All of his albums up to now have been nothing short of incredible and there’s no doubt that he is one of the most accomplished pop stars to emerge from Britain in recent years.

He’s also known to be something of an unpredictable character, and perhaps this is why his most recent offering isn’t quite the triumph a lot of people (myself included) were expecting.

Distancing himself from the familiarity of Intensive Care’s conventional melodic charm, Robbie has involved several producers and guests this time round, giving this album an acute sense of eclecticism that works against the record’s overall appeal.

Of course, he has every right to branch out and experiment, but that’s what side projects are usually for. Instead, the platter he has handed us is a mess of sweet and sour all at the same time.

The album’s sweeter, more pleasant moments arrive with the undeniably slick She’s Madonna, Lovelight, The Actor and the deadpan covers of Human League’s Louise and Stephen Duffy’s Kiss Me.

Much of the rest is pretty average (at times, uninspired) stuff, and sadly, a few instances, such as the title track, Never Touch The Switch, We’re The Pet Shop Boys and the totally dismal cover of Manu Chao’s classic Bongo Bong are downright disappointing! If Robbie wanted to do something different, this is it – whether it works is a totally different argument!

CD COURTESY OF Exotique