Eclectic LA singer-songwriter strikes gold with lushly melodic country-disco-soul From Blue Monday to most of Robyn’s output, much of the finest electronic music has depicted clubbing’s existential 3am crises (as well as its moments of transcendence). It may not be ‘dance music’ in the modern sense, but Pearl Charles’ second album Magic Mirror is clearly the work of someone intimately acquainted with the messy emotions and heightened sensibilities of nights under the glitterball. After years paying her dues playing old-time country, garage and psych-rock, this well-realised and beautifully produced collection meshes slinky soul and country melancholy, with a spangly disco undercarriage. The surprise is how well these elements fit together. Pearl’s lightly affecting vocals take full advantage of a plethora of great hooks and melodic ideas, and the kind of pithy lyrics country music is famous for (‘