Already notorious for his hijacking of Gary Numan/Adina Howard for the Sugababes’ “Freak Like Me” and Human League/Chaka Khan for Liberty X’s “Being Nobody”?both of which appear here?the mysterious Richard X now extends his alchemy to his debut album, an alternative history of pop worthy of BEF. Of his numerous guests, Kelis provides an even better Human League remoulding with “Finest Dreams”, Jarvis Cocker reshapes Mazzy Star inspiringly (“Into You”) and, best of all, long-lost Flying Lizards vocalist Deborah Evans-Stickland gives us an hilariously deadpan “Walk On By”, while on “Lemon/Lime” she gets to rhyme “Armageddon” with “David Sneddon”. Good to see Caron Wheeler come out of the cold with “Lonely”, too.

Superbly mischievous pop.