Review: Alexandra Burke ‘Let It Go’

2008 X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke seems intent on becoming the Rihanna dance diva of the United Kingdom with her second album, HeartBreak On Hold, if its first single Elephant, and, just released, follow-up Let It Go are indicative of what to expect from it. Not a move I'm thrilled with, it has to be said.

Let It Go is giving us more synths, more chanty/shouty choruses, and,of course, a dub-step breakdown- all things that seem to be a prerequisite of getting radio play these days. But its all kept light and breezy with a production that's weighted more towards the treble than the bass, giving Let It Go a sound that is perfectly suited for summer. Emotionally, however, it rings hollow, despite the "inspiring" angle of the lyrics.

For something to be this generic and get away with it, it needs something special about it: and that "something" should have been Alexandra Burke's voice. If she had given the vocal on Let It Go even a drop of the life/soul/edge that was demonstrated week after week on the X-Factor it would have lifted the song tremendously. Instead, we have a lifeless, robotic delivery that sounds more like that of a session singer providing a map of the melody, and plenty of creative space, for another artist to come and inject their own individuality if they were to pick the track up.

At 23 Alexandra Burke is a young lass so its not hard to understand why she would want to keep her music youthful and thus gear her sound to that of the club. But for someone who was around to hear what the 90's dance scene produced- to which this borrows heavily from- Let It Go falls very flat in comparison...It's still better than Elephant, though.

Rating:D+

Let It Go released on  the 27th of May
HeartBreak On Hold released on the 4th of June