More about: Sophie Ellis-Bextor

During the uncertain springtime of 2020, Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s living room became a haven of hope and optimism. Her Friday night home-discos, featuring lively covers of hit dance songs and jazzed-up originals, became an internet sensation and cemented her in the lockdown memories of the nation. Ellis-Bextor’s brand new compilation - her first, in fact - Songs From The Kitchen Disco’features many of the tracks from those spirit-lifting  online parties and other hits from her two decade career.  

A surprising twist of an often rickety 2020 has been the revival and the delightfully modern embrace of disco. The repetitive beats, the swooping synths and the dance-floor themed lyrics have offered a well needed remedy for the darker and more challenging days of recent months. The joyful and defiant positivity is masterfully channeled by Ellis-Bextor throughout her brand new good-vibe laden compilation.  

Opening with the immediate funk of the early house inspired ‘Groovejet’ a welcoming bombardment of nostalgia swoops in, casting memories of happier and simpler times. The anthemic ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ - a staple of the noughties night out (and recently sampled by Skepta) - sounds as fresh as it ever has, while the infectious ear-worm of ‘Get Over You’ sticks around long after the song has ended.

Live performance recordings of Pulp’s ‘Do you Remember the First Time?’ and New Order’s ‘Truth Faith’ boast Ellis-Bextor’s splendid ability to embrace new genres, offering her own personal twist on new musical territory. Tracks ‘Today The Sun's On Us’ and the brilliant attitude fuelled ‘Catch You’ see Ellis Bextor rekindling her late nineties rock sensibilities. The tender ‘Young Blood’ from album Wanderlust conjures images of sentimental days gone by and the stripped-back piano accompaniment leaves listeners hankering for more of these personal and less dance reliant moments.  

The endearing Ellis-Bextor sashays masterfully from semi-bubblegum pop to Brit-pop influenced indie throughout the album's twenty track length. Each track has its own simple verse-chorus-verse structure, yet is rife with charming individual characteristics separating it from the last.

The two final tracks, both covers, ‘Crying at the Discotheque’ - originally by Alcazar - and ‘My Favourite Things’ taken from The Sound of Music truly show off her likability and downright charm as an artist: refreshingly, she's unafraid to have fun. Songs From the Kitchen Disco may be a traditional ‘Best Of’ but at the time of writing it’s quite simply and most delightfully a little piece of solace in an otherwise busy and distracting world. 

Songs From the Kitchen Disco is out now.

More about: Sophie Ellis-Bextor