch (London) -- The debut album from the teenage girl trio kicks off with their massive hit single Overload. The quality in the uptempo staccato soul of One Foot In and Same Old Story suggests a maturity beyond their tender years. Using a host of songwriters is maybe part of the Sugarbabes' masterplan, for it never allows them to settle into a formula. Just when you thing you have a handle on their style you get Soul Sound, which could have been taken straight from a '60s girl group's songbook or recorded by the Supremes. (8/10) CL