CINERAMA: Your Charm (Scopitones) -- Taken from their second album Disco Volante Your Charm sticks to the lounge-like formula that David Gedge has made his trademark. But behind the swooning structure of the song, former Wedding Present frontman Gedge still lets his cynical side slip through with some acerbic lyrics. (5/10) JD

FUZZ LIGHT YEARS: Masquerade (Animal Noise) -- Sounding like former punkettes Kenicke, the second single from this new band is a blinding slice of day-glo pop. But for all the glory of the melody, recent bands who've have followed this formula of mixing pop and punk have quickly fallen by the wayside. So, for all the quality of this track, I doubt they'll be more than one album cast-offs. Simply to good to last. (8/10) CL

ALBUMS:

PAUL OAKENFOLD: Travelling (Perfecto) -- No matter what phase dance is going through, Oakenfold is always leading from the front, as this album proves. As diverse as ever, he fails to disappoint with this mix of tunes, ranging from the haunting to the uplifting. (8/10) DH

PRECIOUS: New Beginning (EMI) -- Chances are you'll already know most of these tracks, with four already released as singles. But don't let that detract from the fact that this is essentially a great pop album crammed with songs which ooze sophistication without a hint of arrogance. To call these girls (above) the new Spice Girls is most unfair. To my mind, they are much better. (8/10) DH

WOOKIE: Self Titled, (Soul 2 Soul) -- UK garage is one of the sounds of 2000 and Jason Lain aka Wookie is one of the prime exponents in that field. His self-titled debut album shows exactly why he is one of the best around. From the familar beats of Battle to the smooth R'n'B rhythms of Success, this album has 11 perfectly-produced cuts which make it a must for any garage fan. (8/10) GC

SWELL: Feed (Beggars Banquet) --Talked up as the forerunners of Grandaddy and the rest of the new American indie scene, the comparisons are obvious. With wistful lyrics, bleeps and noises over the top of distorted guitar sounds, the only difference is that the thought behind it just isn't quite there. A good listen but not in the same class as the new breed. (6/10) MA