I HAVE to say that Imogen Heap came as something of a surprise to me.

As part of the duo Frou Frou, she was responsible for a string of forgettable Euro pop tracks leaning more on electronic hardware than musical talent.

And while she has not turned her back on the electro gizmos, this latest solo effort contains some real gems.

Heap started her career as a solo artist and has gone out on her own again with Speak For Yourself, with the exception of the excellent track Hide and Seek which sees her mixing with Richie Mills.

The album starts strongly with the Kate Bush-esque Headlock but too many of the tracks are more Britney than Babooshka as Heap slips rather disappointingly back into the world of pop.

Two tracks lift the album out of the doldrums, the up tempo Daylight Robbery and Closing In with its atmospheric eerie edge to it.

But others disappoint and Speak For Yourself suffers as a result.

DL