Mika has been busy over the last few years, with roles as a judge on The X Factor Italy, a coach on The Voice in France, and a collaborator with fashion house Valentino – but has it been at the expense of musical progression?
Much of his fourth album sounds like recycled versions of what came before, the same upbeat harmonies and stomping, radio-friendly pop riffs flooding the tracklist but often sounding like throwaway musical theatre numbers.
There is the odd glimpse of his songwriting capacity on the Rufus Wainwright-esque Ordinary Man and the danceable Staring at the Sun, but it is outweighed by fluff and glibness.
Mika has the tools to craft top-notch pop music, but this unchallenging collection sounds more like a missed opportunity.
