[33s] Pop Levi, Never Never Love

If you've ever wondered what might have happened if Prince had received a stern blow to the head in his teens and decided that ELO and Sparks were the true keepers of funk-rock's flame, well, Pop Levi has some answers. The erstwhile Ladytron bassist’s 2007 debut - The Return To Form Black Magick Party - was the kind of inventive mish-mash that appeals to a hipster or two, but with Never Never Love he's found some focus – and not just in choice of title. 'Dita Dimoné' and 'Wannamama' are straight-up rock'n'roll fed through some serious electronics, with Levi's half-Bolan half-Plant sneer adding showman character, while lush tropical ballad 'Semi-babe' and the sunshine reggae of 'Mai's Space' (ouch) reveal the man's range. Yes, 'Everything And Finally' flirts a little too enthusiastically with Purple pastiche and the dizzy synths and sugarsweet melodies occasionally make Never Never Love rather bright for the naked ear, but with its surfeit of fearless pop tunes, this a winning slab of summer fun.