Pop Tidbits: let's hear it for the girls!

• I am currently writing up a review for the fabulous new album by pop survivor Soraya. Her album is all sorts of electro fabulousness. It is like she is carrying a torch for dance after the likes of Kate Ryan and Dannii appear to be taking much-needed breaks from that particular scene. On her new album Dreamer, the listener hears Soraya break away from her pop princess comfort zone and head straight into a rather credible dance arena. Thankfully, its has been well-received. A review is pending...

• Another review that's pending is one on the the delightful singer Dee Dee (with production credits going to Terry Ronald and Ian Masterson). She has just released her EP called The Low Down. I am fully preparing to juice my hyperbolic diction later when I review the 5-track throbbing collection later this week. My initial feeling: I love it. Its well worth the snip at £3.95 pence. More on her soon!

• Miss Kookie is a delightful singer from Cambridge. But it's Germany where she's making a name for herself with her debut single, a cover of Puttin' on the Ritz via Polydor Records. I am rather excited to see her swing back to the golden oldies without appearing too much like a tribute act. She's adding her own sass and attitude to this timeless standard. Looking forward to what she comes up with next.

• Staying in Germany, it's the band Monrose. I love their new album Ladylike, but it is suffering from distribution issues. Which is weird as their label is a major... The latest single, This is Me, which featured writing credits from Shaznay Lewis, only crept in at number 22. However it has led to some album sales picking up. Playing it safe, the label has gone for a ballad as their 3rd single. This is understandable as Monrose seem to do well when they release ballads. I for one think this is a mistake when they have a track like "Catwalk Vogue" on the album. But hey, Monrose have never picked the right songs for singles so far so why break the habit of a lifetime?

• ... Which isn't good as the ninth series of Popstars has already ratcheted up its search in Germany for another girl group. This despite the fact that No Angels, Queensberry and the aforementioned Monrose (all formed via the T.V show) are still releasing material. So far, ratings for this series are a vast improvement on the previous which was a huge disaster for the rather maligned franchise. Whatever group emerges victorious this time round will definitely drain fans away from Queensberry and Monrose. Consequently it is up to them to really step up their games.

• Who be Graziella Schazad? I have a major pop crush on this girl. Her mum is from Poland and her dad hails from Afganistan. She's an amazing artist. Expect to see a review on DSTP on her album once I've picked myself from the floor at its damn-over-the-top beauty. Highly recommended.

• Elouise, friend of DSTP, has confirmed a number of things recently. A physical release of her new E.P, "Stardust Melodies" is due this November featuring Stardust, Winner Takes it All and You'll Never Walk Alone. She's also recently confirmed a second date of her Stardust show in the heart of Soho at the glittering venue Madame Jojo's on the 17th of November. For more information go here. Elouise will be performing classic torch songs and of course songs from Stardust Melodies. The E.P see's Elouise team-up with Steve Anderson once again and the two are joined in the recording studio by the talented Graeme Blevins, Graeme Flowers and Alistair White (who some might recall from Kylie's recent tour!).

• Swinging south to sunny Spain once more, we find a band with an English name and one I've long held a torch for. But I must admit my grudging acceptance that Dover's new single was utterly misleading. The album from whence it sprung is a tad disappointing. It won't please the pop fans that Dover consumed when they took a musical u-turn and drenched themselves in disco blips and poptastic bangs. However, nor will the album appease their hardcore rock fans who've seen Dover adapt and change. Many Dover fans stuck by the band when they went electro because the songs were good and catchy enough. They also charted incredibly well and brought the band right into the mainstream. However, this might lead the band into the ether. This could be the last straw for those old timers. Their new fans will buy the album thinking there are more bulky pop songs like the lead single and instead the band have presented a collection of songs that can only be described as a dull spectrum of all different shades of "meh".