HURTS: Desire (Columbia)

THIS Manchester duo’s fourth album benefits from assured songwriting and a more radiofriendly outlook. The electronic pop of Beautiful Ones recalls Tears For Fears and Pet Shop Boys, while Boyfriend supplies echoes of Prince at his most funky. The production is often too manicured and Theo Hutchcraft could live without the auto-tune applied to his voice on Chaperone. He fares far better on the Emeli Sandé-like piano ballad Magnificent.