There's a fair amount of fear and loathing percolating through Rose Elinor Dougall's first solo outing in seven years, but it's shot through with a sharp-edged pop sensibility and an uncanny facility for hummable hooks. Formerly a member of The Pipettes, and having toured extensively with Mark Ronson, Dougall has notched up the road miles, so her songwriting speaks of a certain world-weariness that belies her relative youth. Prominent synths summon a retro vibe on a number of the tracks, but it's when she gets out from behind the sometimes sticky arrangements that Dougall's real substance is palpable. Dive, on which she duets with Boxed In, is a glimpse of the wide-open canvas that suits her best. Languid yet composed, Stellular is a largely confident return to the action, peppered with some curious backward glances that stifle rather than enrich her new songbook.

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