First listen: Little Boots - Nocturnes.

So, continuing on from where I started yesterday in my quest to get up to speed with new releases. Actually, Little Boots sophomore effort isn't even released for another two days yet. That said - I am definitely going to be purchasing this record! I liked her debut album; 2009's Hands, although I probably haven't heard it in a year or two. That being said I can remember liking it but feeling it was perhaps a little bit safe. In any case that just makes the development on Nocturnes all the more striking for me. The album still has its fair share of retro influences: I can hear sprinklings of 70s disco, 90s piano house and even a tiny element of acid house thought its ten tracks. The album is in no way dated though, the last half of the album very much has an incredibly modern sound. And I loved every song on the album bar All For You, and even then I still liked it. Honestly - I was expecting to like the album without being blown away by it, but it has really surprised me. Strangers, Shake, Broken Record and Confusion are already some of my favorite songs this year. I have to say, it's my album of the year so far along with David Bowie's The Next Day. So far in 2013 I'm feeling very enthusiastic about current electronic music after becoming disenchanted with it over the course of the last few years. A great surprise from Little Boots!