Girls on film

Some cynics may suggest that Florence and The Machine would never have been signed were it not for the success of Kate Nash or Lily Allen. The truth is, they're probably right. In the same way that we wouldn't have Keane if it weren't for Coldplay (ah, just imagine that), record companies are out to make money, it's what they do, so of course they want to follow a successful formula with something similar. In the case of Florence (I'm not sure what her machine looks like, it's missing from the video) and debut single 'Kiss With A Fist', it's a formula that she's adapted to create something with a bit more bite, even if the subject matter of domestic violence is perhaps one not ripe for arch generalisations. People will probably call her the female Jamie T, she'll no doubt get referred to as a poet dissecting Britain's youth culture and we'll be bored of her by September. But for now, here's 'Kiss With A Fist' (it's annoyingly catchy):



As you can see Florence is pretty cool. I know that because none of her clothes match and she dances like a kid at a wedding. As does Rebekah Raa, singer with Stricken City, although if it were a wedding it would be an outdoor one, possibly at a commune with lots of Joss sticks and hemp. Now, I can genuinely say that I know someone who used to be in Stricken City. It's not much of a claim to fame just yet, but you wait, people will be banging down my door trying to get the dirt pretty soon. New single 'Tak O Tak'(released on a limited edition 7" on 28 July) is rather wonderful, a slightly wonky rush of angular guitars and old synths. I haven't a clue what Raa is singing about, but it all sounds frightfully exciting and the video's like the best game of dressing up you've ever seen:



Tenuous links featured in this article: both singers are women, they both dance funny, they have London accents when they sing, they're both a bit fidgety.