Soundgirl - Hero

Soundgirl are nothing if not versatile - their free download taster track I'm The Fool was a bit of urban-pop brilliance, a fitting testament to a group that in many ways present the future of legendary hitmakers Xenomania (Miranda Cooper is the brains behind the Soundgirl tracks).

Follow-up Don't Know Why, while just missing out on the Top 40, was just as catchy and irresistible as its predecessor - and with the cool credibility to bag a playlist spot on the likes of 1 Xtra.

Between the two tracks, Soundgirl cemented themselves as an exciting, feisty new force in the world of pop, and next single Hero helps show yet another side to them. Perhaps the most 'traditional' track they've released to date, it's a classy slice of mid-tempo R&B full of lines like 'don't need no hero... don't need no superman to call on' - basically, they're Independent Ladies and don't need a man, etc.

Sound-wise, the track is an eclectic mix, coming on as if the synths are by Erasure and the vocals courtesy of Girlfriend-era Avril Lavigne. Yes, those Soundgirl raps are back, and they sound great - if the band can claim anything as their individual quirk, it's that undeniable Britishness and boy do the raps help bring that to the fore.

Soundgirl have the tunes, there's no doubt about that - surely it can only be a matter of time until the public cottons on to how good they are?

Hero is released on the 12th September, with the band's debut album Something To Dream About following a week later on the 19th.