Three

About

In their short career, Sugababes had already undergone a series of striking evolutions, having lost a record deal and a member (Siobhán Donaghy) before gaining another (Heidi Range) and executing the kind of barnstorming comeback usually reserved for action heroes. Their third release appears precision-engineered to cement their new position as the UK’s surly princesses of genre-bending pop. Opening track “Hole in the Head” wastes no time in accomplishing this aim. A jumble of hooks, frenetic beats, and thrillingly inane lyrics (“Just because you made me go ‘Ooh’/Doesn’t mean I’ll put up with you”), it’s catchier than chickenpox and twice as persistent. It is one of five tracks co-written and produced by pop powerhouse Xenomania (Cher, Kylie Minogue, Girls Aloud), including “In the Middle,” a chaotic, funk-inflected ode to riotous nights in the club (“Sooner or later this drunken elevator’s/Gonna stop where I’m supposed to be”). “Million Different Ways” employs a bhangra beat under lyrics about bringing a faltering romance back from the brink, while things get less experimental–but no less accomplished–on the ballads. Diane Warren-penned “Too Lost in You” is the perfect propulsive showcase for Mutya’s rich, bassy vocals, while the orchestra-backed “Caught in a Moment” is sweepingly cinematic. Sugababes’ strength has always been in the blend of their voices, so it’s a curious decision to include a solo performance from each member, but one that pays off. Keisha’s effort, “Whatever Makes You Happy,” retools the bassline from Sly Fox’s “Let’s Go All the Way” to energizing effect, while Heidi Range’s “Sometimes” is a sweeping ballad. Meanwhile, Mutya’s “Maya” finds her in a rare contemplative mood, over a spare, burbling beat and spacey synths. It’s a beguiling finale to a confident collection.

via Apple Music