When it comes to pure pop, no one does it with as much panache as wonder boy Mika. His third album The Origin Of Love will no doubt please the eight million and counting fans who have bought his other two offerings, if doing little else to expand his fanbase.

This is chock-full of bouncy, if predictable, numbers like the title track ("Love is a trap and you are my cigarette / Love is addiction and you are my Nicorette") as well as genetically modified affairs - the annoying 'Make You Happy' has Mika's robotic vocals repeating the title over, and over again. Things pick up somewhat with 'Underwater', a lush ballad replete with flowing piano and romantic lyrics that thirteen year old girls will be writing in their schoolbooks during chemistry class: "All I need is the love your breathe / Put your lips on me and I can live underwater." Music snobs may scoff, but the truth is that The Origin of Love is a slickly polished, if somewhat vacuous, collection of tunes that should help cement Mika's place as a pop heartthrob for a while yet.

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