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Datarock, Datarock, By Datarock

With all of the great dance rock/indie dance bands coming onto the scene, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle, but Datarock is not a band to overlook. The Norwegian rockers are coaxing the resurfacing sound into its neo-age with a smooth combination of the best of early dance pop and today’s indie rock (think Bowie meets Hot Hot Heat).

In the spirit of contemporaries such as Chromeo and MSTRKRFT, Datarock is making great rock music that makes you wanna dance your heart out. And they’re not afraid to experiment either – tracks such as “Ganguro Girl” and “Laurie” step away from the pop rock sound of the rest of the tracks, showing their confidence and range.

As much as their fashion-sense is…questionable (track suits and chest hair with wrap-around shades, really?), Datarock is being called the future of indie dance and this, their debut album, certainly makes them contenders.

Perfect for: Friday night dance parties
Stand-out track: It’s a tie! “Princess” and “Sex Me Up” are equally fantastic – just for different reasons, so they both get the FLARE.com salute.

Theology, By Sinead O’Connor

It’s no secret that Ms. O’Connor has been a beacon of eccentricity throughout her career. The past few years have made her Saturday Night Live stunt where she tore up a photo of Pope John Paul look rather tame. From her ordination, to rockin’ with the Rastas, the likelihood of Sinead ever returning to heartbreaking ballads was looking less and less likely.

Fortunately, she’s come through with the release of Theology – twenty whole years after her very first release, The Lion and The Cobra. And it certainly does seem to be a full circle moment for Sinead. The rich soulfulness of her voice has returned and although her lyrical content is at times as provocative as ever, “Something Beautiful” and “I Don’t Know How To Love Him” are pleasant reminders of her work in the early nineties with the discs, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, and Am I Not Your Girl? which were arguably her best.

The double-disc is, as O’Connor claims, her attempt to create a place of peace in a time of war, and the sounds which resonate do plead for comfort. Despite her many evolutions, these softer, more nourishing cries are where Sinead seems most at home.

Perfect for: Empowering yourself
Stand-out track: “I Don’t Know How To Love Him”