Head First, Mute, ****

You need rocket-powered boots to keep up with Alison Goldfrapp. One minute she's the ice queen of chillout, next she's a synthpop siren or a spaced-out earth mother. Goldfrapp was lauded for going back to her chill-out roots on Seventh Tree, but secretly we want her to don the batwing sleeves and make like a robo-slut from the 1980s.

On Head First, Goldfrapp channels the spirits of Laura Brannigan and Donna Summer on a set of super-catchy tunes that should be required listening for the cast of Glee. Silent partner Will Gregory revels in rolling out the familiar synthpop motifs, but adds some swirling ideas of his own. If Jean Michel-Jarre had joined Eurythmics, they might have come up with something akin to this. A synthful pleasure. See goldfrapp. com

Download tracks: Rocket, Alive Head First