Following a long string of singles,
Cagedbaby Will See You Now is the long-playing debut of the British dance-pop outfit led by singer/songwriter Tom Gandey. Although there are some surface similarities to current bands like
Röyksopp and
Goldfrapp, these ten songs suggest that Gandey's heart is mostly in early-'80s synth music: sprightly, energetic singles like "Disco Biscuit" and "16 Lovers" are pop songs retooled for the dancefloor, with fairly standard verse-chorus structures and Gandey's breathy vocals right up front in the mix. (Gandey, it must be said, has a startling vocal resemblance to Marc Bolan's elfin glam rock croon, especially on the opening "Hello There.") Even if your exposure to electronic dance music ended when
Soft Cell broke up,
Cagedbaby Will See You Now will sound quite familiar and accessible, but there's also a fresh vitality to this album. ~ Stewart Mason