Pop tuneage in recent years has been dominated by a slew of females. However, a recent wave of male acts look set to challenge the balance of power with their infectious tracks, with British boyband The Wanted leading the charge. ‘Glad You Came’ signalled the boys’ arrival on an international level, with the track topping charts and setting dancefloors alight the world over. Generally, the debut Australian release from The Wanted –a succinct 10-track package – sticks to what has become a winning formula, with a blaze of Ibiza-aimed dance tracks making up a considerable portion of the set. A definite highlight of these tracks is the pseudo-euphoric, captivating ‘Lightning’, with a chorus that builds in intensity with each repetition. However, versatility is also on display, with the likes of ‘Heart Vacancy’ exhibiting an emotional longing and impressive vocals.

In collaboration with the band members themselves, some of the most talented songwriters and producers in the business contributed their expertise to the EP, including Example (‘Changed The Way You Kissed Me’, ‘Kickstarts’), who penned the anthemic lead single ‘Chasing The Sun’. The track is packed with energy, and is home to one of the best post-choruses of 2012. Hardcore fans of The Wanted may find their appetite for new material grown stronger rather than whetted given the relative scarcity of new material here. The Wanted EP, then, acts as a greatest-hits-to-date type package, featuring highlights from the boys’ first two UK studio albums. That said, the two brand new tracks (‘Chasing The Sun’ and the equally dance-infused ‘Satellites’), if indicative of what’s coming next, will only build anticipation for future releases. 

7/10

By John Rowley

The Wanted EP is available now through Universal via standard, special edition CD and digital format.