7/10

For the last few years, we have grown in admiration of the 80s synth-pop sound. Despite its clearly nostalgic intention, many artists around the world have been using the wistful and atmospheric aesthetic in order to give grandeur and gravitas to their contemporary style, proving successful almost everywhere it is used. And as a child of the 1980s, Natasha Khan's Bat For Lashes project has now found itself swept away within the retro atmosphere as she returns with her fifth full-length 'Lost Girls', a love-letter to her youth and the influences surrounding it.

While her previous LP 'The Bride' was a standard concept release, taking on the guise of a woman whose husband was tragically killed on the way to their wedding, this new collection has a distinct theme to it but no longer threaded together with a fictional narrative. Instead we see the frontwoman conceive an almost cinematic score for her latest album, dreaming up a diverse array of new characters that all fit into this 80s imagery. Gangs of biker women, Los Angeles skylines, and a huge dollop of science fiction all make their way into this eccentric web of a new record, giving her return a strong and interesting new perspective.

It is clear to see that the Bat For Lashes name has evolved in the last few years from a regular guise for Khan to something far more adventurous and experimental. 'Lost Girls' manages to hold that steady balance of captivating and intriguing songwriting without falling too far into the realms of pretension, making for a wonderfully euphoric and sensual new collection.