The London trio Girl Ray recorded their 2016 debut single, Trouble, on what would have been their last day at school. Poppy Hankin, Sophie Moss and Iris McConnell are sonically inspired by C86 indie guitar pop, folk, psychedelia and genre blenders and benders such as Todd Rundgren.

Prestige is their third studio album, following Earl Grey (2017) and Girl (2019). It stylishly expands on their winning penchant for smart, harmonic, well-crafted pop in the mould of Metronomy or Christine and the Queens, so it comes as little surprise that they have worked with the producer Ash Workman in the past.

This time around they’ve enlisted Ben H Allen (MIA, Gnarls Barkley, Christina Aguilera, Deerhunter) to give Prestige a sonic sheen and co-produce the record with Hankin. Hold Tight celebrates the restorative powers of a positive and meaningful relationship, channelling the pop sensibilities of Haim and the musical nous of a drum loop inspired by Atlanta’s buoyant hip-hop scene.

The triumvirate’s third album is a sweet, summery and sassy collection of razor-sharp tunes, albeit veering a little towards the saccharine twee-pop side. Having said that, Girl Ray are very good at what they do. They’re arguably a stronger mainstream crossover proposition than a lot of their peers on London’s forever-vibrant alternative movement. Prestige is a ray of sunshine for the dog days of summer, regardless of what the actual weather will be like.